The Parks Canada Sustainable Tourism Award was launched to: recognize a demonstrated commitment to excellence; encourage appreciation and respect for our natural, cultural and aesthetic heritage; promote sustainable development and to foster a greater public awareness of the economic, social, cultural and environmental significance of tourism. This year's award recipient has demonstrated all of these criteria and more!
On the tip of Brudenell Point, bordered by the picturesque Montague and Brudenell Rivers, is found a very special place that has become an important destination attraction in the eastern region of Prince Edward Island through the hard work of a group of very dedicated volunteers.
Roma at Three Rivers was declared a national historic site by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 1932 to commemorate Jean Pierre Roma, a French merchant who established a trading post and early French settlement at Trois Rivières in 1732. A monument and plaque were erected on the point in 1936 and an archaeological dig was conducted in the late 1960s, but other than that, it was a largely unknown and not well visited site.
This began to change in the early 2000s when a small group began to work on developing the site to try to draw more visitors to the area and to better interpret this very important piece of Island history. In 2002 the original committee was expanded to become a not-for-profit charitable volunteer organization whose purpose was to develop the Three Rivers/Jean Pierre Roma site at Brudenell Point into a significant historical, archaeological and educational destination. Since that time, this group has worked tirelessly to develop programs and activities that bring the significant history of Jean Pierre Roma to life.
Following the construction of a number of buildings and the creation of a heritage garden and network of nature trails, the newly developed site opened in the fall of 2004. The site now boasts a heritage centre, a large Pavilion and a cookhouse with an outdoor bake oven and professional kitchen. To ensure the cultural resources of the site were protected, the buildings were located away from the archaeological site and were created in the style of Roma's time.
This dedicated volunteer board has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and has continued to work tirelessly to improve the heritage experiences offered at the site to increase appreciation for its cultural and natural heritage. Their lively, interactive programs allow visitors to discover the site while at the same time, bring in revenue to help support the operation. Through their hard work, visitation has risen from 800 in 2007 to 2500 in 2011.
The experiences that they offer depict the life and times of Jean Pierre Roma (1730s) as well as the surrounding natural environment. Open daily to the public from the end of June to the end of September, visitors can enjoy tours of the site with interpreter guides dressed in period costume, visit the heritage room to see archaeological artifacts from the site, enjoy bread baked in their outdoor oven, walk the picturesque nature trails and try their hand at the authentic activities. They also serve a heritage style lunch daily and have become well-known for their specialty - seafood chowder served with homemade bread!
The School Program, offered each spring, provides interactive workshops for elementary students to sample life in the 1730s. To attract families with children to the site, they have developed a special children's program featuring toys from the era and this past summer they also launched a new children's day camp program that was offered in both English and French!
The highlight of the summer is the Roma Pioneer Festival held in mid-August, which has become a very popular annual special event. The annual Gala Heritage Feast, the major fundraiser each year, is held in mid-September and is also very well attended. This event features a heritage inspired menu prepared by professional chefs as well as an entertaining theatrical performance that brings the historical period to life.
Roma at Three Rivers has become a very important part of the tourism industry in eastern PEI. The site is a member of the Island East Tourism Group and is part of the Culinary Trail and Heritage Trail programs. The board works closely with other tourism operators in the area to develop programs and created package opportunities with local accommodation providers. The Gala Heritage Feast has also become one of the events featured as part of Fall Flavours.
By creating a viable attraction in the southeastern region of PEI, they have shown that tourism can play a very important role in the community. They hire local people, including summer students, to work in the kitchen and garden, and provide tours. Their programs feature the local culture as well as the natural beauty of the region. In this way Roma at Three Rivers has become a well-respected, not-for profit sustainable cultural tourism operation.
It is our great pleasure to award the Parks Canada Award for Sustainable Tourism to a truly deserving group - Three Rivers Roma Inc, operators of Jean-Pierre Roma at Three Rivers, PEI National Historic Site of Canada.
On the tip of Brudenell Point, bordered by the picturesque Montague and Brudenell Rivers, is found a very special place that has become an important destination attraction in the eastern region of Prince Edward Island through the hard work of a group of very dedicated volunteers.
Roma at Three Rivers was declared a national historic site by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 1932 to commemorate Jean Pierre Roma, a French merchant who established a trading post and early French settlement at Trois Rivières in 1732. A monument and plaque were erected on the point in 1936 and an archaeological dig was conducted in the late 1960s, but other than that, it was a largely unknown and not well visited site.
This began to change in the early 2000s when a small group began to work on developing the site to try to draw more visitors to the area and to better interpret this very important piece of Island history. In 2002 the original committee was expanded to become a not-for-profit charitable volunteer organization whose purpose was to develop the Three Rivers/Jean Pierre Roma site at Brudenell Point into a significant historical, archaeological and educational destination. Since that time, this group has worked tirelessly to develop programs and activities that bring the significant history of Jean Pierre Roma to life.
Following the construction of a number of buildings and the creation of a heritage garden and network of nature trails, the newly developed site opened in the fall of 2004. The site now boasts a heritage centre, a large Pavilion and a cookhouse with an outdoor bake oven and professional kitchen. To ensure the cultural resources of the site were protected, the buildings were located away from the archaeological site and were created in the style of Roma's time.
This dedicated volunteer board has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and has continued to work tirelessly to improve the heritage experiences offered at the site to increase appreciation for its cultural and natural heritage. Their lively, interactive programs allow visitors to discover the site while at the same time, bring in revenue to help support the operation. Through their hard work, visitation has risen from 800 in 2007 to 2500 in 2011.
The experiences that they offer depict the life and times of Jean Pierre Roma (1730s) as well as the surrounding natural environment. Open daily to the public from the end of June to the end of September, visitors can enjoy tours of the site with interpreter guides dressed in period costume, visit the heritage room to see archaeological artifacts from the site, enjoy bread baked in their outdoor oven, walk the picturesque nature trails and try their hand at the authentic activities. They also serve a heritage style lunch daily and have become well-known for their specialty - seafood chowder served with homemade bread!
The School Program, offered each spring, provides interactive workshops for elementary students to sample life in the 1730s. To attract families with children to the site, they have developed a special children's program featuring toys from the era and this past summer they also launched a new children's day camp program that was offered in both English and French!
The highlight of the summer is the Roma Pioneer Festival held in mid-August, which has become a very popular annual special event. The annual Gala Heritage Feast, the major fundraiser each year, is held in mid-September and is also very well attended. This event features a heritage inspired menu prepared by professional chefs as well as an entertaining theatrical performance that brings the historical period to life.
Roma at Three Rivers has become a very important part of the tourism industry in eastern PEI. The site is a member of the Island East Tourism Group and is part of the Culinary Trail and Heritage Trail programs. The board works closely with other tourism operators in the area to develop programs and created package opportunities with local accommodation providers. The Gala Heritage Feast has also become one of the events featured as part of Fall Flavours.
By creating a viable attraction in the southeastern region of PEI, they have shown that tourism can play a very important role in the community. They hire local people, including summer students, to work in the kitchen and garden, and provide tours. Their programs feature the local culture as well as the natural beauty of the region. In this way Roma at Three Rivers has become a well-respected, not-for profit sustainable cultural tourism operation.
It is our great pleasure to award the Parks Canada Award for Sustainable Tourism to a truly deserving group - Three Rivers Roma Inc, operators of Jean-Pierre Roma at Three Rivers, PEI National Historic Site of Canada.
On behalf of the Jean Pierre Roma at Three Rivers Board, Helen Lockerby & Dale Dewar receiving the Parks Canada Sustainability Award from Karen Jans, Field Unit Superintendent during the TIAPEI Awards Gala ... Kerri Wynne MacLeod (in background) was MC for the Gala.