Whitewater Region, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Whitewater Region is a township
located within the scenic Ottawa Valley
, in eastern Ontario
, Canada
on the Ottawa River
in Renfrew County
. Whitewater Region is made up of the former municipalities of Beachburg, Cobden
, Ross and Westmeath, which were amalgamated into the current township on January 1, 2001.
Whitewater Region is named after the stretch of world famous whitewater
on the Ottawa River, popular for rafting
and kayaking
. This section is part of the Ottawa River Provincial Park.
The township also claims a distinctive place in Canada’s history. An astrolabe
bearing the date 1603 and believed to have belonged to Samuel de Champlain
was discovered within the township. A monument commemorating this historic site is located just outside Cobden on Highway 17.
Beachburg (45°44′00"N 76°51′30"W) is one of the larger population centres in Whitewater Region, having a variety of stores and restaurants, an arena, several halls, a public elementary school and a public library. It was founded by and named after David Beach, and became a stop along the Canadian Northern Railway
line with a station and grain elevators.1853, the entire village, except for 2 houses, was destroyed by fire. Beachburg was devastated by another fire in 1931, destroying the station, the grain elevators, the Main Hall and Dining Hall of the Exhibition Park. In 1959, the Village of Beachburg was separated from Westmeath Township and incorporated.
. It was located a short distance upstream from the present OPG Cheneaux Generating Station. The McLarens arrived during the peak of the lumber
ing industry in the Ottawa Valley
and one of their number constructed a timber slide
in the Ottawa River
to facilitate the movement of squared timber rafts past the Cheneaux Rapids. These slides could be described as a sluice
about 50 feet wide and about 200 feet long and steeply sloped through which some river water was diverted. Floating bundles of about 25 pieces of squared timber would be steered toward the upper end of the slide. Once into the sluice, the bundle of timber would descend at a great speed, emerging undamaged into the river below the rapids. Home of the Great Nathan Clarke.
and Ottawa
grew so, it seemed, did the gap between them. In the 1800s the easiest route between the two was the Ottawa River
. However, the presence of rapids near Portage du Fort necessitated a land route. At this time the area was mostly a vast forest untouched by Europeans. A few settlers had put down near Muskrat Lake
, but for the most part there had been little activity since Champlain
's visit in the 17th century.
In 1849 Jason Gould
built a road from what came to be called Goulds Landing to what would become Cobden on Muskrat Lake. One could catch a steamer down the lake and then go on by road to Pembroke. The traffic on the road couldn't help but cause growth. In 1850 Gould built a Post Office
and named the fledgling settlement Cobden after Richard Cobden
, a member of British Parliament whom Gould admired. By October 2, 1876, the railway had crept its way to Cobden. The community started to expand from the lake towards the railway station further inland. Main Street began to take shape: the Cobden Sun, the Bank of Ottawa
, blacksmith shops, a bakery, a general store, a mill, a surgeon and a jewelry store were all located in the community.
In 1880 a public school as opened to accommodate the strain on nearby S.S. No 1. Cobden was soon the biggest community in Ross Township, and became an incorporated village in October 1901.
Cobden has been the victim of many fires, which have destroyed almost all of the original buildings. Main Street has suffered worst from fire including one in 1913 which destroyed the Cobden Sun building and many historical records.
A hydro electric dam began operating at the falls south of Cobden. It supplied the town, off and on, with power until it was destroyed on April 12, 1934 in a raging flood. Large blocks of ice ripped the dam apart and poured over Highway 17
, tearing away sections of pavement. The plant operator, Bill Wall, was stranded in the upper section of their house until flooding subsided. The town then started receiving power from a station in Calabogie.
Council elections in 1949 were dominated by the issue of whether or not to hold another plebiscite on establishing a waterworks system. A previous plebiscite had come out 82-56 against. But times were changing quickly — after the war a new council was elected and the next vote was 124-46 in favour and by the early 1950s Cobden had water. The waterworks system required constant maintenance up until a major retooling in the 1980s. The visibly dominating water tower was built in 1988 replacing the original (built in 1951).
A bigger school was needed by 1903. The present-day school, Cobden District Public
, was built in 1938 and initially served as a high school until Opeongo High School
was built.
explorer Samuel de Champlain
, traveled through an area very near Cobden while exploring the Ottawa River. Due to the Chenaux Rapids, Champlain and his men were forced to portage. They presumably took shore in Browns Bay near present day McKenzie's Hill. In 1953 a large rock was found in this area bearing a chiseled inscription. Though the inscription was hard to read it was determined that it said "Champlain Juin 2, 1613". Champlain's trail from this point is debatable. He may have cut straight across land to the southern tip of Jeffreys Lake, or he may have veered south skirting the far side of what later came to be known as the Champlain Trail Lakes
. It is known that he eventually made his way to Green Lake and at this point, according to several 17th century authors, Champlain lost his astrolabe
. It stayed there for 254 years, until it was found in 1867 by Edward George Lee, a 14-year-old farm boy helping his father clear trees near Green Lake (now Astrolabe Lake
). Lee gave the astrolabe to Captain Comley, a steamboat captain on Muskrat Lake
, but never received the ten dollars Cowley promised him, and Cowley sold the astrolabe to his employer, R.W. Cassels of the Ottawa Forwarding Company. The astrolabe eventually passed to Samuel V. Hoffman of the New York Historical Society in 1942, remaining there for 47 years until it was acquired by the Canadian Museum of Civilization
in 1989.
In 1990 a special celebration was held in Cobden in honour of the astrolabe's return.
Overlooking Muskrat Lake
, Cobden Park occupies what is thought to be the spot where Champlain met the Native
Chief Nibachis. A plaque was erected in the 1960]s commemorating this. The lands for the park were donated by Thomas Robinson
and his wife in 1904. In 1988 extensive work was carried out on the beach portion of the park by the Civitans.
Logos Land
is a religious based water park
. Built on the site of the Astrolabe's discovery, Logos Land features five water slides, paddle boats, mini-golf and a representation of Noah's Ark
which was recently outfitted with a Pizza Hut
Express. The water park is open mid-June to Labour Day, but Noah's Ark is open year-round. It's also home to Canada's tallest Christmas tree standing 75 feet high. Every year over 3000 local kids get together to decorate the tree. The tree is dedicated to children around the world.
Mussie
is a Nessie
-like creature said to reside in Muskrat Lake
. It most likely doesn't exist, and if it does, is more likely a sturgeon
.
Ottawa Valley Pentecostal Camp is a Christian
based family and children's camp at the bottom of Muskrat Lake
. It as hosted many local community events with its year round facilities. OVPC is owned and operated by the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
.
Storyland
once featured 200 animated characters set in 40 different fairy tale
scenes surrounded by a natural woodland
environment. Though the park has fallen into disrepair it still features two large playgrounds, paddleboats, mini-golf and picnic areas. The Champlain Lookout offers a panoramic view of the Ottawa River
.
, the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway
through Ontario. The planned extension of Highway 417
to Petawawa
will see the highway largely rerouted onto a new alignment through Whitewater Region.
Home to The Champlain Flying Club, the Cobden/Bruce McPhail Memorial Airport
is located on Highway 17.
Donald Rathwell, is composed of representatives from all four wards.
Census:
, former professional hockey player for the NWHL
; Lee Fraser, president of Canadians Abroad and Hollywood entertainment executive; and Robert Wellington Mayhew
, the first Canadian ambassador to Japan.
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
located within the scenic 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...
, in eastern 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...
on 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 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:...
. Whitewater Region is made up of the former municipalities of Beachburg, Cobden
Cobden, Ontario
Cobden is a small community in the Township of Whitewater Region, in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. It is located roughly halfway between Renfrew, Ontario and Pembroke, Ontario on Highway 17...
, Ross and Westmeath, which were amalgamated into the current township on January 1, 2001.
Whitewater Region is named after the stretch of world famous whitewater
Whitewater
Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
on the Ottawa River, popular for rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
and kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
. This section is part of the Ottawa River Provincial Park.
The township also claims a distinctive place in Canada’s history. An astrolabe
Astrolabe
An astrolabe is an elaborate inclinometer, historically used by astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. Its many uses include locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, determining local time given local latitude and longitude, surveying, triangulation, and to...
bearing the date 1603 and believed to have belonged to Samuel de Champlain
Samuel 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....
was discovered within the township. A monument commemorating this historic site is located just outside Cobden on Highway 17.
Communities
The township comprises the communities of Beachburg, Chenaux, Cobden, Finchley, Foresters Falls, Garden of Eden, The Glen, Grants Settlement, Haley Station, Kerr Line, La Passe, Ledgerwoods Corner, McLarens Settlement, Meath, Millars Corner, Perretton, Pleasant Valley, Queens Line, Rocher Fendu, Shields Crossing, Snake River and Westmeath.Beachburg
Canadian Northern Railway
The Canadian Northern Railway is a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.-Manitoba beginnings:CNoR had its start in...
line with a station and grain elevators.1853, the entire village, except for 2 houses, was destroyed by fire. Beachburg was devastated by another fire in 1931, destroying the station, the grain elevators, the Main Hall and Dining Hall of the Exhibition Park. In 1959, the Village of Beachburg was separated from Westmeath Township and incorporated.
Foresters Falls
Foresters Falls (45°40′40"N 76°47′00"W) was founded in the early 1840s by Oliver Forester, a prominent pioneer who was the community's first postmaster. By the 1870s the community had three stores, a grist mill, and a sawmill, all of which were destroyed in a fire later that same year. Foresters Falls is now a small community having regressed significantly since the invention of motorized transport. Attractions include the Ross Township Museum that is located conveniently in the heart of Foresters Falls.Haley Station
Haley Station (also known as Haley, Haleys, Haley's, with or without Station)(45°33′45"N 76°46′35"W) derives its name from a station built on the CPR where the railway right of way crossed the farm of George Haley, an early settler on the second concession of Ross township (now part of Whitewater township). Haley Station once boasted a blacksmith shop, a general store, two churches (United Church and Free Methodist), two service stations, a railway station and an Orange Hall. With the advent of the automobile, people found it more convenient to go to Renfrew. Of the establishments mentioned, only the United Church remains in operation.McLaren’s Settlement
McLaren’s Settlement (45°37′10"N 76°42′20"W) originated in the 1840s when members of the McLaren family came to the area from ScotlandScotland
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...
. It was located a short distance upstream from the present OPG Cheneaux Generating Station. The McLarens arrived during the peak of the lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
ing industry 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...
and one of their number constructed a timber slide
Timber slide
A timber slide is a device for moving timber past rapids and waterfalls. Their use in Canada was widespread in the 18th and 19th century timber trade. At this time, cut timber would be floated down rivers in large timber rafts from logging camps to ports such as Montreal and Saint John, New...
in 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:...
to facilitate the movement of squared timber rafts past the Cheneaux Rapids. These slides could be described as a sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
about 50 feet wide and about 200 feet long and steeply sloped through which some river water was diverted. Floating bundles of about 25 pieces of squared timber would be steered toward the upper end of the slide. Once into the sluice, the bundle of timber would descend at a great speed, emerging undamaged into the river below the rapids. Home of the Great Nathan Clarke.
Founding and development
Much of the early development in Renfrew County is largely a circumstance of location. As PembrokePembroke, Ontario
Pembroke is a city in the province of Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Muskrat River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley...
and Ottawa
Ottawa
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...
grew so, it seemed, did the gap between them. In the 1800s the easiest route between the two was 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:...
. However, the presence of rapids near Portage du Fort necessitated a land route. At this time the area was mostly a vast forest untouched by Europeans. A few settlers had put down near Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake is located in the Whitewater Region of Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Said to be the home of lake monster Mussie. Muskrat Lake drains into Muskrat River. Other than a few cottages and campgrounds, Cobden, is only one community on the lakes shore...
, but for the most part there had been little activity since Champlain
Samuel 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....
's visit in the 17th century.
In 1849 Jason Gould
Jason Gould
Jason Emanuel Gould is an American actor, writer and director.Gould is the son of singer/actress Barbra Streisand and actor Elliott Gould, who divorced July 9, 1971. Gould spent his formative years around major Hollywood players in Los Angeles, California...
built a road from what came to be called Goulds Landing to what would become Cobden on Muskrat Lake. One could catch a steamer down the lake and then go on by road to Pembroke. The traffic on the road couldn't help but cause growth. In 1850 Gould built a Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and named the fledgling settlement Cobden after Richard Cobden
Richard Cobden
Richard Cobden was a British manufacturer and Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with John Bright in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League as well as with the Cobden-Chevalier Treaty...
, a member of British Parliament whom Gould admired. By October 2, 1876, the railway had crept its way to Cobden. The community started to expand from the lake towards the railway station further inland. Main Street began to take shape: the Cobden Sun, the Bank of Ottawa
Bank of Ottawa
The Bank of Ottawa was established in Canada in 1874 by Ottawa Valley lumber pioneers. The Bank of Ottawa was of high importance in the city's banking scene for a number of years. James Maclaren presided over the Bank from 1874 until his death in 1892. James Mather served as a bank director from 1879...
, blacksmith shops, a bakery, a general store, a mill, a surgeon and a jewelry store were all located in the community.
In 1880 a public school as opened to accommodate the strain on nearby S.S. No 1. Cobden was soon the biggest community in Ross Township, and became an incorporated village in October 1901.
Cobden has been the victim of many fires, which have destroyed almost all of the original buildings. Main Street has suffered worst from fire including one in 1913 which destroyed the Cobden Sun building and many historical records.
A hydro electric dam began operating at the falls south of Cobden. It supplied the town, off and on, with power until it was destroyed on April 12, 1934 in a raging flood. Large blocks of ice ripped the dam apart and poured over 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, ...
, tearing away sections of pavement. The plant operator, Bill Wall, was stranded in the upper section of their house until flooding subsided. The town then started receiving power from a station in Calabogie.
Council elections in 1949 were dominated by the issue of whether or not to hold another plebiscite on establishing a waterworks system. A previous plebiscite had come out 82-56 against. But times were changing quickly — after the war a new council was elected and the next vote was 124-46 in favour and by the early 1950s Cobden had water. The waterworks system required constant maintenance up until a major retooling in the 1980s. The visibly dominating water tower was built in 1988 replacing the original (built in 1951).
A bigger school was needed by 1903. The present-day school, Cobden District Public
Cobden District Public School
Cobden District Public School, located in Cobden, Ontario Canada serves students from the Whitewater Region and is under the jurisdiction of the Renfrew County District School Board. The school usually has between 300-500 students from grades 1-8 with jr. and sr. kindergarten taught in an attached...
, was built in 1938 and initially served as a high school until Opeongo High School
Opeongo High School
Opeongo High School is a secondary school in Renfrew County, Ontario that serves the townships of Whitewater Region, Laurentian Valley, Admaston Bromley, Bonnechere Valley, and North Algona-Wilberforce. It was built in 1968, at a cost of $3.5 million, to accommodate a growing population of...
was built.
The Astrolabe
In 1613, FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
explorer Samuel de Champlain
Samuel 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....
, traveled through an area very near Cobden while exploring the Ottawa River. Due to the Chenaux Rapids, Champlain and his men were forced to portage. They presumably took shore in Browns Bay near present day McKenzie's Hill. In 1953 a large rock was found in this area bearing a chiseled inscription. Though the inscription was hard to read it was determined that it said "Champlain Juin 2, 1613". Champlain's trail from this point is debatable. He may have cut straight across land to the southern tip of Jeffreys Lake, or he may have veered south skirting the far side of what later came to be known as the Champlain Trail Lakes
Champlain Trail Lakes
The Champlain Trail Lakes are a group of lakes on the southern point of Whitewater Region in Ontario. They lay in more or less a straight line and are named for the fact that explorer Samuel de Champlain used them to portage around the Chenaux Rapids while exploring the Ottawa River. Coldingham,...
. It is known that he eventually made his way to Green Lake and at this point, according to several 17th century authors, Champlain lost his astrolabe
Astrolabe
An astrolabe is an elaborate inclinometer, historically used by astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. Its many uses include locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, determining local time given local latitude and longitude, surveying, triangulation, and to...
. It stayed there for 254 years, until it was found in 1867 by Edward George Lee, a 14-year-old farm boy helping his father clear trees near Green Lake (now Astrolabe Lake
Astrolabe Lake, Ontario
Astrolabe Lake is a lake in the township of Whitewater Region, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Astrolabe Lake is where, in 1867, Edward Lee, a local farmboy, found Samuel Champlain's long lost astrolabe; a plaque now stands near the lake to commemorate this...
). Lee gave the astrolabe to Captain Comley, a steamboat captain on Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake is located in the Whitewater Region of Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Said to be the home of lake monster Mussie. Muskrat Lake drains into Muskrat River. Other than a few cottages and campgrounds, Cobden, is only one community on the lakes shore...
, but never received the ten dollars Cowley promised him, and Cowley sold the astrolabe to his employer, R.W. Cassels of the Ottawa Forwarding Company. The astrolabe eventually passed to Samuel V. Hoffman of the New York Historical Society in 1942, remaining there for 47 years until it was acquired by the Canadian Museum of Civilization
Canadian Museum of Civilization
The Canadian Museum of Civilization is Canada's national museum of human history and the most popular and most-visited museum in Canada....
in 1989.
In 1990 a special celebration was held in Cobden in honour of the astrolabe's return.
Culture
The Cobden Farmers' Market, first organized in 1991, is an outdoor market that runs from May to October. It offers a wide variety of crafts and foodstuffs and everything must be grown or handmade locally. The market has recently moved from the Memorial Hall grounds to the Fair Grounds but the Christmas Market, the grande finale for the year, is held in the Ag Hall, also on the Fair Grounds.Overlooking Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake is located in the Whitewater Region of Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Said to be the home of lake monster Mussie. Muskrat Lake drains into Muskrat River. Other than a few cottages and campgrounds, Cobden, is only one community on the lakes shore...
, Cobden Park occupies what is thought to be the spot where Champlain met the Native
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
Chief Nibachis. A plaque was erected in the 1960]s commemorating this. The lands for the park were donated by Thomas Robinson
Thomas Robinson
Thomas Robinson may refer to:*Thomas Robinson , English composer and music teacher*Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham , English diplomatist and politician...
and his wife in 1904. In 1988 extensive work was carried out on the beach portion of the park by the Civitans.
Logos Land
Logos Land
Logos Land is a small, family resort that offers a water park, par 71 golf course, RV Park & campground, Motel and 2 bedroom villa units in Ontario, Canada, located about 8 km east of Cobden along Highway 17...
is a religious based water park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
. Built on the site of the Astrolabe's discovery, Logos Land features five water slides, paddle boats, mini-golf and a representation of Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark is a vessel appearing in the Book of Genesis and the Quran . These narratives describe the construction of the ark by Noah at God's command to save himself, his family, and the world's animals from the worldwide deluge of the Great Flood.In the narrative of the ark, God sees the...
which was recently outfitted with a Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
Express. The water park is open mid-June to Labour Day, but Noah's Ark is open year-round. It's also home to Canada's tallest Christmas tree standing 75 feet high. Every year over 3000 local kids get together to decorate the tree. The tree is dedicated to children around the world.
Mussie
Mussie
Mussie is an alleged sea monster reported to be living in Muskrat Lake, northwest of Ottawa, capital of Canada. The legend has gone a through a gradual image change over the years. In the past the creature was depicted with shameless wild exaggeration. Classified as a "hepaxalor" and endowed with...
is a Nessie
NESSIE
NESSIE was a European research project funded from 2000–2003 to identify secure cryptographic primitives. The project was comparable to the NIST AES process and the Japanese Government-sponsored CRYPTREC project, but with notable differences from both...
-like creature said to reside in Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake is located in the Whitewater Region of Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Said to be the home of lake monster Mussie. Muskrat Lake drains into Muskrat River. Other than a few cottages and campgrounds, Cobden, is only one community on the lakes shore...
. It most likely doesn't exist, and if it does, is more likely a sturgeon
Sturgeon
Sturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae, including the genera Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus and Pseudoscaphirhynchus. The term includes over 20 species commonly referred to as sturgeon and several closely related species that have distinct common...
.
Ottawa Valley Pentecostal Camp is a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
based family and children's camp at the bottom of Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake
Muskrat Lake is located in the Whitewater Region of Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Said to be the home of lake monster Mussie. Muskrat Lake drains into Muskrat River. Other than a few cottages and campgrounds, Cobden, is only one community on the lakes shore...
. It as hosted many local community events with its year round facilities. OVPC is owned and operated by the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada
The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada is a Pentecostal Christian denomination and the largest evangelical church in Canada. It reports 234,385 adherents and 1,077 member congregations throughout Canada...
.
Storyland
Storyland (Ontario)
Storyland is a children’s theme park located northwest of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, near the town of Renfrew in Horton Township featuring depictions of classic fairy tale scenes. The park also features a mini-golf course, a small water park, live performers, playgrounds, small rides, and staff...
once featured 200 animated characters set in 40 different fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
scenes surrounded by a natural woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
environment. Though the park has fallen into disrepair it still features two large playgrounds, paddleboats, mini-golf and picnic areas. The Champlain Lookout offers a panoramic view of 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:...
.
Transportation
The only provincial highway directly serving the township is Highway 17Highway 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, ...
, the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-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...
through Ontario. The planned extension of Highway 417
Highway 417 (Ontario)
King's Highway 417, also known as Highway 417 and the Queensway through Ottawa is a 400-series highways in the Canadian province of Ontario which connects Montreal with Ottawa. It is the backbone of the transportation system in the Ottawa region, where it forms part of the Queensway along with...
to Petawawa
Petawawa, Ontario
Petawawa is a town located in eastern portion of Southern Ontario. Situated in the Ottawa Valley, with a population of 14,651 . Petawawa is the most populous municipality in Renfrew County.-Geography:...
will see the highway largely rerouted onto a new alignment through Whitewater Region.
Home to The Champlain Flying Club, the Cobden/Bruce McPhail Memorial Airport
Cobden/Bruce McPhail Memorial Airport
Cobden/Bruce McPhail Memorial Airport, , is located southeast of Cobden, Ontario, Canada....
is located on Highway 17.
Municipal Council
The municipal council, situated in Cobden and headed by mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Donald Rathwell, is composed of representatives from all four wards.
- Ward 1 (formerly part of Westmeath Township) represented by Jim Labow and Jacob Rook.
- Ward 2 (also part of the former Westmeath Township) by Joseph Trimm and Izett McBride.
- Ward 3 (comprising parts of the former Westmeath and Ross townships) by Daryl McLaughlin and deputy Mayor Ron Lowe.
- Ward 4 (the remainder of the former Ross township) by Arthur Cobb and Jack Ferguson.
Demographics
According to the 2001 Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
Census:
- Population: 6,520
- % Change (1996-2001): -0.9
- Dwellings: 2,898
- Area (km²): 537.96
- Density (persons per km²): 12.1
Notable people
Cobden is the hometown of Susie LaskaSusie Laska
Susie Laska is an ice hockey associate player with the Ottawa Senators of the CWHL.-Playing career:...
, former professional hockey player for the NWHL
NWHL
NWHL may refer to:*National Women's Hockey League, a professional women's hockey league*North West Hockey League, a minor pro men's hockey league that existed from 1933 to 1936...
; Lee Fraser, president of Canadians Abroad and Hollywood entertainment executive; and Robert Wellington Mayhew
Robert Wellington Mayhew
Robert Wellington Mayhew, was a Canadian politician and diplomat.Born in Cobden, Ontario, the son of Charles Mayhew and Sarah Dunlop Mayhew, he founded the Sidney Roofing and Paper Co. Ltd. in 1912 which became one of Victoria's largest businesses.He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons...
, the first Canadian ambassador to Japan.