A DELIGHTFUL TOWN YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
Peter Johansen takes a trip east of Ottawa and discovers the distractions of Rockland.
Q What did you do?
A I toured Rockland. Though it’s less than 40 kilometres east of Parliament Hill, I’d never stopped there. Local history and art, a couple of funky shops, a stroll by the scenic Ottawa River, good eats — it all added up to a few pleasant hours.
Q So tell me a little about Rockland.
A Named because of the rocky terrain on which it sits, it was founded in 1868 by W. C. Edwards of Thurso. He built two sawmills there, and by all accounts was a benevolent company-town boss. Among other things, he pushed for Ontario’s first bilingual high school. As Ottawa Valley lumbering declined, however, so did the mills; his enterprise was shuttered by 1926. Population stagnated. Recently, though, it’s booming as a bedroom community for Ottawa. Today’s population tops 11,000.
Q How do you know that history?
A Thanks to a tour of the local museum, on the main drag at 687 Laurier St. Located in a former school, it’s a labour of love for volunteer curator Gilles Chartrand. Three floors are cluttered with eclectic reminders of the area’s past: collections of thimbles and artistically-carved walking sticks; the sled, sweater, stick and helmet used by local son Marc Dorion to win an Olympic medal; elaborate scale models of the first general store and school; antique tools (from saws to a hand-held corn planter); a collection of Inuit items collected by a local woman who once taught at in Nunavut. Chartrand waxes enthusiastic about it all.
Q And what kind of art did you check out?
A I stopped first at Julie Laframboise’s studio, Concept-Art (2670 Dubois; by appointment, 613-446-2284). She has worked with glass for a dozen years, crafting everything from colourful wine goblets and cheese plates, her biggest sellers, to stunning bowls, jewelry, suncatchers and frames. She offers classes if you want to make your own work. At Anna Russell’s home studio (392 Quartz Ave.; by appointment, 613-447-7420), you’ll find lovely hand-pieced quilts. “I like a scrappy look, but organized scrappy,” she laughs. Proceeds from her quilts, which start at $450, go to a charity that teaches women in developing countries to support themselves by sewing. To see paintings by local artists, including landscape painter Larry Deacon and Susanne Bard, who produces fascinating poured acrylic abstracts, I dropped into Sienna Gallery (located in the rear of a strip mall at the intersection of Chamberland and Laporte streets). Owner Karen Charlebois also sells work by artists farther afield, including Winnipeg potter Valerie Metcalfe and etcher Sonia Gilbert of Quebec City.
Q You also mentioned you communed with nature.
A Yes, though to be honest it was a lovely day when I strolled around Du Moulin Park, located at the north end of Edwards Street by a picturesque stretch of the Ottawa River. You could opt for the more rigorous Prescott-Russell Recreation Trail, stretching 72 kilometres east to the Quebec border. Depending on weather, the former railway corridor offers good cycling or ungroomed cross-country skiing.
Q You mentioned shopping, didn’t you?
A The main drag is generally unremarkable, but a couple of recent additions are gems. Urban Forest has made ecologically-friendly bath products here since 2007, selling them as far afield as British Columbia. But just last month it opened a retail space at 1841 Laurier. You can buy its full array of products, from ginger-lime-sesame soap to chocolate almond dry shampoo, and check out its compact production area. And I was surprised to find East Swell (1608 Laurier), a shop for boarders of all kinds — snowboarders, skateboarders, surf-boarders. Even if you aren’t part of that crowd, the colourful clothing — Rip Curl bikinis and Billabong shorts to Bench hoodies and Burton coats — is popular with
young folk; the boards are works of art.
Q Where should I take a refreshment break?
A For coffee, nothing beats Café de Joël, in the mall beside Sienna Gallery. Each week, owners Joël and Louis Beland roast up to 600 pounds of coffee — all free-trade organic. Housemade sandwiches featuring local products are available. Comfortable chairs, board games and a piano help while away the time. Equally popular is the contemporary Euro-styled Café Bocado (2509 Laurier). Lunchtime fare includes Waldorf cabbage salad, Cuban pork paninis, and roasted vegetable quiche with goat cheese. Chez l’Boulanger (1370 Laurier), run by a couple who previously baked in Carleton Place, offers plenty of wholesome breads and desserts.
Q How do I get there?
A Head east on Highway 174 and look for the Laporte Street turnoff just after the Walmart store. Drop by the town hall at 1560 Laurier for a street map.