Duane Hicks
The new National Geographic and Heart of the Continent Partnership geotourism MapGuide and website—traveltheheart.org—officially is launching tomorrow.
The “landmark project,” which has taken two years to plan and execute, is “historically significant for all who live, work, and play in the Superior border lakes region,” also known as the “Heart of the Continent,” said HOCP co-ordinator Chris Stromberg.
“It’s been a huge undertaking,” he noted. “Lots of people involved, lots of people to thank.”
Stromberg said with the MapGuide and website, the “Heart of the Continent” now is among a select number of regions utilizing the geotourism template set down by National Geographic.
The website has been developed with the participation of numerous groups and businesses from both sides of the border.
It is meant to help tourists plan their trip to the region, as well as know what there is to do and where to go.
“The interactive website is really neat,” said Stromberg. “You can go on and look at different categories, whether it’s accommodations or festival or events.
“Like this week, at the end of the week there’s the Cross Quetico Lakes Tour here out of Atikokan that I host,” he remarked.
“You can find it right on the website by clicking on the icon—it comes up.”
Categories include action opportunities, accommodations, community, festival/event, food/drink, historic/prehistoric place, local points of interest, museum/theatre/interpretive centre, natural area, outdoor adventures, and packaged experiences.
With regards to Rainy River District, the website notes places, events, and businesses, such as the tourism information centre in Fort Frances.
These also include the Fort Frances Museum, From the Grind Up, Noden Causeway, Sunny Cove Camp, Rainy Lake Nordic Ski Club, and the Cranberry Peatlands Interpretive Trail in Alberton.
Also featured are the Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society Fall Fair, Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre, Manitou Rapids annual fish fry, Rainy River First Nations Pow-Wow, Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung ski and snowshoe trails, Backus Community Center in International Falls, City Beach in International Falls, Atikokan Sno Ho Snowmobile Club, and Quetico Provincial Park, among others.
Stromberg explained the places and events are chosen using certain criteria.
“It’s not the Walmarts, it’s not gas stations,” he stressed. “It’s the little cottage industries and the neat places, the historic sites.
“Everything that a tourist would like to see and do.”
Stromberg said the places and events included on the geotourism site will change over time, and it’s not too late for groups and businesses to be included.
“What we want, what we’ve been trying to push, is for businesses—and I noticed Fort Frances is doing pretty good at getting theirs out—to nominate themselves because that makes the most sense,” he reasoned, noting who would know better than the owners themselves.
Submissions should include high-quality photos and short videos.
“What you end up doing is creating a little page on the site about your business,” Stromberg said.
He also urged people to download the mobile app, which can be found at traveltheheart.org
“No matter where you are travelling within the ‘Heart,’ you can press ‘Near me’ and it will show all of those categories and what’s near you as you travel through the ‘Heart of the Continent,’” he explained.
The website has been up for about a year but has been growing since then.
It is being officially launched tomorrow at Glensheen Mansion in Duluth and at Grand Portage National Monument in Grand Portage, Mn., and then at the Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay on Friday.
All sites and attractions that have been nominated, and now reside on the website, are invited to attend any of the venues to receive their certificate of participation from the National Geographic Society.
“To us it’s exciting,” enthused Stromberg, noting traveltheheart.org is a vital component of promoting HOCP and has been their biggest undertaking.
That said, Stromberg also urged the public to find out more about HOCP, which goes beyond the geotourism initiative.
He noted HOCP is an affiliation of partners that have been working on both sides of the border and sharing information.
The mission of HOCP is “to sustain and celebrate the health, beauty, diversity, and productivity of the natural and cultural resources of the border lakes region through collaboration to meet the needs of present and future generations.”
This not only includes developing a common identity, but creating and sustaining economic stability for the communities within the region.
Through co-operation and capacity-building among communities, region-wide dialogue will be built to enable vibrant communities to flourish alongside healthy public lands.
For more information, visit heartofthecontinent.org
