New viewing platform and family garden opens at Batoche National Historic Site 

September 30, 2017                   Batoche, Saskatchewan                                                 Parks Canada Agency

Parks Canada is responsible for protecting and presenting nationally significant examples of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage. Our national historic sites reflect the rich and varied heritage of our nation and provide an opportunity for Canadians to learn more about our diverse history. Parks Canada is committed to a system of national heritage places that commemorates the contributions of Indigenous Peoples, their history and cultures, as well as the special relationship Indigenous Peoples have with the land.

Today, the Government of Canada officially opened a new viewing platform and family garden at Batoche National Historic Site, as part of the celebrations during the annual Taste of Métis Cultural Craft show. These projects are part of the over $1.4 million federal infrastructure investment announcement made for the site in May 2016. This year, as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Confederation, Parks Canada is proud to continue improving its visitor experience offer with even more innovative and educational events and activities, as well as new investments in visitor facilities.

The viewing platform and family garden will offer visitors new opportunities to experience the East Village and will contribute to telling the larger Métis story on the landscape at Batoche National Historic Site. The project was envisioned and developed through Parks Canada’s partnership with the Batoche Shared Management Board and the local Métis community as a way to tell more about the story of the Métis people at Batoche in a meaningful and significant way. Additionally, new interpretive exhibits and a trail walk interpretive program are currently under development along a footpath that overlooks the South Saskatchewan River. Work on this exciting future addition to visitor experience opportunities at Batoche will begin in 2018.

Investments in the preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of our national parks and historic sites will protect our heritage and strengthen their appeal as destinations to celebrate our nation's achievements. As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Government invites all Canadians to experience and learn more about our environment and our history.

Working together with more than 300 Indigenous communities across Canada, Parks Canada and Indigenous Peoples are partners in conserving, restoring, and presenting Canada’s natural and cultural heritage. Together, we invite Canadians to visit Parks Canada’s places, like Batoche National Historic Site, to experience Indigenous cultures, traditions, and customs first-hand. While celebrating Canada 150 in 2017, the history of this land and the contributions of its people present a rich tapestry and date back far beyond 150 years. We recognize that Indigenous Peoples have inhabited these lands since time immemorial.