The Wildrose Party says an economic downturn is no time to put fees on Sikome Lake, a favourite summer hotspot for generations of Calgarians.
Since it opened in 1978, the lake has drawn thousands of Calgarians, in part because it was free. But this year, the province introduced fees, costing a family of four $10 for a visit.
That may not seem like much, but the Wildrose Party says it has been contacted by many families who are complaining about the fees, especially during a tough economy.
"Most of them are jobless now and they're looking for work and they can't afford, so $10 may sound small amount but you know it all adds up,” said Prasad Panda, Wildrose MLA for Calgary-Foothills.
According to the province the fees went into upgrading the facilities, extending the swimming season into early September and expanding capacity. But some lake users say they haven’t seen much in the way of improvement.
"I notice that they're a lot more strict about what you bring into the park, so you can’t bring any glass or anything like that,” said Lindsay Schey, lake visitor. “I think its cleaner than it used to be, so I see maybe a slight difference.”
The province says about 200,000 people visit Sikome Lake annually. This year, the bad weather may also be to blame for a drop in visitors. As of August 8th, pass sales were at 33,000.
