RENFREW — Three major awards were presented at the annual general meeting of the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association held Tuesday at the Ma-te-way Centre in Renfrew.
Cheryl Dunlop Reid was presented with the Marilyn Alexander Tourism Champion Award. This award recognizes an OVTA member who is an active tourism champion for the Ottawa Valley.
Ms. Dunlop Reid has spent countless hours volunteering to groom trails in and around Madawaska Valley and throughout the larger Snow Country. Off the trails, she has assisted with administration for the sport. Under her leadership, the District 6 team has managed to double permit sales as well as increase the overall awareness of the area.
The other two nominees were Ish Theilheimer, who is founder and director of the Stone Fence Theatre and Preston O’Grady, who helped establish, and is the curator of, the Bonnechere Museum in Eganville.
The Business of Distinction Award went to the Sands on Golden Lake, which is owned by Jeff Raisbeck and Jeff Scharf. The other nominees were The Country Cupboard in Petawawa, the Wilno Craft Gallery and Stone Fence Theatre.
There were six nominees for Special Event of the Year. There’s Art in Your Woodpile – Creative Woodstacking Competition held at the Railway Station Park in Barry’s Bay won the award. The other nominees were the Tour de Bonnechere in Eganville; the 2015 International Canoe Federation World Freestyle Kayak Championships held on the Ottawa River in Whitewater Region; Deep River’s 70th Anniversary celebrations; the Paddle and Fiddle the Bonnechere; and A Night of Memories: Lumberjacks’ Dinner, which takes place in Fort-Coulonge, Quebec.
