Tuesday, April 3, 2018

CF-DRD: Saving Our Icon

Since 1992, CF-DRD has stood proud on its pedestal in Norseman Park and represented the Township of Red Lake in a unique and awe inspiring way. Any Red Laker will tell you that the Norseman aircraft is responsible for the boom and growth of our area and we are so grateful for its influence and assistance. This is the root of our obsession with Norseman aircraft here in Red Lake and why our township's icon DRD means so much to us.

Almost 25 years to the day after it was put up on a pedestal in Norseman Park, Our DRD, along with several local operational Norseman aircraft and other aircraft and vehicles got hit hard with a brutal hailstorm. So much damage that the community is just starting to recuperate. Our monument, DRD, is still in dire need of repair though! The fabric skin of the airframe got punctured all over and is now at severe risk of degradation and decay. As states Rodney Kozar in this blogpost: " Records show the last time DRD actualy flew was in 1981, but even as a static monument, the integrity of the bush plane must be re-established for safety and longevity." 

A Save Our DRD Committee has been formed and fundraising is now under way to help restore our local landmark to its former glory. You can read a lot more about the events and actions under way to achieve this monumental task here on the Save Our DRD page of the Norseman Festival website

If you have a connection to Red Lake, if you used to live in Red Lake, if your family comes from or has moved to Red Lake at some point in time, you will know the importance of keeping this icon alive for years to come. If you feel so inclined to help out, you can head over to our Go Fund Me campaign. If you have pictures of yourself or your family with CF-DRD, please feel free to post. We'd love to see your memories and link to our beloved township's monument. 
Thank you!. 

Monday, February 19, 2018

Reflections on the Cedar Rapids Iowa Sportsman’s Show 2018

by Sophie Castonguay

It was our first time in Iowa. We drove 16 hours to get there and thought to ourselves... as if anyone this far away is going to know where Red Lake Ontario was. Boy, were we in for a surprise!

It was a joy to set up our brand new display at Hawkeye Downs Arena in Cedar Rapids. Standing at 20 feet long, our new backdrop, courtesy of the RED Grant, is big and beautiful! It showcases everything that is special about our community. The fishing , the aircrafts , the mining, the natural beauty, the Aboriginal culture, the openness of our community, etc... We were proud to host this beautiful booth!




The maps drew them in to our booth, the memories kept them grounded there. We were delighted to see that 90% of people that stopped by our booth knew where our region was! Many had memories of their father or grandfather coming up Hwy 105 fifteen to twenty years ago . Many have been coming up to Hwy 105 for 10 years + themselves. We also encountered many people who have been going to Perrault Falls or Ear Falls for years and years without driving that extra 45 minutes to get to Red Lake. We highly encouraged them to travel the extra miles to discover our vibrant community. 


Overall,  the Iowans we encountered had very positive, almost wistful memories of the Red Lake area. The nostalgia and longing for a return to simple, peaceful days spent in nature was the overall sentiment we took away from Americans in Iowa vis a vis our area of the world. They view Northwestern Ontario as a land of pure, crystal clear lakes, unpolluted air, peace and quiet.

Although many were interested in the fresh fish in our lakes, in particular in our trophy size Northern Pike and Muskie, many more said they couldn't care less about the fish, they only wanted to be surrounded in our untouched wilderness with the opportunity to photograph it. These nature lovers wanted the chance to escape in a canoe or be dropped off into a remote lake via our bush planes to absorb and relish every moment spent in the rejuvenating isolation that only nature can provide.



We were the only ones on Hwy 105 represented at the Cedar Rapids Sportsman's Show. For this reason, we felt it was very important that we were there to represent our members, promote them and spark a flame in people's spirit that will lead them down Hwy 105 in the near future. Iowans were very grateful to us for having made the long trek to Iowa to bring them news and hope for a peaceful and invigorating trip up Hwy 105 in the near future.