State of the River 2004-2005
St. Marys River (Ontario)
“At the crossroads of the continent”
Designated 2000
When the Heritage Strategy for the St. Marys River was developed and approved in January 2000, the Friends of the St. Marys River made a commitment to address the six natural objectives, the four human heritage objectives, the three recreational objectives and the implementation requirements. For each of the objectives and the implementation strategy, there were action items set fourth. In total, seventy-seven action items were proposed in the Heritage Strategy for the St. Marys River Ontario.
Work continues with the development of interpretive panels for six locations along the St. Marys River using funding made available from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Great Lakes Heritage Program. In 2004 draft interpretive messages were developed in English, French and Ojibway languages for the six sites where panels will be erected: i.e. Gros Cap, Sault Ste. Marie ( Bellevue Park and Sault Canal National Historic Site), Sailors Encampment, Richards Landing, and Bruce Mines. The interpretive panels will address the values associated with natural, human and recreational heritage values, and will help profile the importance of the St. Marys River as a Canadian Heritage river and a strategic component of the Great Lakes Heritage Coast. Volunteers with the Friends continue to assist in the project and work with a firm selected to help develop the artwork and fabricate the panels. Efforts have been directed to developing a base using one of the sites (Richards Landing) so that other panels will be consistent in their appearance and message types. A new logo for the Friends will be developed as part of this initiative.
As a result of the successful partnership between the Friends of the St. Marys River with the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (Sault Ste. Marie Area Office and the Thunder Bay Regional Office) and Environment Canada (Downsview and Burlington Offices) in sponsoring the St. Marys River Remedial Action Plan Implementation Review Project, the partners will initiate two new projects in 2005. Both of these projects are extensions to the recommended actions identified in the Review Project.
The Friends of the St. Marys River have participated in community outreach events where its members can profile the importance of the designation of the St. Marys River as a Canadian Heritage waterway. Examples include Environmental Summits and Citizen Forums sponsored by Lake Superior State University with the St. Marys River Bi-National Public Advisory Council and the Great Outdoor Show sponsored by the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce. Three members of the Friends of the St. Marys River are also representatives on the Bi-National Public Advisory Council allowing for good communication between the two organizations.
For more information, contact:
Linda Whalen
Phone: (705) 946-8530
Linda.walen@ssmrca.ca
or
Susan Greenwood
Management Biologist
Upper Great Lakes Management Unit
1235 Queen St.
Sault Ste. Marie , ON P6A 2E5
susan.greenwood@mnr.gov.on.ca
Tel.: (705) 253-8288 ext. 249
Fax.: (705) 253-9909
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