A recent article in the newspaper addressed the need of erecting more visible signage for the Muskoka Lakes Museum in Port Carling on James Bartleman Island Park, the goal being to attract more tourists to visit the island.
I have read former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario James Bartleman’s book Out of Muskoka and I greatly admire the man. I enjoy walking through this beautiful park space regularly and I expect that with the upcoming G8 Summit the number of worldwide visiting tourists will be significantly higher this year.
I have a separate signage issue with this space. Port Carling, and particularly James Bartleman Island, has a rich indigenous peoples history. Despite this, there are no signs that I have seen informing visitors about the village’s original name of “Obogawanung” or of details of the island and surrounding area’s history.
There is a historical plaque by the large locks, which I read last year for the first time and I was very surprised by its wording and content. There was an obvious omission of the indigenous settlement’s history.
I discovered the sign was erected in the 1950s by an Ontario organization that no longer exists. Plaques of this type are now erected by Ontario Heritage Trust (Government of Ontario, Ministry of Culture). I spoke with this department and they were very helpful in explaining that a plaque with the current wording and lack of information would never be erected nowadays; however, the process to change this plaque involves raising $20,000, along with an application submission for a replacement.
Each September, Ontario Heritage Trust chooses a specific number of plaques to erect based on these submissions. They have historians research to create new sign details and consult with indigenous leaders. Therefore a change before the G8 Summit and the influx of tourists seems impossible, even though the current sign is offensive to many.
I have called Muskoka Lakes Township, who advised me that the District of Muskoka operates this land. I have spoken with the district and both provincial MPP and federal MP offices. I have not made progress with this issue.
I suggest that an alternative would be for the township and/or the district to create and install a proper sign with information detailing the Aboriginal settlement history of the village of Obogawanung.
Perhaps a good location would be by the James Bartleman Garden near the park entrance.
M. Patchell
Muskoka Lakes