Local Treasures – Slow Lane Musings

A castle without its princess

The Thousand Islands form an archipelago of more than 1,800 islands in the St. Lawrence River, ranging in size from tiny to quite substantial. The islands straddle the Canada-U.S. border, sandwiched between Eastern Ontario and New York State.

There is a fascinating love story associated with a large castle on a heart-shaped island in American waters in the Thousand Islands. The six-storey, 120-room castle, constructed by George C. Boldt, was to be a gift for his dear wife, Louise, whom he adored.

They both loved the Thousand Islands, and like many of their affluent “Gilded Age” contemporaries at the end of the 19^th century, they spent their summers there in grand homes or on expensive yachts on the river.

These millionaires had made their fortunes in the new industries of the time (like railroads, large scale manufacturing, department stores and hotels). Once they discovered the area, they created their own little community in the Thousand Islands, away from the traditional elites of New York and Boston.

The castle was to be completed and ready for moving in before Valentine’s Day in 1904. But those plans were thwarted. Boldt’s princess died the month before they were to move in. The project was promptly abandoned. It is said that George Boldt never returned to live on the island.

An Ottawa River treasure

Driving east from Rockcliffe Park, on the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway, you will be surprised by the sudden sight of an outstanding building jutting out on the Ottawa River. The two-storey wood frame construction looks like it was built as a set for a period-piece movie.

The complex is a good example of an early 20th century boathouse, and this is why it was designated a federal heritage building in 2010. The designation also acknowledged its longstanding association with the history of canoeing in Canada.

Although the first canoe club in the region was established in 1883, it was the merging of the Ottawa and New Edinburgh Canoe Clubs in 1914 that made possible the construction of such a magnificent clubhouse between 1914 and 1923. The Ottawa River Boathouse was conceived by the eminent architect C.P. Meredith, who was also associated with the design of many prominent residences and landmark buildings in Ottawa.

In 2019, the National Capital Commission (NCC) began extensive refurbishment and upgrades to the boathouse, which turned it into a year-round and accessible gathering place and leisure destination. The complex reopened in 2023 under a new name: the NCC River House. Given its location, the facility is linked to the network of all-season NCC trails along the river.

When we visited it recently, the NCC River House was lively with people engaged in water sports, swimming or just enjoying the majestic view of the Ottawa River while sipping a drink or eating a gelato on the verandah.

Ottawa in bloom

Every year, the citizens of Ottawa have a good reason to eagerly anticipate the arrival of spring. Soon after the last of the snow has melted, all the streets and parks are cleaned and groomed in preparation for the Tulip Festival in May.

The festival is one of the most popular public events in the country attracting visitors from far and wide. Gardeners responsible for public parks in the national capital region and many homeowners join efforts to plant flower beds containing a large variety of colourful tulips. The tulip is the city’s official flower and the Tulip Festival has been an annual feature since 1953.

This is a time of the year when we really appreciate living in Ottawa. With a population of about one million inhabitants, the city has human proportions, and it never stops to enchant, plus it is beautiful and welcoming.

The festival was the brainchild of a well-known Ottawa-based photographer, Malak Karsh, who immortalized in pictures many of the sites around the capital, including the first Dutch tulips to bloom in the city in 1946. The city’s association with tulips has an interesting background.

Gardening for wildlife

On our summer strolls around the neighbourhood, we see many beautifully manicured front yard gardens. Some even look as if they come straight out of a magazine.

At times, we come across other gardens that are not so picture-perfect. We have come to appreciate that they are like that on purpose and are the work of mindful gardeners. Incorporating native flowers, shrubs and trees, those gardens are friendly to pollinators and provide food and shelter for wildlife.

In the past, we had paid little attention to this type of gardening, however, we now have the time and interest to learn more. Ottawa is home to the remarkable Fletcher Wildlife Garden (FWG). This public treasure is open year-round and free of charge. We love to visit it and immerse ourselves in the beauty and the fundamentals of ecological gardening

The Ottawa rock artist

Every summer, Remic Rapids Park is the setting for a remarkable display of balanced rock sculptures on the shore of the Ottawa River. The park is just a few kilometres from the city centre and offers expansive and relaxing views of the river, the rapids and the urban landscape in the distance.

The temporary public art display is the work of an exceptional artist named John Felice Ceprano, who has created his rock sculptures on this site since 1986, using the wide variety of rocks available in the river. What started as a project has become a regular fixture and people from Ottawa and far beyond return to Remic Rapids every summer to see and enjoy another original display of balanced rock sculptures.

Plaisance Falls

About 60 km east of Ottawa is the most striking waterfall in our region. Plaisance Falls are popular with locals and visitors, and we love going there at different times of year. On the Petite-Nation River, the falls are approximately sixty-three metres high. In comparison, Niagara Falls are but fifty-seven metres high. Plaisance Falls are impressive in the summer and spectacular in the winter.