Kìwekì Point

Kìwekì Point, (pronounced key-WHICK-ee) formerly Nepean Point is a hill with scenic lookout in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, overlooking the Ottawa River, Parliament, the Canadian Museum of History, and other features of downtown Ottawa and Gatineau. It is located between the National Gallery of Canada and Alexandra Bridge.

The point as seen from Parliament Hill

At the peak of the hill is a statue of French explorer Samuel de Champlain holding his famous astrolabe upside-down. It was made by sculptor Hamilton MacCarthy in 1915.[1]

Previously, the statue also featured a kneeling First Nations (Anishinabe) scout, added in 1918 to "signify how the native people helped Champlain navigate through the waters of the Ottawa River", but this has been relocated to nearby Major's Hill Park.[2]

The small amphitheatre on the point is known as "Astrolabe Theatre", presumably a reference to Champlain.

The point was re-named on October 4, 2022 from Nepean Point to Kìwekì Point, which means "returning to one's homeland" in the Algonquin language. The point had originally been named after Evan Nepean.[3] The National Capital Commission (NCC) is currently redesigning the site, lead by Janet Rosenberg & Studio with Patkau Architects, Blackwell Structural Engineers, and ERA Architects Inc.[4]

References
  1. "Samuel de Champlain Statue". Canadian Heritage ministry. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
  2. "Anishinabe Scout". Canadian Heritage ministry. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
  3. Nepean Point next to the national gallery renamed Kìwekì Point
  4. "Winning design chosen for Nepean Point redevelopment". CBC News. November 23, 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nepean Point.
  • Statue of Samuel de Champlain with "Anishinabe Scout" statue in front. The latter was later moved to Major's Hill Park.
  • Closeup of Champlain holding astrolabe upside down
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