Arnprior, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Arnprior is a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Renfrew County
Renfrew County, Ontario
Renfrew is a county in the Canadian province of Ontario. In 2006, the population was 97,545 and county covered , giving a population density of . There are 17 official municipalities.-Government:...
, in the eastern
Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
portion of Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located at the mouth of the Madawaska River
Madawaska River (Ontario)
The Madawaska River is a river in Ontario, Canada. The river is long and drains an area of . It originates at Source Lake in the highlands of Algonquin Park at an elevation of and flows east, dropping before emptying into the Ottawa River at Arnprior....
, as it enters the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
in the Ottawa Valley
Ottawa Valley
The Ottawa Valley is the valley along the boundary between Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec along the Ottawa River. The valley is the transition between the Saint Lawrence Lowlands and the Canadian Shield...
. The town is a namesake of Arnprior
Arnprior, Stirling
Arnprior is a village in the Stirling council area of Scotland. It is located on the A811 about 12 miles west of Stirling and is one of the smallest community council areas in Stirlingshire with a population of about 200....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and is known for lumber, hydro power generation, aerospace, farming and its proximity to the national capital region
National Capital Region (Canada)
The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities....
.
History
In May 1613 European explorers, led by Samuel de ChamplainSamuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain , "The Father of New France", was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnologist, diplomat, and chronicler. He founded New France and Quebec City on July 3, 1608....
, first visited the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
valley, home of the Algonquin tribe of native North Americans.
In 1823, a 1200 acres (4.9 km²) surveyed block was ceded to Archibald McNab and given the eponymous name, McNab Township. McNab had approval from the Family Compact
Family Compact
Fully developed after the War of 1812, the Compact lasted until Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1841. In Lower Canada, its equivalent was the Château Clique. The influence of the Family Compact on the government administration at different levels lasted to the 1880s...
to treat the settlers on his land in the feudal manner practiced in Scotland. In 1831 the town was named by the Buchanan Brothers after McNab's ancestral home of Arnprior
Arnprior, Stirling
Arnprior is a village in the Stirling council area of Scotland. It is located on the A811 about 12 miles west of Stirling and is one of the smallest community council areas in Stirlingshire with a population of about 200....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Tired of the harsh treatment, the settlers revolted and, after a government investigation, McNab was forced to vacate the area in 1841. Arnprior, Braeside and NcNab township grew as separate communities and boomed when they became incorporated into eastern Ontario's massive timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
industry.
One of the most successful businessmen of the upper Ottawa was Daniel McLachlin, who built a massive sawmill at the confluence of the Madawaska and Ottawa Rivers, and expanded the community of Arnprior. The lumber industry maintained a significant position until the closing of the Gillies Mill. One of the most enduring structures of the day was a grist mill built by the Buchanans on the west bank of the Madawaska River. The grey stone building served many purposes after it stopped being used as a grist mill, finally being operated as a restaurant and a gas station, first by the Beattie and then the Baird families, ending in 1974. The facility has been bought by Ontario Hydro
Ontario Hydro
Ontario Hydro was the official name from 1974 of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario which was established in 1906 by the provincial Power Commission Act to build transmission lines to supply municipal utilities with electricity generated by private companies already operating at Niagara...
prior to the restructuring on the bridge and the creation of a new weir to control the river. The building was consumed by fire in 1976. The forests of the period are represented in the Grove which is an excellent example of indigenous forest, grown after a fire in the 18th century. With individual specimens reaching 175 feet (53.3 m), these are the tallest white pines in Ontario.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in 1862. Thirty years later (in 1892), it was incorporated as a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
.
On 8 June 1944 a Castle class corvette
Castle class corvette
The Castle-class corvettes were an updated version of the much more numerous Flower-class corvettes of the Royal Navy, and started appearing during late 1943...
, HMS Rising Castle (K494)
HMS Rising Castle (K494)
HMS Rising Castle was a Castle-class corvette of the Royal Navy.-Construction and commissioning:Rising Castle was built by Harland and Wolff, Belfast and laid down on 21 June 1943. She was launched on 8 February 1944, but was then transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy and commissioned as HMCS...
, was re-commissioned as "HMCS Arnprior" until 1946.
Arnprior became a recognized name in the numismatic trade. This has a special link to a local employer. In 1955 Playtex ordered some silver dollars for their employees. These coins are later found to show only two and one-half water lines instead of four to the right of the canoe. This variety becomes known as the Arnprior dollar.
The history of Arnprior is preserved and documented at the Arnprior and District Museum (located in the former post office building and library) and the Arnprior and District Archives, located next door in the basement of the public library. The sandstone building is the defining element in local architecture
The history of Arnprior was documented in popular form by Leo Lavoie, long-time Arnprior resident, in his book, "The Arnprior Story: 1823-1984.
Industry
The lumber trade continued in the form of the Gillies sawmill in nearby McNab Township until its closing in 1993. Pictures of the early days of the lumbering industry are seen at the online Charles MacNamara Retrospective.Kenwood Mills, initially a blanket manufacturer who developed woven fabrics for the pulp and paper industry, was a significant employer in Arnprior and was bought in 1918 by Huyck Corporation. They were a strong contributor to Arnprior remaining viable during the Depression.
Sullivan and Sons and Smith Construction companies, were significant economic drivers and employers based in Arnprior.
The airport at Arnprior was built for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and hosted No. 2 Flying Instructor School for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Post War, the facility was used by the Canadian military and a training base known as the Civil Defense College, later known as the Emergency Measures Training Centre.
After the Second World War, companies such as Playtex, Pfizer and Boeing came to Arnprior. Boeing Aircraft Company began manufacturing in 1955 and maintained an operation until selling to Arnprior Aerospace in October 2005.
The Madawaska River at McEwen's Creek was dammed to create a peaking hydro station with approval given in 1972. The dam, which became operational in 1976, has created a new body of water known as Lake Madawaska
Lake Madawaska
Madawaska Lake is a lake covering some 168 km² located in Haliburton County, Ontario, within the boundaries of Algonquin Provincial Park. The only piece of private land on the lake is owned by the Salvation Army....
. This was the fifth and last dam to be built on the Madawaska River and they have a total generating capacity of 614 MW.
Agriculture
Agriculture has been a fixture surrounding Arnprior since the NcNab introduced the Scottish immigrants. The self sufficient farming tradition has been celebrated by the Arnprior Fair since 1854.Health care
Arnprior has been served since 1945 by the Arnprior and District Memorial Hospital.Arnprior & District Memorial Hospital (WP:PRIMARY)Government
David ReidDavid Reid
David Reid is the name of:*David Reid , British musician and founding member of The Contrast*David Reid , chairman of Tesco*Lance , whose alter-ego is named David Reid- Sport :...
, the town's current mayor, was elected in 2010. The municipal council consists of a mayor, a reeve and five councillors.
Schools
Arnprior is served by five schools: three are administered by the Renfrew County District School BoardRenfrew County District School Board
The Renfrew County District School Board is the administrative body overseeing the operations of the primary and secondary schools in the County of Renfrew in Ontario, Canada...
(two elementary schools — Walter Zadow Public School and A. J. Charbonneau Public School — and one regional secondary school, Arnprior District High School
Arnprior District High School
Arnprior District High School is a high school in Arnprior, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. It is in the Renfrew County District School Board.Arnprior District High School is known for having the longest hallways in Ontario.-Sports:...
). The Renfrew County Catholic District School Board
Renfrew County Catholic District School Board
The Renfrew County Catholic District School Board is the administrative body overseeing the operations of the Catholic primary and secondary schools in the County of Renfrew in Ontario, Canada. Currently the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board runs 20 primary schools and 2 secondary...
administers two elementary schools: St Joseph's and John XXIII.
Sport
HockeyHockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
is the only municipally sponsored sport in Arnprior. The Arnprior Packers
Arnprior Packers
The Arnprior Packers are a Junior "B" team based out of Arnprior, Ontario. They play in the Valley division of the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League .-History:...
represent the town in Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League
Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League
The Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Canadian Junior ice hockey league operating in Eastern Ontario. The league is sanctioned by the Ottawa District Hockey Association and Hockey Canada. The 22 member team of the league compete for the D. Arnold Carson Memorial Trophy.-History:The EOJHL...
, which is the town's highest level of competition in this sport. The games are played at the Nick Smith Centre which features two year round ice rinks, a 25 metre indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a community hall with kitchen. The two ice rinks each have ice surface measuring 200' X 85'. Arena 'A' seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of over 2,000; standing and seated 4,000 capacity. The Nick Smith Centre also plays host to the Chris Finnerty Hockey School.
Curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
was established, as an open-air sport in the Arnprior area, around 1865. The Arnprior Curling Club now occupies a 4-sheet building on Galvin Street (est. 1970). The highest level of competition hosted by the club are the Valley League and the Low Cup.
Media
The only print media dedicated to Arnprior is the Arnprior Chronicle-Guide. There is no independent, non-syndicated media coverage of Arnprior available in print form.Transportation
Arnprior is located on the Trans-Canada HighwayTrans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
system, where Highway 417 to the east becomes the two-lane Highway 17
Highway 17 (Ontario)
King's Highway 17, more commonly known as Highway 17, is a provincially maintained highway and the primary route of the Trans-Canada Highway through the Canadian province of Ontario. It begins at the Manitoba border west of Kenora and ends south of Arnprior at the western terminus of Highway 417, ...
to the west. The town is served by the Arnprior Airport, elevation 109 metres (358 ft) and a nearby floatplane base for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
; although there is no longer commercial aviation at the airport.
Arnprior has a long history with railroads. The Canada Central Railway first reached Arnprior on December 6, 1864. On Easter Sunday, March 23, 1880, a change to Standard Gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
brought the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) main line. Later the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CNR) came and, through the majority of the 20th century, Arnprior was served by both major Canadian railways . The CNR tracks were pulled up and the right-of-way is used as a hiking trail, while the CPR continues to operate through the town.
The town is located at the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Ottawa
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
and Madawaska
Madawaska River (Ontario)
The Madawaska River is a river in Ontario, Canada. The river is long and drains an area of . It originates at Source Lake in the highlands of Algonquin Park at an elevation of and flows east, dropping before emptying into the Ottawa River at Arnprior....
rivers. It is cut off from the lower Ottawa River and the St. Lawrence Seaway by the Chats rapids
Chats Falls
Chats Falls were a set of waterfalls on the Ottawa River, near Fitzroy Harbour, Ontario, and Quyon, Quebec, Canada. A hydroelectric generating station is now located here, owned and operated jointly by Hydro-Québec and Ontario Power Generation...
, and now the Chats Falls Station. Following exploration, travel and transportation was by canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
: the Ottawa River by Arnprior was a main route for the fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
.
Tourism
Arnprior, aka "the Prior", is the gateway to tourism in the Upper Ottawa Valley. and the western gateway to OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and Canada's National Capital Region
National Capital Region (Canada)
The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities....
.
Anrprior is the start of the River Road that runs in close proximity along the Ottawa River through Braeside, Sand Point to join with Storyland Road.
Arnprior also holds an abundance of wildlife in the town's local forest, the Grove.
Of note are the many walking and biking trails in Arnprior. The Millennium and Macnamara Trails provide scenic views of the waterfront, downtown heritage homes, and two nature trails including a walk-through of the Gillies Grove, a 45 acres (182,108.7 m²) tract of old growth forest, preserving the white pine which was the foundation of the local lumber industry. Additionally the rivers and local lakes encourgae boating, fishing and canoeing.
Galilee Centre, which is the former McLachlin Estate along the Ottawa River, is a holistic spiritual life centre that hosts programs, groups and individuals. On site is a Royal Oak planted in 1860 by His Royal Highness, Edward Prince of Wales.