Lakefield, Ontario

Lakefield (population 2400) is a village which is a part of the township of Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield, and Peterborough County, Ontario, although it was formerly a separate village. The Trent-Severn Waterway passes on the west. Although the marina in Lakefield was closed in 2003 for repairs, it was reopened in time for the 2006 boating season. Lakefield is the site of jazz and literary festivals every summer. There is also a buskers festival on the long weekend in May, which also marks the opening of the Trent-Severn canal. Lakefield is located about 14 km north of Peterborough, slightly east of Bridgenorth, south of Buckhorn and Apsley and west of Highway 28. Lake Katchewanooka, the source of the Otonabee River, is found north of the village. The village has one public and one Catholic elementary school, a public and a private secondary school and numerous churches.

Education

Near the village is Lakefield College School which Prince Andrew, Duke of York attended in 1977. The campus was the filming location for the 1977 Canadian film "Age of Innocence". In the village itself is the Ridpath Junior Public School named after James William Ridpath, publisher in the early 19th century of the Lakefield News, local businessman, sportsman and dignitary. Located right in the village is the Lakefield District Secondary School. St. Paul's Catholic School situated very close to the high school is the area parochial school.

In fiction

In Paul Nicholas Mason's novel, "Battered Soles" (2005), Lakefield is the site of a pilgrimage, begun in July 1997, which sees thousands of pilgrims from all over the world walk from Peterborough along the Rotary Greenway Trail to St. John's Anglican Church in the village. The focus of the pilgrimage is a life-sized statue of a blue-skinned Jesus in the basement of the church. Mason's second novel, "The Red Dress" (2008), is also set in Lakefield -- though this time the community is thinly-disguised as Greenfield.

In film

Lakefield and The Lakefield Boys School were used as the location for the 1977 Canadian film "Age of Innocence" (aka "Ragtime Summer") starring David Warner of "The Omen" fame, Honor Blackman of "James Bond" fame and Trudy Young. One memorable scene was shot at the location of the old Lakefield train station on Stanley St. The first 4 letters were removed on the "Lakefield" sign and replaced with the name "Rockfield".

Famous persons

*Margaret Laurence, Canadian novelist
*Susanna Moodie, Pioneer, Canadian writer and newspaper editor
*Catharine Parr Traill, Pioneer, Canadian writer, naturalist (sister of Susanna Moodie)
*Paul Nicholas Mason, Canadian writer
*Leahy Family, Canadian band and Natalie MacMaster
*Bruce Ridpath, Professional ice hockey player who played on several Stanley Cup teams in the early-20th Century
*James William Ridpath, Lakefield newspaper publisher and namesake of local public school
*Troon Harrison, author of children and young adults' books
*Ronnie "The Hawk" Hawkins, Country Music Artist
*Paul Soles, actor, original voice of Spider-Man

Communities

	North: Galway-Cavendish and Harvey, Buckhorn, Apsley
West: Kawartha Lakes, Bridgenorth	Lakefield	East: Douro-Dummer
	South: Cavan-Millbrook-North Monaghan, Peterborough

ee also

* CAMMAC Ontario Music Centre's annual two-week summer camp is held at Lakefield College School [http://www.cammac.ca]
*List of communities in Ontario