We regret to inform you that
the 2008 and the 2009
Peace Arch Celebration ~ Hands Across the Border has been cancelled by the Peace Arch Association due to construction
at the Peace Arch Border
crossing.
Please visit our Peace Arch Celebration web page to
join peacearchpark.org's
email list.
The Peace Arch is is getting a much needed restoration.
Beginning Wednesday, June 3, 2009,
the Peace Arch monument will be
fenced off for public safety reasons, while a monument maintenance
project is under way.
The arch will be cleaned, sealed and painted. The project is expected to take approximately one month.
Later this summer the bronze
Sam Hill memorial plaque and the
Steamship Beaver and Mayflower bronze plaques will also be restored.
The USCPAA is raising funds to purchase a bronze historic Register plaque placed on the Arch as a part of its restoration this summer.
We will dedicate the plaque during the September 5th, 2009, Peace Arch " Sam Hill" Day Reenactment Celebration.
Note: that many National Register plaques use the standard terminology of "This property has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the Department of the Interior".
Often this is supplemented by the historic name of the property and a built date as well as the date of listing. We will include this additional information on the Peace Arch plaque.
DONATE NOW! Help us raise $750 to fund for this important park project!
2009 Ongoing Events
International Sculpture Exhibition
Guided Park Tours
2009 Special Events
June 21st, Fathers Day Concert Blaine School (PAC)
July 4th, Blaine’s Fireworks Display
August 2nd, 9th, 23rd, 30th, Asian Concert Series
September 5th, Sam Hill Day
October 24th, Performance for Peace Gospel Workshop & Concert featuring
the Total Experience Gospel Choir
Directions to Peace Arch International Park (by Google)
Enter your starting address (Street number, name
and city or simply enter your Postal Code)
Peace Arch State Park has been removed from the list of 34 state parks that could be closed or mothballed!
We want to thank everyone who took action by contacting local, state, regional and international leaders to help keep the U.S. side of the international park open.
Your may continue to sign our online petition and leave your comments. We will deliver the petition to the
Washington State Parks Commission on April 23, 2009.
Peace Arch State Park Manager receives the
"Blaine Community Builder Award"
On August 25th, 2008, Peace Arch State Park Manager, Jason Snow, is presented with the "Blaine Community Builder Award," by the City of Blaine Mayor, Bonnie Onyon.
Jason was selected to receive the award for establishing a new horticultural interpretive program at the park, his support of Blaine Old Fashioned 4th
of July, for his commitment to the Peace Arch Park International Sculpture Exhibition, and his ongoing efforts to bring more state funding to support the international park.
PEACE ARCH PARK Green Border Blog!
New traffic lights and highway signs were installed in the park on July 24th, 2008. The project is known as the Greening of the Border and involves traffic controls that hold and advance southbound traffic.
The traffic lights have been a cause for concern for many park
supporters in the US and Canada. No public input was solicited by
the Ministry of Highways for this project.
The US side has no immediate plans to establish the program on the U.S. side. Laws protecting the cultural landscape on the U.S. side do not permit traffic signals to installed on the U.S. side of the Arch field.
There are concerns regarding the placement of signs and traffic signals in the view vista adjacent to the Historic Peace Arch. Information regarding this project will be updated on our Green Border Blog as it is received by the USCPAA.
Maintaining a Peaceful Boundary for
more than a Century
On June 7th, 2008, the International Boundary Commission began a year-long celebration of their 100th Anniversary (1908-2008) with an event at Peace Arch Park. An informal picnic was held for guests and community members immediately following the ceremony.
Established by a treaty in 1908, the International Boundary Commission oversees and maintains the 8,891 km (5,525 miles) boundary between Canada and the United States and Canada.
The Commission inspects, maintains and re-establishes over 8,000 monuments and reference points, 1,000 survey control sites and keeps a 6 metre or 20 foot wide clear vista along the land boundary line. The vista’s monuments and reference points between the countries crosses North America through small communities, cities, mountain ranges and waterways.
1,000 Days 1,000 Events Niagara 1812 is a multinational extravaganza that will span the
US Canada border in from sea to sea Celebrating 200 years of Peace!
The Peace Arch is dedicated to the centennial of the signing
of the Treaty of Ghent (1814-1914).
The USCPAA took part in a Bicentennial Symposium held
February 19th, 2008, in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario.
Learn more about the bicentennial of the war of 1812
and the Treaty of Ghent visit www.visit1812.com.
The USCPAA was pleased to have participated in
the IX Annual "Border Regions in Transition"
Conference held in Victoria, BC , and Bellingham, WA
January 12 - 15, 2008.
Christina Alexander with BRIT Conference organizers Professor, Don Alper,
WWU and Professor (left), Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly, UVIC (right)
The 2,300 acre International Peace Garden located on
the US Canada border between Dunseith, North Dakota, USA and Boissevain, Manitoba, Canada.
In July 2007, USCPAA
Founder, Christina
Alexander, attended and
participated in the International Peace Gardens 75th Anniversary
Celebration.
USCPAA, representative
Christina Alexander, and Peace Garden CEO, Doug Heaven, signed a Peace Proclamation declaring Peace Arch International Park and the International Peace Garden
as Partners in Peace.
Click on the proclamation
to view a enlarged image!
Christina Alexander shares information about the International Peace Garden's partner in peace the International Peace Arch in Blaine, Washington with the crowd attending the 75th anniversary celebration concert.
In June 1932, the Cairn of native stone was hurriedly constructed by stonemasons, William Paterson and his son, Edroy, of Rugby, North Dakota for the July 14, 1932 dedication. Over 50,000 people gathered for the dedication of the International Peace Garden. The Cairn is located directly on the United States and Canadian Border, flanked by each country's flagpole on the designated side.
The Cairn is built of aboriginal hammerheads collected by children in the surrounding areas. In July 17, 1960, the globe of red granite with etched meridian lines, a gift from Great Northern Railway company of St. Paul, Minnesota, as a memorial to its founder, Canadian born James J. Hill, (Sam Hill's father in law) was added to the top of the Cairn.
The International Peace Arch is dedicated to the centennial
(1814-1914) of the signing of the Treaty of Ghent. The treaty put an end the war of 1812. The treaty was signed December 24, 1814 between His Britannic Majesty and the President of the United States of America.
Today, the Peace Arch celebrates the tri lateral friendship between the Britain the United States and Canada. The inscription on the Peace Arch "Children of a Common Mother," is thought to refer to Mother England. More...
This is a photo of Canada Border Services Agency
Facility taken July 18th, 2007. The neighborhood adjacent
to the park has affectionately named it Noah's Ark.
Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2009.
The US Port of entry is beginning reconstruction
of interstate 5 south of their current facility.
Peace Arch Port of Entry Redevelopment
UPDATE:
Peace Arch Port of Entry Redevelopment Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
The GSA released their final Environmental Impact Statement July 5th, 2006. Click here to access their files of record.
The USCPAA thanks the members of the public who participated in and made comments at the public meetings.
This project has a significant impact on the international park, then City of Blaine and the neighborhood adjacent to it. We will continue to monitor its progress and keep the public informed regarding future developments.
