If people west of Fort Frances want to see their stretch of the Rainy River included in the proposed Canadian Heritage River System (CHRS) extension of the Boundary Waters-Voyageur Waterway, they have some work to do.
“The focus, at the moment, is on it going to Fort Frances. The proponent of this is really the local community,” noted Brian Grimsey, a senior planner with CHRS in Ottawa who spoke to proponents of a 50-km western extension to the system.
There was general agreement among the small group gathered at the Fort Frances Museum last Tuesday (April 22) that it would be ideal for the extension to include all of waterway along the border to the mouth of the Rainy River.
The currently proposed extension would provide an all-Canadian route from Thunder Bay through the Kaministiquia River to Kakabeka Falls, and then from Quetico to Fort Frances.
“Some people would like to see it go to Kenora,” noted museum curator Pam Hawley. “But that is for the people on that end to work toward.”
The sixth Canadian Heritage River conference will be held in Ottawa on June 14-19, 2009. It is held every three years and would provide a venue for making an amendment for the extension.
The Boundary Waters-Voyageur Waterway is one of the earlier waterways brought into the CHRS.
“The idea is that it really captures the whole essence of the significance of this area as the early transportation route used by aboriginals and voyageurs,” Grimsey noted.
“The current designation, although extremely valuable, can be enhanced by the extension,” he added.
When asked about the benefits of CHRS designation, Grimsey replied: “It’s cause for celebration. It raises awareness of the value.
“It raises pride in community [and] helps promote tourism. It’s a good news story,” he stressed.
Grimsey suggested this is an incredible opportunity because this area, some time in the future, will lend itself to some kind of heritage tourism destination on an international scale.
“There is a real interest, particularly in parts of Europe—Scandinavia and Germany,” he noted. “People like to travel into somewhat of a wilderness setting which has a cultural story to go along with it.
“I think this area fills that bill extremely well.”
The boundary waters is one of 40 rivers throughout the country that are recognized as having outstanding Canadian value.
Grimsey stressed the need for whole community support.
“If there was to be a coming together between the First Nations’ communities and the wider community . . . if that were to accrue, it would be absolutely marvelous,” he enthused.
“Heritage recognition is very much central to how they [First Nations] see themselves, their history, their beliefs, the resource values they see in the river, so we find that the aboriginal people are the strongest allies for the program and they have played a very instrumental role.
“Part of this is about building awareness,” continued Grimsey. “Part of it is being proud of your heritage—who you are and, of course, these rivers are so much that way in terms of the aboriginal people . . . part of their identity, part of their spirituality.
“I think any opportunity to get the message out and to treat the river with care in the future is completely in line with what the First Nations’ people would like to get out of this.
“When you take a look at this area and what it offers from a natural environment standpoint, and certainly from a cultural environmental standpoint, we have some very historical sites of one nature or another,” Grimsey concluded.
Grimsey also mentioned the proposed $20-million Voyageur Heritage Center and U.S. National Park headquarters, which will be located in International Falls across from the La Verendrye Parkway here.
“So many of the messages that need to be conveyed in this area are borderless, and so it would be a shame to have the Americans put their spin on it as understandably they would, and we would perhaps put our spin on it,” he noted.
“We should be working somewhat together on it.”
In related news, the 2008 David Thompson Brigade will be leaving Rocky Mountain House, Alta. en route to Old Fort William in 10 days, and will be paddling through Rainy River District at the end of June.
Fifteen teams will be participating, with about half of them planning to cover the whole 3,600 km trek, which is expected to reach Old Fort William on July 12.
Brigade participants will be camping in Rainy River, Emo, and Fort Frances, and plans on how to feed and celebrate with the 160 participants currently are being made.
Here in Fort Frances, the brigade visit will coincide with the “Relay for Life” event and Fun in the Sun festivities.
Hawley wondered how other communities along the river could get involved in welcoming the brigade. Grimsey sees it as being particularly important that the First Nations are involved in more than a ceremonial way.
“Engage the First Nations in a sincere and genuine way so that an event like this doesn’t perpetuate the story that only things of historic value started to happen after the Europeans arrived,” he suggested.
There is a lot of river to cover and the brigade will be paddling upstream.
“Time frames are going to be a factor,” admitted Hawley.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
