Parc national d’Opemican, a 252-square-kilometre tract of lakes, rivers and old pine forests in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region along the Ontario border.

The work, expected to be completed in about three years, will include the creation of a main park hub, Pointe-Opemican, on Lac Temiscamingue.

The site was a centre of forestry operations in the region for about a century, until the 1980s, and needs to be decontaminated to remove metal, fuel, lead and other materials left by the industry, park director Dany Gareau said.

Heritage forestry buildings will be restored for use as museums.

Two secondary hubs will be dedicated to activities including canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Hiking trails will be developed along the Kipawa River, a top-ranked destination for river kayaking, Gareau said.

The park, created in 2013, will remain open to visitors while the work continues.

The provincial government projects annual economic benefits for the region of $7.5 million when the park has reached its full potential in about a decade.

The southern edge of the park is about one hour’s drive north of North Bay, Ont.