The camping season officially opens today at Nickle Lake Regional Park for daily and monthly camping.

"We welcome all campers in for the long weekend. It looks like it's gonna be a great weekend. Welcome everybody out," said Park Manager Darren Wheeler

He said about half of their seasonal campers are already moved in for the season. 

"They started coming in last weekend. We heard the rain storm was coming, so we let everybody in just because the roads were good and hard packed," he noted. "We didn't get the rain they had forecasted so it made it a little easier."

Office hours at the park are Saturday to Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Regional Park Passes are $50 for a season, whereas a daily pass $10 plus tax. This means just five visits throughout the season makes it well worthwhile to purchase the seasonal pass. Also, the funds from the passes stay local. 

He said this summer they've got a ball tournament planned for Father's Day weekend, a Smoke Showdown, Canada Day Bike Parade, Nickle Lake Days, and, a favourite for everyone, Halloween in the Park. 

"Last year we had over 350 kids in the park running around, so it was really good."

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To follow all of the events happening at the park, or to check for notices and announcements, Wheeler said there is a new Facebook group this year called Nickle Lake Regional Park 2023.

He said they also have a group for events happening at the lake throughout the summer, which is organized by the board members-at-large, Doyle and Ronalee Larson. Find it HERE.

"They look after all of the setting up all the events for the park for all the long weekend, so they've got everything pre-booked already for the whole year. 

You can also find out details on their website, nicklelakeregionalpark.com.

"We try to update it probably weekly with everything and we want to get more involved in our web page just get more stuff posted on there, our events and daily happenings," he explained. "And we're going to start hopefully getting a texting group set up with all our seasonals and people, and I do use e-mail and a lot of stuff for the ones we have emails." 

Wheeler said he worked in the retail industry for 35 years prior to taking on his role with Nickle Lake.

"This is kind of 'semi retirement', it fills my summer and keeps me busy all summer and all winter so, from April to October, I live here in the park and now we still live in Rosetown."

He said the park is like a little village community all summer long.

Another great perk to camping at Nickle Lake is that there is a playground in every one of their campgrounds, including the newest one, Crescent Point. However, due to ongoing issues with the paddling pool at the park, they have removed it, and will be replaced by the long weekend with a giant sandbox.

Wheeler added there are plans for a regular swimming pool so they can also offer swimming lessons.

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