Fortress of Louisbourg building parking lot on historic site

Parks Canada plans to build a parking lot on the Fortress of Louisbourg historic site.

It says the lot will accommodate the move of administration offices onto the site.Several offices are now located in an administration compound set in a wooded area about five kilometres off the reconstruction site.

Blair Pardy, the field unit superintendent for Parks Canada in Cape Breton, says the buildings were constructed in the 1970s and are reaching the end of their life.

Meanwhile, he says there are buildings within the reconstruction site now sitting empty.

The presence of a modern-day vehicle at a reconstructed 300-year-old site will probably stand out.- Blair Pardy, Parks Canada

He says the move will make better use of existing space. It will also allow archeology and conservation labs to move on site, where they'll be more accessible to visitors.

He says building a parking lot on site for staff vehicles is a necessity of the move.

"There's no doubt that the presence of a modern-day vehicle at a reconstructed 300-year-old site will probably stand out," Pardy said.

"We're hoping that it won't be too negative an impact on visitor experience, but I think overall, when you combine the benefit to Canadians in terms of the efficiencies and the benefits to moving the collections on site, I think overall it will be a net gain."

'It just seems crazy'

Andree Crepeau says she's "profoundly disappointed and shocked" by the move.

Crepeau worked as an archeologist at the fortress for 27 years.She describes the reconstruction site as a stage where visitors can interact with the past.

She doesn't think a parking lot is an appropriate set piece.

"You know, the park went to great lengths to acquire this land, to have this open landscape.With respect to the 18th century, it's one of the few places that you can do this in the world," she said.

"It just seems against any trend anywhere in the world in terms of visitor experience.It just seems crazy."

Pardy says the plan is to start moving administration workers and their cars on site by 2016.