Download Cree Village Eco Lodge: Sustainable development in the sub Arctic

Cree Village Eco Lodge: Sustainable development in the sub Arctic
McIntyre, Katherine. Natural Life Jul/Aug 2005. p. 14-17
Abstract (Document Summary)
A freighter canoe cuts through the Moose River's swiftly flowing water, past dense forests of
tamarack and spruce to Moose Factory Island. It lands at an old wooden dock, where a winding
path leads to the Cree Village Eco Lodge, one of Canada's most environmentally friendly inns.
Owned and managed by The MoCreebec Council of the Cree Nation, it also gives visitors a rare
taste of Cree culture.
The towering Shabatwon, a 21st century version of the Cree gathering place, overlooks the everchanging waters of the Moose River. In the old days the Crees came to a Shabatwon to share
stories and to celebrate the hunt. Traditionally, it consisted of two teepees linked by a lean-to,
with the whole covered in deerskin or moss. Now the cathedral-like interior is cedar, framed by
giant 48-foot poles of lodge-pole pine, mounted in place by an intricate hinge system. The view
of the Moose River from the great south window resembles a landscape painting from The
Group of Seven.
Even the menu is structured to reflect the Cree way of life. A chef prepares traditional food in the
traditional ways. They serve bison, pickerel, trout, venison, smoked salmon, fiddleheads,
blueberries and cranberries in season. Cree women take turns cooking bannock - in summer over
a wood fire in a cooking tent adjacent to the lodge. [Randy Kapashesit] adds, "Chips,
hamburgers and high fat foods are discouraged. It causes a bit of conflict in the local community,
but we want our menu to reflect our original values."
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Full Text (1217 words)
Copyright Alternate Press Jul/Aug 2005
A freighter canoe cuts through the Moose River's swiftly flowing water, past dense forests of
tamarack and spruce to Moose Factory Island. It lands at an old wooden dock, where a winding
path leads to the Cree Village Eco Lodge, one of Canada's most environmentally friendly inns.
Owned and managed by The MoCreebec Council of the Cree Nation, it also gives visitors a rare
taste of Cree culture.
Inspiration for the inn came from a recommendation of the steering committee of the Council,
spearheaded by their chief, Randy Kapashesit. They all agreed that to attract tourists to their
island, they needed better accommodation. Project manager Rick McLeod of New Liskeard,
Ontario, a specialist in developing and finding funds for northern projects, suggested they service
the ecotourist. With this in mind, the concept evolved of a unique tourist destination with an
ecologically-friendly lodge, reflecting the history and values of the Cree.
Architect Clive Levitt of Toronto, another specialist in northern projects, met with the committee
to establish a basic plan that would combine the Cree values with a building that worked both
architecturally and economically in the sub Arctic.
They agreed the building would:
* Incorporate various "green" features.
* Make a negligible impact on the natural surroundings
* Use materials that had minimal environmental impact, had low maintenance finishes and no
off-gassing, and required low embodied energy.
* Use low maintenance appliances and mechanical systems
* Be a gathering place for the community.
The resulting design includes the focal point of the lodge, a soaring Shabatwon or Great Hall, the
reception area, 20 guest rooms on two floors with stair access and a full kitchen. Randy
Kapashesit notes, "We made sure that the architect interpreted our ideas."
But building at the edge of the Arctic presented its own problems. Because of weather
restrictions, timing and scheduling of material deliveries had to be precise. Construction supplies
and equipment were delivered first by truck or rail to Cochrane, in northern Ontario, then by rail
to Moosonnee and finally to Moose Factory Island. In the fall, they went by river barge and by
truck over the ice in winter. It was essential that all materials conformed to the size and weight
limitations of the trains and barges. Construction started in early September and lasted
throughout the winter, one of the warmest on record.
The towering Shabatwon, a 21st century version of the Cree gathering place, overlooks the everchanging waters of the Moose River. In the old days the Crees came to a Shabatwon to share
stories and to celebrate the hunt. Traditionally, it consisted of two teepees linked by a lean-to,
with the whole covered in deerskin or moss. Now the cathedral-like interior is cedar, framed by
giant 48-foot poles of lodge-pole pine, mounted in place by an intricate hinge system. The view
of the Moose River from the great south window resembles a landscape painting from The
Group of Seven.
The 20 comfortable guest rooms open to a carpeted corridor, extending from the reception area
to a bay window, overlooking the water. The bedrooms facing southwest are stepped back; each
with a corner window that provides natural ventilation. A large picture window maximizes
winter's passive solar heat and a deep overhang shades these rooms from the summer sun. If, on
the rare occasion the rooms require extra cooling, ceiling fans do the job. Smaller windows on
the northeast side protect the building from the Arctic winds.
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[Photog
The dining room at the Cree Village Eco Lodge features a wood-burning masonry heater and hand-made wood
[Photog
Below, natural materials like local stone and cedar have been used in the lodge's construction. Additional natur
[Photog
Cree Village Eco Lodge is situated on the shores of the Moose River, just at the edge of Canada's Arctic.
[Photog
Cree Village Eco Lodge is situated on the shores of the Moose River, just at the edge of Canada's Arctic.
The lodge features cedar walls or walls painted with low emission paints in soft blending colors.
The sturdy hickory furniture, trimmed with bark detail, blends with chairs, upholstered in a
durable fabric, of patterned dark, green spruce trees. All the window blinds are of natural slatted
birch. Low-level fluorescent light bulbs shine from whimsical lampshades of recycled steel. The
building has two entrances, one faces the water on the south side and the other overlooks the
road on the north. The hall joining these two entrances is covered in tiles that resemble natural
stone, some have the marks of an animal footprint.
For a building, where the temperature falls below -40 degrees F in the winter, windows are triple
glazed. Propane supplies a water-based radiation heating system, which in the north, is
considered a more effective means of heat than forced air. A wood burning, masonry heater,
based on a European model, built from local stone complete with embedded fossils, radiates
additional heat in the Shabatwon. Greg Williams, the manager of the lodge, says, "Even with
R30 insulation we could use more heat in the main part of the building in the middle of winter.
We may add radiant heating in the hardwood floor in the Shabatwon sometime in the future." A
few planned environmental features were reduced because of budget restrictions. Instead of
fitting each bathroom with a composting toilet, demonstration models have been installed in four
of the bathrooms for now.
Environmentally friendly products used throughout the lodge include wool carpeting in the
corridors and bedrooms; organic mattresses, pure wool blankets and cotton sheets on the beds.
Dispensers supply organic soaps and shampoos in the bathrooms. The staff spread hemp
tablecloths on the tables in the Shabatwon for dinner in the evening. According to Greg
Williams, they keep to ecological principals in running the lodge as well, for instance, using
biodegradable cleaning supplies that have been tested for toxicity.
Even the menu is structured to reflect the Cree way of life. A chef prepares traditional food in the
traditional ways. They serve bison, pickerel, trout, venison, smoked salmon, fiddleheads,
blueberries and cranberries in season. Cree women take turns cooking bannock - in summer over
a wood fire in a cooking tent adjacent to the lodge. Kapashesit adds, "Chips, hamburgers and
high fat foods are discouraged. It causes a bit of conflict in the local community, but we want our
menu to reflect our original values."
The building has weathered to a pale gray, on the north side, and retained its natural cedar
appearance under the overhanging roof. Future plans include planting native plants and local
flowers on the waterside entrance and expanding the vegetable garden on the south side of the
building.
Visitors from around the globe come to hike, paddle, kayak and fish in the summer; snowshoe,
cross-country ski, snow-mobile or follow the trap lines in the winter. As a bonus, they find in the
vast Canadian north, the best of the traditional Cree culture wrapped up in what the designers
feel is one of the most ecologically friendly buildings in the world.
Southwest facing bedrooms have corner windows for natural ventilation.
Contact:
Cree Village Eco Lodge
PO Box 730, Moose Factory, ON P0L 1WO Canada
Tel: 1 888 273 3929 or 705 658 6400
Fax: 705 658 6401
Email: [email protected]