One hundred years of Canadian history (almost) at your doorstep

Significant pieces of Canadian history are closer to home that you might think.

Parks Canada, the federal agency responsible for managing the country's national parks and historical sites, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. With that in mind, and as a follow-up to the recent Canada Day celebrations, Parks Canada is inviting the public to celebrate its special birthday with a free "doors open" day at its sites this Saturday, July 16.

Within the local region, those sites include the Carillon Canal in Saint-André-d'Argenteuil, Quebec (20 kilometres northeast of Hawkesbury) and the Coteau-du-Lac site (25 kilometres south of Rigaud, Quebec).

"These sites attract regional visitors and history buffs, but most local residents don't realize how close Canadian history truly is to their hometowns," explained Jonathan France, director of historical research at Parks Canada.

Both canals, like the many canals that played a major role in Canada's development, were constructed in the 19th century as a response to British military requirements. In particular, the Carillon Canal - constructed between 1819 and 1830 - made up one part of a system that included canals in Grenville (still in existence today) and in Chute-à-Blondeau.

The British army felt the need to build such canals following the War of 1812, in which an attempted American invasion and repeated attacks along the St. Lawrence River highlighted the vulnerability of communications and transportation lines between Upper and Lower Canada's main military posts (Kingston and Montreal, respectively).

"As a result, the government was finally moved to build a full-fledged canal system on the Ottawa River, not only for reasons of military strategy but also in order to spur the shipment of timber, by then a mainstay of the colonial economy," according to Parks Canada literature.

In all, the system had 11 locks and served to ease the export of timber to England, as well as facilitate trade along the Montreal-Kingston route, including in Bytown (today's Ottawa). As boats and commercial activity both increased in size, the Canals Commission recommended deepening the Ottawa River between Lachine and Ottawa in 1870. The construction of a dam upstream from Carillon raised the water level high enough to render the Chute-à-Blondeau lock obsolete.

Today, the site also features the Hydro-Québec hydroelectric generating station and dam - built between 1959 and 1963 - as well as a new, single lock that was constructed to allow river traffic to continue past the new dam. The current canal, inaugurated in 1963, only has one lock - though it boasts the largest drop in elevation (20 metres) across the country.

For a real historical perspective, visitors can also view the remains of the first and second canals, the superintendent's house and the toll collector's house. The former Carillon Barracks now houses the Argenteuil Regional Museum, and in between these sites is a large park - perfect for family gatherings or a picnic.

This Saturday for "Parks Day," visitors to the Carillon Canal can also stop by the toll collector's house and sample local produce and wine from the Laurentians and Argenteuil regions. The samples come from locations along the "Chemin du Terroir," a 226-kilometre, four-season route that highlights producers across western Quebec.

The next stop for any history buff - which is also a great place for a lazy weekend afternoon and a chance to imagine yourself in the world of a century ago - is the Coteau-du-Lac national historic site. Billed today as a "genuine archaeological garden," the British fortification once served to protect the St. Lawrence River and the border area during conflicts with the United States.

Built between 1779 and 1820, it protected the first lock canal in Canada (the remains of which are presented today) and one of the most strategic points for transshipment in the country. Visitors can take a guided tour or simply take a walk along the site's nature circuit - offering serene views of the river - as well as tour a replica of the octagonal blockhouse.

Inside, a history buff or Parks Canada guide will likely fill you in on some of the crucial details of 19th century Canadian history. However, the site has existed through 7,000 years of history, bearing the traces of Aboriginal peoples, French explorers and British soldiers - each of whom occupied the location at some point in time. Prior to the canal, each also had to avoid the rapids while traveling upstream along the river.

If you go:

Schedule:
Open May to October.

How to get there:
From Vankleek Hill: Take Highway 34 to Hawkesbury and cross the Long-Sault Bridge into Grenville, Quebec. Turn right on Route 344 and continue 21 kilometres until you reach the Carillon Canal. Next, take the ferry across the Ottawa River ($8 with a vehicle) to Pointe-Fortune. Take Route 342 east until you reach Highway 40 and drive for 7 km. Take exit 17 for Route 201, and head south for 20 kilometres until you reach Coteau-du-Lac.
Heading back to Vankleek Hill, Hawkesbury and St-Eugène: Take Route 201 north to Highway 40, and take Highway 40 westbound into Ontario (Highway 417).

For more information: Visit www.pc.gc.ca or:
Carillon Canal: 450-447-4888
Coteau-du-Lac: 450-763-5631