Welcome
Welcome to the Gorge Waterway Initiative (GWI) website. The GWI is a collaborative, community-driven group of organizations concerned with protecting and enhancing the natural and cultural features of the Gorge Waterway, Portage Inlet and the surrounding watersheds.
check out this history of the gorge neighbourhood
Local author and historian Dennis Minaker has kindly agreed to let us post a copy of his manuscript "Next to the Gorge". It's a history of the neighbourhood bound by Tillicum, Burnside and Harriet roads and the Gorge Waterway, from 1852 - 1996.
Click here to download the pdf.
Thank you Dennis!
Point Ellice Shoreline Restoration:
2011 season starts
Sunday February 13
GWI 2011 Annual Report available here
Help us restore a historic shoreline
Join the Gorge Waterway Initiative and help restore remnant ecosystems and historic walkways along the Gorge on the Point Ellice Woodland Shore Restoration Project.
Join our volunteer work parties and help remove ivy and replant with native vegetation.
We provide tools, gloves and light refreshments; please wear work clothes and sturdy shoes or boots. Contact us if you would like to be added to our crew list and you will receive notification of all work party dates and times.
Where: Point Ellice House, 2616 Pleasant Street (Off Bay Street near the bridge) through the gate towards the water.
Who: Community volunteers, university and college students, high school students, school groups, corporate volunteers, Sea Scouts and YOU! We love having large groups come out for a day...maybe your school class, scout's group or your company would like to join us?
spring 2013 work party dates
| Sunday April 28 | 10am - 1pm |
| Sunday May 26 | 10am - 1pm |
| Sunday June 23 | 10am - 1pm |
Click here for more details about this project.
news update:
At our regular work party on Sunday Dec. 9, 2012, we had 30 students from St Michaels University School come and help. We used this opportunity with lots of extra helping hands to remove the huge pile of ivy that we had been accumulating over the past several months. Together we got rid of 2.18 tonnes, making our grand total over 22 tonnes!
A huge THANK YOU to Ellice Recycling, which provided the huge bin and did the composting at no charge.
..........................BEFORE ............................................................AFTER...........................
Ivy
and other invasive plant species that dominated the ground cover, have been
removed from most areas. Replanting with native trees, shrubs and perennials has
been the focus of volunteer activities as well as removing any new invasives that sprout up again.
click here for updated "who do you call?" information