- Wakefield, Quebec
Wakefield is a village on the western shore of the
Gatineau River , at the confluence of theLa Pêche River in theOutaouais region ofQuebec . The village, named after the town ofWakefield inWest Yorkshire ,England , is now the southern edge of the municipality of La Pêche, and was founded in 1830 by Irish, Scottish and English immigrants. It is approximately thirty minutes fromOttawa ,Ontario driving north on Autoroute 5 and Route 105 at Route 366. During the summer, the Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam Train, atourist heritage railway operates between Wakefield and Gatineau.The village's primary industry is
tourism . The main attractions, in addition to a picturesque setting, are thecovered bridge spanning the Gatineau River, and the recently restored Maclaren Mill, named after an early family in the region. The village also provides an access point toGatineau Park at Lac Philippe. Recreational activities in and around the village include horseback riding,skiing ,snowmobiling ,dog sled ding,golf ,canoe ing andkayak ing. It is also known for having the highest bungee jump in theAmericas at 200 feet.The village has developed a reputation for a somewhat bohemian lifestyle and boasts a number of small cafes, pubs and galleries. Many artists live in the surrounding mountains and valleys, including a [http://www.jurbanrings.com Celtic jeweller] , or painter [http://www.oldesage.com/ Tiffany Teske] . Public buildings include a hospital, elementary school, police station and [http://bibliowakefieldlibrary.ca 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 at MacLaren Cemetery in Wakefield. Part of the movie Grey Owl was filmed here.External links
* [http://villelapeche.qc.ca/en/info.shtml Municipality of La Pêche]
* [http://wakefieldensemble.org Wakefield Ensemble]
* [http://laconfiserie.ca Wakefield Confectionery]
* [http://www.steamtrain.ca Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam Train]
* [http://www.RiverEcho.ca French or English Language Holidays in Wakefield]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Wakefield,+QC,+Canada&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=14&ll=45.638731,-75.929313&spn=0.042128,0.10849&t=h&iwloc=addr Google map of the Wakefield area]
* [http://www.bungee.ca Great Canadian Bungee]
* [http://www.jurbanrings.com Local Celtic Jeweller John Urban]
* [http://www.lagrangecountryinn.com La Grange Country Inn & Yoga Studio]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.