Chalk River, Ontario

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chalk River (2006 pop.: 800) is a Canadian rural community in Renfrew County, Ontario.

The community is located in the Upper Ottawa Valley, 10 km inland (west) from the Ottawa River, approximately 21 km northwest of Petawawa, Ontario and 182 km northwest of Ottawa, Ontario.

Chalk River is located on the Trans-Canada Highway (Ontario Highway 17). The area is environmentally pristine with extensive forests, hills and numerous small lakes all of which support a variety of wildlife typical to the southern edge of the Canadian Shield.

St. Anthony's Elementary School is the only educational institution in the community, instructing grades JK-6. Soon it may expand to grade 8.(08) Students in higher grades are bussed to Deep River.

[edit] History

The town was first settled in the mid-1800s and named in 1875 after either the Ottawa River (it may have been referred to locally as the "Chalk River") or more likely for the chalk used to mark timber that floated along the Ottawa River during the spring log drives.

Chalk River played an increasingly important role in settlement of the Upper Ottawa Valley after a Canadian Pacific Railway line was constructed through the area.

[edit] Local employers

The community borders the northern edge of CFB Petawawa.

The Chalk River Laboratories is a nuclear research centre named after the community. It is located on the bank of the Ottawa River in the neighbouring community of Deep River