G8 in 2010 to be held at the Deerhurst Resort.

"Canada will host its fifth G8 summit at the Deerhurst Resort, the Prime Minister said while visiting the 320-hectare resort in the Muskoka region near Algonquin Park".



Considering the protests and activity involved in these high profile event I am not too sure how this will impact the region and the park. I recall the concern over the Kananaskis event near Canmore a few years back...

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=599816
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=5544cfb9-56c2-451b-80d9-8c0c65a19ec8
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=efc2087c-b48e-46d5-bb16-678c804bc612


Comments or questions??

Hi Derek

The last G8 Summit in Canada was in late June of 2002. If the 2010 G8 summit occurs at Deerhurst, any where in the period from late April to mid-October, it certainly will impact on accessing the Highway 60 corridor area of Algonquin from the direction of Highway 400. Security measures will make that access route a real "slow-down". Highway 35 might be a better prospect. But, myself I'd rather just plain stay away from the west side of the park during that kind of "business".

On a humorous note, wouldn't it just serve them right to book it in the middle of a heavy black fly hatch??!!

Undoubtedly, all the media coverage would spill over to touch on Algonquin Park. The typical "sidebars" and "filler articles" would include "polarizing" oversimplifications of environmental issues .. some of which would most likely include the park and logging.

Once all the controversy settles down, we'll probably experience a couple of years of increased park visitors as a result of the increased media exposure. Whether that would be a good thing or a bad thing would depend how the increased attention is "handled" by the government, park management and interested organizations like the ABR, Friends of Algonquin and Algonquin Ecowatch.

If the G8 Summit does happen at Deerhust, we can be sure that Algonquin and issues affecting it will come under some very untypical media and public attention. How that will impact on ABR objectives and on recreationalists using the park will definitely be interesting.

How can we anticipate the effect of all this and use it to benefit ABR objectives?

Now that's the important question we should be trying to answer!