Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB) staff joined Bluewater Education Foundation representatives, media, and other guests at the Bluewater Outdoor Education Centre (BOEC) near Wiarton on Saturday, March 21, 2026, 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 (YCAF) grant through the Town of The Blue Mountains in April 2025. With a focus on encouraging action and fostering awareness, 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 BOEC, 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 animal, mammal, and plant life are featured on the colourful and meticulously detailed canvas.
Through collaboration with members of Blue Mountains’ YCAF Committee, Leo was able to connect with BOEC representatives to create a statement piece promoting species awareness and interest in our 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.