This past fiscal year Meewasin wrote another chapter in our history book about the authority and the riverbank with continued progress on the Riverfront project and with two major awards for our conservation efforts.

The long-awaited Riverfront began to take shape with the Meewasin Trail improvement, suspension bridge, sun shades and a new east entrance opened to the public in early August. Visitors to the site can now enter the Riverfront along the east portion of the downtown riverbank development and be closer to the river at four new lookouts. They can walk down a magnificent staircase adjacent to the Traffic Bridge. The estimate $13 million redevelopment of the riverfront is part of a much larger plan for River Landing on two sites - one on each side of the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge. It is the most significant public riverfront work in Saskatoon's 125-year history.

With our sponsor, Cameco, we initiated a capital campaign to raise $2 million to complete the riverfront work and add amenities such as an amphitheatre, pavilion, water play feature, pedestrian bridge, river garden, seating nodes, promenade, fire pit, interpretive signage and boat dock.

Meewasin was a finalist for the 2006 International Thiess Riverprize, a global award presented annually in Brisbane, Australia, for outstanding achievements in river conservation, a prize that has been called the "Nobel Prize of Rivers". We continue to be known around the world as a model of what a community can do to conserve a river valley for now and for future generations.

the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) recognized the work of Meewasin Manager John Gerstmar and his staff for grassland protection. This program, which will continue in the summer of 2007, involves up to 200 sheep, shepherd Jared Epp and dog Kate. The sheep graze natural areas to create biodiversity and to help eradicate nuisance species.

A key conservation activity this past year was Meewasin's purchase of one kilometre of riverbank land in the northeast of Saskatoon. Another ward came from Reader's Digest that said our skating rink was "The Best Outdoor Rink in Canada."

We launched our history book "25 Years in the Life of a River Valley" together with author Paul Hanley and designer Roger Denis. The book is dedicated to the visionaries who created Meewasin and to all the volunteers, donors, and staff who have built the Meewasin vision. This history celebrates past achievements, the development of parks, habitat, canoe launches, interpretive centres, Wanuskewin, conservation areas, conservation attitudes, more than 60km of Meewasin Trail, and the redevelopment of the weir.

Through the Saskatchewan Arts Board we hosted an artist in the community to help bring public awareness to the river valley and sponsored "Winter White", a Riverfront snow sculpture event. We worked with others to support a plan to restore Lake Winnipeg that is part of our drainage basin. We began to plan for a renovated Meewasin Valley Centre.

We continue to realize the rich accomplishments of the past with the support of our participating parties: The city of Saaskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan, and the Province of Saskatchewan. We thank outgoing board members Elaine Hnatyshyn, Paul Becker, Terry Alm, and John Brocklebank. And we welcome new Board members Colin Tennant, Maurice Neault, and Darrin Hill.

Through 2006-07, we have accomplished a lot; it would not have been possible without the support of our donors, sponsors, and volunteers who continue to make Meewasin the valued conservation organization that it is. It has been a rewarding successful year. We are expecting the same and more for this coming year.