Another busy summer has come and gone, it feels like just yesterday that we were hiring and preparing for the summer season. Presqu’ile saw another record-breaking season for both camping and day use. August alone saw approximately 42,000 campers and Monday, August 5th was the busiest day of the season with both camping and day-use visitors. This fall season has also been busy especially for camping, as visitors take advantage of this unseasonably warm fall weather.
By next spring, the park looks to continue to improve visitor experience by repainting the day-use loop bike path and parking lots. We will also be at work to update the vault toilets near the Picnic Shelter. One of our main priorities this winter is the continual removal of dangerous ash trees throughout the campgrounds. Don Tyerman and his team will be continuing to plant trees around the park to help reforest these areas after the devastation caused by the Emerald Ash Borers and the winter storms.
Our Discovery team has also been hard at work this summer; they delivered 132 programs to over 8,800 visitors between Canada Day and Labour Day, including four special events. Over the course of the summer nearly 10,000 visitors explored the Nature Centre learning about fossils, monarchs, turtles and more! At the Lighthouse Interpretive Centre, over 16,000 people uncovered some of the history of Presqu’ile and many were happy to see the Sinking of the Speedy video playing again after it was closed last summer for repairs.
Before our Discovery programs, we often ask visitors if they have visited Presqu’ile before and if they have ever attended a Discovery program. Again, this summer we found that often more than half our audiences had never been to Presqu’ile before and for many visitors, this was their first experience at a Discovery program. So, it is very encouraging to see new visitors discovering Presqu’ile and our wide range of discovery programs. I have also heard from quite a few visitors this summer about how they really love visiting Presqu’ile with their families because we always offer such great programming and there is always something for kids to do.
This summer we had Piping Plovers nesting on the beach again which marks the third year in a row these endangered birds have decided to make Presqu’ile their home. Unfortunately, due to predation only one chick survived all the way to fledgling, but we are hopeful this little one who overcame the odds will survive and one day return to Ontario to nest. Thank you to all park visitors who gave the plovers their space and followed our beach policies. Thank you also to the volunteers who helped monitor the plovers and educated fellow beachgoers about these rare shorebirds.
Volunteers are a large part of Presqu’ile, and the park staff would like to acknowledge that we are very grateful for all the support. Volunteers help to make this park great and we could not do many of the things that we do today without volunteers and their support.
