Survey to guide park's advocates
Everybody needs a good friend — even a tourist attraction.
The fledgling Friends of Oliver Paipoonge Heritage Park hope an online survey will give it a leg up in its effort to become the facility's friend in an official capacity.
"A public survey will provide us with a good starting point to guide our direction and help us connect with others who may be interested in supporting us," Rebecca Eras, the group's interim spokeswoman, said on Thursday in a news release.
The Highway 61 heritage park a short drive west of Thunder Bay features historical buildings, including a train station and antique car museum, that showcase the region's pioneer history.
The Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge supports the seasonal facility with an operating budget of about $146,000.
Eras said the goal of her group is to become a registered non-profit organization that could promote the heritage park and also assist with fundraising for various projects. She said the municipality supports the initiative.
"We are in the process of working with the Ontario Historical Society which . . . will provide us with significant savings in the incorporation process and other related expenses," the group said in an earlier presentation about its proposal.
"Once we're incorporated, we'll look to establish funding for our charitable tax status application and to secure a lottery licence," the group said.
It's not unusual for tourist attractions, including federal and provincial parks, to have a "Friends" affiliation. Many Thunder Bay residents are familiar with the Friends of Chippewa Park, for example.
"We have to start somewhere," said Eras, in reference to her own group's initiative.
Of the heritage park, she says: "I see it as a diamond in the rough, with a lot of potential."
The survey asks respondents if they've ever visited the facility, and what type of future activities they'd like to see there, including car shows, weddings and concerts.
The survey, which is available until July 31, can be accessed by going online at: bit.ly/3VUYF0M
Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative reporter, The Chronicle-Journal
