Dark Sky Preserve Chronology
The Cypress Hills is one of the darkest areas remaining in North America.  An opportunity existed to preserve the dark skies and at the same time, provide an eco-tourism opportunity for the park.  The declaration of a Dark-Sky Park fits well with park policies of preservation of the environment.
Date Action Result
6-Aug-05 RASC presents National Light Pollution Abatement Award at the SSSP in CHIPP to Alberta Community Development—Parks and Protected Areas, Saskatchewan Environment, and Parks Canada Agency, to recognize the creation of the Cypress Hills Dark-Sky Preserve.  (view press release) n/a
1-Mar-05 Meeting planned in Regina  
12-Jan-05 Sask LPA Committee meets with Sask Parks and SaskPower in Regina to formally invite SaskPower to partner with CHIPP & Sask LPAC. Sask LPAC, CHIPP SK & AB meet to discuss the CHIPP Guideline Specification. SaskPower uncertain if they want to participate since there is no business advantage. CHIPP SK, CHIPP AB & Sask LPAC agree on Guideline in principle. Brad Mason will forward the DSP cause toward a goal of all Sask Parks becoming DSPs.
02-Dec-04 A draft lighting standards document was written by the RASC and submitted for comment to CHIPP. Technical standard rejected as unmanageable; easier Guideline written Jan 05 but still references Technical document for electrical contractor.
03-Nov-04 Letter send to Sask Power requesting partnership with CHIPP & the RASC in the Cypress Hills DSP initiative. SaskPower will attend January 2005 meeting.
02-Nov-04 Meeting in Regina between RASC, Sask Environment & the Department of Energy Conservation to begin the creation of the Cypress DSP guidelines. Actions were assigned to attendees.  CHIPP DSP to become a model DSP for others to follow.
28-Sep-04 The Cypress Hills Dark-Sky Preserve declaration signed at the 2004 Canadian Parks Council Conference.  The Cypress Hills Dark-Sky Preserve is expanded to contain CHIPP Centre Block (SK), CHIPP West Block (SK), Ft. Walsh National Historic Site (SK); CHIPP Alberta.  The Cypress Hills Dark Sky Preserve is Canada's 3rd and largest Dark-Sky Preserve. SUCCESS! Brad Mason (CHIPP SK), Julie MacDougall (CHIPP AB), David Rohatensky (Ft. Walsh Nat. Historic Site) & Richard Huziak (SK LPA Committee), Bob King (Calgary LPA Committee) & governments of SK & AB sign declaration with 60 Park Manager  participants as witnesses.
13-Aug-04 The Cypress Hills Dark-Sky Preserve declaration signed at the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Star Party (SSSP'04).  SUCCESS! Brad Mason (CHIPP), Rick Goett CHIPP), Vance Petriew (RASC Regina) & Richard Huziak (RASC Saskatoon) sign agreement with 120 SSSP participants as witnesses.
08-Jun-04 Rick Huziak & Vance Petriew present LP & DSP concept to Saskatchewan Park Managers Annual Meeting in Regina. Park managers give their support to the DSP concept for CHIPP & suggest adoption for all Sask parks.
22-Mar-04 Brad Mason (CHIPP) meets with Alberta Park Staff - on the agenda - commonize inter-park LP effort.  
19-Mar-04 Rick Huziak presents the LP concept at the Saskatchewan Eco-tourism conference at Waneskewin Heritage Park near Saskatoon. The speaker before this presentation is a daytime nature photographer; the speaker after spoke of a Tennessee Dark Sky Reserve.  Brad Mason and Rick Goett attend. 
13-Feb-04 Sask LP Committee (Vance Petriew & Rick Huziak) meet in Swift Current with CHIPP (Brad Mason & Rick Goett) & SaskPower rep (Darcy Kozoriz) to begin Centre Block (Saskatchewan side) Dark Sky Preserve Meetings. Brad Mason and Rick Goett embrace the idea. Rick and Brad proactively begin a lighting survey and change out several lights.
2003 Calgary Centre (Bob King) begins LP campaign in Cypress Hills East Block (Elkwater). Alberta Parks consider ALL Alberta Parks might be considered as DSR's!
2003 Saskatchewan Light Pollution Abatement Committee formed to address problems in Saskatoon, Regina, and the rest of province. Darcy Kozoriz discusses preliminary idea of Dark-Sky Preserve with Cypress Hills.