camping

(Photo: Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport)

Campers are gearing up to head out this long weekend, but they'll have to leave the alcohol at home.

An alcohol ban has been in place over the May long weekend in Saskatchewan Provincial Parks since 2006, and is also in effect for some Regional Parks, including Lac Pelletier, Pine Cree and Clearwater.

"We just put it into place because we were finding that we were up against a lot of vandalism and excessive noise, and we just want everybody to have a safe and enjoyable weekend, said Loreen Friskie, the Acting Manager of Visitor Experiences with the Saskatchewan Parks Service. "We've really noticed that it's been very well received. We have very little pushback at all from it, and we've noticed a lot more families coming back and camping on this weekend."

Friskie adds that not all services at some parks may be available, since many are just starting up, and suggests calling ahead to the park to see what is happening. You can also check online at the Saskatchewan Provincial Parks or Regional Parks websites.

Shawn Mullin talked with Loreen Friskie about the May long weekend alcohol ban: