Duane Hicks
Thinking of Borderland and its surrounding communities and waterways as a whole is key to promoting it as a destination.
That was the theme at the most recent cross-border brainstorming session held last Thursday in International Falls.
Local BIA and Chamber of Commerce members, along with their counterparts from the Falls, heard presentations by Doug Franchot of the Voyageurs National Park Association, on the “Heart of the Continent” (HOTC) partnership, and Stephen Challis, president of the Rainy Lake Conservancy, regarding having the water route from Thunder Bay to Lake of the Woods designated as a heritage waterway.
The HOTC has been an ongoing effort by numerous groups to have this part of Canada and the U.S. recognized as the largest constellation of publicly-managed protected greens spaces in North America.
Since the formation of Quetico Provincial Park and the Superior National Forest almost 100 years ago, surrounding areas slowly but surely have been added to the list of protected areas—yet all these areas are fractured and not seen as one unit.
Several separately-managed natural areas are encompassed by this ecosystem at the “heart of the continent,” including Quetico Provincial Park, Superior National Forest (including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness), Voyageurs National Park, and Grand Portage National Monument, as well as numerous Minnesota state forest lands and parks and Ontario provincial parks.
Local Chamber manager Annely Armstrong said the HOTC seems to be an extension of what Fort Frances and International Falls is doing, in that it’s about promoting communities along a route.
“It has the same underlying message . . . we have to build partnerships,” she noted in an interview Friday.
“We have to start thinking collaboratively in order to make this area a destination, rather than just promoting the Hallett and the tower and, ‘Look at our beautiful lake,’” she stressed.
“Look at all we have to offer, come spend time in this area, look at everything that we have—‘we’ as in this whole area, not just the town,” Armstrong added.
She said the HOTC is in its final stages, and has made it this far with the financial support of many partners, including communities in the region like International Falls and Atikokan.
However, the Town of Fort Frances has not been one of them, she noted.
Armstrong also said Franchot revealed a deal with National Geographic will be finalized in the near future, after which time businesses will be able to sell high-quality “Heart of the Continent” maps.
Challis, meanwhile, spoke about the history of the waterway, the effort to have it designated a heritage waterway, and how the support of municipalities and the business community is needed to make it happen.
“It’s really important to tourism for the town—because everybody has a beautiful lake but to be able to say, ‘We are part of a heritage waterway . . .,’” said Armstrong, explaining the waterway encompasses both sides of the border.
“That’s really important, especially when we’re looking at the rebranding of the town,” she remarked.
“To exclude the 360-degree [perspective of Borderland and the surrounding area] is a little silly,” Armstrong stressed. “Fort Frances is important, but we’re also part of a really historical part of the country right here.
“Going forward, we have to remember that our histories [on either side of the border] are so intertwined,” she continued.
“At one point in time, there wasn’t necessarily borders—it was this whole area.”
There’s such a surge in eco-tourism and historical tourism right now that Borderland, when presented as whole, is far more an interesting destination than just a place to drive through, Armstrong said.
“We’re not just a border location, we have a lot of rich history right here,” she argued.
“I think Stephen did an excellent job [Thursday evening] just pointing that out.”
The Rainy Lake Conservancy is in the process of getting the waterway designated, but needs the support of area communities while dealing with respective government agencies.
Armstrong noted there’s been an effort this past year with the Chamber and other parties to promote the region, encouraging tourists to come up to the Fort through the Falls, over to Thunder Bay, and then back down through Duluth.
Attendees also got an update from Lee Grim of the International-Rainy Lake Watershed Board, as well as initiatives from previous cross-border brainstorming sessions.
