Point Pelee National Park in Canada will receive C$5.5m ($4.2m) in federal funding for a range of infrastructure improvements, including a new observation tower.
The federal infrastructure funding will support the renewal of two popular day use areas in Point Pelee National Park – the Marsh Boardwalk and the Tip area – providing new and improved visitor experiences.
The tower and stationary section of the marsh boardwalk will be refreshed at a cost of C$4m ($3.1m) while the final C$1.5m ($1.1m) will go towards constructing a brand-new observation tower near the Tip to provide an all-new visitor experience of exceptional views.
Similar investment work has recently been completed on a number of other infrastructure projects to improve visitor experience. The park’s break wall has been repaired to help to renew shoreline protection. Improvements have also been made to the park’s Northwest Beach area with the washrooms and change facilities renewed and a natural playground and picnic shelter added.
Catherine McKenna, the minister of environment and climate change, said: “Through investments to protect and restore our national parks, the Government of Canada is preserving nature for future generations. These investments will help more Canadians, including youth and newcomers, discover and enjoy Point Pelee and the remarkable diversity of species found there.”
Point Pelee National Park is located in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, where it extends into Lake Erie. It was the first national park in Canada established for conservation. The park experienced the largest increase in visitation of any national park in Canada in 2017. Attendance increased by 68% with more than 200 000 additional visitors.
Image: c. Parks Canada.
