Chippewa Park: A Vision for its Future

One of the successes of Chippewa Park over its first 100 years has been its ability to change with the times. As baby boom kids grew older, new rides attractive to the teen set were introduced to the park. As travel trailers became more popular, tent spaces were replaced with RV spots in the tourist camp. As public attitudes changed about how (or whether) animals should be confined, the zoo went from wire mesh cages into a more natural wildlife exhibit, and then to its ultimate closure.

Chippewa has always adapted. And for its next century, this same readiness to change with the times will be required if it’s to regain its status as the city’s greatest recreational resource.

The Friends of Chippewa Park (TFOCP), along with Parks and Open Spaces, have worked hard in the last 20 years to restore and upgrade the park’s existing facilities. The next stage is to plan for its future by mapping out the attractions that will attract more people to the park in the years to come.

The Friends of Chippewa Park did just that. It mapped out a vision of Chippewa’s future that includes: 

flamingo-waterpark-hotel-water-slide-tower-960.jpg

• A major outdoor water park. Experience elsewhere has shown that water parks are a big attraction that people will travel greater distances to enjoy. A water park would hold great appeal for families and teens, make the park a destination point for tourists, generate business for the Tourist Camp, and be a revenue generator for the park.

• New amusement rides. If Chippewa is to maintain its unique regional identity and attractiveness as an amusement park, the current rides will need to be replaced as they age out, and should be augmented by others that will appeal to a range of ages.

• More tourist accommodations. As the park’s attractions expand, the Tourist Camp must position itself to take advantage. More rental cabins would pay for themselves over time, as the original log cabins did decades earlier.

ferriesWheel.jpg

• All season facilities. A key element that is needed to make the park more accessible during the off-season is the provision of heated facilities for both washroom requirements and warming of patrons.

cabins.jpg

• Condo development. The Sandy Beach shoreline would be an ideal location for a ‘Blue Fin” style development of rental condos. These could be developed by the private sector similar to condo resorts throughout North America. Chippewa would benefit from an ongoing arrival of guests who would naturally gravitate to the park and its facilities. The City would benefit from the tax revenue generated. 

• New trail networks. The COVID-19 restrictions have shown the value of a large open space park like Chippewa. An expanded trail system would enable residents to enjoy the park’s beautiful shoreline setting to its fullest. This could also include snowshoeing or cross-country skiing trails in the winter months.

  • Land Expansion. The City’s own master plan for the park in 2000 recommended that the lands associated with the nearby landfill site could be added to the park, with a walk bridge providing a walking loop through the site. A series of zip lines between the two areas is also an option.

The realization of these plans will depend on the City’s willingness to staff the park at levels that allow its facilities to be maintained properly. A major asset would be to have a staff person dedicated to developing and promoting events and activities at the park. Prince Arthur’s Landing has become popular in part because the City has assigned staff to program activities throughout the year. Experience has shown that programmed events do bring people out to Chippewa Park. The annual Kite Festival attracts up to 4,000 people in an afternoon.

 

Chippewa Park is a unique recreational resource that has served our city well for a hundred years. With its unique location and diverse facilities, it has the potential to meet the evolving needs of city residents for generations to come. With a clear vision in place, and with the support of Council and the public, it can continue to be the jewel in Thunder Bay’s recreational crown.

 

The Friends of Chippewa Park would like to express their gratitude to the Chronicle Journal, particularly Chen Chekki, News Editor, and Managing Editor, Greg Giddens for publishing the 12-part series on the history of Chippewa Park. Thanks also go to the Angus brothers, Murray and Iain, whose lifelong connection to Chippewa Park have been shared through their recollections, research and writing along with Recreation Department Researcher, Jackie Cleveland who compiled the history of the park in 1982. Copies of all of the articles including Cleveland’s paper can be found at www.chippewapark.ca/history