Argenteuil befriends Prescott-Russell to promote shared tourism

The divide between Quebec and Ontario has shrunk a little smaller this winter thanks to a new relationship between the Municipal Regional Council (MRC) of Argenteuil and the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR), who are forging communications as a means to promote cross-tourism in both regions.

Representatives from the MRC d'Argenteuil were inspired to think outside of their region following the results of studies conducted in 2010 to predict the user habits of visitors to the Argenteuil Route Verte.

Working in association with Vélo Quebec, the MRC studies revealed that last year, over 48,500 cyclists, rollerbladers and walkers used the 54-kilometre, multi-purpose trail that passes through Argenteuil.

The survey was able to distinguish what type of sport visitors were participating in and it further revealed that about 36 per cent of the people using the bike path were from outside of the region and that most live in Prescott-Russell.

"We quickly realized that we have a lot more in common than we thought," said MRC d'Argenteuil director general Marc Carrière. "First of all, we share the Ottawa River, which is important for us and for Prescott-Russell. The river geographically divides us, but we think it can also unify us."

The Argenteuil Route Verte was inaugurated in 2005 and it serves as an important tool to promote tourism in Argenteuil and inspire residents to get moving. The trail begins in fields and woodland, crosses a suspended bridge and travels along the scenic Ottawa River.

"When we did the bicycle path, we didn't have an old railway to develop," noted Carrière. "If we wanted to bring people to cycle here, we needed a special distinguishing feature. From there came the idea for our suspended bridge, which connects the beginning of our trail and which has since become a trademark of this trail. Every community needs buildings and places where we can identify ourselves and our culture."

The development of the Argenteuil Route Verte continued with the construction of a wooden lookout point called the Belvedere, built along the Route Verte in 2009 as place for visitors to stop, picnic, and contemplate the beauty of the area.

The expansion of the Brownsburg-Chatham municipal camping and marina took place at the same time as the Belvedere's construction - and both, as cyclists were pouring into the region. The marina and campsite were booked to capacity last year.

According to Carrière, the MRC will look at ways to develop Highway 148 for recreational tourism and cycling following the completion of the Highway 50 in 2012, and plans to work with the counties to discuss cross-promotions and activities.

"There are a lot of cultural similarities and we have many historical links that should normally make this easier for us. 2011 is the year where we will pave the road to collaboration, including our presence at the IPM," he said.