By Lucie Roy
Morinville – The Morinville Fish & Game Association in partnership with the Morinville 100th Anniversary Celebrations Committee finalized a legacy project at the pond Oct. 26. The five sturdy metal frames were planted in place by Dennis Anselmo in the morning and within hours educational interpretative display boards were in place inside the frames and ready for viewing. The two large and three smaller boards include information on ducks, including canvasback, mallard and northern pintail as well as information on trees, common invertebrates, rabbits and large rodents. The two-sided educational displays can be enjoyed by all ages and used by the schools on a field trip. The boards are a bonus for those strolling through the pond area either on a walk or a picnic.
The goal is to increase each visitor’s enjoyment and understanding of the pond area and allow visitors to care about the pond on their own terms. The educational interpretative signs provide each visitor an opportunity to personally connect with the pond area. Each individual may connect to it in a different way, but it allows everyone an opportunity to explore how this special place is meaningful to them and to the area. It is hoped the signs will illuminate the power of the pond area. The signs are to help provide an educational message on the site’s significance and to inspire a sense of feeling of stewardship and strengthening awareness of our natural resource. The signs can become a destination in their own right. The signs are self-sufficient and provide a high quality interpretative experience without the requirements of staff or facilities to remain at the pond.
The metal frames are created in such a way that the themed display boards can be changed as new boards are created. It is a project that will be reviewed next year or as funding becomes available. There are more than forty themes that can be utilized from the collection of Alberta’s Watchable Wildlife series. Those themes under consideration include hawks and eagles, owls of Alberta, native trees of Alberta, puddle ducks and diving ducks.
The project demonstrates community pride in our local heritage. The totally local project was a creation of Morinville businesses getting together with Morinville Fish & Game to make it happen. The Centennial Committee, Craig’s Welding, ABCOR Signs and Dens Contracting along with advice from the Town Public Works Department allowed a few people to get together to create a vision and legacy for the community.
