Today’s blog comes from Jake Guggenheimer, operations technician at Wabakimi Provincial Park, and Evan McCaul, Wabakimi’s assistant superintendent.
If you’re one of the lucky campers who have been to the remote backcountry of Wabakimi Provincial Park, you’ve likely been through the Town of Armstrong to catch the train or board a floatplane to the park’s interior.
Although the town acts as a hub for access to the park, there haven’t historically been any signs to direct or inform adventurous visitors to points of interest in the park.
In the summer of 2022, Ontario Parks staff began working with the Friends of Wabakimi to jointly fund and commission art for the creation of an information kiosk in Armstrong.
In the spring of 2024, park staff installed a new information kiosk in Armstrong with a map of the park, highlighting the work by local Indigenous artist Kevin Belmore.
The inspiration
Kevin Belmore was commissioned to create an art piece that embodies Wabakimi Provincial Park.
He is from Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek – Gull Bay First Nation, and has painted people, animals, and plants in the Woodland Art style since he was a teenager.
To best inspire his piece for Wabakimi, a trip to the park was arranged for Kevin, Friends of Wabakimi members, and park staff.
The group travelled to Whitewater Lake in the park’s northeast corner to experience the mysterious beauty Wabakimi has to offer. Travelling through a vast network of lakes to admire rolling granite hills covered with beautiful Black Spruce forests is enough to inspire anyone!
During the trip, the group explored the beaches and forests of Wabakimi. They also had a bird’s-eye view of the landscape from the plane ride in and out.
The art
Returning from the park, Kevin began work on the art piece.
Titled “Wabakimi,” his artwork captures his experience of the park.
Kevin, on the inspiration of his painting Wabakimi, said:
“This image was born out of an experience that I will never forget! It truly made a difference going there to see the cliffs, the landscape and the water upon which my ancestors paddled. It was nice to go and just soak in what nature had to offer.
Going there piqued my spirits and I hope to go back again.”
A variety of animals found in the park are featured in the piece including a moose, Black Bear, Bald Eagle, and Walleye amongst others.
Hoofprints on the side of the canoe are the only evidence of the Woodland Caribou, mirroring their reclusive nature.
The cliffs and pictographs on the side of the canoe represent the long historical use of the land and cultural sites by Indigenous people.
Another work Kevin created is the sketch called “The Circles I Leave in my Wake.” Originally a drawing in the sands of Whitewater Lake, he transferred it to another page of sketches now displayed at the kiosk.
Kevin said:
“With every painting I create, with every person it has touched, with every meaning the painting was created for, it has meant something to somebody. I have always said that if a painting has achieved this, then that circle is complete. In my life, all I am doing is creating circles on my life path, I am honoured to be given this gift from Mishomis.”
The kiosk
With Kevin’s beautiful piece of art finished, we got to work designing the sign and building the kiosk structure to display it.
Park staff travelled to Armstrong to construct the kiosk shelter in August of 2023.
During installation, the weather held long enough to put a roof on the kiosk. Soon after, an unexpected hailstorm started dropping grape-sized hail!
It’s a good thing that the kiosk was built strong!
One side of the kiosk shows a map of the park that includes waterways, portages, access points, and other important backcountry information.
It also has a cork bulletin board to post park notices on.
The other side shows off the works that Kevin Belmore created from his trip to help inspire visitors and locals to be even more connected to the park.
During canoeing season, hard copies of the park’s maps can be bought from inside the Armstrong Resource Development Corporation building located right beside the new kiosk.
This project has been several years in the making.
The fundraising happened in 2021, the trip occurred in 2022, and design of the signage and building of the physical kiosk took place 2023 with the signs installed in spring 2024.
We would like to extend a big thank you to Kevin Belmore, the Friends of Wabakimi, The Creative Company, and others for their hard work and dedication to this project!
Next time you’re setting off on an adventure to Wabakimi, make sure to stop by the kiosk!
Prints of Kevin Belmore’s Wabakimi are available online at The Creative Company.
Proceeds from sale of this art print support the Friends of Wabakimi’s donations to the KZ Lodge Program, an Indigenous land-based learning program based in Thunder Bay.
Maps of Wabakimi Provincial Park can be found on the Ontario Parks online store.
