News Release
Parks Canada is pleased to invite the public to come celebrate, learn about and see Driftwood Cove, the newest addition to Bruce Peninsula National Park.
An open house will be held at Driftwood Cove on Sunday, May 5 starting at 10 a.m. Come and explore this incredible property and share your views about the future of this important addition to the national park. Visitors can meet Parks Canada and Bruce Trail Conservancy team members, enjoy the breathtaking views, and tour buildings on the property. The open house will take place rain or shine, so guests should dress for the weather and plan to spend time outside.
Private vehicles will not be permitted to drive into Driftwood Cove. Transportation to and from the open house is by shuttle bus only. Parks Canada is providing a free shuttle bus, departing from the parking lot at Singing Sands, with four departures throughout the day.
Shuttle bus times are listed below:
• Group 1: 10:00 a.m.
• Group 2: 11:00 a.m.
• Group 3: 1:00 p.m.
• Group 4: 2:00 p.m.
Each visit is approximately two hours and you will be taken back to Singing Sands at the end of the visit.
Shuttle bus space is limited and must be reserved in advance by contacting Parks Canada by e-mail at pc.bruce-fathomfive.pc@canada.ca or by phone at 519-270-1147.
If you are registered to participate in the 2019 Sources of Knowledge Forum, there is a specific shuttle for forum participants. Information will be shared with participants by e-mail.
In July 2018, Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced that the Agency reached an agreement to acquire the Driftwood Cove property with support from the Bruce Trail Conservancy. The land acquisition grows the size of Bruce Peninsula National Park by 3,272 acres, bringing the park to 90 per cent complete and adding 6.5 kilometres of uninterrupted Georgian Bay shoreline as well as 8 kilometres of the popular Bruce Trail.
As with all property acquired, Parks Canada will work to ensure that the ecological integrity of the land is maintained while we continue to provide opportunities for Canadians to discover and connect with nature.
the preservation of Driftwood Cove. Photo Credit: Ethan Meleg
Quick Facts
• Driftwood Cove is home to a globally rare ancient cliff-edge ecosystem with the oldest trees in eastern North America, 10 federally listed species at risk, as well as important ecologically, geologically and culturally significant cave systems. The Driftwood Cove property represents 9 per cent of the park’s lands and 22 per cent of the park’s shoreline.
• The Bruce Trail Conservancy has provided significant funding to support the preservation of Driftwood Cove.
• A total of 8 kilometres of the famous Bruce Trail—Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath—runs through this property, with an additional 21 kilometres elsewhere in Bruce Peninsula National Park.
