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Cheers from Doris
In the late summer we drove through the Madawaska Valley (www.madawaskavalley.on.ca)
en route from Ottawa to our home in the 400/11 (www.400eleven.com) area.
We had enjoyed Ottawa but were ready to leave the hustle of its superhighways
and heavy traffic and happily watched it all slip away behind us as we
drove along the Queensway/417 out into the countryside, onto the single-lane
#17 and then onto #60. On #17 between Ottawa and Renfrew one can still
see old log houses and barns in good repair, and there are wonderful broad
vistas of farmland.
We stopped in Renfrew for lunch at The Old Towne Hall Restaurant and Tea
Room (www.theoldtownehalltearoom.com) where we had lovely fresh salads.
The proprietor was born in "The Valley" - "I come from
Killaloe", she said, and smiled approvingly as we told her we were
headed to Wilno and Barry's Bay.
Our actual destination was Chippawa Resort on Lake Kaminiskeg, located
on #62 between Barry's Bay and Combermere (www.chippawaresort.com), where
we spent several days with friends. This is an annual "end of summer"
ritual, and we enjoy exploring the region - every year there is something
new to see. There is a rich cultural heritage in the Township of Madawaska
Valley, built on the Irish and Polish immigrants who settled the area
in the Nineteenth Century. There are many log buildings, and some smooth-sided
wooden buildings covered with paintings in the Polish tradition.
We enjoyed dinner at the Wilno Tavern (613-756-2029), which advertises
itself as an "historic Polish pub" and was built in 1894 when
the railway went through. The traditional Polish foods are especially
good there, although I've never seen a plate of food at Wilno Tavern that
didn't look delicious. We were fortunate this year to be there on Tuesday
night for their weekly Blues Jam. It's a wonderful way to wind down a
day in the Valley. Wilno is Canada's oldest Polish settlement.
A new park opened in Barry's Bay this summer commemorating an important
piece of Canadian history and legend - the Zurakowski Park (www.madawaskavalley.on.ca
and follow link). The park has a scale model of the CF-105 Avro Arrow
whose test pilot was Janusz "Zura" Zurakowski, a citizen of
Barry's Bay for over 40 years. The park is located on a small triangle
of land in the centre of Barry's Bay, across from the old Railway Station,
but its soaring Arrow and plaques describing the accomplishments of Zurakowski
are most impressive - another good reason to visit this region. Eventually
there will be a museum on the site as well.
Our final evening with our friends at Chippawa Resort provided a spectacular
sunset over the lake, making us reluctant, as always, to leave this beautiful,
distinct region of Ontario.
Doris Grant
Click here for photos
Sunset
Avro Arrow Model -Barry's
Bay, Ontario
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