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What's happening in Manitoba The mandate of Rivers West is to develop and implement a long-term tourism and conservation strategy focusing on the development, promotion and management of the natural, tourism, cultural/heritage and recreational resources of the Red River from Emerson to Lake Winnipeg. Its vision is to make Manitoba's Red River corridor a destination. Rivers West - Red River Corridor Association Inc. is working closely with communities and government to develop several initiatives related to tourism, conservation initiatives and greenway activities. The mission of Rivers West is to develop the Red River corridor, from Emerson to Lake Winnipeg, as a destination. Their role involves developing recreational, economic and tourism opportunities while staying focused on conservation and the preservation of historic and cultural resources. Rivers West advances projects on our own or serves as a catalyst and coordinate efforts and resources from other organizations to get the job done. Over the past few years, Rivers West has focused its activities on the following areas: Product Development and Marketing These tours are brand new experiences, packaged in a fresh way. The itineraries were created by Randonnée Tours – a Winnipeg company that creates similar travel experiences in Europe and around the world. Rivers West now has the same calibre of itinerary to offer to our Manitoba visitors. The itineraries are available at www.routesonthered.ca or at Travel Manitoba visitor centres. Access and infrastructureGetting people onto the river is an essential component of our success - unfortunately there are few docks or access points along the southern stretch of the Red from which to launch a boat or canoe or even fish from the shore. Rivers West undertook a Red River Access Study to find out what infrastructure exists, its current state of repair and an identification of what and where any additional facilities might make sense. The study identifies community needs for docks, marinas, boat launches and related infrastructure. Highlights of the study showed: The plan that Rivers West has developed includes the following elements: Rivers West also developed a Strategic Trails Plan for Winnipeg. This study provides a snapshot of community-based trail organizations and trails in Winnipeg as well as several adjacent trails such as the links to the Trans Canada Trail. It identifies where the existing trails are and where the gaps are. In addition, we have completed a Tourism Destination Conceptual Plan for Fort Dufferin, Fort Dufferin Campground and the Town of Emerson. This three-phase capital plan will be used to develop a gateway to Canada and to implement a greenway in the area and to maximize the tourism potential of the area. Copies of the Strategic Trails Plan and the Fort Dufferin Conceptual Pal are available at www.riverswest.ca. ConservationRivers West supported the activities of Operation Clean-Up, a program designed to clean-up a 50 km stretch of land along both sides of the Red River. From May to October every year, two workers remove more than 40,000 pounds of garbage -- much of it left behind by anglers, tourists, spring run-off and heavy water flow from the south. We are working with municipalities to extend this program throughout the Red River Valley. In keeping with Premier Doer's commitment to a greenway along the Red, Rivers West has developed a greenway strategy. Created in cooperation with our provincial and federal government partners, this strategy sets out a process to define and implement a greenway over time. Dozens of landowners and municipalities were consulted in the development of the strategy and the response was positive and enthusiastic. As part of the implementation of this strategy, Rivers West, with the assistance of Manitoba Conservation, has undertaken a mapping project of the Red River Corridor in order to map the publicly and privately owned land along the Red as well as attractions and points of interest. A copy of the Greenway Strategy is available at www.riverswest.ca. Rivers West is also taking the lead in coordinating over 40 recreational and other stakeholder organizations to develop a concept plan for a trail/greenway along the expanded floodway. This work is being done in close cooperation with the Manitoba Floodway Authority. The Rivers West website has highlights of this project. Rivers West is developing an education program focusing on watershed education as well as flooding and flood management in the Red River valley. This project is aimed at Grade 4 and Grade 8 students and will examine what can be done to mitigate the impacts of flooding – both man-made and natural solutions are explored. The program will be piloted tested in two Manitoba Grade 8 classrooms (one rural and one urban) in June 2005. Rivers West has developed a self-guiding interpretive trail at Emerson, Manitoba called The Forgotten Forest of the Prairies. This interpretive trail highlights the importance of riverbottom forest. An interpretive brochure was also created to assist people in understanding this unique habitat. Cultural/heritage preservation Rivers West is working to have the Red River designated as a Canadian heritage river as part of the Canadian Heritage Rivers System. The nomination document will be completed by June 2005 with the intent of having the Red designated by June 2007. The designation coincides with our hosting of the 5th Canadian River Heritage Conference, also in June 2007. Pre-screening document was prepared and presented to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System Board at their annual meeting in 2003. For additional Manitoba Greenway Information please contact: LORNA HENDRICKSON To Learn more
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