Casselman is developing Bird’s Eye View Park into a welcoming green space with a focus on bird life, after a combined investment of $1 million from the federal government and the municipality.
Prescott-Russell-Cumberland Member of Parliament (MP) Giovanna Mingarelli made the announcement on Thursday, June 26.
The federal contribution to the project is $800,000. The remaining $200,000 is being funded by the municipality.
Additional funds have previously been contributed to the Bird’s Eye View Park project by other businesses and public agencies. As examples, Green For Life (GFL) has contributed $250,000, Caisses Desjardins de l’Ontario provided $200, and $100,000 was provided by FedDev.
The park will showcase a bird observatory, a bird sanctuary, a park, and a walking trail on the banks of the South Nation River.
“Bird watchers and photographers will enjoy front-row access,” Mingarelli said.
That access will be to a diverse range of bird life, including rare species, while an accessible walking trail with bilingual signage highlights the park’s wildlife and flora, complemented by cultural and tourist activities that enhance the visitor experience.
The Bird’s Eye View Park will maintain the biodiversity and natural habitat of the area through activities such as planting native species and removing invasive species and monitoring bird activity, all with the goal of enhancing the local ecosystem to make it more resilient to climate change.
Mingarelli described the federal support as an investment in biodiversity and encouraging access to nature.
She also related the announcement to her own life-long love of wild birds.
Casselman Mayor Geneviève Lajoie said Bird’s Eye View Park is an example of how everything in nature is connected.
“Everything has a life here. The rocks, the grass, the air.”
Lajoie said the location, on formerly private property at the end of Brisson Street beside the South Nation River, is a place she has enjoyed visiting since childhood.
Bird’s Eye View Park is currently not open to visitors because construction of park facilities is still taking place. The second phase of park development is currently underway. The third and final phase is to be completed in 2026.
Photos: James Morgan
