Ottawa is getting a rare chance to dig into its ancient past this month, as the National Capital Commission (NCC) hosts public archaeological digs at Leamy Lake Park throughout August. The initiative invites everyday residents to work alongside archaeologists searching for Indigenous artifacts that could be thousands of years old.
What's Happening at Leamy Lake Park
Leamy Lake Park, tucked along the Ottawa River in the Gatineau area of the National Capital Region, has long been suspected to hold traces of Indigenous history stretching back millennia. Now, the NCC is opening the site to the public so that locals and visitors alike can take part in the excavation process, rather than leaving it strictly to professional researchers.
CBC's Sannah Choi spoke with the NCC's Monica Maika and several dig participants about what the project hopes to uncover. According to Maika, the goal isn't just about pulling artifacts from the ground — it's about connecting people directly with the deep Indigenous history of the region, much of which predates the founding of Ottawa itself by thousands of years.
Why This Matters for Ottawa
For a city that often gets defined by its political landmarks and government institutions, digs like this one are a reminder that the Ottawa area has been home to Indigenous peoples for far longer than it's been a capital. Leamy Lake Park sits in a region with a rich history tied to Algonquin peoples, and archaeological finds here can help fill in gaps about how communities lived, traveled, and used the land along the river systems that still define the region today.
For Ottawa residents, it's also a rare hands-on opportunity. Public archaeology digs aren't common, and getting to participate — rather than just reading about a discovery after the fact — gives locals a direct stake in preserving and understanding the region's past. It's the kind of experience that turns a walk in the park into something a lot more meaningful.
Getting Involved
The digs are running throughout August, giving Ottawa-area residents plenty of chances to stop by, watch, or participate depending on how the program is structured on any given day. Whether you're an amateur history buff or just curious about what might be buried a few feet beneath a park you've walked through dozens of times, it's worth checking out while the digs are ongoing.
Projects like this also tend to feed into broader efforts around reconciliation and historical recognition — giving Indigenous history the visibility it deserves within the region's public spaces, rather than confining it to museums or textbooks.
Source: CBC Ottawa
