The Wabakimi Project - Traditional Canoe Routes in Wabakimi Provincial Park (2/1/2011)

The Wabakimi Project is a grassroots volunteer initiative to explore, rehabilitate and document the historical and traditional canoe routes of Wabakimi Provincial Park. Since its inception in 2004, the scope of this ambitious effort has been expanded to include the canoe routes that lie on the Crown lands adjacent to the park. They provide vital access to Wabakimi as well as strategic links to other nearby provincial parks and conservation reserves.

To date, 125 different volunteers from across North America and Europe have collectively spent a total of 624 days on 70 trips exploring and mapping the canoe routes of this vast wilderness area. Together, they have travelled over 3,500km (2,175 miles), identified and cleaned more than 660 campsites and located, cleared and measured 701 portages whose total measured lengths exceeded 177,000m (193,600 yards or 35,190 rods).

Are we there yet? Not quite! This one-hour presentation will summarize the accomplishments of The Wabakimi Project to date and outline what remains to be done over the next three years to complete reconnaissance of all the Wabakimi area canoe routes. For more information, visit: www.wabakimi.org/project.

From the outset, the primary purpose of The Wabakimi Project has been to produce a set of canoe route maps designed to help visitors plan and mount trips in the Wabakimi area. This lofty ambition continues to be realized with the recent release of the third volume of detailed canoe route maps. Proceeds from the sale of these booklets will be used to achieve the targets set out below.

Mission - to promote the Wabakimi area as a world-class wilderness canoeing destination

Aim - to make self-propelled travel on area canoe routes safer, more inviting and user-friendly

Objective - to advocate the preservation and improved protection of area canoe routes<.p>

Goal - to develop public support for the long-term stewardship of area canoe routes

Vision - to establish a province-wide land use land use policy for the uniform protection of Ontario’s Crown land canoe routes

This is a great chance for TOC members interested in Wabakimi, traditional canoe routes, and helping out with The Wabakimi Project to find out more information.

The TOC will collect voluntary donations for The Wabakimi Project.

An avid canoe historian and guide, "Uncle" Phil is the lead organizer of The Wabakimi Project which he founded in 2004. His winters are spent researching and planning routes, recruiting volunteers, organizing the annual speaking tour and preparing equipment and supplies for the next summer's trips. He is actively involved in forest management planning exercises that impact canoe routes on the Crown lands adjacent to Wabakimi Provincial Park.

Driving: Marlee Avenue runs parallel to Allen Road, Chalkers is between Eglinton and Lawrence.

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