Ottawa residents and visitors to the national capital may soon have a new way to enjoy the sights along the Rideau Canal.
Parks Canada has unveiled its nationwide “Red Chairs Experience Program,” and is seeking public suggestions on where to place 10 red Muskoka chairs along the canal — comfy spots to pause and take in the scenery.
The program, which had its Rideau Canal launch in late September, is calling for public input on precisely where to place big, bright red cottage chairs. Lesser-known locations are encouraged so that visitors can have a unique experience in a spot they might not have considered before.
Parks Canada spokesperson Annie Laurie, says the program “is a fun and simple way to get people to slow down, and develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for their surroundings.”
She says the program is also a way to support the country’s National Conservation Plan by connecting Canadians to nature and demonstrating the Rideau Canal’s cultural significance. By drawing visitors to the canal or enhancing their experience of the capital, it should bring an economic boost to the community.
So far, there have been many suggestions from the public. Laurie says that five spots along the Rideau Canal have already been chosen for the red Muskoka chairs, but there are still five more chairs that need a place. The public is encouraged to seek out these chairs, snap a picture, and share their stories on social media.
“These locations should be happy surprises in less obvious places that offer spectacular vistas of the Rideau Canal,” says Laurie.
Venika Christophe, 21, has lived in the Ottawa area for most of her life. She suggests that a red chair should go by the Corktown Footbridge, which is near the corner of Queen Elizabeth Dr. and Somerset St. W.
“It’s really cool because you’re still downtown, there are a lot of trees, and it’s well kept,” she says. “So when you do cross that bridge, you see downtown, you see Ottawa U, but you also see all the Centretown foliage.
Brittany Burlone, 22, says she loves exploring the nature in Ottawa. She thinks a chair should sit directly across from Major’s Hill Park, right where the Rideau Canal meets the Ottawa River. “It’s so peaceful and pretty during the summer,” she says.
Red chairs can already be found at nine national parks across Canada. On the east coast, they can be found at Gros Morne in Newfoundland, Fundy National Park and Kouchibouguac in New Brunswick, and the Cape Breton Highlands. There are also chairs at the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park in Quebec.
In Western Canada, Alberta’s parks in Elk Island and Jasper have red chairs as well as British Colombia’s Gulf Islands and the Pacific Rim National Park.
The number of chairs at each park varies, with six in Jasper and 18 in Gros Morne. The chairs are made of 100-per-cent recycled plastic.
Chair placement suggestions for the Rideau Canal will be taken until the end of January. Ideas can be submitted to Annie Laurie at Annie.Laurie@pc.gc.ca, or they can be shared via the Rideau Canal’s Facebook page or Twitter feed.