Places - Towns, Villages and Municipalities

“Beautiful Gatineau.” Quebec

Within the beautiful and picturesque Capital of Canada and the thriving city of Hull lies the Gatineau district, one of the most famous recreational areas in eastern Canada. It is a domain of rugged hills covered with forests, fertile farm dotted valleys, swift flowing rivers and streams and deep clear watered lakes, all of which unite to make a region of natural attractiveness the equal of any in the world. It may be entered by rail and motor highway, also by numerous passable roads.

Leaving Ottawa the C.P.R. traverses the district from south to north paralleling the Gatineau River from Hull to Maniwaki a distance of eighty-two miles. The scenery along this stretch is magnificent, whether under the green and flowered mantle of summer, the golden pageant of autumn, or the gleaming snowy garment of winter, when thousands of skiers invade it. Tourists or visitors will find the three hours run to Maniwaki one of pleasure and interest at all times. The motor tourist will also find this a charming country as an excellent motor road winds over hill and dale through the picturesque and colourful valley keeping nearly always in sight of the river. This road is surfaced as far as Wakefield, to which point comfortable bus lines operate daily. The road to Maniwaki is at all times passable. Going northward along the highway or by train, Ironsides, five miles from Hull, is situated.

Going northward along the highway or by train, Ironsides, five miles from Hull, is situated. Near here a road leading to the right from the highway will bring you by way of Alonzo Wright bridge to one of the loveliest spots in the Gatineau, where is situated St. Alexander's College, and Shrine and the famed sugar bush. A few miles further onward is the village of Cantley and Wilson's Corners where is situated the marvellous Lefleche Natural Cave, said to be one of the largest in Canada. The remarkable form and weird beauty of this cave which is said to be of volcanic origin, is enhanced by the many curious formations on the petrified walls, resembling human faces and animals. For the benefit of the many visitors who desire to see this cave, it has been electrically lighted and every provision made so that it may be entered in perfect safety.

Continuing northward on the highway we come to the pretty village of Chelsea, popular both for its own beauty and that of lovely Kingsmere and Kirk's Ferry nearby. The latter place possesses the fine Larrimac Golf Course and also has good fishing at Blackburn's Creek. A little further on is Cascades named because of the rapids there. It has a fine sandy beach and it is a popular commuting center. Farm Point, eighteen miles, has a commodious and well-appointed summer hotel, stores and other conveniences which makes it attractive to visitors. Wakefield has excellent bathing facilities and good hotel and boarding house accommodation. An especially fine view of the river and valley may be had from Wakefield Mountain. Kazabazua, forty-seven miles, in addition to being a popular resort is a point of entry to some fine trout waters and with Gracefield, ten miles further on, is also a going-in point for hunters. Blue Sea Lake, broad and deep and studded with wooded isles, is as lovely as its name implies and conceded to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the whole district. Palatial hcmes are on its shores and other fine homes are picturesquely located on its wooded sides. Maniwaki is the railway terminus and the gateway to a magnificently wild and beautiful country beyond. Numerous outfitters are located here who are prepared to take charge of parties and supply equipment.

Few people ever imagined that this beautiful and picturesque river could be transformed into a mammoth power producing source, but this is what has transpired during the past few years, so that to-day the complete Gatineau projects involve the damming of the Gatineau River at four points, and the construction of four hydro-electric generating stations whose turbines will take the river flow, corresponding to 10,000 cubic feet per second continuously and from it develop 550,000 horsepower in twenty-three mighty waterwheels. The first, six miles from the mouth of the river at Farmers; the second at Chelsea, one and one-third miles further upstream; the third at Paugan, thirty-two miles from the mouth of the river; and the fourth near Maniwaki, thirty-seven miles above Paugan.

The large power developments at these four points could not, naturally, be undertaken without an efficient control of the stream flow. This is now accomplished by the Baskatong Storage plant. Work was started in September, 1925, construction starting in November, 1925, and was completed by April, 1927.

The main dam, known as the Mercier Dam, is located on the Gatineau River, at the Bitobe Rapids twelve miles kelow the junction of the Gatineau and the Gens de Terre Rivers, and thirty-two miles north of Maniwaki rail head.

The censtruction of these immense storage works had to be carried on in a district to which there was no rail connection, and being thirty-two miles from the end of steel all materials had to be hauled to the site over difficult country roads, some 35,000 tons of material having been hauled.

Starting from the storage reservoir, the water will first be utilized at Maniwaki, where approximately 100,000 horsepower will be developed. From here it winds its way to Paugan, where a plant operating uncler a head of 135 feet, has been designed for eight 34,000 horsepower units, or a total of 272,000 horsepower. After passing through these mighty water-wheels, it passes on to the Chelsea plant, which has a designed capacity of 170,000 horsepower. One and one-thid miles below this the same water passes through the wheels of the Farmers plant, which has a designed capacity of 120,000 horsepower.

Pcwer generated from the waters of the Gatineau River supply the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, for consumption in Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario. The bulk of this power will be genecrated at the Paugan plant, and again you have a superlative, because this energy will flow over the longest ard highest voltage transmission line on the continent. It is 230 miles in length, and the operating voltage is 220,000. The power from these waters also serves the huge industrial concerns of The Canada Cem«nt Company, which has plants situated in various strategic points throughout the Dominion with a combined capacity of 12,000,000 barrels per year. Among other industries deriving the benefit of the power on this river are. The Gatineau Newsprint Mill of The Canadian International Paper Company and Hull Iron & Steel Company.