Ever notice the bright red chairs along the Lachine canal? If you have, then you might have assumed it being Montreal that they were placed there as some kind of art piece. Well, unlike the pink house that towers far above the very same canal, these chairs were actually placed there intentionally by Parks Canada.
In case you didn't already know, Parks Canada is a branch of the canadian government that focuses on the appreciation and preservation of national parks and historic sites all across the country. They've implemented incredible initiatives towards helping the environment over the years, from organizing informative tours to reintroducing Bison into the Banff National park ecosystem. However, one of the simplest yet most noticed initiatives that they've undertaken has been the Red Chairs Experience.
It all began in 2013, when the people who ran Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland began installing bright red chairs throughout the park. They placed them not only on the easily accessible paths in town, but also on the hikes deep in nature. The chairs quickly became popular as people made it a challenge to find all 18 set of chairs and share their success on social media. The trend caught the attention of Parks Canada who then began to place red chairs in national parks all across the country, calling it the Red Chair Experience. The goal of the chairs is to provide a place for hikers to rest and thoroughly enjoy the view, while appreciating all of the wildlife and history of the place, as well as the effort that has gone into preserving it.
If you're interested in a full list of Red Chair locations across Canada feel free to visit the governments web page at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/chaises-chairs.
The only chairs within the city of Montreal are on the Lachine Canal, but if you're willing to make the drive, feel free to visit the chairs not too far from the city limits. These are located at one of the many historic sites within the province or at one of Quebec's two national Parks: La Mauricie and Forillon.
So grab a friend, find a Red Chair, and enjoy the outdoors experience.🍁
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