Irving Nature Park named Top Attraction at Hospitality Saint John Tourism Awards.

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This is not the first time Irving Nature Park has been recognized by Hospitality Saint John; in 2013, the Irving Nature Park won the Trip Advisor Best Attraction Award.

This year, Hospitality Saint John changed the criteria for the award and partnered with CBC Radio to engage local residents in the voting process. Over a two week period, listeners called and e-mailed Information Morning Saint John with their nominations for the city’s best attraction.

“It was a great response and a true representation of what Saint John has to offer – and what truly is a Saint Johner’s opinion of the top attraction in the area,” said Mike Belliveau, President of Hospitality Saint John. Other attractions that received a high volume of recognition from the public were Rockwood Park, Uptown Saint John, and the City Market.

“We are honoured to be recognized amongst such excellent attractions in the city,” said Kelly Honeyman, Chief Naturalist, J.D. Irving, Limited. “This award is a tribute to the hard work of the Irving Nature Park staff. We continue to work hard for Saint Johners and visitors alike to maintain and improve the park."

Most recently, the park opened its newest feature, the Children's Forest, complete with two large cedar hedge mazes and a playground for children and their families.

Left to Right: Hance Colburne presents the 2015 Hospitality Saint John Tourism Award for Top Attraction to Kelly Honeyman, Irving Nature Park Manager and Chief Naturalist for J.D. Irving, Limited.

About the Irving Nature Park

The internationally recognized and award-winning Irving Nature Park is a 600-acre (243 hectare) site created by J.D. Irving, Limited to help protect an environmentally significant area where wildlife needs have been identified and ecosystems preserved, all the while allowing access to the public for recreational and educational purposes. 

This special part of the Fundy coastline, minutes from uptown Saint John, is swept twice daily by some of the highest tides in the world.  Mud flats and a salt marsh sit along one side of the park, and a long, sandy cobble beach on the other.

The area nurtures one of the province’s richest marine ecosystems.  It is also a breeding ground for many waterfowl of the Atlantic coastline and a traditional staging site for migratory and marine birds that travel between the Arctic and South America.

Each year the park receives approximately 220,000 visitors who come to enjoy the natural setting and the interpretative activities held by park staff.  All activities at the park are free of charge. 

The next event at Irving Nature Park is Saturday, December 5: Christmas Stories at the Barn with Uncle Dave. 

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