Amis de l’île Petrie

The Friends of Petrie Island operated the Petrie Island picnic area for the fourth year this past summer. This was the first year of operation with the new City of Ottawa, the previous three years were with the City of Cumberland.

An increasing number of people from across the region are discovering the area, and this along with continued use by those familiar with the Islands increased attendance from 34,970 in 2000 to 60,403 this year.

The Friends of Petrie Island would like to thank the City of Ottawa and its staff for the support they have received this year.

• Fourth year of operating the picnic area: 1998 - 1 month; 1999 - 2 ½ months; 2000 - 4 ½ months, 2001 - 5 months
• Continued contacts with various associations: Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club (OFNC), Ottawa Duck club, local community associations, Riverkeepers, SHELL (Turtle Club) and various government bodies
• Raised funds to hire young people for increased monitoring
• Conducted survey on futures uses of Petrie Island

• Expanded picnic area west, cleaned up shoreline and expanded sand areas; sand donated by Roger Grandmaitre Ltd
• Built 11 new picnic tables, with materials donated by Home Depot
• Provided maintenance and cleanup of trail and shoreline outside picnic area
• Removed an abandoned shed
• Improved signage and display areas
• Majority of work was done Wednesday mornings. Two work days were also attended by the general public. Many Scout and Guide groups participated in clean ups in the picnic area and on the island.
• Built a memorial bench along Turtle Trail for nature observation in memory of Sid Burke, a FOPI member who passed away in April

• The City provided direct funds for toilet rental (4 ½ months), materials and grass cutting ($3,900) as well as services of staff for site improvement and garbage collection ($3,550), for a total value of $7,450 (the same as the previous year)
• Daily cleanup, site improvement, and monitoring of the area was provided by Friends of Petrie Island
• The bylaws were generally obeyed, including dogs on a leash, occasional foot patrols by bylaw officers and Police had a positive impact.
• Parking - up to 100 cars were counted on peak days, this was reduced to 70 when no parking signs were installed on one side of the road
• Litter problems were mainly caused by animals in garbage cans and debris washed up from the river
• FOPI used its own funds to hire students for week day and weekend monitors as it is getting more difficult to get volunteers. some students also volunteered time towards school requirements
• FOPI again worked with City staff to protect trees from Beavers (wrapped trees with wire mesh)

• In previous years monitors counted people as they entered the site, but with increasing numbers this became more difficult; attendance in this report is based on hourly car counts in the parking lot, multiplied by a factor of 2 - 2.5, (people per car) - numbers are person/hours of use (Table 1)
• Ideal weather as well as growing awareness of the area increased attendance by 70%
• On a good Sunday, attendance increased from 7 - 800 last year to 1000-2000 this year and weekdays saw 500 - 1000

• Continued program of monthly posters to educate the public on various natural aspects of Petrie Island and added interpretive boards, increased from 4 to 9 boards on display
• Produced updated brochures and new trail brochure
• Participated in Wildlife Festival at Carlingwood Mall in April, Canada Day and Steumer return in August
• Six open houses were held with nature displays, including 2nd Wildflower Walk and a Turtle Day
• Jim Robertson, one of our photographers, is working on a slide show featuring a "year in the life of Petrie Island", he has taken over 2000 pictures to date
• Participated in a tour of the picnic area by City Councillors in June: Cumberland Car Rally; Ottawa River Keepers start up committee; shared vision planning session by the City of Ottawa;
• Made presentations to Scout and Guide groups and Orleans Kiwanis
• Our web site (www.petrieisland.com) was improved and we have received many positive comments
• Photos from the website were selected by the Geological Society of Canada for use in a poster
• Featured on a CHRO-TV segment on Cumberland and Citizen series on the use of the Ottawa river, Chairman was also interviewed for a CFRA program
• Petrie Island was again featured in:

- local publications, Citizen, Orleans Star and Journal, East end Communiqué

- Wildlife Festival map of nature sites in Eastern Ontario