Roni Furst, a nature photographer has got herself a deal with the MNR. When researching trips, Roni would write/call the MNR for all the available information, pamphlets etc. Over the years, she has typed it all out (brochures verbatim), and now has 2 big fat books. Her mom suggested to find a way to publish it, so that all the information would be available to all canoeists, as the MNR has long since finished with supplying the public with this information in updated brochures. Roni contacted the MNR, and she has their blessing, as well as their help in trying to get the updated information on routes, easements, and bi-laws that affect portages etc.

Roni could now use our help. The MNR does not have a list of all the routes that Ontario has/used to have, and despite the great number that she has collected, she has no idea of what is missing.

If you have any MNR brochures, pamphlets or blurbs, it would help if you could take a minute to make a list, and send the list to Roni (this is moving rather quickly for her, and it would probably take a lot of space here for her to list all the rivers she has found - but I will work on getting her to post them).

If you have one that she has not been able find, you could consider sharing this information with her. If you know Roni, you know this is not a profit making scheme, but rather and altruistic labour of the love of paddling and getting out there. Like Kevin Callan. she believes that if we don't get out there and use it, we will lose it.

e-mail Roni at StFursto @ aol.com

Congratulations to Roni! Such an ambitious undertaking is long overdue. I agree that if documentation of our province's traditional and historical canoe routes is not updated and documented, we may lose a valuable 'resource' of our heritage and culture.

Back in the '60's, each MNR District in Northern Ontario prepared and published sets of "section sheets"--hand drawn maps of varying scale that were printed on standard typewriter paper and duplicated using Gestetner stencils. As such, they could not easily be edited and/or updated since photocopy technology had not yet become available.

The Nipigon Canoe Country Section Sheets is one set with which I am acquainted and I am given to understand that the Sioux Lookout MNR District had their own set that also included the upper reaches of the Albany River.

I gather from this post that Roni is in the process of collecting texts of route descriptions. I would suggest that these sets of "section sheets" would complement her collection to date. Recent enquiries to obtain these sets often results in a negative result since, as the post points out, the MNR has withdrawn from the business of providing this information as well as from the business of maintaining these routes.

The Wabakimi Project (http://www.wabakimi.org) is engaged in an effort to explore and map the canoe routes of Wabakimi Provincial Park as well as the adjacent Crown lands. Now entering its seventh year of operation, this volunteer conservancy effort is dedicated to complete reconnaissance of all canoe routes in an area that exceeds 16,000 square miles.

Good luck in this wonderful effort! If we can be of any assistance, Roni has but to ask.

Roni certainly is undertaking a great task well worrth doing....if I'm not mistaken she was at WCS and I had the opportunity to meet her at CCR table Saturday night....I'll go through my files in search of what I may have....and email her directly....great idea she has and I wish her nothing but best

Just pointing out something...

Roni is a registered member here on CCR.






Barbara

For those who weren't at WCS 2010, she has prepared two binders of documents, of something like 100 MNR brochures; together, they are about 4 inches thick.

I'll go through my files and send her everything that she needs.
I need to see a list of what she has though.

I hope that the CCR community will support her fully in this most admirable effort.

I talked to Cheryl about it at WCS. I got some of those copied sheets back in the 70's at McDonald Block (MNR), but don't know where they are now. Have to look through many places and try to find them (after 3-4 moves and different apartments and houses).
I remember getting the Albany and Attawapiskat and maybe others too.

I also Talked to Roni and Andy, my canoe buddy, and I are searching for ones she doesn't have. Fantastic job Roni, I hope the MNR will be behind you in this project. They certainly didn't help me gather info for my books back in the early 90s. Over half the Districts would tell me over the phone that the route maps no longer exist and that the routes were closed due to the MNR not wanting to be liable.

Kevin

Suggest Roni might want to contact Darren Cope who has a listing of old MNR routes on his website etc. It would be helpful to know what routes Roni is looking for as well, since many folks may have old copies of routes in their files and would be willing to help out with the missing route info.

http://dmcope.freeshell.org/mnrroutes.htm

Hi folks!
Thanks to all who took time to look at my stack of stuff, offer advise, are willing to look through their stash of info, gave info on book size/cover ideas, (publishing related things), etc. I was blown away by the happiness & excitement people had in this project that looking back at your enthusiasm, I'm almost in tears. All of you have given me energy to carry on!
I'm looking forward to speaking with people suggested to me (Mr Cope), and looking at various websites & links sent to me already.
I have 2 MSWord doc's with the routes I do have (153 of them) and some I know I'm missing. A friend if K.Callan has some in the Nipigon & Thunder Bay districts that he's looking for. I don't know if I can/was able to attach the 2 doc's to this message, but if they didn't upload, email me directly & I can send them to you.
Bless you all for your help! I couldn't do this without you!

Roni's MNR Brochures

Here's a list of the 153 MNR route brochures that Roni has already. All have been processed.

If you have another MNR route brochure from north of the French-Mattawa, please email her at
stfursto(AT)aol.com
to make arrangements for getting it to her.

Let's talk later about brochures for the French and Mattawa and routes south of them.


4M (Gogama) Circle Rte
Aerobus Lk Loop
Albany R - Ft Hope to Ft Albany
Albany R - Sioux Lookout to Ft Hope
Aubinadong R Honey Lk-Mississaugi R
Ball Lk Loop
Batchawana R
Beaverhouse Lk
Black Sturgeon Lk - Jones Loop
Black Sturgeon Lk - Jones via Deacon Ck
Blue Lk Loop
Bloodvein R (General Description)
Boundary Waters - Voyageur Waterway
Bremner R - Pinei Lk to Hwy 17
Bunyan Lk
Burditt Lk Loop
Burrows-Alfred-Kenogamisis-Kenogami
Caliper Lk to Burditt Lk via Pipestone L
Caliper Lk to Burditt Lk
Canal Bay Esox Lk - Nestor Falls
Caribou Falls Loop
Cedar R Clay Lk - Ear Falls
Chapleau R
Chivelston Lk to New Osnaburgh
Clearwater Lk
Clearwater Lk to Lk Despair
Clearwater West Lk to Little Turtle Lk
DeLesseps Area Fitchie Lk - Wertheim Lk Loop
Depew R - Hwy 17 to Dayohessarah Lk
Dogtooth Lk via Kilvert - East
Dogtooth Lk via Kilvert - Kushog
Dogtooth Lk via Kilvert - Luke
Dryden to Vermilion Bay
Dunlop Lk - Mace Lk Loop
English R - Press Lk to Sioux Lookout
Ekwan R
Ekwan R #2
Elliot Lk - Depot Lk
Fawn R
Flack Lk - Ten Mile Lk
Foch R - Nagagami R
Goulais R
Grassy R - Grassy Landing to Timmins
Groundhog R
Groundhog R #2
Hammer Lk to Obatanga Lk
Hickerson Lk to Cuttle Lk
Kagiano R
Kakagi Lk Loop
Kaministikwia R
Kamiskotia R
Kapuskasing R
Kapuskasing R #2
Kawinogans - Bow - Otoskwin Loop
Kenora - Cygnet Lk Loop
Kenora - Ft St Charles Loop
Knife Lk - University R to Hammer Lk
Kwinkwaga R - Caribou Lk to White Lk
Lk Despair Loop
Lk St Joseph to Menako Lks
Lawrence Lk Loop
Limestone Rp to Ft Albany
Lower Missinaibi R
Lower Seine R - Steep Rock Lk to Ft Frances
Manitou Lks
Manitou Lks - Esox Lk - Wabigoon Lk
Mattagami R - Gogama to Smooth Rk Falls
Mattagami R - Smooth Rk to James Bay
Mattagami R - Smooth Rk to James Bay #2
Mississagi R - Aubrey F-Lk Huron
Mississagi R - Biscotasing to Aubrey Falls
McIntosh Circle Route
Mine Centre to Redgut Bay
Morrison R
Mountjoy R - Muskasenda Lk to Timmins
Nestor Falls Loop via Kakagi Lk
Noble R - Gogama to Mattagami R
Northern Light Lk Area Intro
Northern Light Lk #1
Northern Light Lk #2
Northern Light Lk #3
Northern Light Lk #4
Northern Light Lk #5
Northern Light Lk #6
Northern Light Lk #7
Northern Light Lk #8
Northern Light Lk #9
Northern Light Lk #10
Oak Loop
Obatanga Provincial Park
Onaping Lk to Skead (Rte G)
Onaping R - Onaping Lk to Vermillion R (Rte H)
Ord Lk Loop
Otoskwin - Attawapiskat R Pickle Lake to James Bay
Pakwash Lk - Red Trout Lk Loop
Pigeon R - Boundary Waters
Pishkanogami Rte
Rainy Lk Loop
Ranger Lk
Red Lk - Long Legged Lk Loop
Red Lk to Carroll Lk
Right Lk Loop
Root R - Lk St Joseph to Red Lk
Route Lk Loop
Rte Amendments for Sturgeon R - McCulloch Lk to Glen Afton &
Wanapitei Lk to Glen Afton and River Valley
Rte Amendments for Vermillion R - Bass Lk to McCharles Lk, Vermillion R - Thor to Capreol & Onaping Lk to Skead
Rushing R - Aulneau Pen Loop
Rushing R - Sioux Narrows Loop
Rushing R Park Area
Sakatawi Rte - Bisco to Horwood Lk
Sandbar - Press Lk Loop
Sioux Lookout Loop - Botsford Lk to Pelican Lk
Sioux Lookout - DeLesseps Arc Lk to St Raphael Lk
Snake Bay Loop
Snake Bay to Wapageisi Lk
Spanish R
Steel Lk - Kawabatongog to Santoy
Steel R - Kawabatongog to Santoy
Steel R Loop
Stewart Lk - Vermilion Bay
Stormy Lk to Dinorwic Lk
Sturgeon R - McCulloch Lk to Glen Afton (Rte B)
Sturgeon R - McCulloch Lk to Wanapeti Lk (Rte A)
Tatachikapika R - Tatachikapika Lk to Timmins
Tedder R to Wawigami Lk
The Albany R - A Personal Account
The Shoals - N & S
Turtle R - Eltrut Lk - Wabigoon
Turtle R - Ignace to Mine Ctr
Turtle R Loop
Upper Missinaibi R
Upper Wabigoon R - English R
Vermillion Bay - Whitefish Bay IR Loop
Vermillion Bay - Dryden
Vermillion R - Bass Lk to McCharles Lk (Rte F2)
Vermillion R - Thor to Capreol (Rte F1)
Vickers Lk - Lwr Manitou Lk Loop
Vickers Lk to Ft Frances via The Big Canoe R
Vickers Lk to Ft Frances via The Manitou R
Vickers Lk to Laver Lk
Vickers Lk to Pearson's Landing
Voyageur Rte
Wababimiga-Drowning
Wakami Loop
Wakami R - Wakami Lk to Groundhog R
Wanapitei Lk to Glen Afton and River Valley (Rte D)
Wanapitei R - Wanapitei Lk to Georgian Bay (Rte E)
Wenebegon R - Mississagi R
West Montreal Rte
White Lk Provincial Park
White R to Bremner
White R - Bremner R to Pinei Lk
White R - Negwazu Lk to Lk Superior
White R to Pakoawaga Lk
White R to Pokei LkWhitefish Bay Loop

Routes included are from the following Districts:
Blind River Area, Chapleau District, Dryden District, Ft Frances District, Geraldton Area, Gogama Area, Hearst District, Ignace Area, Kapuskasing Area, Kenora District, Moosonee Office, Nipigon District, Red Lake District, Sioux Lookout District, Sudbury District, Terrace Bay Area, Timmins District, Wawa District

Unknown if the following sources will be used:
Ont. Dept. of Lands & Forests -> Northern Ontario Canoe Routes
Canoe Routes of Ontario

Roni's Wish List


Here's a list of MNR brochures that Roni lacks but are known to have existed.

Chapleau District:
Aubinadong R. Five Mi Lk to Hwy129

Kenora District:
Dryberry Lk – Feist Lk Loop
Highwind Lk - Porcus Lk
Highwind Lk - Teggau Lk
Porcus Lk - Geijay Lk
Jones Rd – Sand Lk Loop
Kenora – Trout Lk Loop

I have, in the past found maps and books regarding routes in Vallue Village.

My first suggestion is to get a couple people to check out the vallue villages in these areas. Look in travel as this is where they put maps and brochures and in sports

second, Allan,
perhaps you or George or somebody interested in preserving our history, should write to Vallue Village head office and educate them on the collectability and value of these phampletes and to let their stores know they are sellable and not to throw them out when they get donations.
apdf of what they look like
Seriously, this organization gets thousands of pounds of stuff.....stuff that grandkids fire in a box while cleaning out a loved ones decades of collections.
here's the contact
customercare@savers.com
a pretty simple good deed for the day
If they don't know the value, it will never be saved

Allan’s MNR (plus Pukaskwa) brochures

I’m still searching my files but I don’t expect to find many more.

Mattagami River Canoe Route
Original MNR brochure (printed)
Mattagami River from Hwy 11 (Smooth Rock Falls) to Moosonee,
plus Groundhog River from Hwy 11 (Fauqier) to Mattagami River,
plus Kapuskasing River from Hwy 11 (Kapuskasing) to Mattagami River.

Missinaibi River Canoe Route
Original MNR brochure (printed)
Missinaibi Lake to Mattice

Missinaibi River Canoe Route
Original MNR brochure (printed)
Mattice to Moosonee

Mississagi River Canoe Route
Copy of typewritten document, 8.5 by 14.
Biscotasing to Aubrey Falls.

Nipigon Canoe Country
Copy of cover document plus copies of
Sections 4 and 5: Wabakimi Lake to Whitewater Lake
Section 10: Allan Water River, from Granite Lake to Wabakimi Lake
Section 11: Allan Water River, from Allanwater Bridge to Granite Lake
Section 19: Whitewater Lake
Section 20: Whitewater Lake to Whiteclay Lake
Section 21: Whiteclay Lake to Gort Lake (and Ratte Lake?)
Section 29: Ratte Lake to Mud River and CNR line
Section 30: Whiteclay Lake, through Mojikit Lake to CNR line (east of Ferland)
Section 34: Misehow River to Palisade River
Section 39: Whiteclay Lake via Witchwood River to Albany River

Pukaskwa River Guide Map
NOT MNR. Copyright question?
Hwy 11 (White River above Sagina Lake) to Lake Superior.
Five 11 by 17 pages.

Spanish River Canoe Route
Copy of typewritten MNR brochure
Duke Lake to Agnew Lake

White River Canoe Route
Original MNR brochure (printed)
Negwazu Lake (north of Hwy 17) to Hattie Cove, with intermediate access points at White River above Sagina Lake (Hwy 17), White River settlement, Hwy 17 crossing, Hwy 17 crossing (above Bremner River confluence) and White Lake PP.

EDIT:
Chapleau District Canoe Routes (original brochure)
No Route information (rapids, portages, etc) is shown but the list of Routes (to follow immediately) may help Roni to determine whether any have been missed.

List of Routes:
Shumka to Missanabie
Missinaibi Lake to Mattice
Mattice to Moosonee
Chain of Lakes (Prairie Bee, Windermere, Kathleen, Goldie & Delmage)
The Shoals (north and south loops)
Chapleau-Nemegosenda loop
Aubinadong River
Wenebegon River
Wakami loop
Wakami River
Pishkanogami
Sakatawi
Groundhog River
Mississagi River
Spanish River

Sorry. I don't have time to deal with Value Village.
Is there a volunteer?

I am pretty sure that in her post Gail had volunteered.



cheers
dave