Treehouse Mike Racicot

Mike Racicot (aka Treehouse Mike) grew up in Barrhaven and gravitated towards extreme sports at an early age.

As a youngster, he successfully petitioned the City of Ottawa to build a skate park on the grounds of the Walter Baker Centre. It was barebones, but eventually paved the way for more elaborate structures, including one on Berrigan Drive that was renamed the “Treehouse Mike Skatepark” in August 2020.

A lover of the outdoors and a ski fanatic, Racicot lived in a self-built treehouse hidden in Whistler Mountain to save on accommodation costs. Hence the nickname “Treehouse Mike.”

Racicot later became a professional wingsuit BASE jumper who competed throughout Europe and Asia, while also spreading goodwill and gifts to underprivileged communities during breaks. In Canada, Racicot was a mentor to so many in the BASE community. His legacy has certainly carried on.

Sadly, Racicot passed in 2018 when his parachute failed to open on his 969^th jump.