Manitoulin Heritage Regions Project

MANITOULIN HERITAGE REGIONS PROJECT A PROSPECTUS FOR PHASE II 1992 -1995 MANITOULIN HERITAGE REGIONS PROJECT A PROSPECTUS FOR PHASE H 1992 -1995 For more information, contact: HEMTAGE CANADA 306 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa, Ontario Canada K2P1S2 613-237-1066 Fax: 613-237-5987 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Heritage Regions Program was launched by Heritage Canada in 1988. It is a national program dedicated to the establishment of a countrywide network of distinctive areas. The network is created through agreements between the residents of these areas, supporting agencies, and Heritage Canada. Manitoulin Heritage Regions Project is one of two two projects were launched in 1989 in Ontario as part of the Heritage Regions network. The projects are Lanark County (eastern Ontario) and Manitoulin Island (northern Ontario). These two regions were undertaken as three year demonstration projects from 1989 to 1991. During Phase I, they were sponsored by Heritage Canada, with the financial assistance of the local communities, and the federal and provincial governments under the Canada-Ontario Cultural Agree- ment. The Manitoulin Heritage Regions Project has accomplished substan- tial achievements during Phase I involving community development, cooperative marketing, tourism, heritage awareness, and volunteer management. Highlighted among the achievements over the past three years are: • more than 11,500 hours of volunteer time by Board members was dedicated to the protection, enhancement, and promotion of the regions' heritage; • more than 20 hours of television and radio coverage was generated on the projects as well as coverage by 15 newspapers and magazines, with readership size ranging from 35,000 to 500,000; • more than 20 community organizations, with membership sizes ranging from 10 to 2500 individuals, received direct support by the Projects; • more than 8 education and training workshops were held at- tracting a total audience of more than 450 people; • more than 300 general public inquiries about the Projects and their events were fielded; • more than 15,000 pieces of promotional and educational material on the Projects and their regions have been dis- tributed to the general public; and • tourism increased on average for Manitoulin Heritage Region Project by 10 percent per year, representing an impact of more than $20 million dollars. Manitoulin Heritage Regions Prospectus for Phase II In addition, significant achievements by the Projects have helped instil a stronger feeling of pride in the region and a greater spirit of cooperation among two cultures of First Nations People and non-native Canadians through such achievements as the: signing of a friendship treaty which for the first time, pledged Manitoulin's two cultural groups to work together in a spirit of harmony. This prospectus provides a rationale for implementing Phase n, to continue to accomplish significant objectives for the region and to demonstrate to innovative methods in regional revitalization to Canadians. The total value of the Phase II is $200,000 per year, totalling $600,000 for three years, covering the period of 1992 - 1995. This prospectus outlines these achievements in the context of Heritage Canada's national Heritage Regions Program. The report opens with an overview of the Heritage Regions Program, followed by the achievements and goals for Phase n. Manitoulin Heritage Regions Prospectus for Phase II THE HERITAGE REGIONS PROGRAM The Heritage Regions Program is based on two visions. At the Project level, it envisions residents coming together to identify, protect, and enhance their natural and cultural heritage and to use it as the basis for economic revitalization. At the national level, it envisions the creation of a physical network of Heritage Regions across Canada and an information network through which Projects support one another. Manitoulin Heritage Regions Project is a fundamental part of this national network because it provides invaluable for the experiences for regional revitalization and bridging two cultural groups together. THE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVES The objective of the Heritage Regions Program is to help local residents revitalize their areas by balancing ecological, economic, cultural, and social elements, by: • Encouraging residents to identify, enhance, and protect their natural heritage. • Helping residents promote their cultural heritage such as archaeological sites, the built environment, history, and local traditions. • Supporting residents with economic development initiatives that are sustainable and emphasize local entrepreneurship based on indigenous resources. • Promoting residents' activities which engender a sense of pride, identity, community and belonging. Manitoulin Heritage Regions Prospectus for Phase II THE PROGRAM'S SEVEN-POINT APPROACH The Heritage Regions Program revitalizes regions using a seven- point approach : • Organization. The first and most essential step is organization, the interaction of participants : the coordinator, the commit- tees, business people, public officials, the voluntary sector, special-interest groups, other regional partners, and the Heritage Regions Program. Out of this collaboration emerge both the vision for the Region and the plan for achieving it. • Heritage Resources Identification and Protection. Among the first revitalization steps is the identification of unique local resources: the vegetation, wildlife, geology, topography, scenic vistas, water resources, prehistoric sites, archaeological areas, vintage structures, industrial heritage, transportation routes, artifacts, ethnic origins, traditions, folkways, and cus- toms. Once these resources are identified, efforts are made to safeguard and enhance them. • Education and Training. Education has two sides. One focuses upon training the leaders: the coordinator, the community heritage leaders, the entrepreneurs, the curators, the guides. In a broader sense, education also covers all the ways in which the region is explained to the local population and to visitors. This step covers everything from school programs to tourist travel. • Economic Development. The Program encourages current businesses and pushes for the launch of new ones. It encourages the development of industry that is sympathetic to the environment Entrepreneurship focuses upon indigenous industries (notably tourism) that maximize 7w3 the region's resources and the capability of its residents. The Program trains residents who are developing entrepreneurial skills. It lobbies government agencies that can offer regional development support. It helps improve transportation and communica- tion infrastructures. • Design. This strategy focuses on the visual aspects of the region. It enhances landscapes and streetscapes. It enhances and preserves the character of buildings. It creates regional signs. It improves the gateways or entrances to the area. It encourages the use of local construction skills. It provides design guidelines. Manitoulin Heritage Regions Prospectus for Phase II Marketing. The Program helps a region market its area as a single, identifiable destination for both residents and tourists. It associates the region with its products. It targets selected markets for heritage goods and services. It develops a regional logo. It sponsors special events. It creates publicity. Monitoring and Evaluation. The Program monitors the progress of both individual projects and its own national activities. Data is collected both prior to the start of a Project and throughout its life. The data is monitored yearly to evaluate success. Among the indicators that are studied: business starts, employment statistics, tourism numbers, resident accep- tance of Project, resident involvement. Manitoulin Heritage Regions Prospectus for Phase II MANITOULIN HERITAGE REGION PROJECT AN OVERVIEW Manitoulin is one of a series of islands which stretch along the northern shore of Lake Huron, north-west of Georgian Bay. At a length of approximately 130 km. and covering about 1200 square km., it is the world's largest freshwater island. The region is well known for its natural setting but is particularly important for the rich and varied culture of its sizable native population. The Island has approximately 12,000 full time residents, of which half are native Canadians. There are more than 2,000 school aged children. It is estimated by Statistics Canada that the annual income of residents ($15,360 approximately) is roughly two-thirds of the provincial average of $24,000 per year. Agriculture represents 10.2% of the Island's economy and forestry and quarrying 6.0%. The primary industry of the island is tourism. Tourism is responsible for 29% of Manitoulin's economy. It supports 80% of the service industry and 21% of the retail industry and accounts for 83.7% of off-island dollars attracted to Manitoulin. Its tourism market is estimated by the Manitoulin Heritage Regions Project to be more than 300,000 tourists, representing a $100 million impact in the local economy. The Project was selected because of its cultural and natural value, its potential to revitalize the area using cultural tourism, and to protect and promote its natural, built, and cultural heritage which was under threat by development pressures. The Project's mission is: "Manitoulin Heritage Regions Project is a group of people pulling together through an incorporated, non-profit, community-based organization to preserve and enhance, at their own pace, the Island's heritage. It does this with the support of Heritage

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