The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Member of Parliament for Cardigan, the Minister of Tourism for Prince Edward Island, Greg Deighan, and Niall MacKay, chair of the Three Rivers Heritage Association Inc., today announced the acceptance of the Three Rivers system watershed nomination for inclusion in the Canadian Heritage River System. This nomination was based on human heritage and recreational values and includes the Brudenell, Cardigan and Montague Rivers and their tributaries. It is supported by all communities in the watershed.
The nomination is the first phase in the process to have the system designated a Canadian Heritage River. The Three Rivers Heritage Association Inc., along with Tourism PEI, partner in the endeavour and can now move toward the development of a management plan which will eventually allow the river system to join 30 rivers currently designated across Canada.
"I am fully supportive of the efforts to have the Three Rivers system designated in the system of Canadian Heritage Rivers," said Mr. MacAulay "I appreciate the efforts all parties will put forward as they work toward qualifying it for this distinction."
"This is a substantial event for the development and recognition of this waterway," noted Mr. Deighan. "The Three Rivers Heritage Association Inc. has been working very hard to establish this designation, and I am sure that Niall MacKay, Chair of the group, and all involved are delighted with the nomination."
The nomination recognizes the area around Three Rivers system as one of the first French settlements on Prince Edward Island; an early interior centre of transportation, commerce and regional development; known internationally for its fine harbours and excellent commercial fishery in the mid-1800's; to this day retains mill sites, portage routes, shipyards and other physical remnants of a continued human presence; and offers outstanding opportunity for river recreational activity among other attributes.
The Hillsborough River, which was nominated in 1993 and subsequently designated in 1997, is the only PEI river designated in the Canadian Heritage River System.