GOOD SPIRIT LAKE — Good Spirit Provincial Park is bouncing back from significant spring runoff and flooding that left portions of the popular recreation area underwater.
While high water levels caused extensive damage to the shoreline, remediation efforts have progressed enough to welcome summer visitors back to the beach and campground. Park crews spent weeks mitigating the impact of the heavy spring melt, which washed away large sections of the park’s famous sandy shoreline.
"We've actually sandbagged an area to bring the beach back quite a bit," said Levi Tillman, the park's resource maintenance manager. "We've hauled in quite a bit of sand. Half the beach is still in a little bit of disrepair yet. Our water's still a little bit high, but there is a beach. It is definitely usable."
Tillman noted that visitors are already swimming, though the site is still transitioning into peak form.
"It's not at our best state from last year," Tillman said. "We lost a lot, but we are rebuilding at the moment."
While the main beach is welcoming swimmers, the park’s designated dog beach remains entirely submerged and closed to the public for the time being.
Despite a slightly delayed start to the season due to cleanup operations, park infrastructure is fully functional. Potable water systems are running normally, and popular commercial amenities — including The Beach Store ice cream shop and Par-Tici-Putt Mini Golf & Rentals — have officially opened for business.
Campers are also beginning to return to the grounds. Seasonal sites are slowly filling up, and park officials report a steady influx of visitors arriving to capitalize on the recent warm weather, though crowd sizes have not yet reached midsummer peaks.
Park officials are encouraging visitors to remain patient as restoration work continues on the remaining damaged sections of the shoreline throughout the season.
