Whitewater Region | |
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Township (lower-tier) | |
Township of Whitewater Region | |
Highway 17 through Cobden.
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Coordinates: 45°43′N 76°50′W / 45.717°N 76.833°WCoordinates: 45°43′N 76°50′W / 45.717°N 76.833°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Ontario |
County | Renfrew |
Established | 2001 |
Government | |
• Type | Township |
• Mayor | Hal Johnson |
• Governing Body | Township of Whitewater Region Council |
• MP | Cheryl Gallant (CPC) |
• MPP | John Yakabuski (OPC) |
Area | |
• Total | 537.96 km2 (207.71 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 6,921 |
• Density | 12.9/km2 (33/sq mi) |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
Postal code FSA | K0J |
Area code(s) | 613 |
Website | www.whitewaterregion.ca |
Whitewater Region is a township located within the scenic Ottawa Valley, in eastern Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River in Renfrew County. Whitewater Region is made up of the former municipalities of Beachburg, Cobden, Ross and Westmeath, which were amalgamated into the current township on January 1, 2001.
Whitewater Region is named after the stretch of world-famous whitewater on the Ottawa River, popular for rafting and kayaking. This section is part of the Ottawa River Provincial Park.
The township also claims a distinctive place in Canada’s history. An astrolabe bearing the date 1603 and believed to have belonged to Samuel de Champlain was discovered within the township. A monument commemorating this historic site is located just outside Cobden on Highway 17.
The township comprises the communities of Beachburg, Chenaux, Cobden, Finchley, Foresters Falls, Garden of Eden, The Glen, Grants Settlement, Haley Station, Kerr Line, La Passe, Ledgerwoods Corner, McLaren's Settlement, Meath, Millars Corner, Perretton, Pleasant Valley, Queens Line, Rocher Fendu, Shields Crossing, Snake River and Westmeath.
Beachburg (45°44′00″N 76°51′30″W / 45.73333°N 76.85833°W) is one of the larger population centres in Whitewater Region, having a variety of stores and restaurants, an arena, several halls, a public elementary school and a public library. It was founded by and named after David Beach, and became a stop along the Canadian Northern Railway line with a station and grain elevators. In 1853, the entire village, except for 2 houses, was destroyed by fire. By 1869, Beachburg was a village with a population of 250 in Westmeath County, Renfrew. There were stages to Pembroke and Sand Point. The average price for land was $8.