Wakefield, Quebec

Wakefield is one of many villages of the Municipality La Pêche, Quebec, with the village centre on the western shore of the Gatineau River, at the confluence of the La Pêche River in the Outaouais region of Quebec. The village, named after the city of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, is now the southern edge of the municipality of La Pêche, and was founded in 1830 by Irish, Scottish, and English immigrants. Wakefield is approximately a twenty-five-minute drive north of the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge that divides Gatineau and Ottawa (Ontario), along the Autoroute 5, a modern four lane divided highway which has recently been extended to the village.

Wakefield in winter

History

The village's primary industry is tourism. The main attractions, in addition to a picturesque setting, are the covered bridge spanning the Gatineau River; the Maclaren Mill built in 1838 and named after an early family in the region, now restored and operated as the Wakefield Mill Inn and Spa; and the Black Sheep Inn, or Auberge Mouton Noir. The village provides access points to Gatineau Park near the junction of Route Principale and the Highway 5, and also at the Wakefield Mill. During the summer months until 2011, a touristic steam train ran daily from Gatineau to Wakefield via Chelsea along the Gatineau River.

Covered bridge

Recreational activities in and around the village include horseback riding, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, tubing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, golf, canoeing, and kayaking. There is a popular unsupervised and unofficial swimming area beneath the covered bridge that attracts thousands of people from the surrounding area every summer.

The Wakefield community has a thriving arts scene that attracts aficionados seeking an eclectic experience.

Grey Owl was partially filmed here in 1999.[1]

Since 2011 the village has hosted the Wakefield Covered Bridge Run. The Marathon of Health along with the Wakefield community created the running event to raise money for organizations that promote healthy and active lifestyles through sports.

The village has developed a reputation for a somewhat bohemian lifestyle and boasts a number of small cafes, pubs, and galleries. Many young families live in the area, enjoying its lifestyle, services, and resources. Many artists live in the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Black Sheep Inn / Le Mouton Noir

Public buildings include the Wakefield Memorial Hospital, an elementary school, the MRC des Collines Police Station, the Daycare Center Éveil de la nature, the Wakefield Retirement Home, and a municipal library. A weekly regional newspaper, The Low Down to Hull and Back News (a play on the Gatineau River communities from Low downstream to Hull), is also published in the village.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson is buried in MacLaren Cemetery in Wakefield.

See also

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Wakefield (Quebec).

References

  1. ↑ Grey Owl, IMDb

Coordinates: 45°37′59″N 75°55′59″W / 45.633°N 75.933°W / 45.633; -75.933

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