Chris Lowrey
MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC Nov. 28, 2018
The National Capital Commission (NCC) is conducting a survey to get input from citizens for the new Gatineau Park master plan.
The park’s master plan is renewed every 10 years or so, with the last revamp being completed in 2005.
The purpose of the survey is to get public input on issues that the NCC is currently grappling with.
One of those issues is what to do with Curley Lake Road.
The road is technically Municipality of Pontiac property and is used by snowmobilers to access Masham from the municipality.
The NCC, Municipality of Pontiac and the Pontiac Snowmobile Drivers Association (PSDA) have been working together to replace the Curley Lake Road trail.

The NCC has designated Curley Lake Road an ecologically sensitive area and, as such, it needs to be protected.
The NCC has proposed that an alternate trail along the Eardley-Masham Road could be a possibility.
Municipality of Pontiac Mayor Joanne Labadie secured a one-year moratorium on the closure of the trail and PSDA President Alain Goulet said he’s received assurances from the NCC that the Curley Lake trail will remain open until a new one is completed.
“We agreed to work on a new trail,” Goulet said. “Right now we’re waiting on the NCC report on the proposed new trail and it was pretty much agreed upon that we would keep the old trail open until the new trail would be ready.”
The NCC survey’s first question asks respondents whether they have any opinions on the Curley Lake trail, managing use of the parkways in the park and developing Camp Fortune.
Respondents are then asked specifically about Curley Lake. A brief explanation on what the trail is and why it needs to be closed is given as well.
Goulet said he was surprised to see a question about Curley Lake Road on the survey.
“The challenge that we always face is trying to be very mindful of particular group’s needs and wants while still keeping in mind that this is a park of federal significance,” said Christie Spence, NCC director of Quebec Urban Lands and the Gatineau Park.
She said that since the NCC is tasked with maintaining the park for all Canadians, it’s important to reach out to the broader public to keep them abreast of future plans.
Ultimately, Spence said the main goal is to hear what people have to say.
“It’s not a vote,” Spence said. “What we’re trying to do is just get people’s views on it.”
But Goulet is concerned about the NCC’s motives behind the survey question.
“I am concerned,” Goulet said. “My trust personally in the NCC is quite low because they’ve gone and arbitrarily closed snowmobile trails before.”
Goulet estimated that there are upwards of 1,500 members of various snowmobile clubs around the region and he’s hopeful they’ll make their voices heard.
Other topics covered by the survey include managing the parkways within the park’s boundaries, what type of events the park should prioritize, how often respondents visit the park and the kinds of activities they undertake.
The survey can be accessed at: https://ncc-ccn.questionpro.ca/a/TakeSurvey?tt=n6LDpF3Dr%2F2N6s0U1mSyXw%3D%3D&fbclid=IwAR1AWvEvpgejcUisgUrSe-MP_qBhxNPQryg44fDPU5woQcTgznRkTdCV9RY