The front page of the June 12, 1985 Westerly News featured a photo of 'Boomer,' the Parks Canada centennial mascot, and an unnamed Pacific Rim National Park employee.
Boomer was slated to be in the Ucluelet and Tofino areas that week, popping up in unexpected places for special appearances to celebrate the centennial of Parks Canada.
Boomer was introduced in 1985 for Parks Canada and remained the mascot for "several decades," according to information gleaned from the Waskesiu Heritage Museum in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
Nowadays the Parks Canada mascot is Parka, a busy little beaver who has the most excellent adventures in Canada's 37 national parks and 11 national park reserves. She was born in 2011 in Wood Buffalo National Park, home to the largest beaver dam in Canada, according to her designer, Steelie Designs. Parka was unveiled as the mascot for Parks Canada's 100th birthday in 2011.
Here is a little-known fact about Parka: she has her own official song. Find it online at https://parks.canada.ca/voyage-travel/experiences/famille-family/parka.
There are also downloadable colouring pages for children and family-friendly activities available on the Parks Canada website here: https://parks.canada.ca/voyage-travel/experiences/famille-family/parka/activites-activities
