People should understand the history of the Champlain Monument before deciding its future, says a local historian.
Marcel Rousseau has been diligently researching the lengthy process that preceded the commissioning of the iconic statue and is “amazed” at the records available in the Orillia Public Library’s History Room.
It’s a treasure trove that has gathered dust and been, for the most part, ignored. That’s despite the storm of controversy that has erupted since the fate of the monument has become uncertain.
Parks Canada removed the monument in 2017 for restoration. They destroyed the old base and plinth and, eventually, erected a new one.
But Parks Canada decided to halt the return of the monument when they received complaints and concerns about how Indigenous history was portrayed by the monument.
Recently, a Working Group was formed to determine how to proceed. In an explanation on the city’s website, the group says:
“Undeniably a remarkable artistic achievement honouring the French explorer, the Monument falls short in its accurate depiction of the reciprocal relationship Champlain had with the Huron-Wendat people and the important role they played in his trade mission and survival.”
The Working Group has representation from Parks Canada, the City of Orillia, the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, the Huron-Wendat Nation, the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, and two citizens-at-large.
The group has a mandate to “pursue public consultation and report back to council and Parks Canada on an appropriate path forward” for the Champlain Monument that is “respectful and representative of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives.”
Rousseau is concerned the history of the monument will be swept aside in the process. He says the history remains relevant.
While painstakingly poring over the many interesting artifacts, newspaper clippings and records, he unearthed the “minute book” from the committee behind the campaign to create the monument.
Essentially, that book contains the names, dates and decisions made by that august group of community “movers and shakers” and the experts from around the country that worked from 1913 to that July day in 1925 when the bronze monument was unveiled.
“I think what people would be most surprised about is the professionalism of the people that were on the committee,” said Rousseau.
“No one knew more about culture and arts than these people ... it’s amazing the people that were involved, not just from Orillia, but the whole country,” he said, while leafing through a massive scrapbook.
While many people know C.H. Hale, the editor of The Packet, championed the idea of building a monument in Orillia after seeing statues honouring Champlain elsewhere, he was just one of a determined group of people who led the campaign.
The various sub-committees included representatives from all levels of government, both school boards, various commercial sectors and had the support of towns and cities big and small from throughout the region.
According to the minute book, members of the committee charged with choosing the winning sculpture design read like a who’s who of the arts world at that time. Members included:
- Edmund Walker, co-founder of the Art Gallery of Ontario who was also involved in the Royal Ontario Museum and other cultural groups in Toronto;
- William Brymner, president of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in Montreal;
- Eric Brown, director of the National Art Gallery in Ottawa;
- Dr. Alexander Fraser, a provincial archivist who was also associated with historical societies and the establishment of Archives of Ontario;
- Rev. Canon Greene, a member of the Orillia Hall of Fame, former pastor of St. James’ Anglican Church and a talented artist who taught Franklin Carmichael;
- J.P. Downey, Superintendent of the Orillia Asylum for 16 years starting in 1910; and
- F.L. MacGachen, Manager of the Merchants Bank of Canada in Orillia.
After putting out the call for a world-class sculpture, that committee received 22 entries from all over the world. Here is the account from The Weekly Times (Oct. 15, 1914) that explained how Vernon March was selected as the winner of the process.
The award for the monument to be erected at Couchiching Beach Park in connection with the Champlain Tercentenary celebration was made on Saturday, the successful competitor being Mr. Vernon March of Goddendene, Farnborough, England.
Twenty-two models were submitted in the competition, six from France, seven from England and nine from Canada.
The model selected is easily first among those submitted for competition. The conventional has been departed from and the mausoleum type of pedestal, so objectionable and which often mars the appearance of many a really fine statue, is entirely absent.
The article says March is a “young sculptor of genius, and the Champlain Monument, when completed, will undoubtedly rank as one of the finest pieces of public sculpture in Canada.”
The proposed monument will cost $20,000 and will be erected in the park … in the exact spot now being occupied by the ornamental fountain. The monument will be 30 feet high and therefore show to advantage both from the park and the lake.
The main feature of the design is the bronze statue of Champlain. The sculptor has endeavoured to express in the pose of the figure the energy and courage of the explorer and yet keep a dignified and thoughtful attitude. The statue is a heroic figure and will be some 12 feet in height.
A rough hewn central boulder forms the support for the bronze statue. This boulder will be of Portland stone, about 14 feet in height and stand on a six-stepped base, adding some four feet to the elevation.
The two sides of the pedestal are groups of three figures each. The sculptor has chosen for the subjects of the groups “the Introduction of Christianity” and “Commercial Friendship.” Christianity is exemplified by a priest explaining Christian faith to the natives. Commerce is exemplified by a European trapper bartering implements for furs.
These two phases of Champlain’s life lend themselves well to interpretation in sculpture. The sculptor’s idea has been to design a pedestal that was in keeping with the life of a pioneer and for this reason any definite period of architecture has been avoided.
The article noted the second place finisher, Mr. F. Fleming Baxter of London, England was awarded $500.
The award was made strictly on merit and was absolutely impartial. As the models were received, they were numbered and envelopes containing name of sculptor, etc. were filed by the secretary in a vault. No one had knowledge of even so much as who were competitors.
The article notes the models were put on display at the Armouries building and open for two days.
“To assist in defraying the expenses in connection with the setting up of the models, etc., a nominal admission charge will be made of 15 cents, for two (lady and gentleman), 25 cents. Every lover of art in Orillia should inspect the models. An exhibit of this kind is very rare and it should be remembered that while the models are only in plaster, yet they represent a cash outlay of thousands of dollars as well as a large amount of time, thought and skill of some of the best English, French and Canadian artists.”
The article also noted sculptor “Monsieur Favre, who has spent several weeks in Orillia improving and setting up his model, while not successful in the competition, has nevertheless a very striking model. It is one of the largest in the exhibit and because of its size and setting, with painted picture of the park in background etc., immediately attracts the attention. Mr. Favre’s group of Indians at the base of the monument is a piece of sculpture of genuine merit and deserving of special mention.”
It may come as no surprise that the budget ballooned. The First World War also delayed the project for several years.
In the end, Hale said the cost of the finished monument was about $34,000. But the support from various levels of government covered the bulk of the costs. Committee members were successful in lobbying for more government money as the price of the project escalated.
Hale noted the committee also, eventually, decided not to use Portland stone for the base, choosing instead to buy from Canadian Benedict Stone Ltd. of Montreal. Two people from the committee went to Montreal to inspect the stone.
“The Benedict stone boulder was 13 feet high and weighed 45 tons, cast in situ,” noted an article at the time.
In a ceremonial booklet, C.H. Hale reflected on the lengthy process that preceded the monument's unveiling, which he noted "far exceeded the anticipations of the promoters."
Hale said “the names of those who have contributed to the carrying out of this great historic and artistic undertaking are a legion" but he singled out Sir Edmund Walker, chair of the Historical Monuments Commission and the Champlain Society, “who was the local committee’s unfailing counsellor in times of perplexity and whose sound judgment and high artistic sense and historical knowledge the committee and the artist found frequently invaluable”.
Also singled out were: Col. Alexander Fraser, F.L. MacGachen, Stephen Leacock, David Williams, Rev. Canon Greene, J.P. Downey, J.B. Tudhope, and executive officers G. H. Clark (chair), M.T. Mulcahy (vice chair), J.B. Henderson (recording secretary), C.H. Hale (corresponding secretary), J.C. Miller (financial secretary), A.B. Thompson (treasurer) and R.H. Starr, who supervised the technical details connected with the pedestal.
Hale concluded saying it was the hope the monument would “stand for generations as a memorial to the great explorer who brought white civilization into Ontario and as an evidence of the art and enterprise of the people of this day.”
This material just scratches the surface of the history found within the records, says Rousseau, who started digging for information so he could be better informed on the issue.
He is passionate about history.
"It’s just that I see a lot of misinformation on social media and it's frustrating," said Rousseau. "There’s information available and nobody is really all that interested in it. It's kind of sad."
If you would like to read through the minute book the library has just made it available online. Click here to access it.
The city's Working Group also has a short online survey they would like people to fill out before the end of April. If you live in Orillia, you can click here to go to the survey.
If you want to learn more and participate at a deeper level, the Working Group is hosting three public workshops. The first one goes Tuesday from 10 a.m. until noon at Swanmore Hall at the Leacock Museum.
There are also two workshops planned for April. Click here to find out more about the workshops and the monument.
