Student mural now on display at Bluewater Outdoor Education Centre

Bluewater District School Board staff joined Bluewater Education Foundation representatives, media, and other guests at the Bluewater Outdoor Education Centre near Wiarton, Saturday, for the unveiling of a new student-created mural.

"Our Home Ontario" is a wall-sized acrylic-on-canvas artwork piece conceptualized and built by Walkerton District Community School student Leopold Baker with the assistance of fellow students Scarlett Thornton and Reece Collins.

The project came to fruition after Leo, supported and encouraged by teachers, applied and qualified for a Youth Climate Action Fund grant through the Town of The Blue Mountains in April, 2025. With a focus on encouraging action and fostering awareness, the concept quickly evolved into creation with the development of a mural featuring endangered and threatened species, species of special concern, and animals “under watch” in Ontario.

With the end goal of permanently installing the artwork at the education centre, where thousands of local students visit annually, certain species were also chosen based on their close proximity to the facility. From the common snapping turtle, red-headed woodpecker, and butternut tree, to the wolverine, cougar, and round-leaved ragwort, a vast display of animals, mammals, and plant life is featured on the colourful and meticulously-detailed canvas.

Through collaboration with members of the Blue Mountains fund granting committee, Leo was able to connect with education centre representatives to create a statement piece promoting species awareness and interest in the local trails and the outdoors. Nature blogs and government websites assisted during the research phase, while canvases were built at home and then stretched at school before preparing for installation.

A glimpse of the artwork was shared with students from across Grey-Bruce at the Youth Climate Action Conference in Owen Sound back in October, where Leo led a mental health workshop focused on connecting strengths to art.

Prior to arriving at its new home in the front lobby of the education centre's Bruce Power Environmental Learning Classroom Building, the mural was featured from November to January in WiARTon's art district.

In the peaceful and natural surroundings of the education centre, the mural will act as a reminder to student visitors, now and in the future, of the impact they have, both positive and negative, on the world around them. The mural's resonating message is that everyone, with effort, can help support these species and their bio-diverse eco-systems for generations to come.

As they finish Grade 12 and begin post-secondary education, Leo, Reece, and Scarlett are thrilled at the chance to help interest another generation in the arts and climate awareness through the lasting imprint now proudly displayed on the education centre wall.



Walkerton District Community School students Leopold Baker (left) and Reece Collins worked on "Our Home Ontario" now displayed at the Bluewater Outdoor Education Centre