PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal, June 29, 2020 – As part of June, water month, the Fondation Rivières launches the competition “small splash will become BIG!” » replacing this year the traditional Grand Splash. Through this revisited event, the organization invites citizen committees and individuals to present the public access to water they dream of. In the form of a video capsule of less than 5 minutes, participants must describe a planned access to water, indicate why the location is suitable for the public and how it would contribute to the well-being of the community.
The objective of the Grand Splash is to raise awareness among political authorities and the Quebec population of the quality and public accessibility of the waterways of which Quebec is abundant. As the general director of the Grouping of Quebec watershed organizations (ROBVQ), Mr. Antoine Verville, in an interview entitled “ Water, this collective heritage to which we do not really have access », Access to water is a major issue in Quebec. In fact, municipalities have the right to limit access, like any private owner. However, having access to bodies of water should be a universal right and this is, among other things, what the Fondation Rivières is demanding.
In the past, the Grand Splash was a citizen movement organized in the Old Port of Montreal, along the Jacques-Cartier quay. On this occasion, participants asked for improvements and monitoring of water quality to allow swimming in the St. Lawrence River. In order to further mobilize stakeholders around accessibility to water and make it a national event, the Fondation Rivières had planned to expand the Grand Splash to five other cities in Quebec for the year 2020.
“Unfortunately, the pandemic prevents the event from taking place, but we are taking the opportunity to review the formula and expand it with this competition which will mobilize hundreds of citizens. The video competition will of course highlight potential promising sites for swimming and other water sports, but also places to organize other Grand Splashes during the next edition in 2021. This is the idea behind the slogan small splash will become BIG. » – Alain Saladzius, president of Fondation Rivières.
The competition runs from June 29 to August 31, 2020. From the videos received, a jury will select 10 finalists who will be submitted to popular vote. The directors of the public’s five “favorite” videos will receive:
- a kayak
- A gift basket
- Support from Fondation Rivières for the organization of their Grand Splash 2021
All the details of the competition as well as the rules of participation can be found on the site www.fondationrivieres.org.
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For informations :
Geneviève Tardy
Communications Manager
514 424-3556
communications@fondationrivieres.org