A New Dark Sky Site:

Kawartha Highlands Signature Site

Ontario ’s Provincial government has recently expanded a provincial park north of Peterborough in the Kawartha Highlands. The expanded park takes in forests, meadows, and lakes. It does surround existing privately owned lands which must be granted right of way for their access. These properties include a 400 acre private hunting camp, a marina, a time share condominium development, and private cottages in the Anstruther Lake area. As such, the park cannot officially be called a “Dark Sky Preserve” but, for all intents and purposes, it is due to the following provisions:

1) The existing park has no artificial outdoor lighting and the expanded park is in a completely pristine condition. There will be no future installation or use of artificial outdoor lighting. The existing hunting camp properties apparently have no artificial outdoor lighting. The cottages, etc. in the Anstruther Lake area do, in many instances, have artificial outdoor lighting, some of which has been deemed to be excessive.

2) The existing park has one access point – a landing at Bottleneck Creek, whereupon people wishing to use the park must canoe and portage their way into and around the park. The existing hunting properties have an unimproved pathway for access to their properties which is not maintained in winter. The cottages, etc. in the Anstruther Lake area have a paved township road into their properties. There will be no new access routes to the park or the private properties within the new park boundaries.

3) The Peterborough Astronomical Association, through its Light Pollution Awareness Committee, is involved in the planning stages of this park and is being kept abreast of any developments in the formation of the expanded park.

4) The cottage owners in the Anstruther Lake area are interested in light pollution abatement and are hoping the Township of North Kawarthas becomes active in regulating it. Although we have no members from that township, the Peterborough Astronomical Association’s Light Pollution Awareness Committee is planning on addressing their concerns and helping them achieve their desired results.

Below is a map of the park.

The existing park is shown in dark green. The expanded park is shown in a lime green and is outlined in heavy black. The privately owned areas are the two grey areas east of the existing park with the exception of the cottages, etc. of the Anstruther Lake area. The red line, in the middle of the park, is the existing road servicing this area. Areas shaded in other colours are different levels of existing and future forest and nature preserves.

For more information, check out the park’s website: http://www.kawarthahighlandspark.ca