Northern Light
Superstar
Took a recent camping trip in Bon Echo provincial park; for those into camping, a wonderful spot, great wildlife, hiking, canoeing and swimming (during warmer weather!).
In any event, I avoided the big highways going to and from where possible; and so passed though many small communities in central and eastern Ontario.
I will try to post some photos, though I don't have many as I was driving and its a 4 hour trip from T.O. to the park, not including food stops.
But I thought I would share some observations of the various communities, and invite others with thoughts or photos to share!
*********
Peterborough: Not a small town, but my first stop. Been there many times and note the following, downtown is not doing bad, community over all has a nice feel, and a whole lot of train tracks (they can't all be in use, I don't think) .....
They have a Sears in their burbs....made me laugh, straight out of the 1950's, you'd expect to run into Wally and The Beav there.
What's with the LCBO situation there? 4 LCBOs in a community of 76,000! But not one of them is open after 8pm, and many close at 6pm (on weekdays)!
***********
Havelock
What a tiny little town, also with a bunch of railway tracks. This used to be decent sized centre for CP I gather, the old train station is still standing and has a restaurant (if you can call it that) in it. No passenger trains stop here anymore, but we actually saw a train from CP's Kawartha Lakes railway stored in the railyard in town (which looks large enough to do a fare chunk of business). I see that the tracks only go a little bit beyond Havelock......does anyone know if they ever went to Ottawa? Seems like an odd place for a railway terminus, particularly with a good sized yard.
The main street here is quite moribund, not much going on at all, one gas station, one Subway ....
****
Madoc & Marmora
Both incredibly cute little towns, well kept, with viable main streets and a concentration of businesses, supermarkets, lcbos, post offices, restaurants.... Madoc has a great little bakery, makes yummy butter tarts and brownies!
****
Kaledar
Don't blink, yes it is just that Shell station, that's the town
****
Northbrook
For a village, it has a Foodland, and LCEEB, A Beer Store and a Bank; of course they all close at six or earlier and the LCBO is closed on Sundays......
Its quaint, nothing fancy, except for the traffic light pedestrian signal with looks slightly star trek'ish and actually changes the light the moment you touch it!
Toronto take note!
*****
On the way home......
Napanee:
Plenty of big box crap on the way in by the 401; downtown looks to be on life support. Not as bad as Brantford, not that much is boared up; but its way too quiet, and lacks any signature retail that might appeal.
Was gonna eat there on the way back; but only 2 places open in D/T one of which was Timmies; the other ....well, let's just say was even less appealing!
Shame; some really nice historical architecture, just feels neglected.
*****
Trenton
Its an airforce base! That's the whole town. (well not quite, but close)
They had Russian Antanov aircraft parked there, two of 'em. They is big planes!
*******
Belleville
Much bigger than Napanee and has oodles of crap on the #62 corridor to the 401. Downtown again has great bones, but feels like its struggling, not much open, nor many people around on a Sunday at Noon.
*****
Colbourne
Tiny town, gets prize for most innovative streetscape. They have a row of trees elevated in an elevated planters made of Canadian shield type stone, very natural look, yet maintained. Bonus points. Not much there, but they've done very well with what they have. Great little park space too.
*****
Coburg
Biggest surprise. Holy geeze, 18,000 people.....and a downtown that would put most Cities in Ontario to shame. It feels like a well managed city 10x that size. Art galleries and patios galore, gorgeous streetscapes, addresses the water quite well, tremendous historical preservation, and a great mix of retail.
****
Port Hope, very similar to Coburg, very nice, somewhat smaller. Very nice mainstreets, doesn't make full use of the river or Lake
In any event, I avoided the big highways going to and from where possible; and so passed though many small communities in central and eastern Ontario.
I will try to post some photos, though I don't have many as I was driving and its a 4 hour trip from T.O. to the park, not including food stops.
But I thought I would share some observations of the various communities, and invite others with thoughts or photos to share!
*********
Peterborough: Not a small town, but my first stop. Been there many times and note the following, downtown is not doing bad, community over all has a nice feel, and a whole lot of train tracks (they can't all be in use, I don't think) .....
They have a Sears in their burbs....made me laugh, straight out of the 1950's, you'd expect to run into Wally and The Beav there.
What's with the LCBO situation there? 4 LCBOs in a community of 76,000! But not one of them is open after 8pm, and many close at 6pm (on weekdays)!
***********
Havelock
What a tiny little town, also with a bunch of railway tracks. This used to be decent sized centre for CP I gather, the old train station is still standing and has a restaurant (if you can call it that) in it. No passenger trains stop here anymore, but we actually saw a train from CP's Kawartha Lakes railway stored in the railyard in town (which looks large enough to do a fare chunk of business). I see that the tracks only go a little bit beyond Havelock......does anyone know if they ever went to Ottawa? Seems like an odd place for a railway terminus, particularly with a good sized yard.
The main street here is quite moribund, not much going on at all, one gas station, one Subway ....
****
Madoc & Marmora
Both incredibly cute little towns, well kept, with viable main streets and a concentration of businesses, supermarkets, lcbos, post offices, restaurants.... Madoc has a great little bakery, makes yummy butter tarts and brownies!
****
Kaledar
Don't blink, yes it is just that Shell station, that's the town
****
Northbrook
For a village, it has a Foodland, and LCEEB, A Beer Store and a Bank; of course they all close at six or earlier and the LCBO is closed on Sundays......
Its quaint, nothing fancy, except for the traffic light pedestrian signal with looks slightly star trek'ish and actually changes the light the moment you touch it!
Toronto take note!
*****
On the way home......
Napanee:
Plenty of big box crap on the way in by the 401; downtown looks to be on life support. Not as bad as Brantford, not that much is boared up; but its way too quiet, and lacks any signature retail that might appeal.
Was gonna eat there on the way back; but only 2 places open in D/T one of which was Timmies; the other ....well, let's just say was even less appealing!
Shame; some really nice historical architecture, just feels neglected.
*****
Trenton
Its an airforce base! That's the whole town. (well not quite, but close)
They had Russian Antanov aircraft parked there, two of 'em. They is big planes!
*******
Belleville
Much bigger than Napanee and has oodles of crap on the #62 corridor to the 401. Downtown again has great bones, but feels like its struggling, not much open, nor many people around on a Sunday at Noon.
*****
Colbourne
Tiny town, gets prize for most innovative streetscape. They have a row of trees elevated in an elevated planters made of Canadian shield type stone, very natural look, yet maintained. Bonus points. Not much there, but they've done very well with what they have. Great little park space too.
*****
Coburg
Biggest surprise. Holy geeze, 18,000 people.....and a downtown that would put most Cities in Ontario to shame. It feels like a well managed city 10x that size. Art galleries and patios galore, gorgeous streetscapes, addresses the water quite well, tremendous historical preservation, and a great mix of retail.
****
Port Hope, very similar to Coburg, very nice, somewhat smaller. Very nice mainstreets, doesn't make full use of the river or Lake
