Last night's city council meeting featured a special presentation from Volker Beckmann of Design North and Mark Matiasek from Thompson Unlimited on Thompson becoming the wolf capital of Canada.
The two men discussed with mayor and council the opportunities that lie in creating a wolf industry in Thompson and how things are going so far. They pointed out Manitoba has an estimated 6,000 wolves, many of which are located in the North. They also said that the Thompson Zoo, wolves in the wild, public art and the link from Thompson to Churchill will play large roles in making Thompson renowned for wolves.
Beckmann explained that there are five facets Design North and Thompson Unlimited are focusing on - research, education, tourism, events and arts and culture. The University College of the North (UCN) has expressed interest in becoming a wolf centre of excellence and creating university partnerships, European linkages and creating research projects and internships at the Thompson Zoo. Wolves can be promoted throughout elementary schools and the high school in Thompson through science projects, aboriginal knowledge, zoo study and work experience. As far as tourism goes, Thompson could be home to zoo tours, wild tours, seminars, learning vacations, an Elderhostel, a "wolves to whales" idea that would have people travel through Thompson to Churchill, a focus on aboriginal culture and European tours. UCN and Thompson Unlimited are partnering on creating a Manitoba wolf workshop that's happening from Oct. 20 to 21 in Thompson in 2009 with the theme of wolves as an ecological and economic asset. An art centre could also be created that features large scale rock carvings, a gallery and an on-line gallery and aboriginal culture.
The next step for Thompson Unlimited and Design North is to identify key people and agencies interested in being involved with wolf research and tourism and to assist the Thompson Zoo in improving and enhancing their wolf enclosure. They also want to launch Thompson's plans to become wolf capital of Canada to international audiences over the next 12 months.
Beckmann and Matiasek both talked about the potential outcomes that wolf tourism could have by 2010 in Thompson, including an enhanced wolf enclosure at the zoo, the first bi-annual international wolf conference in Thompson, wolf tour packages of wild or captive wolves, wolf education experiences, research, and the launch of the Wolf Capital of Canada during the Manitoba homecoming year.
The initiative has received letters of support from Assiniboine Park Zoo, the Thompson Veterinary Clinic, UCN, the University of Calgary, the University of Saskatchewan, Mountain Equipment Coop in Winnipeg, Mystery Lake School District, Travel Manitoba, The Great Canadian Travel Company Ltd. and Frontiers North Adventures. There has also been third party interest from Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., Environment Canada Wildlife Services, Wolf Park Battle Ground in Indiana, the Northern Lights Wolf Centre in B.C., and the International Wolf Centre in Ely, Minnesota.
Beckmann says it would be a great step forward for there to be representation from Thompson at the Carnivores 2009 conservation event from Defenders of Wildlife happening in Denver, Colorado from November 15 to the 18.
