By Angie Rolheiser

Artists unveil project as part of Manitou Beach centennial

Dec 7, 2018 | 3:00 PM

The artist behind the large mural in Tisdale has unveiled his latest project as part of the Manitou Beach centennial.
 
Michael Gaudet along with Darrel Baschak and Robert Thibualt are collaborating on the Manitou Reflections Project which is a curved stainless steel wall that will be constructed on the south side of Manitou Lake.
 
The wall will be 12 feet high and 16 feet wide with cut-outs across the wall.
 
“If you are in a certain spot, you can see the horizon that we have created in the cut-out stainless steel artwork installation lines up exactly with the horizon of the lake across from it,” Gaudet said.

The three artists will make a presentation on the project at the Christmas Manitou mingle taking place next Sunday at the community hall.
 
Gaudet said they plan to create 100 stainless steel cut out Canada Geese that can be used as lawn ornaments as their first fundraiser for the project.
 
“We will have those available in the form of a gift certificate the night of the mingle so we can give people a redeemable gift certificate right now,” Gaudet said. “They will get their steel goose which we will manufacture at Manitou Beach, in the spring.”
 
A goal of between $19,000 and $20,000 needs to be raised with Heritage Canada providing a matching grant.
 
The gift certificates will be available at the village office following the mingle.
 
“There will be a First Nations re-dedication of the healing waters of Little Manitou Lake next summer and we are hoping that dedication will take place in front of the stainless steal Manitou Reflections art installation,” Gaudet said.
  
The Big Float is another event happening for the centennial.
 
“We are going to try to break the record of the number of people floating while reading a book,” Gaudet said.
 
According to Gaudet, there was around 150 people that came together and floated at a lake in Argentina so they are trying to break that record.
 
There will also be chainsaw carving competitions happening as well along with other many other events.
 
Gaudet is also working on another mural like the Tisdale and Young murals that will hang on the side of the community hall next summer.
 
The village is planning to build an amphitheatre on the slope that goes down to where the sculpture is going to be along with a pedestrian accessible walkway to the site.
 
“We think this is going to be another tourist attraction here at Manitou Beach to add to the critical mass like Danceland, golfing, the spa, and the lake,” he said.