The St. Lawrence Power Development Visitor Centre opened in August 2010 with the purpose of telling the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project. It is a beautiful building built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. It is located just off of the St. Lawrence River, with the St. Lawrence Recreational Path right beside it.

PHOTO CREDIT - www.opg.com/

Cornwall - January 25, 2012 - The St. Lawrence Power Development Visitor Centre opened in August 2010 with the purpose of telling the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project. “The reason it is here is to recount the history of the St Lawrence Seaway and Power Project and the impact it had on various communities including the Mohawks of Akwesasne, the Lost Villages and the City of Cornwall. The other reason is to tell Ontario Power Generation’s story because we are the major producer of electricity in Ontario and we have hydroelectric, nuclear and thermal generating stations across the province, all of which are showcased in the centre. Another reason is to show the Robert H. Saunders Generating Station and why it’s here.” Says Linda Halliday, Public Affairs Officer at Ontario Power Generation.

The St. Lawrence Power Development Visitor Centre is a beautiful building built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. It is located just off of the St. Lawrence River, with the St. Lawrence Recreational Path right beside it. Educational, interactive displays draw in visitors of all ages. “What draws people is the history of the Seaway and Power Project, and a lot of people are interested in that, so that story is told. We have a video, ‘From Dream To Reality’ which tells the story from the old company Ontario Hydro’s perspective. We’ve told the story from the perspective of the Mohawks of Akwesasne, the Lost Villages and the City of Cornwall.” Halliday explains.

“A lot of kids like coming here because they like the explosion of the cofferdam. You push a plunger and it shows the explosion. And, the eel ladder, a lot of kids like that too.” Halliday says when asked about the displays available at the visitor centre, “You can be an operator for a day and it shows you how to manipulate a generating station. It shows the cross-section of the generating station, the eel ladder, how a turbine works. There are quizzes as well. There’s lots of educational stuff here. Also, everyone wants to see the power dam.”

The St. Lawrence Power Development Visitor Centre is a great place to learn more about Cornwall and about the history of the region. It is also an amazing place for kids to have a fun experience while still learning. “People are a lot more interested if they can interact with things instead of just stand and look at them, so we made it as interactive as we can.” Says Halliday.

The cofferdam explosion was a personal favourite, as it is both visually interesting and interactive. The ‘From Dream To Reality’ video was interesting, educational and informative. It plays on a large screen in the centre, so check it out on your visit.

For more information, visit www.opg.com/stlawrencevisitorcentre or check out the St. Lawrence Power Development Visitor Centre yourself.