The Hamilton Conservation Authority has hiked its fees at Spencer Gorge/Webster Falls Conservation Area in an effort to curb the influx of weekend visitors.

"The local environment is taking a pounding," said chief administrative officer Chris Firth-Eagland who estimates the park has seen more than 3,000 people at a time during a peak weekend — the park's estimated capacity.

He said conservative estimates suggest the park had 140,000 visitors in 2015, up from about 80,000 two years earlier. The increased human activity not only endangers a fragile ecosystem, including century old trees, "sensitive plant regimes," and bird species like the recently departed Louisiana Waterthrush, it has also created traffic and parking issues for locals.

"The place is gridlocked when the leaves change colours," said Firth-Eagland.

As one step in the solution, said Firth-Eagland, the HCA has aligned its pricing to be similar to prominent HCA attractions like Christie Lake, Dundas Valley, Valens Lake and Fifty Point. As of May 21, visitors will pay a $10 parking fee and $5 per person to gain access to the Spencer Gorge/Webster Falls park. The revised fee schedule also applies to the Tew Falls parking area and site.

Between May 21 and Oct. 31, HCA membership passes will not gain free admittance on weekends. In all other HCA conservation areas the membership passes will remain valid on weekends and admittance fees appear to remain unchanged.

The City of Waterfalls Initiatives founder Chris Ecklund says the move by the HCA wasn't surprising.

"For the waterfall initiative as a whole, the Number 1 complaint is the cost of admission to the HCA properties in general," said Ecklund. "We have people saying they can't afford it because they're on a fixed income.

"This cost is insanity."

With the golden years of Hamilton's industry behind it, Ecklund believes promoting the city's unique waterfall system is a rare opportunity to transform its image.

"You are talking about (land) that costs the taxpayers millions of dollars, and they want to shut these jewels down?"

Boleslaw Dworzak, a 67-year-old retired engineer who now spends his time creating 3-D virtual reality tours of Hamilton's waterfalls, was at the park Tuesday when he noticed signage warning fees would soon increase.

That day he was able to pay $2 per hour for a total of $4 for the trip.

"To pay $15 for a two-hour visit, I'm lucky I don't have to go there again for a while," said Dworzak, who said he's happy to keep busy with Hamilton's other waterfalls for the time being, so long as those fees haven't been hiked as well.

The revenue from gate receipts are where the money comes from to support the land, said Firth-Eagland, and with increased prices residents can expect slow and steady improvements over time.

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This year the park has installed new waste containers in attempt to curb littering, and administrators are in the process of designing a new staircase to the bottom of Webster Falls — one that will be up to code and include a stable platform at the bottom, said Firth-Eagland.

To avoid congestion, Firth-Eagland recommends visiting Webster Falls during the week or off-peak season. If the cost is prohibitive, he recommends a few of the HCA's passive areas like Fletcher Creek Ecological Preserve in Flamborough and the Devil's Punch Bowl in Stoney Creek. There is no admission fee for those areas, and parking can be found for about $2.