Gould Lake Conservation Area

PLEASE NOTE - Cataraqui Conservation no longer offers canoe and kayak rentals at Gould Lake Conservation Area. You are welcome to bring your own.

Conservation Ontario @conont The #outdoors and the joy of #birds should be safe and welcoming for all people." Ontario's #ConservationAreas continue to be a safe and inclusive space for everyone to experience and enjoy #nature equally. #StepIntoNature

A friendly reminder to do your part and help keep our conservation areas clean and open: - Pack in and pack out. Do not litter on the trails, properties, or roadsides and dispose of items properly Dogs must be on a leash at all times please poop and scoop Practice physical distancing of 2m and do not congregate in groups. Do not use Beaches/benches/picnic areas - they are closed... Park in marked areas only, if the lot is full come back another time. Do not make your own parking space, you may be blocking the entrance for emergency vehicles or causing hazards for other vehicles See more

Cataraqui Conservation's board has made a decision to reopen a number of our trails and properties throughout the Cataraqui watershed as of Saturday, April 25 f...or passive use, with additional Covid-19 protocols in place. For the full release, click the top link on our NEWS page: https://crca.ca/who-we-are/news/. For more comprehensive details regarding oout Covid-19 strategy, visit: https://crca.ca/coronavirus.

Since the decision to close all Cataraqui Conservation properties and trails, we have many comments from residents of the Cataraqui watershed. We are most appre...ciative of the level of passion and commitment they have for those properties and trails, which we designed for public use and recreation. We understand people's frustration, but our commitment to the health and well being of our staff, volunteers and visitors is paramount. Here is a follow up statement from Cataraqui Conservation management regarding the closures. The safety and wellness of our watershed residents is of the upmost importance, closing Cataraqui Conservation properties was a very difficult decision. We are following the provincial directive to close communal, public/private outdoor recreational spaces and public health direction to stay home. Along with other conservation authorities who have closed their trails and municipalities we are discouraging traffic at gathering places, similar to the closure of provincial parks as of March 19, 2020. Many of the trail networks are not conducive to the observed traffic and social distancing practices and parking lots and roadways are being used irresponsibly. We fully support exercising and getting outside for resident wellbeing but encourage the community to do so safely within their neighbourhoods. We have been in contact with Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit to discuss our approach and they understand our position. The next couple weeks are critical to stop the spread of the virus and reduce recreational traffic. As pandemic conditions persist and the weather continues to improve, we are committed to monitoring conditions and continually discussing best practices with our local health care professionals to consider how we can safely support residents accessing natural spaces for their wellbeing.