On the day of the community鈥檚 30th anniversary, the Tumbler Ridge Aspiring Geopark celebrated another milestone on June 6 with the kickoff of a four-day evaluation toward receiving official Geopark designation.
Nearly 100 supporters and five dinosaurs greeted delegates from the Global Geoparks Network and 91原创 National Committee for Geoparks for an opening reception at the Dinosaur Discovery Gallery in the district.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got our first day out of four behind us, which was a wonderfully productive day 鈥� we feel really good about today, but nothing is guaranteed,鈥� said Dr. Charles Helm, chair of the Tumbler Ridge Aspiring Geopark Committee.
鈥淭hese folks have very high standards. The comments we got were really constructive 鈥� there鈥檚 obviously more work that we have to do, but constructive comments allow us to move ahead."
The event opened with a First Nations blessing by committee member Marsha Dufresne, illustrating the wisdom in the natural world that people must be cognizant and respectful of.
The event followed with a number of speakers, including local government and organizations, Peace River Regional District Chair Karen Goodings and Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier.
Global Geoparks Network delegates Dr. Luis Alcala and Dr. Jianping Zhang also said a few words, along with Dr. Godfrey Nowlan, Chairperson of the 91原创 National Committee for Geoparks.
鈥淚 think it was said at the beginning that we should look to the earth, and Geoparks are all about looking to the earth,鈥� said Nowlan. 鈥淲hat we are looking at in Geoparks is about celebrating our planet, getting to know it better and being proud of whatever your piece of it is.鈥�
In order to give the delegation an idea of Tumbler Ridge鈥檚 unique place, the next three days offered a packed schedule. If the evaluation mission and application are successful, the Tumbler Ridge Aspiring Geopark could receive official designation through UNESCO this fall.
鈥淥ur problem is we could keep them here for a month and still not exhaust what our proposed Geopark has to offer,鈥� said Helm. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to be selective, choosing just the highlights, so that鈥檚 been a challenge.鈥�
Over the coming days, Helm said they would be taking a helicopter ride over some main features of the park, a riverboat ride through the Murray Canyon, a tour of the Peace River Coal Mine and enjoy a 鈥渓iving off the land鈥� dinner banquet of wild meat and foraged edibles.
A farewell barbecue will also be hosted on the fourth night by the Lions Club, and in between, Helm said there would be a great deal of committee work and trips to the network of trails.
During the opening reception, the support for the Aspiring Geopark was evident not only through the enthusiastic audience, but by a number of grants offered up to make the dream a reality.
In addition to funds previously approved by local government through gaming grants, the provincial government has designated $30,000 toward a master plan and marketing strategy for the Geopark, and Lake View Credit Union handed over a cheque for $3,000, which Helm said would go towards developing archives for the community.
In addition, outdoors store Mountain Equipment Co-op has granted $10,000 toward the Tumbler Ridge Trail 鈥� the Geopark project is a 27-kilometre trail that encircles the community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 overwhelming the amount of support we see, not only from the people of Tumbler Ridge but the regional district and the province,鈥� said Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darwin Wren. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got leaders from the First Nations here, it鈥檚 truly a celebration of the efforts we鈥檝e made so far to date and there is really optimism in the room that our application will be successful.鈥�
As the community moves away from its reputation as a one-resource town, Wren said the Aspiring Geopark and new Visitor Information Centre would be key parts of that effort.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a marquee piece in the overall strategy around tourism and diversification of the economy, and we鈥檙e really excited and proud of the work that鈥檚 been done by the volunteers,鈥� said Wren. 鈥淚n the end, we slowly become less reliant on coal 鈥� we absolutely embrace the coal industry, still, but from a taxation and a revenue perspective, the more we can get different channels of revenue coming into the district, that鈥檚 good for everyone, and that鈥檚 good for the sustainability and long-term future of Tumbler Ridge.鈥�
