lieux historiques nationaux St. Petersdu canada duCanal Caanandl-d Ste-S. Pt.eters Peters national historic sites et de ofSt can. adPetersa ManagementPlan directeur Plan february 2009 St. Peters Canal and St. Peters national historic sites of canada Management Plan ii © Her Majesty the Queen in right of Library and Archives Canada Canada, represented by the Chief Cataloguing in Publication Executive Officer of Parks Canada, 2009. Parks Canada St. Peters Canal and St. Peters National Cette publication est aussi Historic Sites of Canada disponible en français. Management Plan / Parks Canada. Superintendent Issued also in French under title: Cape Breton Field Unit Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada Parks Canada Agency du Canal-de-St. Peters et de St. Peters, c/o Fortress of Louisbourg NHSC plan directeur. 259 Park Service Road Louisbourg, Nova Scotia B1C 2L2 Includes bibliographical references. Canada ISBN 0-662-43988-0 Tel: 902-733-2280 CAT. NO.: R64-105/37-2006E Fax: 902-733-2362 www.pc.gc.ca 1. Saint Peters Canal National Historic Site (St. Peter’s, N.S.)–Management. 2. Saint Peters National Historic Site (St. Peter’s, N.S.)–Management. 3. Canals--Nova Scotia–Management. 4. Historic sites–Canada–Management. 5. Historic sites–Nova Scotia– Management. 6. National parks and reserves– Canada–Management. 7. National parks and reserves– Nova Scotia–Management. I. Title. FC2314.S34P37 2006 971.6’98 C2006-980202-5 Front Cover Image Credits LEFT: Parks Canada; RIGHT: Dale Wilson, 2003; BACKGROUND: Parks Canada St. Peters Canal and St. Peters iii National Historic Sites of Canada Management Plan Foreword Canada’s national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas offer Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast unique opportunities to experience and understand our wonder- ful country. They are places of learning, recreation and fun where Canadians can connect with our past and appreciate the natural, cultural and social forces that shaped Canada. From our smallest national park to our most visited national historic site to our largest national marine conservation area, each of these places offers Canadians and visitors unique opportunities to experience Canada. These places of beauty, wonder and learning are valued by Canadians – they are part of our past, our present and our future. Our Government’s goal is to ensure that each of these special places is conserved. We see a future in which these special places will continue to contribute in meaningful ways to Canadians’ appreciation, under- standing and enjoyment of Canada, to the economic well-being of communities, and to the vitality of our society. Our Government’s vision is to build a culture of heritage conser- vation in Canada by offering Canadians exceptional opportunities to experience our natural and cultural heritage, opportunities that celebrate our protected heritage. These values form the foundation of the new management plan for St. Peters Canal and St. Peters National Historic Sites of Canada. I offer my appreciation to the many thoughtful Canadians who helped to develop this plan, particularly to our dedicated team from Parks Canada, and to all those local organizations and individuals who have demonstrated their good will, hard work, spirit of co-operation and extraordinary sense of stewardship. In this same spirit of partnership and responsibility, I am pleased to approve the St. Peters Canal and St. Peters National Historic Sites of Canada Management Plan. Jim Prentice Minister of the Environment iv St. Peters Canal and St. Peters v National Historic Sites of Canada Management Plan Recommendations Recommended by: Alan Latourelle Chief Executive Officer Parks Canada Carol Whitfield Field Unit Superintendent Cape Breton Island Field Unit vi St. Peters Canal and St. Peters vii National Historic Sites of Canada Management Plan Executive Summary St. Peters Canal National Historic Site of historic sites, including the application of Canada (nhsc) is commemorated as part of cultural resource management principles Canada’s national system of canals and illus- and practice. For each national historic site, a trates the role of canals as part of commercial commemorative integrity statement has been transportation in Canada. St. Peters National prepared. While respecting this primary goal, Historic Site of Canada is commemorated the management plan also guides provision for its role as the site of Fort Saint-Pierre, a of appropriate opportunities for memorable 17th-century fortified trading post acquired visitor experiences and for public education by Nicolas Denys to trade with the Mi’kmaq, and support of these national historic sites. and as the site of Port Toulouse, a French The key management actions identified community with a military presence that as priorities in this management plan are was witness to Anglo-French rivalry during listed below. the period 1713-1758. The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (hsmbc) recom- Protecting Cultural Resources mended both St. Peters Canal and St. Peters • Prepare a cultural resource plan detail- for commemoration in 1929. ing how the cultural resources associated St. Peters Canal and St. Peters nhsc are with St. Peters Canal nhsc and those on linked by historical and geographical inter- Parks Canada’s lands within St. Peters relationships and the historical evolution nhsc will be safeguarded and cared for to of the place. These two national historic ensure their heritage values. sites are located in the Village of St. Peter’s, • Work with the Province of Nova Scotia in Richmond County, on the southeastern shore their efforts to monitor coastal erosion at of Cape Breton Island, located 86 km south of Fort Toulouse. Sydney and 120 km southwest of the Fortress of Louisbourg nhsc. St. Peters Canal nhsc Public Education and Support lies within the administered property of the • Prepare a heritage presentation plan larger national historic site, St. Peters nhsc. and ensure messages of national historic The canal serves both pleasure craft and significance are communicated and commercial vessels travelling to and from the understood. Bras d’Or Lakes, with about 1000 lockages • Develop an outreach strategy for the site recorded for the years 2003 and 2004. The site as part of an overall plan for national serves as a day-use area for land-based visi- historic sites on Cape Breton. tors, providing access to Battery Provincial • Measure the effectiveness of the heritage Park on the eastern side of the canal. presentation program at the site, prima- This is the first management plan for rily through the visitor satisfaction survey St. Peters Canal and St. Peters nhsc; due and other evaluation tools. to the close links between the national • Train canal staff in basic presentation historic sites, a single management plan skills so they are comfortable and able to has been prepared for both sites. This communicate key messages when oppor- management plan aims to ensure the com- tunities arise. memorative integrity of these two national viii Memorable Visitor Experiences • Develop a marketing strategy for the two • Collaborate with the Province of Nova national historic sites as an element of Scotia to develop a landscape plan that Parks Canada’s Cape Breton marketing links the national historic sites with plan. Battery Provincial Park. • Improve the visibility of St. Peters Canal by improving directional signage and External Relations and Partnerships working with partners to increase its • Parks Canada will work to strengthen visibility in key regional and provincial existing collaborative relationships with tourism materials. the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, and under- take projects of mutual interest with the Operations and Administration Unama’ki committee, Chapel Island First • Develop a public safety plan, and update Nation, and others. safety practices for boaters. • Strengthen relationships with the commu- • Increase awareness of safety regulations nity of St. Peter’s. and practices for visitors and the local population. St. Peters Canal and St. Peters ix National Historic Sites of Canada Management Plan Table of Contents Foreword .......................................................................................................................... iii Recommendations .............................................................................................................. v Executive Summary ...........................................................................................................vii 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Setting and Context .................................................................................................1 A. Overview of St. Peters Canal NHSC ......................................................................1 B. Overview of St. Peters NHSC ................................................................................2 1.2 Historical Background .............................................................................................2 1.3 Importance to the System of National Historic Sites .................................................4 1.4 Legislative and Policy Context for Management Planning .........................................4 2.0 Commemorative Integrity 2.1 Statement of Commemorative Intent .......................................................................7 2.2 Summary of Commemorative Integrity Statements ..................................................7 A. Designated Place .................................................................................................7