Lakeland Provincial Park
| Lakeland Provincial Park | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
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Kinnaird Lake at Sunset
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| Location | Lac La Biche County, Alberta, Canada |
| Nearest city | Lac La Biche, Edmonton |
| Coordinates | 54°48′33″N 111°31′09″W / 54.80917°N 111.51917°WCoordinates: 54°48′33″N 111°31′09″W / 54.80917°N 111.51917°W |
| Area | 596.9 km2 |
| Established | January 16, 1992 |
| Governing body | Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation |
Lakeland Provincial Park and Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area are located east of Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada, in Lac La Biche County.
The park contains numerous lakes, such as Kinnaird, Jackson, McGuffin, Dabbs, Shaw, and Blackett, as well as many other smaller waterbodies. The Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area contains Pinehurst Lake, Seibert, Touchwood and Ironwood Lakes.
Discussions of Lakeland Provincial Park were ongoing for decades before the park was designated in 1992. During the 1960s and 1970s the region was under consideration as a public recreation area. Increasing use led to the construction of small-scale facilities by the provincial Department of Highways and the Forest Service. In 1972 a park reservation was created from Lac La Biche to Cold Lake, which includes the areas now in Lakeland Provincial Park. By the late 1980s, the existing facilities were facing substantial use pressures. Reports from the provincial government described the recreational infrastructure as "minimal" and suggested improving the "limited road access." Discussing the park's potential, the then Deputy Minister of Renewable Resources stated:
The proposed Pinehurst-Seibert-Touchwood Park has by far the greatest potential for a wide variety of water based recreation activities in Alberta. The excellent beaches on the larger lakes [Pinehurst, Seibert, Touchwood, and Spencer] provide focal points for intensive use camping, boating, swimming and fishing. These lakes have carrying capacities for large numbers of people. The Jackson-Kinnaird-Blackett area has natural potential for wilderness canoeing, hiking, and sportfishing. The Sand River and its tributaries have very good potential for canoe and trail routes. The upland areas are prime wildlife habitat and provide abundant opportunities for dispersed recreation such as viewing, photography, hiking, nature study and hunting.
In 1975 a government task force was struck to provide Premier Peter Lougheed with management options pertaining to resource conflicts in the area. The Minister of Lands and Forests, Allan Warrack felt a formal recommendation to establish the park could be submitted for government consideration in 1976.
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