Point Pelee National Park is getting $5.5-million in upgrades in honour of its 100th anniversary.
The majority of the funds, $4-million, will go towards renewal of the marsh boardwalk and tower renewal.
The rest, $1.5-million, will go toward building a tower near the tip of the park. The 24-meter observation tower will be built near the shuttle drop-off area. It will give visitors a 360-degree birds-eye perspective of the tip with Essex County to the north and across Lake Erie to Pelee Island in the south.
The improvements were announced Monday by the minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna.
“Through investments to protect and restore our national parks the Government of Canada is preserving nature for future generations. These investments will help more Canadians, including youth and newcomers, discover and enjoy Point Pelee and the remarkable diversity of species found there. With free admission for youth and new Canadians, along with the 100th-anniversary celebrations, 2018 is the perfect time to visit Point Pelee National Park,” said McKenna in a news release.
In 2017, Point Pelee National Park saw the largest increase in visitation of any national park in Canada because of free admission. From January to December the park saw a 68% increase in visitors over the same period in 2016.
