'Build it and they will come' is an expression that has truly been realized for Emerson-Franklin Municipality this summer.

A few years ago the municipality took the initiative of charting and mapping 40 kilometres of the Roseau River from Stuartburn to Highway 218 for people who wanted to go rafting, tubing or canoeing on the waterway. Mile markers were erected and rest stops were located along the river.

Local Tourism Coordinator Wayne Arseny says activity on the river has exploded this year as Manitobans search for places to spend their vacation time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This year, because of COVID, we've had astronomical numbers of people, not just locally, but from the other side of Winnipeg or the other side of Portage la Prairie coming down and tubing or rafting on the river and enjoying themselves."

According to Arseny, its been a pleasant surprise to see so many people enjoying the great outdoors and discovering what southern Manitoba has to offer. He points out that tourists are also taking quite an interest in the Senkiw Swinging Bridge that spans the Roseau River.

"It's a natural attraction that we have in the municipality on the Crow Wing Trail. We're seeing large numbers of people coming out for a walk or hike just to see the bridge. It's not uncommon to see 50 people per hour on a Sunday afternoon walking and looking at the wildflowers and grasses in the area."

He admits, however, the increase in tourist traffic has resulted in some challenges. He says the maintenance schedule of picking up garbage along the river has gone from once a month to once a week and local rural roads need more attention because of the spike in traffic.

"It has also identified a real need for businesses in the area to service these tourists where they can spend their money when they're here. People want to rent canoes and kayaks, they need transportation from point A to point B so they can get back to their vehicle, they want to buy an ice cream cone or some other confectionary. Unfortunately, like many other areas of rural Manitoba, we lack the business infrastructure to sell people those kinds of products and services."

Arseny is encouraging local entrepreneurs to look for ways to service this tourist traffic but admits that process has to come from within.