WHITEWATER REGION — A dream should never die, and Joe Kowalski’s dream of a national park which began 30 years ago, is back on the horizon.
After travelling the world via the US military, Mr. Kowalski settled on the Ottawa River because he felt it was special and continues to think that.
He spoke to Whitewater Region council at its council meeting last night about the idea of a park on Calumette Island, explaining, that although the park is in Quebec, access would be via Ontario, which means the support of Renfrew County and Whitewater Region councils is needed.
Prior to explaining what he wanted, Mr. Kowalski provided a brief history of the idea of a national park, noting that this is not a ntional park by Parks Canada, but in Quebec all provincial parks are called national.
Wanting to preserve the islands in the Ottawa River as a national park, he organized a meeting in Pontiac County in Quebec 30 years ago, because the property is on Quebec side of the Ottawa River. His idea of a national park was not successful.
“I knew then I needed to do it myself,” he said.
Over the next 30 years, he acquired property along the Ottawa River “with the idea of preserving it and laying the foundation, because I did not give up on the idea of a national park.
“When something is a great idea, eventually it will come to passage, it just might take longer.”
In the last few years, there has been interest on the Quebec side of having a national park, so, Mr. Kowalski’s dream was back on the drawing board.
He went to Grand Calumette Island council, hosted a public meeting and went to Pontiac County council. He received support from all three for a national park.
This park would allow for seven snommobile/ATV and pedestrian bridges. He said winters are not what they used to be and recreational vehicles are being used more and more. As an example, he noted this past weekend there was a recreational ATV ride out of Beachburg and more than 200 ATVs stopped at Rafters Restaurant at Wilderness Tours for lunch.
Mr. Kowalski then took the national park idea to the development committee of Renfrew County and received support and is expected to hear that the county will support it at its meeting later this month.
“I didn’t mean for this municipality to be last, but without the support of municipal and county council in Quebec or (Renfrew) county council, there was no point in bringing it to this organization,” he said.
While the park will be in Quebec, people would access it via a five-minute walk from Whitewater Brewery on Grants Settlement Road, he said, explaining there are “10 miles of really, bad roads on Calumette Island, so access for the national park, in the beginning, will be primarily from Ontario.”
It’s critical that both sides work together, he said.
“This is something so significant, I would put this national park in the same category as the fur trade and the lumbering eras, it has that kind of appeal,” Mr. Kowalski said. “I truly believe that within a couple of years this will attract a million visitors a year.”
And, while the fur trade and lumbering eras have passed because the reserves were depleted, Mr. Kowalski said, “This preserves the resource. This is the gift that will keep on giving. This gift keeps on giving and never ends.”
While there is already support from Quebec for the national park, Mr. Kowalski said the support for this project is necessary from Ontario because a wire suspension bridge would have to be erected connecting the islands in Quebec to Whitewater Region in Renfrew County in Ontario.
He noted he is not asking for money, even though it will cost up to $5 million to build the necessary bridges. He believes he will raise the money or get sponsorships through bridge naming.
Mr. Kowalski said parks make money. At one time, parks were free – but not anymore, especially in Quebec. Parks in Quebec are operated like a business and the government want them to be self-sustaining and generate money for the Quebec government.
However, in Ontario, the mandate is for preservation, not visitation.
“I was surprised when I spoke with a park official who told me they don’t care about visitors,” he said. “I think that is a mistake, because the best way to preserve nature is to get the general public in nature and you will get preservation from that.”
Mr. Kowalski said while the entrance fees to the park will go to Quebec, the parking fees would remain in Ontario, some of them to the township because its Whitewater Region roads that will have the added traffic.
And why does he believe the people will come?
“It’s truly spectacular in there,” Mr. Kowalski said. “There’s eagles and rookeries, and if done properly as a national park to preserve everything with walkways and viewing platforms, it’ll be sustainable forever and be a huge attraction.”
He also believes with better communication and roads systems, this area will become a hot housing market.
“People will cash in the city and come here to live as retirees or work from home with good communication and take advantage of all the amenities that tourism development has here,” Mr. Kowalski said. “I truly believe we are on the cusp of greatness.”
Following a motion in principle to support the park, Mayor Hal Johnson said, “You have your support Joe, get us a park.”
