KILLARNEY—Today, Wednesday, May 11, Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and Killarney Provincial Park will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Since 2012, the Enaadmaagehjik Development Commission Tourism Department has been working with the Killarney Provincial Park in the development of Point Grondine Park. The signing of the MOU formalized an already existing relationship between the two parks.
The new formal mutually beneficial agreement will provide Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory with mentoring opportunities in park operations and management and provide Killarney Provincial Park support for their operational programming.
“It’s an excellent opportunity to establish a working relationship with the Ontario government through its Ontario Parks system that supports our tourism efforts by building capacity in order to effectively manage the Point Grondine Park, which we recently opened,” said Wiikwemkoong Chief Duke Peltier.
Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory has made substantial investments in Point Grondine Park (www.grondinepark.com), located off Highway 637. As part of Wiikwemkoong’s long term strategic plan for sustainable tourism in the region, Wikwemikong Tourism has developed 18,000 acres of backcountry park. This investment has resulted in the development of 21 kilometers of hiking trail, canoe routes connecting six interior lakes and access to the iconic Philip Edward Island and Georgian Bay.
The MOU was celebrated at Killarney Mountain Lodge as part of the Trailhead Georgian Bay Trails Symposium. Trailhead Georgian Bay is The Near North’s trails conference bringing together trail builders, managers, users from both public and private sectors including tourism, regional organizations, public health, regional trail users, groups and clubs, universities, colleges, municipalities, First Nations, and all stakeholders interested in trails.
The conference is in partnership with the Ontario Trails Council, Georgian Bay Coast Trail, Wikwemikong Tourism and Point Grondine Park. Full conference details at www.trailheadgeorgianbay.com.
