WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — Last night a presentation was given to the Council of the Township of Whitewater Region by Joseph Kowalski. The presentation was centered around the two provincial parks in Whitewater Region, the Westmeath Provincial Park (WPP) and the Ottawa River Provincial Park (ORPP).
Alastair Baird is the manager of Economic Development and Tourism for Renfrew County. He was in attendance last night and wrote a letter to MPP John Yakabuski and the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, concerning the development and public access to the ORPP.
In the letter and the presentation, both Mr. Kowalski and Mr. Baird agree the ORPP is, “an undiscovered jewel in the County of Renfrew.” Both men believe creating access to the parks and opening up the scenic Ottawa River shoreline would create a multitude of opportunities. From hiking and natural experience opportunities, as well as encouraging the exploration of lookouts, this park would create new opportunities for local businesses to capitalize on tourism.
“Understanding that operating costs have resulted in the closure of many Ontario Provincial Parks over recent decades, contract operation of this park, as Driftwood Provincial Park in Head, Clara & Maria Township is operated, would be an ideal model to consider,” wrote Mr. Baird in his letter. “This is an area of the river not used frequently by whitewater rafters and kayakers as it is below the main whitewater rapids section of the Ottawa.”
He says access to the Ottawa River through this park would bring visitors to an area of flat water, relatively gentle rapids and swifts.
The island areas of the park are only accessible by skilled whitewater paddlers, or for brief shoreline landings lasting a few minutes by clients of commercial rafting companies. The mainland portion of the park located off of Grants Settlement Road, between McCoy Road and Dittburner Road, is where Mr. Baird says is the ideal portion of the park is to make accessible to the public.
“An entrance area, low impact environmental toilet facilities and four season trails for human powered use would be a soft, low cost and effective way to open this natural jewel to visitors. Day use only would be an ideal model to begin with, and likely the best long-term operating system for the park. This would keep human impact and development costs low and maintain a very natural and unspoiled new Ontario Park,” wrote Mr. Baird.
Mr. Kowalski made reference to the online Facebook group whose members check Provincial Parks off of their bucket lists and stated the two Provincial Parks in Whitewater Region are not on the map. He believes adding the parks to the map for day use only would be beneficial for our area and many businesses would benefit from a new natural area for exploration and nature appreciation.
With many accommodators with low occupancy rates on weekends and in the fall, spring and winter seasons, Mr. Kowalski believes a new tourism product like this would be of great benefit to Whitewater Region and Renfrew County. The County of Renfrew and the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association fully support the development for public use of the Grants Settlement Road mainland portion of the Ottawa River Provincial Park.
According to Mr. Baird’s letter, Mr. Kowalski demonstrates a strong desire and business imperative to attract more visitors to Whitewater Region and Renfrew County.
