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July 14, 2000
Marten River Provincial Park a great experience
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This photo shows a team of horses and lumberjacks hauling
a load of logs- Dixie Hogan photo |
The Marten River Provincial Park, 60 km. North of North Bay on Hwy 11,
is one of the areas recreational and heritage gems. It has all of the usual
camping, canoeing, hiking and fishing that other parks have, but from a
heritage perspective, it has much more. Its authentic Logging Camp Museum,
with its array of old logging equipment, has pioneered the use of interpretation
programs in provincial parks. It pre-dates the big logging museum in Algonquin
Park. They also have outstanding heritage events during the summer, including
the Lumberjack Day scheduled for this weekend, Saturday, July 15th.
The Park
The park has 216 campsites and all are equipped with picnic tables and
fireplaces. Campsites are located near water, or in more private, secluded
areas. There is also a group camping area. From these sites you can bicycle,
swim, canoe, fish or hike on a 5 km. Forest Hiking Trail. There are 3 beaches,
change houses and canoe access to several lakes. There is also wintertime
cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Supplies and restaurants
are available nearby on Hwy. 11, and Temagami is 40 km to the north.
Geographically speaking, the park is in a transitional zone where you
can see the northern boreal trees like the black spruce, as well as the
more southerly yellow birch and maple. There is also a 300 year old white
pine, like those cut in the 1800s for squared timber. A variety of animals
can be seen as well as pileated woodpeckers and great blue herons, if you
are lucky.
The Logging Museum
A unique feature of this park is the restored logging camp, with its bunk
house, blacksmith shop and other outbuildings. Various pieces of old logging
equipment-sleighs, a tankercar, a crazy wheel, a jammer, a plough, etc.-
can be seen at any time. Most of the equipment is in its original condition,
but some, including the two pointer boats, have been reproduced by assistant
superintendent Garnet Green. Diane Weyda, the park Natural Heritage Educator,
provides a 2 hr. tour with a movie Friday to Sunday at 1 p.m. in July and
August. She also conducts walking tours on the park trails.
Lumberjack Day is on Saturday July 15, 2000 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
a wide variety of activities for young and old alike are provided. Get
a ride in a pointer point like the ones used by loggers for decades. In
the late evening, the pointer will have a big candle on it for a trip on
the lake, and anyone with a canoe can receive a candle and join in. There
will also be an evening sing-song. During the day you can watch Barney
the Blacksmith working in the camp blacksmith shop, making horseshoes,
etc. The new Black Powder Club and the Musketeers, with their old uniforms
and muskets, will perform. For competitive kids, there will be contests
in nail-driving and firewood stacking. There will also be cross-cut sawing
and a log throwing contest.
Off Season Programs
A unique program innovation has recently been added at Marten River during
the off season. Seasonal camper, Vitale Giroux, who is a Scout leader in
North Bay, worked with Park superintendent Joe Major and Diane Weyda to
develop a unique winter camp program for Scouts, Cubs and Guides. Mr. Giroux
indicates that there is considerable interest in the winter camp and that
the Scout Canada website will soon have reference to the program.
The lumber camp was used as the base so the young people could get a
sense of the lumberjack's life. Groups have been coming in the late fall,
winter and early spring. They stay in the logging camp buildings and in
tents if the weather permits. Three cub groups and one scout group came
last winter. Regular Scout and Guide groups continue to come in the better
weather as well. One hundred and fifty Scouts were involved in a Jamboree
last fall, and another group came in May of this year. Over 100 French
Guides (Jeunesse) stayed for 4 days in late June and had a wonderful time.
Canoe Rendezvous 2000
An exciting family event will be coming to Marten River Park on August
8th. The press release for the event describes it as follows: The Canadian
Canoe Museum, Peterborough and Ontario Place have teamed up to develop
Canoe Rendezvous 2000, a cultural heritage tour visiting provincial parks
this summer. Featuring musical performances by Freshwater Trade and the
Paddling Puppeteers, this family-oriented show will delight park guests
with rousing songs celebrating Ontario's water ways and beautiful natural
environment. From songs of the fur trade to a 5-foot tall talking sun puppet,
audiences will explore the role of the canoe throughout history-past, present
and future.
Brochures on the park can be picked up at tourist information centres
in North Bay and elsewhere, or by calling (705) 892-2200.
| This photo shows lumberjacks piling
logs with horses and a deaking line. It is from the book The Fossmill Story.
-University of Toronto Archives Photo |
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