At Cross Purposes
Gerry Kenney wrote to say:
Some 15 or so years ago, in Gatineau Park, I (Gérard) discovered a cross that someone had sculpted out of the top of a standing tree stump. It looked like the sculpting had been done with a chain saw.
Over the years, one of the arms of the cross rotted off. The photo shows how it looks today. Does anyone know the significance of the cross and who sculpted it?
The cross is along the road that goes from P-10 to Keogan, on a bluff on the left-hand side of the road as we go from P-10 toward Keogan parking lot, about one kilometre from the lot. Does anyone know something about the cross?
I asked the NCC who replied:
The story behind this sculpture is somewhat insignificant, considering it was done by a seasonal trail worker for no particular reason. If my recollection is correct it was done in the Summer of 1998 during the continuation of the clearing process after the damages caused by the infamous ice storm. Seems that the "artist" went on in expressing is talent with the chainsaw during is lunch time. We expressed reservations about the thing at the time. [I've paraphrased a bit here]
Hard Rock and Drinking
Archaeologist Shawn Graham has just posted an article he wrote for the Gatineau Park Chronicle. He explores the history of mining in Gatineau Park and concludes with a story about underground moonshine making (literally underground).
Not Evicted Yet
The cottage reported on April 9th to be the subject of an NCC eviction has been given another chance.
The Citizen reports that the tenants have met with the NCC and plan to pay for remedial measures in the hopes reduce levels of the radon gas which was the reason the NCC asked them to vacate. The NCC says it has yet to approve the plan and there seems to be quite a gap in the expected costs of the remedial measures. The NCC's estimate is $78,000 while the cottagers have in mind a plan that might cost $5,000.
The risk is that they pay thousands of dollars to try and control the problem but that it doesn't bring levels down to acceptable levels and they lose their investment and the use of the cottage.
Evidently the NCC are proceeding with plans to evaluate the building's heritage potential instead of moving directly to demolition in the event that the radon reduction approach fails. What all this means is that:
- the building could possibly be brought up to a safe standard for habitation and the cottagers can continue to rent it from the NCC; or
- the price of doing so or the conditions attached could be too much for the cottagers; or
- the measure could fail and the NCC turn the building into some kind of tiny museum or ski shelter (a la Healey Farm); or
- the measure could fail and the NCC could decide to demolish.
Signage for Rock Climbers
From the Climbers' Coalition blog:
We've been told by the NCC that because the climbing season is already under way they will be installing signs in early May on various sites to raise public awareness about climbing on the Eardley escarpment.
We aren't sure what that means and we will be asking the NCC about the exact nature of the signage.
New Manager of Recreation Named
Steve McLaughlin has been chosen as the new Manager of Recreation for Gatineau Park.
Congratulations Steve.
Contribute to a Tribute
On this past Friday, after working for Gatineau Park for 29 years Michel Dallaire retired. Michel was Manager of Recreational Services.
Michel was originally hired with a mandate to make Gatineau Park a world class ski destination. As he put it to me "I did a few things, some good, others not so good...let the folks speak...they'll tell you which is which."
So here's your chance. I'm going to put together a tribute here at GuideGateineau.ca.
Anyone who has skied in Gatineau Park has benefited from Michel's work. If you have particular memories or just want to wish him well please send 'em in. Photos, video and voicemail messages particularly welcome.
I've set up a voicemail to MP3 number at 646-495-9205 x 60474
(area code 646 is New York City because that's where the drop.io voicemail to mp3 service is headquartered).
Shifting Trail Numbers
Peter Dudley posted a blog entry at his site about his hike this weekend and in so doing he asked "We parked at McCloskey (P12) and took trail #40 up to #38, then over to #16 (which also seems to be called #62 – can someone explain that?)."
Michael MacConaill can.
He tells me "The Wolf Trail was Ski trail 16 until a couple of years ago, when it was reclassified as a Snowshoe trail, and was renumbered into the Snowshoe trail series as 62."
Actually the trail numbers have changed around from time to time on other trails as well. Michael is working on a map that will trace some of those changes over time.
Open Parliament
The website openparliament.ca popped up in my search engine with an April 2009 speech by Paul Dewar about his private member's bill to protect Gatineau Park. Though that bill has been reintroduced after prorogation, it appears unlikely to go any further.
Carleton Prof Explores Chelsea & Wakefield
Not strictly Gatineau Park news, but informative to Ottawans who pop in and out of the Park without knowing it's surroundings, is an article at Rurban Fringe.
Update: Part II and III of this series are now posted here and here.
NCC Fumble Climber Public Involvement & Open Dialogue
According to a post at the Climber Coalition blog a request that they had submitted to the NCC for a meeting has gone unanswered.
Until this morning when Marie Boulet (NCC Director, Gatineau Park and Greenbelt) was being interviewed on Radio-Canada's Bernier et Cie and told the interviewer that such a meeting was to take place May 12th. Evidently the climbers had not been told this.
This is an unfortunate mishandling of a sensitive relationship.