“I see them! The red chairs are over here!” was our jubilant cry when we spotted the iconic red Adirondack chairs. Over 200 pairs of the distinctive red chairs have been placed in special spots throughout Canada’s National Parks and National Historic Sites.
Our red chair adventure began when my sister Marian and I stumbled across two red chairs while exploring the Grand Pré National Historic Site in the Annapolis Valley region of Nova Scotia.
Then we spotted a second set of chairs in the UNESCO Landscape of Grand Pré site.
The chairs were perfectly positioned for this gorgeous view of the Grand Pré Memorial Church and the surrounding landscape with Cape Blomidon in the background. See my previous post, The Enduring Tale of Evangeline, to learn more about the significance of Grand Pré.
These discoveries triggered a month-long search across the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. I cajoled several family members to assist in the hunt (Thank you Marian, David, Bert and Steve!). We found 7 pairs of red chairs! And, if it hadn’t been for Hurricane Fiona wreaking havoc on Prince Edward Island’s parks, we would have found even more!
“We Saved You a Seat!” proclaims the Parks Canada webpage before going on to explain the red chairs “offer a place to rest, relax, and reflect on the place you’ve discovered”. The locations of the red chairs are listed with the explanation that, “While some chairs are easy to find, others require more of an adventure.” This was our experience, as well—locating some red chairs was straightforward but others required considerable effort. For instance, one look at the listing for the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site revealed the exact location.
We weren’t disappointed. The red chairs at the Halifax Citadel were conveniently located in front of the main entrance to the fort…
… providing this fabulous view of downtown Halifax, the Old Town Clock and the Halifax Harbour in the distance.
On the other hand, the red chairs in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park were not so easy to find. This cherished national park, which covers nearly 1000 square kilometers (366 sq mi), has nine sets of chairs. They are listed on the website with a general location eg “Cap Rouge exhibit: Overlooking Cabot Trail”. Clicking through on the link provided only this enticing description “Cap Rouge exhibit: Here is a rare opportunity to observe the basic rock types that make up the entire earth’s crust—sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic. Spectacular coastal views complement this exhibit.”
My fellow chair hunters and I decided to target the Cap Rouge site regardless of the sketchy directions. We guessed the red chairs might be around the Mkwesaqtuk/ Cap-Rouge campground so we started there. A short walk along the campground trails revealed the below set of red chairs. Spoiler alert: Head towards campsite #15.
The view from this location, showcasing the rocky western coastline of Cape Breton Island, was spectacular.
The Parks Canada red, Adirondack-style chairs are made by C.R. Plastic Products, a Canadian company that specializes in premium outdoor furniture made from recycled plastic. The “vertically integrated company grinds, melts, and extrudes all our lumber in-house.” states their website. If I’m connecting the dots correctly, each one of the Parks Canada red chairs “is made from 6,469 bottle caps.” One has to admire a company that demonstrates such commitment to sustainability.
All of the red chairs are identified by the Parks Canada distinctive beaver logo.
Some of the chairs appear to have been in place for a while. I was surprised to learn the campaign was launched about eight years ago. The idea originated at Gros Morne National Park, in Newfoundland, where team members placed Adirondack chairs in lesser-known locations to entice visitors to discover new places and share them on social media (see #ShareTheChair on Instagram).
As with all change, reactions to the Parks Canada announcement to expand the program nationally were varied. Here’s an excerpt from a 2014 Calgary Herald news article “Parks Canada is placing several bright red, plastic chairs in scenic locations throughout Canada’s national parks, including the flagship Banff, to help draw people to viewpoints and connect with nature. Conservationists say the recycled plastic Adirondack chairs… are an ugly intrusion on the natural landscape that do absolutely nothing to connect people with nature. Parks Canada, on the other hand, says the red chairs … are to draw people to special places … Officials say they will come up with a national campaign for the so-called Red Chair Experience Program in spring to encourage people to seek out as many of the chairs as possible on their visit to the parks.”
Based on my own experience, the red chairs do indeed “encourage people to seek out as many of the chairs as possible”. Our quest to find red chairs was the impetus to stop at several locations we would otherwise have driven past. One of those places was Fort Beauséjour National Historic Site which is located in Aulac, New Brunswick near the Nova Scotia border. It was a delightful surprise. Check out this splendid view!
The visitor reception center was closed for the season but it was still possible to explore the site and the ruins of the star-shaped fort.
Our final destination was Fundy National Park in New Brunswick which promised 12 sets of red chairs—all helpfully listed with their GPS coordinates. Please note, we had to reverse the coordinates to use them on Google Maps. For instance, the Butland Lookout coordinates as listed, 64.962825 45.602242, directed us to the middle of the Indian Ocean! Reversed, as 45°36’08.1″N 64°57’46.2″W, they took us directly to the red chairs at Butland Lookout with this outstanding view.
We also visited the red chairs at the Bennett Lake location in Fundy National Park.
This was our first sighting of kids’ chairs—a nice addition for smaller visitors!
We wrapped up our red chair hunt (or at least this year’s iteration of the hunt) at Point Wolfe where the chairs have this outstanding view of the Point Wolfe river and covered bridge.
The covered bridge was an unexpected bonus!
This is the view from inside the bridge…
… through the small horizontal window opening, visible below, on the side of the bridge.
Fans of covered bridges might also be interested in my previous blog post, A Bridge of Oconee County, about the Elder Mill Covered Bridge in Georgia.
Every red chair we found was a victory and every location we discovered along the way was unique and special! Thank you, Parks Canada for a memorable and engaging experience!
More Info
The iconic Red Chairs are sponsored by Parks Canada, the Canadian government agency which manages the country’s 48 national parks, 172 national historic sites and numerous other nationally significant sites. See Parks Canada website, including the Red Chairs section, for more information. Or check out the #ShareTheChair hashtag on Instagram.
C.R. Plastic Products, makers of the Parks Canada red chairs, is a Canadian company that specializes in premium outdoor furniture made from recycled plastic.
The 2014 Calgary Herald news article mentioned in this post can be found here: Bright Red Chairs Connect Banff Visitors to Nature.
Previous FanningSparks’ blog posts mentioned in this post include:
. The Enduring Tale of Evangeline to learn more about the significance of Grand Pré
. A Bridge of Oconee County about the Elder Mill Covered Bridge in Georgia
Hats off to Marian for calling my attention to the red chairs. And special thanks to my fellow red chair hunters: Marian, David, Bert and Steve!
Today’s Takeaways
1. Seeking out the Parks Canada Red Chairs can be a memorable and engaging experience.
2. Position outdoor seating to maximize a great view or special spot.
3. Well-placed occasional seating can offer a place to rest, relax, and reflect.
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