Friends Of Old Pinawa: What's
Happening At Pinawa Dam Provincial Park ?
Celebrating
The Completed Projects And What is To Come In The New Year
by Dick Thomson,
Co-Chair of
Friends of Old Pinawa,
Volunteer
And Resident Of Pinawa
Plans
to get an early spring start at the park were severely hindered by the
weather. Very early in the year there were heavy rains and severe flooding;
Manitoba Conservation personnel were tied up with the resulting mess
in all the nearby parks and districts. Later, in June there was the
near tornado in the Whiteshell Provincial Park and the blow down of
vast amounts of trees. As a result, very little happened at the Pinawa
Dam Provincial Park (Old Pinawa) this past summer until late October
and into November. The Friends (Vivian & Dick) have continued to
do school tours with the honorariums being donated towards park improvements.
(Photos courtesy of Dick Thomson).
•
Picnic Shelter
The
Picnic Shelter is looking really good. Conservation has decided to
put a brick facing around each post that would be approximately 12
- 18 high. The bricks are old and were made at the old Lac du Bonnet
brickyard. We believe they were recovered from Old Pinawa.
•
Shade Trees
During
the Floodway expansion around Winnipeg, a large number of trees had
to be removed or relocated, and the Old Pinawa Dam has benefited.
Rather than destroying the ornamental trees that were removed, they
were relocated to other sites. The park has received about fifty 30-year
old ash trees. Some have been planted at the Park entrance near the
Pinawa Dam sign, and others along the right side of the gravel road
into the park. The majority, about 40 ash trees, have been planted
around the picnic shelter and toward the amphitheatre. The trees are
small for their age, perhaps due to the type of clay they were planted
in but are they expected the trees will 'explode' and grow quickly
in their second summer here.
•
Spillway Trail
Work
started late this fall on the Spillway Trail. As well as more fencing,
there are new trails for easier access to the viewing platform at
the south end of the Spillway and another trail near the outlook that
goes over the dike.
•
Lower Falls Bridge
Manitoba
Conservation is continuing to assemble pieces for the bridge over
the lower falls but the bridge will not be in place until next spring.
Image
1 A section of the Lower Falls Bridge
•
South side of Upper Falls
The
flat rock area on the far (south) side of the Upper Falls has a new
set of stairs for safer access to this area of the dam. The old set
of stairs on the trail leading from the upper falls bridge near the
spillway has been removed and replaced by a graceful gravel walk.
•
New Hiking Trail
A
new hiking trail has been pushed along the south dike near the south
end of the park, swinging north, looping around the swamp and going
quite close to the eastern side of the park. The new trail joins the
north-south dike trail near the northern park boundary.
Image 2 Working on the Hiking Trail on the South Dike
•
Lower Falls Hiking Trail
The
trail that provides access to the east side of the lower falls was
improved and a new access trail was made. Gravel has been purchased
for the trails but Manitoba Conservation is waiting for freeze-up
to gravel the trail because of all the clay.
Image 3 Rerouted Lower Falls Trail near 'sleeping giant'
Still
To Come
•
Upper Pinawa Channel Trail
A
new trail loop will be put on the South side of the Upper falls going
across the wet area towards the flat grassy area on the west side
of the park across the Pinawa channel from the Trans-Canada Trail.
Image 4 - The Trans-Canada Trail is across the Pinawa Channel
•
Lower Falls Lookout on the Spillway Trail
A
short trail will provide access to a viewing area across from the
outfall of the Lower Falls.
•
Spillway Lookout
The
lookout at the south end of the spillway will get a railing and perhaps
a cement floor.
•
Hiking Trail Signs
Morgan
Hallett (Whiteshell Senior Park Interpreter who is designing signs)
has an idea for 3-dimensional signs along the Hiking Trail. Students
will have information sheets about points of interest along the trail.
They will be able to make rubbings from the signs on to the paper.
•
Commemorative Plaque
The
Friends of Old Pinawa would like to have a commemorative plaque marking
the cooperation that made the site improvements possible. The sign
would recognize Manitoba Hydro, Manitoba Conservation and The Friends
of Old Pinawa. The plaque might be located on the dam wall near the
existing one, or on the lower falls bridge.
The
Friends of Old Pinawa want to thank Stewart Massey and his crew at Manitoba
Conservation for all the work they have done for us in such a short
time.
Dick
Thomson
Co-Chair
Friends
Of Old Pinawa
Contact
the Friends Of Old Pinawa
Back
to the Front Page December 2007...
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