SPENCER GORGE RESERVATION FEE RANKLES PASS-HOLDER

HCA SAYS $10 FEE HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINE 2020

The Hamilton Conservation Authority's announcement requiring reservations to visit Spencer Gorge as of Sept. 17 is rankling some HCA pass-holders — not because of the reservation system, but the associated fee.

Christian Wagner, who lives on the east Mountain, and his wife are HCA passholders. When he recently saw the news about the requirement for reservations, he enquired with the conservation authority about the fee for those with a pass.

He was shocked to learn the fee is $10.

"I was expecting a dollar or two," he said, noting he and his wife are also members of provincial parks and while they often have to register for day use at the parks, the process is free. "I just thought it was a bit excessive, considering about 37 per cent of the (HCA) budget is made up of Hamilton taxpayers."

Wagner said for a family of four without a pass to visit the Spencer Gorge, it would be $10.50 for the vehicle, $5 per person — plus a $10 fee to register — for a total of $40.50. While it would be free for Wagner — after paying almost $130 for a yearly pass — he would still be charged a $10 reservation fee.

"I get why they do it," he said of the reservation system. "I fully understand; I don't have a problem with any of that.

"I get they want to limit traffic. I just think the $10 is a gouge."

According to the HCA website, a regular yearly pass is $115 plus HST, while a renewal is $105 plus HST, a senior pass is $95 plus HST and a family pass is $175 plus HST. Alternatively, a two-year regular pass is $210 plus HST, a two-year senior pass is $190 plus HST.

Sarah Gauden, the Hamilton Conservation Authority's manager of marketing and events, said in an email the $10 fee has been in place since they started the reservation system in fall 2020.

"We set the fee at $10, rather than the camping reservation fee, which is $15," she explained, "so as not to be cost-prohibitive while still assisting with covering the costs associated with a visitor management system."

She said the fee for passholders

is similar to the one charged for camping or special events at Westfield Heritage Village. Gauden added the reservation system will be in place until midNovember for the fall colour season, after which it will be accessible to passholders with no reservation or additional fee.

Due to the traffic congestion

and parking issues in the area before the reservation system — which Gauden said were a safety concern — the HCA made the decision to not allow walk-ins without a reservation, even if they were passholders. She said that decision was meant to eliminate, as much as possible, the number of people coming and parking in the Greensville area.

"The purpose of the reservation system itself is to manage the visitation numbers, which in turn provides a better visitor experience and protects the area's ecological health," she said.

For his part, Wagner said he and his wife regularly visit the various HCA properties, adding they find the pass to be decent value, paying for itself after five or six visits. However, he said he does plan to discuss the issue with incumbent Ward 6 Coun. Tom Jackson — an HCA board member — during the election campaign.

Gauden said the conservation authority will be reviewing the process and system once the season has concluded and "considering all aspects, including reservation fees."