Parks Canada
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Designer: Ken Marsh, Roderick Huggins
Studio: Guillon Design Inc
Origin: 1973, Canada
Status: Retired
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parkscanada.ca
parkscanadashop.ca
The only national park I visited in Canada was Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland—it’s only a 31 hour trip East of Toronto, but worth the visit. The park's main attraction is the Western Brook Pond, a fjord carved out by a glacier that runs through the Long Range Mountains (see the third photo).
While visiting the Gros Morne, I did not see the Parks Canada logo, but did come across a few beavers gnawing on trees. Speaking about beavers, Parks Canada has utilized the beaver as a symbolic representation for it’s national identity for close to 50 years.
The identifiable mark is attributed to the simplified beaver in which it’s encapsulated with a rounded triangle—which signifies a badge (a perfect identifier for park rangers and staff). Significantly, the mark’s unique colours (gold and brown) offset the signage beautifully and bring a natural feel to Canada’s national park's cultural heritage, environment and grand scenery. Sadly, in 2001, Parks Canada replaced it with a new mark.
The beaver has symbolic significance to Native Americans and Canadians. “The beaver helps people understand the dynamics of teamwork and to appreciate each individual’s talents and contributions in order to accomplish anything. He is a builder of the mind, body, and soul and symbolizes creativity, creation, cooperation, persistence and harmony. The Beaver is also a hard worker and will not quit his job until he is done.” (Tatjana and Walter Stolting, Spirits of the West Coast Art Gallery Inc, The Beaver Symbol).
Today, Parks Canada manages 38 National Parks, 3 National Marine Conservation Areas, 171 National Historic Sites, 1 National Urban Park, and 1 National Landmark.
If you have not been to the many national parks in Canada, I suggest you go visit.
Photo Description & Credit:
1. Kluane National Park, Yukon, Canada - unknown photographer
2. Parks Canada passes on Landrover window (mock-up) - Tim Trad
3. Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada - unknown photographer
4. Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada - Niv Rozenberg
5. Parks Canada passes on Volkswagen window - Jaime Verdes
6. Parks Canada park pass design from 1987 (mock-up of original)
7. Parks Canada park pass design evolution between 1979 to 1993 (mock-up of original)
