Арнприор: от шотландских корней до канадского процветания

the hamlet in Scotland

Arnprior is a town in Renfrew County, in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located west of Downtown Ottawa, at the confluence of the Madawaska River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley. Arnprior has experienced significant growth in populations with the widening of the 417 Provincial Highway to four lanes. The town experienced an increase in population by 8.4% from 2011 to 2016, at which time its population was 8,795. The town is a namesake of Arnprior, Scotland, and is known for lumber, hydro power generation, aerospace, farming and its proximity to the National Capital Region.

The land occupied by what is now called Arnprior is part of the traditional territory of the Algonquin nation of indigenous North Americans. The first European explorers, led by Samuel de Champlain, first visited the area in May 1613. In 1823, a surveyed block was ceded to Archibald McNab and named McNab Township. McNab had approval from the Family Compact to treat the settlers on his land in the feudal manner practised in Scotland. In 1831 the town was named by the Buchanan Brothers after McNab's ancestral home of Arnprior, Scotland. Tired of the harsh treatment, the settlers revolted and, after a government investigation, McNab was forced to vacate the area in 1841. Arnprior and Braeside and McNab township grew as separate communities and boomed when they became integrated into eastern Ontario's massive timber industry. One of the most successful businessmen of the upper Ottawa was Daniel McLachlin, who built a massive sawmill at the confluence of the Madawaska and Ottawa rivers, and expanded the community of Arnprior. The lumber industry maintained a significant position until the closing of the Gillies Mill. One of the most enduring structures of the day was a grist mill built by the Buchanans on the west bank of the Madawaska River. By 1869, Arnprior was an incorporated village with a population of 2,000 in the Township of McNab. It was on the Brockville and Ottawa Railway at the junction of the Madawaska and Ottawa rivers. The average price of land was $20 to $40. The grey stone building served many purposes after it stopped being used as a grist mill, finally being operated as a restaurant and a gas station, first by the Beattie and then the Baird families, ending in 1974. The facility was bought by Ontario Hydro prior to the restructuring on the bridge and the creation of a new weir to control the river. The building was consumed by fire in 1976. The forests of the period are represented in the Grove which is an example of indigenous forest, grown after a fire in the 18th century. With individual specimens reaching 175 feet (53 m), these are the tallest white pines in Ontario. Arnprior was incorporated as a village in 1862. Thirty years later (in 1892), it was incorporated as a town. On June 8, 1944, a , , was recommissioned as HMCS Arnprior until 1946. Arnprior became a recognized name in the numismatic trade. This has a special link to a local employer. In 1955 Playtex ordered some silver dollars for their employees. These coins were later found to show only two and one half water lines instead of four to the right of the canoe. This variety becomes known as the Arnprior dollar. The history of Arnprior is preserved and documented at the Arnprior and District Museum (located in the former post office building and library) and the Arnprior and McNab/Braeside Archives, located next door in the basement of the public library. The sandstone building is the defining element in local architecture.

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Arnprior had a population of 9629 living in 4308 of its 4458 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 8795. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Agriculture has been a fixture surrounding Arnprior since the arrival of McNab's Scottish immigrants. The farming tradition has been celebrated by the Arnprior Fair since 1854.

Arnprior has been served since 1945 by the Arnprior and District Memorial Hospital.

Arnprior's mayor from 2018 to 2022 was Walter Stack, until he was defeated by Lisa McGee in the 2022 Ontario municipal elections. Arnprior is within the Federal riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, represented by Cheryl Gallant of the Conservative Party of Canada since the year 2000. Provincially, it is in the equivalent electoral district of (provincial electoral district)|Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, represented by John Yakabuski of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, who was first elected in 2003.

Arnprior has a reputation for hosting large scale regional and national events including the 2008 Telus Cup – National Midget 'AAA' Hockey Championship, the 2010 Canadian Broomball Championship, the 2012 World Broomball Championships and the 2013 IIHF Women's World Championship. In 2014, Arnprior hosted the Association of Ontario Road Supervisors Annual Trade Show, and furthermore, Arnprior was the second last stop on Clara's Big Ride which featured six time Olympic Medalist Clara Hughes on her cross country bike journey to raise awareness and end the stigma of mental health. Arnprior also hosted the North American Orienteering Championships in fall 2014. Ice hockey is the only municipally sponsored sport in Arnprior. The Arnprior Packers represent the town in the Central Canada Hockey League Tier 2, which is the town's highest level of competition in this sport. The games are played at the Nick Smith Centre which features two year round ice rinks, a 25 metre indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a community hall with kitchen. The two ice rinks each have ice surface measuring Arena 'A' seating capacity of over 2,000; standing and seated 4,000 capacity. Curling was established as an open air sport in the Arnprior area, around 1865. The Arnprior Curling Club now occupies a 4 sheet building on Galvin Street (est. 1970). The highest level of competition hosted by the club are the Valley League and the Low Cup.

The only print media dedicated to Arnprior is the Arnprior Chronicle Guide. The newspaper was bought by Metroland Media Group in 2011. There is no independent, non syndicated media coverage of Arnprior available in print form. Oldies 107.7 radio broadcasts from Arnprior to Renfrew, Ontario and is the only Arnprior local radio station.

Arnprior is located on the Trans Canada Highway system, where Highway 417 to the east becomes the two lane Highway 17 to the west. The town is served by the Arnprior Airport, elevation 355 feet (108 m), and the nearby Arnprior Water Aerodrome, elevation 330 feet (101 m), for general aviation; although there is no longer commercial aviation at the airport. Arnprior has a long history with railways. The Canada Central Railway reached Arnprior on December 6, 1864. On Easter Sunday, March 23, 1880, a change to standard gauge brought the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) main line. Later the Canadian National Railway (CNR) came and, through the majority of the 20th century, Arnprior was served by both major Canadian railways. The CNR tracks were pulled up and the right of way is used as a walking trail. In June 2012, CPR removed its tracks throughout the county. The town is located at the confluence of the Ottawa and Madawaska rivers. It is cut off from the lower Ottawa River and the Saint Lawrence Seaway by the Chats rapids, and now the Chats Falls Generating Station. Following exploration, travel and transportation was by canoe: the Ottawa River by Arnprior was a main route for the fur trade.