Mattawa, Ontario
Mattawa | ||
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Postal Code P0H 1V0 |
Mattawa is a town in northeastern Ontario, Canada at the confluence of the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers in Nipissing District. The first Europeans to pass through this area were Étienne Brûlé and Samuel de Champlain.
History
In 1610,
Other notable travellers who passed by Mattawa include:
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Gare_de_mattawa.jpg/220px-Gare_de_mattawa.jpg)
The Mattawa House was established by the
In the 19th century, Mattawa became a hub for the logging industry, which would harvest large untouched stands of
Logging is still an important industry in this region, and nearby provincial parks and wilderness support the camping/hunting/fishing tourism industry in Mattawa today. Mattawa is located on the Canadian Pacific Railway Chalk River subdivision, connecting Smiths Falls and North Bay, with an additional connection to Témiscaming, Quebec.
Mattawa elected Canada's first-ever
In April 2010, the old Mattawa hospital (visible as the red building in the adjacent image) was demolished amid controversy, since the building was a local landmark for which heritage status was considered. A new Mattawa Hospital had been in service for about a year.[10] The area is also served by the regional hospital in nearby North Bay.[11] The old hospital site is expected to be used for the construction of a new secondary school, funded by the Province of Ontario through the Conseil Scolaire de District Catholique Franco-Nord.[citation needed]
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Mattawa had a population of 1,881 living in 857 of its 929 total private dwellings, a change of -5.6% from its 2016 population of 1,993. With a land area of 3.67 km2 (1.42 sq mi), it had a population density of 512.5/km2 (1,327.5/sq mi) in 2021.[12]
2021 | 2011 | |
---|---|---|
Population | 1,881 (-5.6% from 2016) | 2023 (1.0% from 2006) |
Land area | 3.67 km2 (1.42 sq mi) | 3.66 km2 (1.41 sq mi) |
Population density | 513.1/km2 (1,329/sq mi) | 553.5/km2 (1,434/sq mi) |
Median age | 53.6 (M: 52.8, F: 53.6) | 46.4 (M: 45.8, F: 46.9) |
Private dwellings | 929 (total) 857 (occupied) | 888 (total) |
Median household income | $53,200 |
- Population trend:[16][17][18]
- Population 2011: 2,023
- Population 2006: 2,003
- Population 2001: 2,270
- Population 1996: 2,281
- Population 1991: 2,454
34% of Mattawanians are
Attractions
Mattawa is the site of many large wooden statues depicting local historical figures, such as Champlain,
Three crosses are on the mountain on the east side of the Ottawa River, immediately opposite the mouth of the Mattawa River.In 1686, the Chevalier de Troyes had three crosses erected while leading an expedition to attack English trading posts on James Bay. This let voyageurs more easily spot the entrance to the Mattawa and thereby access the upper Great Lakes.[citation needed] The crosses have been replaced several times. They are accessible via a trail which begins at the Quebec end of the railroad bridge which crosses the Ottawa.
Mattawa provides access to numerous dropping off points for canoeing or boating on the Ottawa River. The river acts as a natural border between the hills of the province of Quebec and Ontario. The Mattawa River flows through the Canadian Shield, and wildlife can often be seen and heard. The area offers fishing, camping, and hiking. There are numerous motels, campgrounds, and retreat centres in and around Mattawa.
Just west is Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, on the Mattawa River. The park is also home of the Canadian Ecology Centre, an eco-friendly retreat centre that is facilitated to accommodate business retreats. Algonquin Provincial Park can be accessed from the north side in Kiosk or the east side in Brent.
The town and nearby area contain over 200 kilometres (120 mi) of year-round ATV and snowmobile trails, known as the Voyageur Multi Use Trail System (VMUTS).
In 2007, Mattawa and the townships of
Voyageur Days
Every summer since 1997, the Mattawa Voyageur Days Festival is held the last weekend (Thursday-Sunday) of July. It is organized by the Town of Mattawa. Concerts take place behind the Museum on Explorer's Point, with many other events and attractions around town. Some of the events include a regional talent night,
On the Sunday night, at dusk, there is a traditional choreographed fireworks show.
Mattawa Voyageur Days celebrated its 10th anniversary in July 2007, selling out of its 7,000 admission wristbands before the event had begun. In 2008, Festivals and Events Ontario listed Mattawa Voyageur Days as one of the Top 100 Ontario Festivals.[21]
Musical references
Media
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Mattawa_ON_downtown.jpg/220px-Mattawa_ON_downtown.jpg)
Radio
Mattawa is served by two low-power
- AM 1090 - Première Chaîne
- AM 1240 - CBLO, CBC Radio One
- FM 93.9 - CJTK-FM, Christian radio (repeats CJTK-FM-1 North Bay, Ontario).
The town is otherwise served by radio stations from North Bay.
Mattawa's weekly newspaper The Mattawa Recorder has been in publication since 1972. It is owned and published by Tom and Heather Edwards.
Notable people
- Anahareo, wife of writer and conservationist Grey Owl
- Mauril Bélanger, Member of Parliament (1995–2016)
- Lillian Bilsky Freiman, philanthropist and Zionist
- Donald Hogarth, politician and mining financier
- Franco-Ontariansinger/songwriter
- John C. Major, puisine justice of the Supreme Court of Canada (1992–2005)
- Dr. Firmin Monestime, Canada's first black mayor
- Gilbert Parent, Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada
- Chick Webster, hockey player
See also
- List of francophone communities in Ontario
References
- ^ 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
- 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Archived from the originalon 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2012-02-09.
- ^ a b Canadian Heritage Rivers System: Mattawa River fact sheet, Ministry of Natural Resources (Online version Archived 2008-06-24 at the Wayback Machine)
- ^ a b Archeological and Historic Sites Board of Canada
- ^ Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada
- ^ Ontario Archaeological and Historic Sites Board
- ISBN 0-533-12572-3
- ^ Government of Ontario - Ontario Heritage Trust
- ^ "Mattawa's Dr. Firmin Monestime Remembered", North Bay Nugget, October 26, 2007.
- ^ "Our Heritage". MattawaHealth.ca. Mattawa Hospital. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ "History". North Bay Regional Health Centre. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
- 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
- 2006 Census data. Statistics Canada. 13 March 2007. Retrieved 2011-02-16.
- Canada 2001 Census
- Canada 1996 Census
- ^ Mackey, D. "History in the Streets of Mattawa", North Bay Nugget, September 9, 2005. Accessed March 29, 2008.
- ^ Adams, K. "Mattawa sports a new look", Baytoday.ca, July 17, 2007. Accessed March 28, 2008.
- ^ Hamilton-McCharles, J. "Voyageur Days among top festivals in Ontario; Organizers booking more acts", North Bay Nugget, March 6, 2008. Accessed March 29, 2008.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)