45°25′46″N75°42′4.1″W / 45.42944°N 75.701139°W /45.42944; -75.701139
Kìwekì Point (/kiːˈwɪkiː/), formerlyNepean Point, is a hill overlooking theOttawa River inOttawa,Ontario, Canada. It is located between theNational Gallery of Canada andAlexandra Bridge. The site is managed by theNational Capital Commission (NCC).
The hill had originally been named afterEvan Nepean.[1] At the peak of the hill is a statue ofFrench explorerSamuel de Champlain holding his famousastrolabe upside-down. It was made by sculptorHamilton MacCarthy in 1915.[2] Previously, the statue also featured a kneelingAnishinabe scout, added in 1918 to "signify how the native people helped Champlain navigate through the waters of the Ottawa River". The scout statue has since been relocated to nearbyMajor's Hill Park and was renamed "Kitchi Zibi Omàmìwininì" in 2013.[3] The original site also featured several other sculptures and anamphitheatre known as "Astrolabe Theatre".
In November 2019, the site was closed to begin a redevelopment project led byJanet Rosenberg & Studio,Patkau Architects, Blackwell Structural Engineers, and ERA Architects Inc.[4] The new site, scheduled for completion in 2024, will feature two accessible lookouts, a shelter, and a pedestrian bridge connecting the site to Major's Hill Park. During the development's planning, the NCC consulted with representatives ofKitigan Zibi Anishinabeg and theAlgonquins of Pikwàkanagàn. On October 4, 2022, Nepean Point was renamed Kìwekì Point in order to "highlightAlgonquin voices, and showcase Algonquin culture and language".Kìwekì means "returning to one's homeland" inAlgonquin.[5]
Kìwekì Point officially reopened to the public on May 16, 2025.[6][7][8][9][10]
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