Newletter March 09

8/14/2019 Newletter March 09

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The Friends of Chippewa ParkPARK N O T E S

Volume 5 Issue

Winter, 2009

Annual GeneralMeeting of

The Friends ofChippewa Park

Please join us for TheFriends of Chippewa Parks

General MeetingWednesday March 25th

CAW Building112 West Gore St.

7:00pmNew amendments to voteon, and elections to take

place.See you there!

Message from the PresidentWell, its that time of year again, time for the annual generalmeeting (please see left for information). There are new amend-ments to vote on, and there will be 2-3 board positions up for re-newel, so be sure to come and vote on them as well. You mayalso want to nominate someone for the opening positions. Weare always looking for and welcoming fresh input from our mem-bers!

The past year saw a lot of work done at the park. Some of

it includes the finishing of the drainage and leveling/seeding ofthe beach area. No contaminated creek water will be able to en-ter the bay, so we should not have any beach closures this year.The R.V. Park is nearing completion with full service camp stiesand refurbished shower and change rooms being available bymid June if all goes according to plan.

There is more to report with this being presented at themeeting. Please plan to attend and show your support for thepark.

A family fun day is going to take place on June 28th spon-sored by Bill Beavis and Family, so please mark this date onyour calendars as there will be lots going on that day (see spe-cial Family Fun Day article later in this newsletter). There aremany other really exciting events that we have planned so besure to keep your ear out.

Hope you will all enjoy the wonderful changes that havebeen occurring here at Chippewa Park, and I look forward toseeing everyone out at the Annual General Meeting!

Thank you,

Bill Lafontaine

President

RENEW YOURMEMBERSHIP!!

Remember IndividualMemberships are $10 a yearand Family Memberships at

$25 a year.Please use the form on theback page or call Bernice

Woods at 622-8300.

Stay in TouchStay up to date with Chip-pewa park by joining theChippewa Park group on

facebookwww.facebook.com or fol-

low us on Twitterwww.twitter.com.

Share stories, upload pho-tos, learn the latest news!


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Chippewas RV Park Opening for 2009 Season!In the late1950s, Chippewa Park opened the origi-nal RV Park, which was demolished in 2003 with

hopes of rebuilding immediately. After some delayswe were able to secure funding from Job CreationPartnership, under Employment Ontario, and theCity of Thunder Bay. With these monies TheFriends of Chippewa Park have been working diligently to create a full service RV park with access to adumping station, water hookups, 50 amp services, showers and washrooms . A work crew of 7 plus 1supervisor has been employed since June 2008 and our hopes are to have the RV Park open no laterthan June 2009. Not only is the RV Park being restructured physically (renovated shower building, newmodern RV sites, approximately 90 larger conifers and deciduous trees) but it is being restructured tooffer a differentiated experience, capitalizing on personal service, the historical nature of ChippewaPark itself, and its unique location in one of the most attractive parts of the region, along the shorelineof Lake Superior. Our plan is to become more than just a typical RV Park. We plan to create an envi-

ronment that surpasses the standard fare for campgrounds in the area. If youre looking for a beautifulgetaway, Chippewa Park is just around the corner, but youll feel miles away from home! Check out ourwebsite www.chippewapark.ca for regular updates this spring.

2009 InternshipDirector of Marketing and EventsThe Friends of Chippewa Park are pleased to announce their newest em-ployee Kelsey Agnew as the Director of Marketing & Events. This yearTFOCP accessed the Northern Ontario Heritage Funds Youth Internship

and Co-Op Program. This program is designed to give young northernersthe opportunity to build skills in preparation for a rewarding and successfulfuture career. The NOHFs investment in Northern Ontarios youth helpsgenerate a skilled workforce and provides employment right here in theNorth. A big thank you to the NOHF for such a wonderful opportunity.

Greetings everyone! I am very excited to have been hired on for the next year, and plan to work veryhard to ensure TFOCP continue to have a positive impact this summer. I started my one year contracton February 2nd, 2009. Currently I am working on developing a business plan to gain operating con-trol of the concession; finalizing and implementing the RV Parks marketing plan; organizing a booth atthe 2009 Wedding Show and; applying for two summer student positions. Other major projects that I

will be working on include re-introducing last years Adopt an Animal campaign; the initial planning ofChippewa Parks 90th Birthday Party; lending support to this years Sunday in the Parks and manymore. Tell Me Your Stories!As a new resident of Thunder Bay I would love for you to share any stories or memories you have ofChippewa Park. Please email them to [email protected] or mail them to 307 Euclid AvenueSuite 473, Thunder Bay, ON., P7E 6G6. We will publish them in future newsletters, post them to ourweb site, chippewapark.ca and place them in a book of remembrances at the interpretive centre.


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Amendments to the By-LawsThe following are amendments that were recently ac-

cepted by The Friends of Chippewa Parks executive, but

must also be voted upon by our members in good stand-

ing. As a member you will have the chance to vote and

voice your opinion on the following at the Annual General

Meeting (see 1st page).

Insert the words past president before the word

president in clause 26.26. The officers of the corporation shall be a past presi-

dent, president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, mem-

bership chair and publicity/marketing chair and any such

other officers as the board of directors may by by-law de-

termine. Any two offices may be held by the same person.Officers need not be directors, or members.

Include the following in clause 27: The position of

past president shall be filled by the most recent

president following the completion of his/her term of

office and shall remain in that position until the cur-

rent president retires. In the event that the most re-

cent president is unavailable or unwilling to perform

the function of past president, the Board of Directors

shall appoint the past past president to the position

of past president.

27. The president and all other officers shall be elected at

an annual meeting of members from among the directors.

Insert new clause 33 into By-Laws and all further

clauses be renumbered accordingly:

33. (New) The past president shall be a full voting member

of the Board of Directors and shall provide general and

specific advice to the President to assist them in the per-

formance of their duties.

Sundays in the ParkCall For

Entertainment!Any entertainer who is interested orknows someone who is interestedin becoming a part of our Sundayconcert series should e-mail The

Friends of Chippewa Park at

[email protected] will run from Sunday June

21st to Sunday August 30th.Buskers are welcome and

encouraged to come out and playduring the concert series!

Let the music take you away!

Weddings At ChippewaSunday March 29th TFOCP will bepromoting Chippewa Park as aSummer Wedding site. You canfind us from 11:00am-4:00pm at theDaVinci Centre.


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Dj vu Day &Reunions!

Relive the past this summer by par-

ticipating in Dj vu Day! Work yourold job, or come out and watch every-one else perform their old duties. Youcertainly wont want to miss the Lafon-taine brothers manning the lifeguardpost! If you would like to sign up towork at youre old job, contact theFriends of Chippewa Park and tell uswhat you did in the good ol days. Thisevent will kick off a series of reunions that will be held at Chippewa Park in

the summer of 2011our 90th birth-day. Day Camp Reunion Workers one for Sandy & Chippewa camp-

ers Park Staff Playground Leaders who trained

at Chippewa Park Girl Guides Tourists

If you can think of a group that shouldbe getting back together in 2011 pleaselet us know.

A facebook page has already been es-tablished to advertise for the day camp

reunioncheck it out viawww.chippewapark.ca! Thunder BayChippewa Park Day Camp Reunion!

More information to come.

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Major Events atChippewa Park

There is always something to do at Chip-pewa Park, whether its swimming, hik-ing, having a picnic or visiting the wildlifepark and amusement rides! Here aresome major events that you wont wantto miss out on:

Benny Birchs Birthday PartyJune 11th15th

North American Dog Agility CouncilJune 19th-20th

Chippewa Fun DayJune 28th

Classic CruisersJuly 19th

K-9 Studio Agility Dogs AssociationAugust 21st

Birthday CommitteeRequest

TFOCP have started preparing forChippewa Parks 90th Birthday in2011. We are looking for a coupleof interested members to join ourBirthday Committee to help plan

and organize the birthday party.

Anyone who is interested pleasecall or e-mail the Friends of Chip-pewa Park! Tel: 807-623-5111 E-Mail: [email protected]


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Buildings Done

In the fall of 2008 the final park building was con-

verted to the historic half log sided natural woodlook. The toboggan slide chalet (or for the historiansout there - the Fort William Yacht Club) was clad inhalf log siding by our Job Creation Partnership Crew.New skirting was also installed and the buildingsfoundations stabilized. This was the last of the publicpark buildings to be treated this way. In addition,during the summer and fall upwards of 13 buildings, including the 7 new cabins and thepavilion were re-coated to continue the protection of the wood.

Friends Surpass $6 million

Last years construction program alongwith the extensions into this winter haveresulted in The Friends of Chippewa Parkhaving surpassed the $6 million mark interms of funds raised and invested in thisfantastic family park. Funding from theOntario Great Lakes Renewal Founda-tion, the City of Thunder Bay, BrunosContracting and Employment Ontariounder the Job Creation Partnership pro-gram has taken us over the top. Consid-ering that we only started our work in2002 it has been a remarkable successstory in terms of a small, but committedorganization. But more needs to be doneand additional funding applications have

been submitted to a number of organi-zations.

Explanation of Pictures

Above: Re-finished Toboggan Chalet

Left: Construction on the updatedwash/change rooms at the RV Park.Looking good!


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Chippewa Fun Day!On June 28th, Bill Beavis and his family have dedicated their time and energy into cre-ating a Chippewa Fun Day event at Chippewa Park. The day will be filled with gamesfor all ages, free coffee and cake, over 400 prizes for the children and 60 prizes for theadultsgrand prize is a weekend for four at Sturgeon Lake Lodge!

Festivities start at 11:00am and run till 4:00pm.

Like many people, Bill Beavis fondly recalls the many summers he spent out at Chip-pewa Park with family and friends. Riding the electric street car to the park to spendthe day, or watching the fireworks displays on Canada Day. When asked why Bill de-cided to plan Chippewas Fun Day he said he wanted to show his support for TheFriends of Chippewa Park and his love for the Park. After working as the manager of

Parks and Recreation for 13 years, he certainly has an attachment to the park. Withmuch community support, promotion through out the city, and a three year commitmentfor an annual fun day, the day is sure to promise FUN! Bills excitement for the fun dayis very infectious and has got myself, and the board members anticipating an incrediblesuccess. We look forward to spending the day with you and your family!

Membership Benefits

Being a member to The Friends of Chippewa Park is a gratifying servicethe money you con-tribute goes into the overall success of Chippewa Park. In return we are able to host eventsthrough out the summer and offer you and your family a chance to make memories. Tangibly,you will be given: a membership card verifying your commitment; 10% off TFOCP merchandiseand; the opportunity to participate in the Good Life Program (see below)! To re-new your mem-bership call Bernice at 622-8300. To become a first time member fill out the last page of thenewsletter!

Through the World Wildlife Fund, the Good Life Program gives us as members of TFOCP tomake every hour earth hour! Head to their website: http://thegoodlife.wwf.ca/Home.cfm tosign up and at the bottom choose Friends of Chippewa Park as your group. Together well

not only make a difference here at Chippewa Park but globally!Being Green isnt so hard when were working together :)

If you have any questions call or e-mail me, Kelsey, at 623-5111 or [email protected].


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The Beach is Done!

Thanks to a grant from the Ontario GreatLakes Renewal Foundation along with a gener-

ous contribution of equipment from BrunosContracting and a group of dedicated volun-teers we have completed all of the majorchanges to the beach. This past fall we ex-tended the storm sewer to now capture all ofthe ditches flowing onto the beach. Thismeans that 100% of the runoff that used to en-ter the swimming area is now diverted to thenorth side of the rock dock. We removed thetoboggan slide hill and re-landscaped that

area. We also backfilled the remainder of thebeach, graded it, added topsoil and seededit. We expect the beach to be a sea of grassonce the park opens in May. We will be adding in a walking trail along the retaining wall in thespring.

We Love Chippewa Park!

The Friends of Chippewa Park work together to revive this beautiful Thunder Bay destination to itsgreatest potential. For generations friends and families have visited to park and cherish the memo-

ries that have been made. We encourage anyone who has a story to tell to e-mail us so we can ar-chive it, post it on the website and circulate it in our newsletter. Your enthusiasm means everything!A very big thank you to Jen Kennedy for sharing her thoughts. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, shefrequented the park as a child and has carried on the tradition by brining her 5 children to the park!

Dear Friends of Chippewa Park

Id like to send you my testimonial of my visits to the park over the years.I love this park. I have camped here all my life as a child in the RV park and as an adult withmy kids in the rustic cabins and tent spots we have made so many memories over the years at

the park that we now come back each year for a week stay and lots of weekend visits. We arealso very happy about all the work being done and I am so excited to hear the old rustic cabinsare staying YAY!!! The animal park and rides are also an added bonus and a favorite of thekids and they love the surprise ride and animal park tickets they receive when going to thecamp office to buy something keep that up!!! The view of Sleeping Giant is like no other and the

day camp spots have been home to many of our summer gatherings and birthday parties.

Keep up the good work and I cant wait for the 2009 season to start YAY CHIPPEWA PARK!!!

Jen Kennedy :)

Above and Below: Reconstruction of the beach.Get prepared for endless swimming this summer!


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Buy a Board Campaign - $25/BOARD: For each board you will receive a charitabletax receipt, a certificate suitable for framing & a small plaque mounted on an interior wall in the pavil-ion under a heading indicating that these people are Friends of Chippewa Park and contributed to itsreconstruction. The name on the plaque will also be placed on our web site www.chippewapark.ca Thesatisfaction of knowing that you helped restore this great park to its original glory.

Buy a Tree Campaign- $250/TREE: It started with Trees Thunder Bay and continues today. For $250you can have a tree planted at Chippewa Park as part of our landscaping plan. To-date we have hadover 40 trees planted through the combined efforts of a number of organizations and volunteers.

Membership and Volunteers - $10/PERSON/YEAR, $25/FAMILY/YEAR: The strength of TheFriends of Chippewa Park comes from its members. We need to continue to show Council and other

Governments that we are a membership based organization. Joining us keeps that strength where weneed it. Volunteers are what drive the organization. From time to time we draw on our members tohelp outanything from supervising at events, to fund raising, to construction cleanup. Please indicatehow you are willing to help us.

Please fill in the attached form and mail it to The Friends of Chippewa Park, 307 Euclid AvenueSuite 473, Thunder Bay, ON., P7E 6G6 along with a cheque made payable to The Friends ofChippewa Park.

Please circle what your cheque is for: Membership Board Tree Donation

Name ___________________________________ Phone Number ____________________

(the name of the person who will receive the income tax receipt)Address______________________________________________ Postal Code___________City _____________________________________

Please print the name or names as you wish to see them on the plaque. Keep in mind that the plaquesare small and that the more names (and therefore letters) to be put on the plaque the smaller the print-ing will become. You may wish to add a saying before the name such as In the Memory Of, or a titleride operator as a way of celebrating your personal link to the park.

Board 1 __________________________________________________ (PRINT NAME)Board 2 __________________________________________________ (PRINT NAME)Board 3 __________________________________________________(PRINT NAME)Board 4 __________________________________________________ (PRINT NAME)

No. Boards

Please feel free to use an additional piece of paper to order additional Boards. If you have any ques-tions please call Bernice at 622-8300

I volunteer to: __________________________________________________________________________

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Newletter March 09