Region group enthusiastic about geopark
UNESCO Global Geopark pitch under review by staff
Twenty-nine locations have been identified so far, showcasing the unique geographic features that make Niagara a suitable site for a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Those sites include existing heritage and tourism sites both man-made and natural, as well as interconnected rural areas that have been overlooked when it comes to their tourism potential.
“We’ve already identified 29 possible sites and we haven’t even scratched the surface, to be honest,” said Geospatial Niagara board secretary Ian Lucas, while discussing his organization’s three-year endeavour to establish an internationally recognized geopark that would encompass the entire Niagara Peninsula.
“It’s a constant process of adding geo-sites and promoting them, while getting geo-tourism really rolling.” Lucas was at Wednesday’s Niagara Region planning and
development committee meeting with Niagara Region Native Centre resource co-ordinator Phil Davis to discuss the grass-roots proposal.
The idea of harnessing another way to market Niagara as a tourist destination received enthusiastic support from committee members.
“I’m always in favour of highlighting what we have here in Niagara for the benefit of tourism and education and understanding our history, and I know we have a long history here in Niagara,” Regional Chair Alan Caslin told the presenters.
Lucas said there are costs associated with the initiative, “but we’re not asking for money.”
He said the process of obtaining a geopark designation from the United Nations agency that recognizes areas of international
geographic significance will cost $60,000 to $90,000, but the proponents of the initiative are “looking at multiple financial sources” such as sponsorships and memberships to raise the funds.
Lucas did, however, ask for the Region’s endorsement of the initiative, to assist the group when it makes its final application
for the UNESCO designation, likely in 2019.
The proponents, however, will have to await a report on the initiative by regional staff.
But it will take far longer than that before the designation becomes a reality.
Following the meeting, Geospatial Niagara executive director Darren Platakis said the group is “shooting for 2022 or 2023” to be officially designated as a global geopark.
Lucas said the initiative will ultimately add to the region’s tourism potential, leading to job creation, diversification of tourism opportunities particularly in rural areas, while bringing in new revenue from branding opportunities and sponsorships.
While creating additional high value tourist destinations within Niagara, Lucas said it does not include any restrictions on land use, like a typical park might.
St. Catharines Coun. Bruce Timms called the concept “very intriguing.”
“We’ve been interested in restoring the second Welland Canal structures for years,” he said, adding the Region has been trying to get the canal remnants recognized as a national historic site “for years and years.”
“It looks to me like this is an opportunity of marketing the peninsula.”