Whitehorse's McIntyre Creek area is now a territorial park

Years in the making, the Yukon has designated a large swath of land along McIntyre Creek in Whitehorse as a new territorial park.

Chasàn Chùa Territorial Park was designated a "natural environment park" in a decision involving both local First Nations and other governments. It brings the total number of territorial parks in the Yukon to nine.

Sean Smith, chief of Kwanlin Dün First Nation, said protecting the area has been important to him as both a Whitehorse resident and First Nation citizen. He recalled his time as a child growing up along the McIntyre Creek.

It's important, he said, "for younger generations to have access to … [the area], to enjoy nature within it." 

Access to the area will not change with the new designation. Existing zoning and municipal bylaws for the City of Whitehorse will continue to apply.

The new designation protects nearly 36 square kilometres of land and includes prohibitions on mineral staking. Future use of the park will be defined by Kwanlin Dün First Nation, Ta'an Kwäch'än Council, the City of Whitehorse, and Government of Yukon. Park management planning is the next step, according to the territory.

Chasàn Chùa means "copper creek" in Southern Tutchone. The Whitehorse 2040 official community plan, released in February, included developing a management plan for the area.

The park is ecologically connected to the Łu Zil Män (Fish Lake) area and protects much of the headwaters of the creek.

Nils Clarke, Yukon's environment minister, said protecting the area is an issue people have been advocating for at least three decades.

To put the announcement into context, Clarke said the new park is about nine times as large as Vancouver's Stanley Park. 

"It's 'the Wilderness City' and … [this] will be land set aside for recreational opportunities for all Whitehorse residents and for all Yukoners," Clarke said.