Irving Nature Park won the Trip Advisor Best Attraction Award at the Hospitality Saint John Tourism Award Ceremonies held on November 7 at the Lily Lake Hatheway Pavilion.

There were four other nominees in the category, including Fundy Trail Parkway, Imperial Theatre, Reversing Falls Jet Boat Rides, and Saint John Adventures zipline.

"The fact that the process to select many of the winners in the four categories was left to the public to decide is a testament to the quality of service and the quality of the product that the winners demonstrated over the year," said Mike Belliveau, President of Hospitality Saint John.

The Hospitality Saint John Tourism Awards not only recognizes the top accommodations, restaurants, and attractions in the region, but also salutes the people that make it all happen.

"This recognition by Hospitality Saint John is a real tribute to our Irving Nature Park staff, who over the years have welcomed over 4 million visitors," said JDI Naturalist Kelly Honeyman.  "To this day we continue hear great feedback from visitors who enjoy the park’s rugged beauty, its trails, and the overwhelming diversity of wildlife within.”

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.  This special part of the Fundy coastline, minutes from downtown Saint John, is swept twice daily by some of the highest tides in the world.  Mud flats and a salt marsh are along one side of the park, and a long sandy cobble beach is 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.
 
More recently, the park has opened a new feature called the Children's Forest, complete with two large cedar hedge mazes and a playground for children and their families.

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.