Metcalfe is a population centre located in Osgoode Ward, in the rural south-end of the city of

Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

, Canada. Prior to amalgamation in 2001, the community was in Osgoode Township. According to the

Canada 2016 Census The 2016 Canadian census was an enumeration of Canadian residents, which counted a population of 35,151,728, a change from its 2011 population of 33,476,688. The census, conducted by Statistics Canada, was Canada's seventh quinquennial censu ...

, it has a population of 1,776.

History

Colonel Archibald Macdonell, believed by some to be the first settler in Osgoode Township, settled just south of the current location of Metcalfe in March 1827. The village was originally called Hawley’s Corners, but in 1877 it was renamed to Metcalfe in honour of Charles Theophilus Metcalfe,

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...

from 1843 to 1846. In its early days, Metcalfe was a stop on the stagecoach route from

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

(known at the time as

Bytown Bytown is the former name of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was founded on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod ...

) to

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

. The village of Metcalfe was bypassed in the construction of railway lines, limiting its further growth. The railway line to Cornwall passed to the east, through the town of Russell, while another to Prescott passed to the west through Osgoode Village. By 1866, Metcalfe was a post village with a population of 250 of the township of Osgoode, nine miles from the Osgoode station on the Ottawa and Prescott Railway, and twenty miles from Ottawa. The village contained four general stores, an ashery, one wagon shop, five boot and shoe shops, and three carpenters. The 6th Division Court was held here, at the Victoria Hall. It contained the Metcalfe grammar school, and a common school; three churches, the Church of England, the Free Church of Scotland, and the Wesleyan Methodist. The Loyal Orange Lodge No. 205, met on the second Tuesday in each month while No. 688, met on the first Tuesday in each month. In the fall of 2008, parts of Metcalfe were used as sets in the filming of the Syfy

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

Carny.

Schools

*Metcalfe Public School *St. Catherine Catholic School *Community Christian School * Osgoode Township High School - The only high school in the township of Osgoode.

Sports

The village is home to various sports facilities, most notably the Metcalfe Community Centre which bears the name of former

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...

all-star defenceman Larry Robinson. The Centre's arena houses the local Junior C hockey team: the Metcalfe Jets. Notable Jets alumni include Larry Robinson and two of his brothers, as well as

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

' Marc Savard. It also hosts the Metcalfe skating club for figure skating and canskate. The small community also boasts the home to one golf course (Metcalfe Golf Club), seven baseball fields, a tennis court, curling club, and various soccer fields.

Today

The village today serves largely as a residential community for the City of Ottawa. The local agricultural fair, the Metcalfe Fair, has been held each fall since 1856.

References

{{authority control Neighbourhoods in Ottawa Former municipalities now in Ottawa Former villages in Ontario Populated places disestablished in 2001