War Of 1812 Bicentennial Map Has Received International Honours

A Foreward by Doug Draper

Niagara At Large doesn’t mind getting a little gushy here.

Historians and others on both sides of our binational border, involved in planning upcoming War of 1812 commemorations, have created a wonderful, rich-in-history Niagara 1812 bicentennial map that is already becoming a big hit in our schools and among others who care about our shared heritage on both sides of the border.

This map, which is far more than any average map and includes great historic drawings of some of the key figures from that war, and written nuggets on battles, received a “first prize” award from an international mapping organization at an annual conference it held this July In San Diego, California.

Following is a media release from the Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council for Niagara, Ontario and the Niagara Frontier in New York celebrating the award they received for this map. The release also offers information on how you can get a copy of this great map.

MEDIA RELEASE

1812 Bicentennial Map wins first prize at the world’s largest GIS conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Niagara Region/Niagara Frontier – July 23, 2010 – The Bicentennial Map launched by the Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council won first prize in the Map Gallery for Best Cartographic Design at the 2010 ESRI International User Conference held last week in San Diego.

The map was designed by John Docker, GIS Analyst with the Niagara Region, as well a number of contributors, and is one of many exciting Legacy Council projects.  

The ESRI International User Conference is an annual event produced by the Environmental Systems Research Institute. It is the largest geographic information system (GIS) event in the world. This year’s conference attracted 15,000 attendees and featured works from over 100 countries. In addition to this award, the Bicentennial Map received previous recognition from ESRI Canada as it will be featured in the organization’s 2010 Calendar for the month of October.

The Bicentennial Map was officially unveiled in February 2010 and includes 125 points of interest organized along six trails that guide visitors through Niagara. Each trail is associated with a narrative that tells the history of the War of 1812. This prominent award is a tribute to the promotion of the Bicentennial celebrations and recognizes the outstanding design efforts of John Docker.

The Map is used as an educational tool highlighting the significant role that the Niagara Region played in the War of 1812. The creation, printing and distribution of the original Map were made possible with support from the Department of Canadian Heritage, Niagara Economic Development Corporation, Niagara Parks Commission, the Niagara Region, Ontario Ministry of Tourism, the Trillium Foundation, and a number of contributors and advisors.

The award-winning map can be found in schools, local museums, historical attractions, and tourism outlets throughout Ontario and Western New York. The featured points of interest on the Map can also be found online at www.discover1812.com under “Trip Ideas”.

The Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council is a cross-border not-for-profit organization established to commemorate the War of 1812 and celebrate the 200 years of peace between Canada and the United States which have followed.

(Click on Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary on matters of interest and concern to our greater binational Niagara region.)