Arnprior is a town in
Renfrew County
Renfrew County is a county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It stands on the west bank of the Ottawa River. There are 17 municipalities in the county.
History Bathurst District
When Carleton County was withdrawn from Bathurst District in 183 ...
, in the
eastern
Eastern may refer to:
Transportation
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
*Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways
*Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991
*Eastern Air Li ...
portion of
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a primary region of the province of Ontario, Canada, the other primary region being Northern Ontario. It is the most densely populated and southernmost region in Canada. The exact northern boundary of Southern Ontario is disp ...
, Canada. It is located west of
Downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, at the confluence of the
Madawaska River and the
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River (french: Rivière des Outaouais, Algonquin: ''Kichi-Sìbì/Kitchissippi'') is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern ...
in the
Ottawa Valley
The Ottawa Valley is the valley of the Ottawa River, along the boundary between Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais, Quebec, Canada. The valley is the transition between the Saint Lawrence Lowlands and the Canadian Shield. Because of the surroundi ...
. Arnprior has experienced significant growth in populations with the widening of the
417 Provincial Highway to four lanes. The town experienced an increase in population by 8.4% from 2011 to 2016, at which time its population was 8,795. The town is a namesake of
Arnprior
Arnprior is a town in Renfrew County, in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located west of Downtown Ottawa, at the confluence of the Madawaska River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley. Arnprior has experienced sign ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, and is known for lumber, hydro power generation, aerospace, farming and its proximity to the
National Capital Region
A capital region, also called a capital district or capital territory, is a region or district surrounding a capital city. It is not always the official term for the region, but may sometimes be used as an informal synonym. Capital regions can exis ...
.
History
The land occupied by what is now called Arnprior is part of the traditional territory of the
Algonquin
Algonquin or Algonquian—and the variation Algonki(a)n—may refer to:
Languages and peoples
*Algonquian languages, a large subfamily of Native American languages in a wide swath of eastern North America from Canada to Virginia
**Algonquin la ...
nation of indigenous North Americans. The first European explorers, led by
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
, first visited the area in May 1613.
In 1823, a surveyed block was ceded to Archibald McNab and named McNab Township. McNab had approval from the
Family Compact
The Family Compact was a small closed group of men who exercised most of the political, economic and judicial power in Upper Canada (today’s Ontario) from the 1810s to the 1840s. It was the Upper Canadian equivalent of the Château Clique in L ...
to treat the settlers on his land in the feudal manner practised in Scotland. In 1831 the town was named by the Buchanan Brothers after McNab's ancestral home of
Arnprior
Arnprior is a town in Renfrew County, in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located west of Downtown Ottawa, at the confluence of the Madawaska River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley. Arnprior has experienced sign ...
, Scotland.
Tired of the harsh treatment, the settlers revolted and, after a government investigation, McNab was forced to vacate the area in 1841.
Arnprior and
Braeside and McNab township grew as separate communities and boomed when they became integrated into eastern Ontario's massive
timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
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
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...
built by the Buchanans on the west bank of the Madawaska River.
By 1869, Arnprior was an incorporated village with a population of 2,000 in the Township of McNab. It was on the
Brockville and Ottawa Railway
The Brockville and Ottawa Railway (B&O) was an early railway in Upper Canada, today's Ontario. It ran north from the town of Brockville on the Saint Lawrence River to Sand Point on the Ottawa River. It was built primarily to serve the timber tr ...
at the junction of the Madawaska and Ottawa rivers. The average price of land was $20 to $40.
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 was bought by
Ontario Hydro
Ontario Hydro, established in 1906 as the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, was a publicly owned electricity utility in the Province of Ontario. It was formed to build transmission lines to supply municipal utilities with electricity ge ...
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 , these are the tallest white pines in Ontario.
![Arnprior John Street 1906](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Arnprior_John_Street_1906.jpg)
Arnprior was incorporated as a village in 1862. Thirty years later (in 1892), it was incorporated as a town.
On June 8, 1944, a , , was recommissioned as HMCS ''Arnprior'' until 1946.
Arnprior became a recognized name in the
numismatic
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals and related objects.
Specialists, known as numismatists, are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, but the discipline also includ ...
trade. This has a special link to a local employer. In 1955
Playtex
Playtex is an American brand name for undergarments, baby products, gloves, feminine hygiene products, and sunscreen. The brand began in 1947 when International Latex Corporation (ILC) created a division named Playtex to produce and sell latex p ...
ordered some silver dollars for their employees. These coins were 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 McNab/Braeside Archives, located next door in the basement of the public library. The sandstone building is the defining element in local architecture.
Industry
![Lumber conveyor in Arnprior, Ontario (1921)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Lumber_conveyor_in_Arnprior%2C_Ontario_%281921%29.jpg)
Arnprior has drawn new business to Eastern Ontario. Proximity to the city of Ottawa, easy access to highway 417, access to a
local airport, full services and infrastructure have contributed to making Arnprior the location for multinational corporations including Arnprior Aerospace Inc,
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) is a provider of advanced reactors and nuclear services. It is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States. Established in June 2007, GEH is a nuclear alliance created by General Electric and Hitac ...
Canada Inc, Nylene Canada Inc, Pacific Safety Products, Pillar 5 Pharma,
Sandvik Materials Technology Canada, and a host of other innovative businesses.
The Arnprior and Area Chamber of Commerce has over 100 members and is a support and advocate for many of the corporations and small to medium-sized businesses within the Arnprior area.
Some of the major corporations and top employers:
*Plaintree Systems Inc.
*Nu-tech Precision Metals
*Pillar 5
*BWX Technologies, Inc.
*M. Sullivan & Son Limited
*Nylene Canada
*Pacific Safety Products
*Arnprior Aerospace
*Arnprior & District Memorial Hospital
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 which developed woven fabrics for the
pulp and paper industry
The pulp and paper industry comprises companies that use wood as raw material and produce pulp, paper, paperboard and other cellulose-based products.
Manufacturing process
The pulp is fed to a paper machine where it is formed as a paper web an ...
, was a significant employer in Arnprior and was bought in 1918 by Huyck Corporation. It was a strong contributor to Arnprior remaining viable during the Depression. The building has now been renovated into the Kenwood Corporate Centre which houses a number of offices, warehouse spaces, conference rooms, a café and a gym.
Sullivan and Sons and Smith Construction companies were significant economic drivers and employers based in Arnprior. In 2014 they celebrated their 100th year in business and continue to be a major employer in the town and a large community supporter.
Arnprior Airport
Arnprior Airport is a registered aerodrome located adjacent to and south of the town of Arnprior, Ontario, Canada directly behind Arnprior Aerospace Inc. (formerly Boeing Canada Technology).
The aerodrome serves chiefly general aviation traff ...
was built for the
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), or Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) often referred to as simply "The Plan", was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zea ...
and hosted
No. 3 Training Command RCAF No. 3 Training Command RCAF was a training command of the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II established to administer the schools of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
History
No. 3 Training Command was formed as No. 2 Trainin ...
Flying Instructor School (FIS) with the Relief Landing Field located in
Pontiac, Quebec
Pontiac is a municipality in the Outaouais region of western Quebec, Canada, on the north shore of the Ottawa River. It is part of Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality, located within Canada's National Capital Region. It should ...
, near
Quyon, Quebec
Quyon is a village that is part of Pontiac, Quebec, in the Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality (MRC des Collines).
History
Already the site of the Sainte-Marie Mission, the village was founded in 1848 by John Egan, a lum ...
. Post war, the facility was used by the Canadian military and a training base known as the Civil Defence College, later known as the Emergency Measures Training Centre. The airport, operated by Arnprior Airport Commission, still operates with two runways for land-based aircraft and
Arnprior Water Aerodrome
Arnprior Water Aerodrome is located south of the community. It is open from May until November.
See also
*List of airports in the Ottawa area
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surna ...
with a dock and fuelling station for
floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane with one or more slender floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy. By contrast, a flying boat uses its fuselage for buoyancy. Either type of seaplane may also have landing gear suitable for land, ...
s. The airport property also houses many private hangars and a skydiving company.
![Arnprior Generating Station](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Arnprior_Generating_Station.jpg)
After the Second World War, companies such as Playtex,
Pfizer
Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...
and
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
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 hydro generating station with approval given in 1972. The dam, which became operational in 1976, has created a new body of water known as
Lake Madawaska. This was the fifth and last dam to be built on the Madawaska River, and they have a total generating capacity of 614 MW.
Climate
Demographics
In the
2021 Census of Population conducted by
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...
, Arnprior had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
Agriculture
Agriculture has been a fixture surrounding Arnprior since the arrival of McNab's Scottish immigrants. The farming tradition has been celebrated by the
Arnprior Fair
Arnprior is a town in Renfrew County, in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located west of Downtown Ottawa, at the confluence of the Madawaska River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley. Arnprior has experienced sig ...
since 1854.
[Arnprior Fair](_blank)
( WP:PRIMARY)
Health care
Arnprior has been served since 1945 by the
Arnprior and District Memorial Hospital.
Government
Arnprior's mayor from 2018 to 2022 was Walter Stack, until he was defeated by Lisa McGee in the 2022 Ontario municipal elections.
Arnprior is within the Federal riding of
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke is a federal electoral district (Canada), electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons since 1979.
It is represented by Cheryl Gallant of th ...
, represented by
Cheryl Gallant
Cheryl Gallant (born May 23, 1960) is a Canadian politician who represents the riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke in the House of Commons of Canada. She is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. She is currently the longest-serving w ...
of the
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada (french: Parti conservateur du Canada), colloquially known as the Tories, is a federal political party in Canada. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of the two main right-leaning parties, the Progressive Con ...
since the year 2000.
Provincially, it is in the equivalent electoral district of
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke is a federal electoral district (Canada), electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons since 1979.
It is represented by Cheryl Gallant of th ...
, represented by
John Yakabuski
John A. Yakabuski (born June 14, 1957) is a Canadian politician who served as Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry from 2018 to 2021 in the Doug Ford cabinet. He is a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly ...
of the
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (french: Parti progressiste-conservateur de l'Ontario), often shortened to the Ontario PC Party or simply the PCs, colloquially known as the Tories, is a centre-right political party in Ontario, Canada ...
, who was first elected in 2003.
Sport
Arnprior has a reputation for hosting large-scale regional and national events including the
2008 Telus Cup –
National Midget 'AAA' Hockey Championship, the 2010
Canadian Broomball Championship, the 2012
World Broomball Championships
The World Broomball Championships (WBC) is the premiere international competition for the sport of broomball and is organized and administered by the International Federation of Broomball Associations (IFBA). The competition is organized every e ...
and the
2013 IIHF Women's World Championship
The 2013 IIHF Women's World Championships was the 15th world championship sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and was the last world championship before the 2014 Winter Olympics. The tournament was hosted in Ottawa, Ontar ...
.
In 2014, Arnprior hosted the Association of Ontario Road Supervisors Annual Trade Show, and furthermore, Arnprior was the second last stop on Clara's Big Ride which featured six time Olympic Medalist
Clara Hughes
Clara Hughes, (born September 27, 1972) is a Canadian cyclist and speed skater who has won multiple Olympic medals in both sports. Hughes won two bronze in the 1996 Summer Olympics and four medals (one gold, one silver, two bronze) over the co ...
on her cross country bike journey to raise awareness and end the stigma of mental health. Arnprior also hosted the
North American Orienteering Championships
The North American Orienteering Championships (NAOC) is a biennial orienteering event organized by the International Orienteering Federation
The International Orienteering Federation (IOF) is the international governing body of the sport of ori ...
in fall 2014.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
is the only municipally sponsored sport in Arnprior. The
Arnprior Packers
The Arnprior Packers are a Junior "B" ice hockey team in Arnprior, Ontario. They were also once members of the CJHL (now the CCHL) before joining the Ottawa Valley Junior Hockey League in 1967.
Between 2014-15 and the end of the 2019-2020 season ...
represent the town in the
Central Canada Hockey League Tier 2
The Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior ice hockey league operating in Eastern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by Hockey Eastern Ontario and Hockey Canada and acts as a second tier to the Central Canada Hockey League. The 1 ...
, 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 . Arena 'A'
seating capacity
Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...
of over 2,000; standing and seated 4,000 capacity.
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. It is related to bowls, boules, and shuffleboard. Two teams, each with four players, take turns sliding ...
was established as an open-air sport in the Arnprior area, around 1865. The
Arnprior Curling Club
Arnprior is a town in Renfrew County, in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located west of Downtown Ottawa, at the confluence of the Madawaska River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley. Arnprior has experienced s ...
now occupies a 4-
sheet building on Galvin Street (est. 1970).
[ Arnprior Curling Club history site at the OVCA] The highest level of competition hosted by the club are the
Valley League
A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...
and the
Low Cup.
Media
The only print media dedicated to Arnprior is the ''Arnprior Chronicle-Guide''. The newspaper was bought by
Metroland Media Group
Metroland Media Group (also known as Community Brands) is a Canadian mass media publisher and distributor which primarily operates in Southern Ontario. A division of the publishing conglomerate Torstar Corporation, Metroland publishes more than 7 ...
in 2011. There is no independent, non-syndicated media coverage of Arnprior available in print form. Oldies 107.7 radio broadcasts from Arnprior to Renfrew, Ontario and is the only Arnprior local radio station.
Transportation
![Arnprior ON downtown Elgin St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Arnprior_ON_downtown_Elgin_St.jpg)
Arnprior is located on the
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway ( French: ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada, from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the Atlantic Ocean o ...
system, where
Highway 417
The following highways are numbered 417:
Canada
* Manitoba Provincial Road 417
* Newfoundland and Labrador Route 417
* Ontario Highway 417
Costa Rica
* National Route 417
Iceland
* Route 417
Japan
* Japan National Route 417
United States
* ...
to the east becomes the two-lane
Highway 17 to the west. The town is served by the
Arnprior Airport
Arnprior Airport is a registered aerodrome located adjacent to and south of the town of Arnprior, Ontario, Canada directly behind Arnprior Aerospace Inc. (formerly Boeing Canada Technology).
The aerodrome serves chiefly general aviation traff ...
, elevation , and the nearby
Arnprior Water Aerodrome
Arnprior Water Aerodrome is located south of the community. It is open from May until November.
See also
*List of airports in the Ottawa area
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surna ...
, elevation , for
general aviation
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
; although there is no longer commercial aviation at the airport.
Arnprior has a long history with railways. The
Canada Central Railway
The Brockville and Ottawa Railway (B&O) was an early railway in Upper Canada, today's Ontario. It ran north from the town of Brockville on the Saint Lawrence River to Sand Point on the Ottawa River. It was built primarily to serve the timber tr ...
reached Arnprior on December 6, 1864. On Easter Sunday, March 23, 1880, a change to
standard gauge
A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of . The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson), International gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge and European gauge in Europe, and SGR in Ea ...
brought the
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
(CPR) main line. Later the
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States.
CN i ...
(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 walking trail. In June 2012, CPR removed its tracks throughout the county.
The town is located at the confluence of the
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
and
Madawaska rivers. It is cut off from the lower Ottawa River and the
Saint Lawrence Seaway
The St. Lawrence Seaway (french: la Voie Maritime du Saint-Laurent) is a system of locks, canals, and channels in Canada and the United States that permits oceangoing vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes of North Americ ...
by the
Chats rapids, and now the
Chats Falls Generating Station
Chats Falls (in French: ''Chute des Chats'', meaning "Cat 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 opera ...
. Following exploration, travel and transportation was by canoe: the Ottawa River by Arnprior was a main route for the
fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...
.
Tourism
With Arnprior's central location between the National Capital Region and the Ottawa Valley it offers visitors and residents alike access to the entertainment and events of the city as well as access to nationally recognized outdoor activities all within a short travel time.
Arnprior has several historical landmarks together with the many required modern conveniences, including shopping, hospital, recreation, restaurants, water sport facilities, and beaches. Arnprior has been recognized by the Communities in Bloom organization as the top community in its class for its heritage conservation, landscaping, beautification, tidiness, environmental efforts and community involvement.
Arnprior's recreation facilities include four walking trails,
a marina, three ball diamonds, civic centre with two year-round ice surfaces and indoor pool, a curling rink, two municipal beaches, 14 parks covering , and an airport that offers charter tours, skydiving and flying lessons.
Arnprior also has a large number of cultural groups, including historical organizations, live theatre, chamber music, dance and choir, service clubs and an active artistic community with numerous studio tours and exhibits.
Some main attractions for the town are:
* Arnprior Market: This annual event is held on Sundays along John Street in Downtown Arnprior. From the
May long weekend until the last Sunday in September John Street is closed to traffic and over 30 vendors lines the street selling everything from fresh produce and preservatives to unique crafts and giftware. The Market runs from 9 am – 2 pm.
* Robert Simpson Park. The park houses a guarded beach, a splash pad, a canteen and a band stand where free live music can be found throughout the summer on Sundays from 2 – 4 pm. Robert Simpson Park features views of the Ottawa River and many activities take place at the park such as the annual Priorpalooza Music Festival, beach volleyball, and yoga on the beach.
* There are many walking trails in Arnprior including the Millennium trails and Macnamara Trail which provides scenic views of the waterfront, downtown heritage homes, and two nature trails including a walk-through of the Gillies Grove,
a tract of
old-growth forest
An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...
, preserving the white pine which was the foundation of the local lumber industry. Gillies Grove is also home to the tallest tree () in Ontario. Additionally the rivers and local lakes encourage boating, fishing and canoeing.
* Arnprior & District Museum, housed in the former Arnprior Post Office Customs House and built in 1896, offers a unique glimpse into the town's early days. It has undergone many renovations including a completely renovated 2nd floor which is home to a new modern exhibited. The museum also features travelling exhibits from the
Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a museum of art, world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest in Canada. It attracts more than one million visitors every year ...
often and hosts the Annual Quilt Exhibit every November.
* Priorpalooza, 12 hours of music celebrating local artists, this is a free event hosted at the beachfront on the first Saturday in June every year.
* White Pine Festival, a three-day event held all around town that includes vendors, music, food, a highland dance competition and a movie in the park.
* The Arnprior Fair, a mix of musical entertainment, livestock showing, educational displays and rides.
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
Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”.
History
The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
.
Notable people
*
Craig Cardiff,
Juno Award
The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...
-nominated folk singer
*
D'Alton Corry Coleman
D'Alton Corry Coleman (July 9, 1879October 17, 1956) was a Canadian railway executive and businessman. He began working for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in 1899, and was promoted through its ranks until serving as president from 1942 to ...
, president of the
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
from 1942 to 1947, attended secondary school in Arnprior while living in the nearby village of
Braeside Braeside, meaning ''hillside'' in the Scots language, may refer to:
*Braeside, Aberdeen, Scotland
*Braeside, Greenock, Scotland
*Braeside, Victoria, Australia
* Braeside, Ontario, Canada
*Braeside Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona
* Breaside, Chicago, ...
*
John Wesley Dafoe
John Wesley Dafoe (8 March 1866 – 9 January 1944) was a Canadian journalist. From 1901 to 1944 he was the editor of the '' Manitoba Free Press'', later named the ''Winnipeg Free Press''. He also wrote several books, including a biography of Sir W ...
, editor of the ''
Winnipeg Free Press
The ''Winnipeg Free Press'' (or WFP; founded as the ''Manitoba Free Press'') is a daily (excluding Sunday) broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It provides coverage of local, provincial, national, and international news, as well as ...
'' from 1901 to 1944, attended secondary school in Arnprior; the library of Arnprior District High School is named for him
*
Dan Fridgen
Daniel J. Fridgen (born May 18, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played 13 games in the National Hockey League with the Hartford Whalers between 1982 and 1983. After his playing career Fridgen coached at both Union ...
, retired
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) player signed by the
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
as a free agent on April 5, 1982.
*
Rick Hayward
Richard "Rick" A. Hayward (born 17 March 1952) is a British businessman who was chairman of the English association football club Wolverhampton Wanderers from 2003 to 2006. He is the eldest son of Sir Jack Hayward.
Biography
Hayward was educat ...
, retired NHL player drafted by the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
* John Leslie,
snowboarder representing Canada at
2014 Winter Paralympics
The 2014 Winter Paralympics (russian: Зимние Паралимпийские игры 2014, Zimniye Paralimpiyskiye igry 2014), the 11th Paralympic Winter Games, and also more generally known as the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, were an ...
*
Randy Pierce, retired NHL player drafted by the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
*
Gerald Presley
Gerald Presley (born 1942 in Arnprior, Ontario) was a Canadian bobsled
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a team winter sport that involves making timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh. International bobslei ...
, member of the
1965 world champion bobsledding team led by
Vic Emery
*
David Ridgen
David Ridgen is an independent Canadian filmmaker born in Stratford, Ontario. He has worked for CBC Television, MSNBC, NPR, TVOntario and others. He is currently the writer, producer and host of CBC Radio’s true-crime podcast series, ''Someon ...
, Award-winning filmmaker and host of CBC "true crime" podcasts ''
Someone Knows Something
''Someone Knows Something'' (or ''SKS'' for short) is a podcast by Canadian award-winning filmmaker and writer David Ridgen, first released in March 2016. The series is hosted, written and produced by Ridgen and mixed by Cesil Fernandes. The ser ...
'' and ''The Next Call.''
*
Jim Silye
Jim Silye (born April 28, 1946) is a Canadian politician, businessman, and former professional football player for the Canadian Football League.
Born in Vöcklabruck, Austria, he emigrated to Arnprior, Ontario in 1951. He received a Bachelor o ...
,
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
(CFL) player with the
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-old ...
(1969–75),
1971 Grey Cup Champs; later MP for
Calgary Centre
Calgary Centre (french: Calgary-Centre; formerly known as Calgary South Centre) is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1968. The riding consists of many young adul ...
from 1993 to 1997
See also
*
Arnprior Solar Generating Station
*
List of municipalities in Ontario
Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada with 14,223,942 residents as of Canada 2021 Census, 2021 and is List of Canadian provinces and territories by ...
*
List of townships in Ontario
This is a list of townships in the Canadian province of Ontario. Townships are listed by census division.
Northern Ontario Northeastern Ontario Algoma District
Historical/Geographic Townships
*Abbott
*Aberdeen Additional
*Abigo
*Abotossaway
* ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Lower-tier municipalities in Ontario
Municipalities in Renfrew County
Towns in Ontario