Rideau Lakes | |
|---|---|
| Township of Rideau Lakes | |
 Municipal office | |
 | |
  Rideau Lakes  Rideau Lakes | |
| Coordinates:44°40′N76°13′W / 44.667°N 76.217°W /44.667; -76.217 | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Ontario |
| County | Leeds and Grenville |
| Incorporated | 1 January 1998 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Arie Hoogenboom |
| • Fed. riding | Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes |
| • Prov. riding | Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes |
| Area | |
| • Land | 711.81 km2 (274.83 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 10,883 |
| • Density | 15.3/km2 (40/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Postal Code | K0E |
| Area code(s) | 613,343 |
| Website | www |
Rideau Lakes is atownship located within theUnited Counties of Leeds and Grenville inEastern Ontario,Canada. Rideau Lakes lies in the northwest corner of Leeds and Grenville, and is geographically the largest municipality in the county. The township administrative offices are located in the hamlet of Chantry.
The township was incorporated on 1 January 1998 by amalgamating the former Townships of North Crosby, South Crosby, Bastard and South Burgess, and South Elmsley, as well as the Village ofNewboro.[2][3]
Farming,tourism, andservice industries form the backbone of the localeconomy. The many tourist attractions in Rideau Lakes, including historictrails, the stone arch dam atJones Falls, and theRideau Canal, are also an important part of the township's economy.
Rideau Lakes has 500 km (310 mi) ofshoreline, excluding theRideau Waterway. The waterway itself traverses the township, from the toweringgranite cliffs near Chaffeys Lock to the more gentle and pastoral areas of the Lower Rideau Lake.[4]
Rideau Lakes contains many villages and hamlets, including:
The independent village ofWestport is entirely surrounded by Rideau Lakes, but is not part of the township.
A plaque was erected by the Ontario Heritage Foundation commemorating the founding of Newboro with the building of theRideau Canal in 1826–32.Benjamin Tett settled here in 1833. He opened a store and later a post office. The community served as a major construction camp during the building of the Rideau Canal. Newboro was a trade centre for the region's lumbering industry and agriculture. The economic development of the community was enabled by the shipment of iron ore from local mines via the Rideau canal to smelters in Pittsburgh and Cleveland during the latter part of the 19th century.[5]The Village of Newboro was incorporated in 1876.
A plaque was erected by the Ontario Heritage Foundation commemorating the founding of Chaffey's Lock by Benjamin and Samuel Chaffey, who established mills here in 1820. Samuel Chaffey settling here shortly thereafter. The site included a distillery and saw, grist, carding, and fulling mills by 1827. The mills were flooded by the building of theRideau Canal. A plaque was erected by the Chaffey's Lock and Area Heritage Society commemorating the founders, early builders, and all who have been part of the Chaffey's Lock community. Plaques have been erected by individuals and families on the Memory Wall, at Chaffey's Lock Cemetery.
TheQueen's University Biological Station is located just southwest of Chaffey's Lock.
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Rideau Lakes had a population of10,883 living in4,696 of its6,781 total private dwellings, a change of5.4% from its 2016 population of10,326. With a land area of 711.81 km2 (274.83 sq mi), it had a population density of15.3/km2 (39.6/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
| 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,883 (+5.4% from 2016) | 10,326 (+1.2% from 2011) | 10,207 (-1.4% from 2006) |
| Land area | 711.81 km2 (274.83 sq mi) | 729.22 km2 (281.55 sq mi) | 729.09 km2 (281.50 sq mi) |
| Population density | 15.3/km2 (40/sq mi) | 14.2/km2 (37/sq mi) | 14.0/km2 (36/sq mi) |
| Median age | 55.6 (M: 55.2, F: 55.6) | 54.0 (M: 53.7, F: 54.2) | |
| Private dwellings | 6,781 (total) 4,696 (occupied) | 6,891 (total) 4,423 (occupied) | 6258 (total) |
| Median household income | $84,000 | $71,801 |
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 9,687 | — |
| 2006 | 10,350 | +6.8% |
| 2011 | 10,207 | −1.4% |
| 2016 | 10,326 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 10,883 | +5.4% |
| Source: Statistics Canada[1] | ||
Mother tongue (2021):[1]
TheRideau Trail, a 300-kilometre (190 mi) footpath from Kingston to Ottawa, passes through the township. The highest point on the trail is located in theFoley Mountain Conservation Area, which is located within the township. TheCataraqui Trail, arail trail on a formerCanadian National right-of-way, goes through the township, passing near Portland, Elgin, and Chaffey's Lock. The Old Stone Mill National Historic Site is located within the village of Delta.
Trout island is a double island on the Rideau lakes; it became famous for its great trout fishing. There are three cottages on the island.
Places adjacent to Rideau Lakes | |
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1 Administratively separated municipality but remains a census subdivision of the county | |
