Pic River Awarded $21,340 Grant for Development of Coastal Trail

Written by admin on 30 January 2013

Mouth of the Pic River. One lookout station will be erected by the dunes for viewing as well as boardwalks to prevent traffic on the grasses. The other boardwalk and lookout station will be closer to what we call Obeins point, this will give people a good view of the lake and help guide them straight down onto the beach once again encouraging people to keep from walking and disrupting the grasses in the area. Photo PRFN

PIC RIVER, ON – Pic River First Nations, in partnership with the Township of Marathon, started to look at the development of the coastal trail between their two communities over 7 years ago however as often happens, there were changes of staff along the way and the project was placed on the back burner.

Last summer Pic River First Nations met with Kirsten Spence from the Trans Canada Trail Association to discuss developing the section of trail known to the Voyageur Trail Association as section A4-A5. (The mouth of the Pic River to Heron Bay). Liz Michano Director of Economic and Community Development for PRFN and Duncan Michano Jr. walked sections of the trail to determining there was extensive work needed to complete this important portion of the Trans Canada Trail.

The community applied for a grant to address the work needed and recently they learned their application was succesful. Pic River First Nation was awarded a $21,340 grant through Ontario’s Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund to protect Lake Superior. The community, along with the Voyageur Trail Association and Trans Canada Trail, will be using the funds to develop 2 lookout stations and a boardwalk on the coastal trail from the mouth of the Pic River to Heron Bay on Lake Superior. There will also be signage erected along the boardwalk to identify points of historical and environmental interest.

Building boardwalks on trails that exist on the coasts of Lake Superior help to protect sand dunes and natural habitat. Liz Michano, Director of Economic and Community Development PRFN explained that the work being done through funds provided by this grant was a first step in regards to ongoing development of the coastal trail to protect the shores of Lake Superior “Pic River will be applying for the proper permits within the next little while looking at continued development of the coastal trail. However, under this grant we are concentrating our efforts on our own property at the mouth of the Pic River which is the two lookout stations and the boardwalk development on our beach.” said Liz Michano.

“Congratulations to the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation and their partners for taking steps to protect Lake Superior.” said Environment Minister Jim Bradley. “This is a great example of groups coming together to help ensure that our Great Lakes are drinkable, swimmable and fishable.”

Pic River First Nation is a member of the Voyageur Trail Association and will assist in the continued maintenance and up keep of the trail between the mouth of the Pic River and Heron Bay.

Ontario is helping communities protect their part of the Great Lakes through the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund which offers grants to grassroots community groups for activities such as cleaning up a beach or shoreline, restoring a wetland, or creating a coastal or riverside trail.