| Presqu'ile Provincial Park | |
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Presqu'ile Marsh |
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| Type | Ontario Provincial Park - Park Class: Natural Environment |
| Location | Northumberland County, Ontario |
| Area | 9.37 km2 (3.62 sq mi) |
| Created | 1922 |
| Operated by | Ontario Parks |
| Status | open all year |
Presqu'ile Provincial Park is a park in southeastern Northumberland County on the north shore of Lake Ontario near the town of Brighton in Ontario, Canada. The park occupies an area of 9.37 km2 (3.62 sq mi).
The name of the park is the French word for peninsula, or literally "almost island", and was believed to be named by Samuel De Champlain on his second famous expedition. The park area was formed when a limestone island was connected to the mainland by a sand spit; this kind of formation is referred to as a tombolo.
The park's location on Lake Ontario makes it a perfect stop over for migrating birds along the Michigan Flyway. For this reason is it also an important location for viewing migrating birds and Monarch butterflies. The park's long beaches make it particularly appealing to migrating shorebirds. Limestone islands near the park area support large nesting colonies of Double-crested Cormorants, Caspian and Common Terns, several gull species, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and Black-crowned Night-herons. In early spring, Presqu'ile Bay is an important staging area for thousands of migrating waterfowl. The park also includes a large marsh which provides nesting habitat for rails, bitterns and other wetland birds. There are also forested areas and open fields: a wide variety of habitats in a relatively small park. There is also a fairly substantial population of White-tailed Deer. Presqu'ile has been identified as a Canadian Important Bird Area. In all this small park has seven distinct ecosystems.
The park includes a number of campgrounds, the Lighthouse Interpretive Centre, and the Nature Centre. The park's level terrain and excellent roads make it a good location for cycling.
The park area had been selected in 1797 as the site of a town called Newcastle which was to become the county seat. However, on October 8, 1804, the schooner HMS Speedy, which was bringing officials to a trial at the new courthouse, sank offshore with all on board lost. The ship was never found, nor the bodies of the passengers and crew. The county seat was moved to nearby Amherst (now Cobourg, Ontario). In 1840, a lighthouse was completed at Presqu'ile Point. The designer of the 69-foot, octagonal structure was Nichol Hugh Baird. Baird also designed the Murray Canal, parts of the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Rideau Canal. Today, this lighthouse stands as the second oldest operating lighthouse on the north shore of Lake Ontario.
In 1922, a private commission was given authority to develop a park at Presqu'ile. In the twentieth century, Presqu'ile became very popular for recreation, with two kilometres of sandy beaches, a summer hotel and dance pavilion, an annual regatta race, a nine hole golf course and opportunities for boating. As the decades passed, the type of recreation enjoyed at the park changed which caused the dismantling of the golf course and the closure of the hotel and dance pavilion. Presqu'ile was incorporated into the Ontario Parks system in 1954 and has become a popular destination for campers, naturalists, and other users.
Presqu'ile has 397 campsites and two visitor centres. The park is aimed at family recreation, and offers a Natural Heritage Education program. The park often holds special events such as the Waterfowl Weekend in March, History Weekend in August, Parks Day, and Canada Day celebrations.
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