Friends of Killarney Park

05/30/2026

05/15/2026

Carmen Martorella enjoys plein air painting in Killarney Provincial Park.⛰️✨

She thinks people who love to visit Killarney should visit the art show to meet the original artists and see the landscape paintings! ✨

Some things Carmen will have at this upcoming art show are: Paintings, Prints and cards.

artist

04/24/2026

Friends of Killarney Park History Series ✨️

Part 6: Art Show, Artist in Residence & Summer Concert Series

Starting in 2006, to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Friends of Killarney Park, the immense contributions of local artists to our Organization, and the significance of art and artists to Killarney Provincial Park, Friends of Killarney Park began to host an Annual Art Show! This Art Show serves as an opportunity for local artists to gather in the the place they love, and display how their talents have depicted the beauty of Killarney through a variety of mediums!

We are happy to announce that we will be bringing the Art Show back for the 40th Anniversary, held on July 25-26 at Veterans Memorial Hall in Killarney! Save the date because we’d love to celebrate with you this summer!

The Artist in Residence Program was started in 2010, partnering with Artists to offer free art lessons to Visitors of Killarney Provincial Park! We love to create space for folks to spend time with their own artistic interpretation of the land they are on, and believe activities like these will contribute to positive relationships with the Earth. We generally have 30-35 days of the Summer where a 2 hour art lesson is offered to visitors.

The Summer Concert Series was started in 2009, partnering with musicians to offer free concerts to Killarney Park Visitors! These concerts allow visitors to slow down and experience the world around them through creative lyricism and music. We are so thankful to the musicians and artists that have partnered with us to offer this unique experience to visitors over the years. 

Generally FOKP is able to offer 6-7 concerts throughout the Summer Season! It is only thanks to generous sponsors that we are able to offer these lessons free of charge!

Thank you to everyone who has participated in these events with us over the years!

If you have a fun memory from any of these events, please fill in our FOKP Memory Book to contribute to our 40th Anniversary Celebration!

Memory Book form:
https://forms.gle/2w8JcadFNPAcnqJK9

04/22/2026

Friends of Killarney Park History Series ✨️
Part 6: Winter Weekend and Spring Clean Up

These two annual volunteer events have functioned as lovely and lively times for Killarney Visitors and FOKP Members to gather, share stories, make friends, learn together, and show their support for Friends of Killarney Park and Killarney Provincial Park!

With the first Winter Weekend being held in 2006, and the first Spring Clean Up being held in 1995, these two events have become a really special tradition for our long time volunteers, and are also offer a great opportunity for us to invite new volunteers to join in!

Typically, the Winter Weekend is held on Family Day Weekend, and the Spring Clean Up is held the first weekend of May.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in these events with us over the years!

If you have a fun memory from either of these events, please fill in our FOKP Memory Book to contribute to our 40th Anniversary Celebration!

Memory Book form:
https://forms.gle/2w8JcadFNPAcnqJK9

04/21/2026

Friends of Killarney Park History Series✨

Part 4b: 2016-2026

2023 - Funded a new microscope for the Ontario Parks Discovery Team.
2023 - Supported the reintroduction of Lake Trout into two Killarney lakes previously depleted by acid rain with the help of Dr. John Gunn and his team at the Vale Living with Lakes Centre at Laurentian University.
2024 - Installation of Duck Boards on La Cloche Silhouette Trail during the Spring Clean up.
2024 - Installation of an EZ dock kayak launch placed at the Chikanishing Creek Access Point.
2024 - Sponsored a helicopter to move materials for new thunder boxes for Nellie lake and boards walks on the Helen-Nellie Portage.
2024 - Supported Waffles the Watersnake Rental.
2024 - Purchased a hot tent and stove as an educational tool for the KPP Discovery Team.
2024 - Binoculars purchased for Discovery and FOKP Lending Program.
2024 - The Outdoors Are For Everyone (OAFE) concept & design was created by Juls Martins, which inspired the OAFE fund/campaign.
2024/2025 - Supported Dr. Shelley Arnott’s research project through Queen’s University to monitor the physical and biological responses to recovery and environmental change in KPP lakes.
2025 - The first Outdoors Are For Everyone weekend started.
2025 - Supported the purchase of Voyageur Canoe and Supplies through the OAFE Fund and Campaign.
2025 - Snake Terrarium purchased for our resident foxsnake, Montgomery.
2025 - Teaching Series and Astronomer in Residence Funding.
2025 - $8k to Backcountry Infrastructure.
2025 - The Crack and Lake of the Woods trail guides were published. A special thank you to Tegan Smallwood for their dedication in writing these guides.
2025 - Supported the David Lake Broadscale Monitoring Survey Project by funding a bush plane for ecologists.
2026 - Committed another $50k to supporting KPP Projects and Programs.

04/21/2026

Friends of Killarney Park History Series✨

Part 4a: 2016-2026

2016 - Celebrated the 30th anniversary of FOKP.
2016 - Replaced boardwalks and cleaned graffiti.
2016 - Supported research to enhance biodiversity at the Granite Ridge trail.
2016 - Invested $40k into park projects and programs.
2017 - Built a boardwalk on the Cranberry Bog trail. 
2017 - Built a floating deck at the Silver Peak trail head in honour of Bryan Maher and Peter Surrey. 
2018 - Installed interpretive signage at the Baie Fine access point. 
2018 - KPP was designated as a Dark Sky Preserve by Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, with help of FOKP by converting all lighting in the park to meet necessary standards.
2018 - Built a new deck to house a telescope graciously donated by astronomer, Bruce Waters.
2018 - Provided the park with a new trail groomer for the cross-country skiing season.
2018/2019 - Further surveyed Granite Ridge Naturalization and found improved numbers than the year prior (2018) with the native species and introduced species in the clearing.
2020 - Art Supplies Provided for Killarney Provincial Park Art Programs in Memory of Marguerite Mary Raper(1921 - 2017)
2021- Provided critical financial support for continuing research on the impacts of acid rain on Killarney’s aquatic ecosystems by Laurentian University, the Living with Lakes Centre, and the MNRF
2021 - Celebrated the 35th anniversary of FOKP.
2021 - Built canoe racks and extended the floating dock at the Silver Peak access point and established a Memorial Plaque in honour of Bryan Maher and Peter Surey. 
2022 - Funded equipment for KPP discovery team.
2022 - Built a dock at the Chikanishing access point to provide safe water access for paddlers.
2022 - Started to Financially Support Astronomer in Residence Program.
2022 - Paint a Paddle Silent Auction started.
2023 - Revived lending packs program with donor support. 
2023 - Purchased 2 Nova Craft canoes for the  Killarney Provincial Park discovery team. 
2023 - Published a new Backcountry, Canoe Route Map, and the 4th Edition Canoe Route Guide. 

See next post!

04/14/2026

Friends of Killarney Park History Series✨
Part 3: 2006-2016

Check out our short film released in 2015 celebration of 50 years of KPP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmSdBTSn68o

2006 - Built new information kiosk

2006 - First Killarney Art Show

2006 - Day Hiking and Ski Trail Map was published 

2008 - Built new boardwalks in Silver Peak area of backcountry

2009 - First Annual Summer Concert Series

2009 - Built Platform for the Observatory

2010 - Began Artist in Residence Program

2011 - Started supporting the work of Dr. Shelly Arnott (Queen’s University) in the Biological Recovery Survey of Killarney Provincial Park (KPP) lakes.

2011 - “A Campers Guide to the Universe” was published 

2012 - Developed the Trout Creek barrier-free access trail

2013 - Funded Nature Centre Upgrades, including the installation of a photovoltaic charging station and solar panels.

2013 - Silver Peak Trail realignment funded by research grants.

2014 - Funding to Dr. Linda Rutledge and Dr. Bradley White (Trent University) for a non-invasive genetic survey of wolves in KPP.

2014 - Provided funding for a new projector, better suited for the Park’s evening programs in the George Lake Amphitheatre.

2014 - Tent pads and privies were funded to be placed in the KPP Lakeland and Headwaters region of the park, by the 2013 Helen McCrea Peacock Foundation.

2014 - Published the first Kids Guide.

2015 - Built an interactive geology kiosk donated by Gary Page and built by Ron Duncan and Gary Courtney.

2015 - FOKP released a short film about the story of Killarney and our mission, in celebration of 50 years of Killarney Provincial Park - made with the RTA school of Media at Toronto Metropolitan University.

2015 - 10th annual Winter Weekend and Art Show.

2015- Rehabilitated 6 George Lake campsites.

2015 - Replaced boardwalks along the Threenarrows portage and rerouted a section of the La Cloche Silhouette trail near Lumsden Lake. Thank you the Helen McCrea Peacock Foundation for their support of this initiative.

04/11/2026

Hello! 🌲🌱 We just wanted to let folks know about our anticipated Outpost Store closures for the month of April:

April 12
April 17-20
April 24-26

These closures are due to a current staffing shortage prior to the arrival of our summer students at the end of the month!

The George Lake Gatehouse will still be open from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm daily during these times.

Thank you for understanding! ✨️

04/10/2026

Friends of Killarney Park History Series✨
Part 3: 1996-2006

1996 - Supported Backcountry Rehabilitation efforts in KPP.

1997 - Photo Contest started.

1997 - Supported 3 summer students and 294 working days for the NHE Program.

1998 - Began supporting Laurentian and Queen’s University Research.

1998 - Held First Annual Canoe Raffle with Support of Nova Craft Canoe.

1999 - Published 1st Edition of KPP Canoe Guide.

2002 - Published Backcountry Adventure Brochure.

2002 - Published a brochure about acid rain.

2003 - Ran the “Park Once” Challenge to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in KPP.

2003 - Published Winter Activity Guide.

2003 - Created Educational Bookmarks for Visitors.

2004 - Developed Interpretive Signs for Chikanishing Trail.

2005 - Fixed Bridge on Chikanishing Trail.

2005 - Published La Cloche Silhouette Trail Guide.

2005 - Graffiti Removal on Silver Peak and Johnnie Lake.

2005 - purchased cross country skiing track setter.

2006 - Created a Day Hiking Map with FedNor grant to be sold in 2007.

2006 - Kakakise Boardwalk built by FOKP volunteers and OP staff at the Spring Clean-Up.

2006 - Built a new information kiosk.

04/07/2026

Friends of Killarney Park History Series✨
Part 2: 1986-1996

1986 - Friends of Killarney Park was established

1987 - Host/Hostess Program Started

1990 - Published 1st Edition of Cranberry Bog and Granite Ridge Trail Guides

1992 - Purchased a Track Setter for Cross Country Ski Trails in KPP

1992 - Bryan Atyeo ran an Artist workshop in the Park

1995 - 1st Annual Spring Clean Up Weekend and Rehabilitation Weekend

1995 - Map distributed by FOKP in co-operation with the MNR

1996 - Art Commission Sales started