Capital Pathway
Encyclopedia
The Capital Pathway, also known informally as the The Bike Path, is a 220 kilometres (136.7 mi) recreational pathway interlinking many parks, waterways and sites in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...

, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

 and Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...

, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

. Most of the pathway is paved, and allows an almost continuous route through the National Capital Region
National Capital Region (Canada)
The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities....

.

The pathway, was mostly the work of the National Capital Commission
National Capital Commission
The National Capital Commission , is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region, including Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.The NCC was created in 1959, replacing the Federal District Commission , which had been...

, a crown corporation created in 1959. The trail, which includes the Rideau Canal Pathway, the Ottawa River Pathway, and the Rideau River Pathway extends in all directions to the limits of the city of Ottawa and extends northward into Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park is a park located in the National Capital Region, in Quebec's Outaouais region, just north of Ottawa, Ontario. Administered by the National Capital Commission, the park is a 361 km² wedge of land to the west of the Gatineau River...

's lakes.

History

The Capital Pathway was a project of the National Capital Commission
National Capital Commission
The National Capital Commission , is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region, including Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.The NCC was created in 1959, replacing the Federal District Commission , which had been...

 as part of their improvements to the National Capital Region. The NCC was created by an act of parliament in 1959. The first section built was the Ottawa River Pathway in the early 1970s.

The majority of the pathway continues to be maintained by the NCC.

The section of the Ottawa River Pathway between Acres Road and Moodie Drive was paved in 2009.

Ottawa River Pathway

This very long pathway is along the south bank of almost the entire length Ottawa's portion of the Ottawa River. In the east it goes to the beach at Petrie Island
Petrie Island
Petrie Island is an island situated in the Ottawa River in the eastern part of the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The island has several nearby islands and the general collection of islands is also called Petrie Island....

 at Tenth Line Road and the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...

. Going westward, it meets up with the pathway along the Aviation parkway which is at the Aviation Museum. Further along, it goes through Rockcliffe Park
Rockcliffe Park, Ontario
Rockcliffe Park is one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Ottawa, Ontario, and is one of the most prosperous enclaves in Canada. From 1926 until 2001 it was an independent village, but was amalgamated with the rest of the city January 1, 2001...

 to the residence of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...

 at 24 Sussex Drive
24 Sussex Drive
24 Sussex Drive is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada, located in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario. Built between 1866 and 1868 by Joseph Merrill Currier, it has been the official home of the Canadian prime minister since 1951.-History:The house at 24 Sussex...

 and Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...

 the residence of the Governor General. It then passes Major's Hill Park
Major's Hill Park
Major's Hill Park is one of the most notable parks in downtown Ottawa. The park stands above the Rideau Canal at the point where it enters the Ottawa River. Across the canal to the west are the parliament buildings, to the north of the park is the National Gallery of Canada, and to the east are...

 (near the bridge) on towards the back side of Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...

 where it bypasses the pathways on the Rideau Canal.

Moving westward, it bypasses the War Museum in Tunney's Pasture
Tunney's Pasture
Tunney's Pasture is an area within the City of Ottawa, Ontario, that is exclusively developed for Canada's federal government buildings. It is bordered by Scott Street to the south, Parkdale Avenue to the east, the Ottawa River Parkway to the north and Northwestern Avenue to the west...

 and goes to first Westboro Beach, then Brittania Beach, Moodie Drive and beyond to end at Shirleys Bay.

Rideau Canal Pathway

The most well known of all the sections of the Capital Pathway is the Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...

 section. Its downtown
Downtown Ottawa
Downtown Ottawa is the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Like other downtowns it is the commercial and economic centre of the city. It is sometimes referred to as the Central Business District and contains Ottawa's financial district. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the...

 location attracts tourists and residents, frequently used for walking, cycling, and running. It continues to be popular in the winter, as the Rideau Canal is widely known as one of the longest skating rinks in the world, with 6 to 8 km of skatable surface on most days in January.

Its most northerly point is where the canal empties into the Ottawa River. Immediately beside the locks is the Bytown Museum
Bytown Museum
The Bytown Museum is a small museum in Ottawa located on the lower locks of the Rideau Canal at the Ottawa River just below Parliament Hill.The museum's exhibits follow the early history of the city, originally known as Bytown, and the construction of the Rideau Canal...

. There actually are two separate paths, on each side of the canal. One encircles Dow's Lake
Dow's Lake
Dow's Lake in Ottawa, Canada is a small man-made lake on the Rideau Canal, situated two kilometres north of Hog's Back Falls in the middle of Ottawa. It is at the south end of Preston Street, just south of Carling Avenue, and just to the west of Bronson Avenue...

 and path users frequently cross to the other side near Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...

, just south of the lake.

The trail extends to Hog's Back Falls
Hog's Back Falls
The Hog's Back Falls, officially known as the Prince of Wales Falls, but rarely referred to by this name, are a series of artificially-created waterfalls on the Rideau River in Ottawa, Canada...

 which also provides a crossing. This is the point where the canal meets the Rideau river and the trail continues on its east side until Mooney's Bay Park
Mooney's Bay Park
Mooney's Bay Park is a public park in Ottawa, Canada on the Rideau River. Its main entrance is on Riverside Drive, opposite Ridgewood Avenue, but can also be accessed from Hog's Back Road. It has a beach, picnic areas, a childrens playground and is the site of the Terry Fox Stadium...

. South of that it resumes, continuing to Ottawa's south boundary.

Rideau River Pathway

This pathway is almost unknown by tourists but frequented by residents. It starts at Rideau Falls
Rideau Falls
The Rideau Falls are two waterfalls located in Ottawa, Canada where the Rideau River empties into the Ottawa River. The falls are divided by Green Island, with the Old City Hall just to the south. To the west of the falls is the headquarters of the National Research Council while to the east are...

 where the Rideau River meets the Ottawa River. It goes southward through New Edinburgh
New Edinburgh
New Edinburgh is a small neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. It is located to the east of the downtown core. It is bordered on the west by the Rideau River, to the north by the Ottawa River, to the south by Beechwood Avenue, to the east the border is less regular but is marked in part by Springfield...

 then along Riverside Drive
Riverside Drive
A number of cities around the world have a Riverside Drive.In the United States:*Riverside Drive *Riverside Drive *Riverside Drive *Riverside Drive...

 until it reaches Billings Bridge
Billings Bridge
Billings Bridge is a bridge over the Rideau River in Ottawa. Bank Street passes over the river by way of this bridge. The bridge was named after Braddish Billings, who settled in this area and established a farm nearby in 1812. The first bridge, originally called Farmers Bridge, was built over the...

. Here is a park where ducks frequent.

From Billings Bridge, it continues south until it meets up with the Rideau Canal at the Hog's Back Falls
Hog's Back Falls
The Hog's Back Falls, officially known as the Prince of Wales Falls, but rarely referred to by this name, are a series of artificially-created waterfalls on the Rideau River in Ottawa, Canada...

. The more well known part is on the east side of the Rideau River.

Other Routes in Ottawa

Besides the Rideau Canal Pathway, Ottawa River Pathway, and Rideau River Pathway, the following pathways are also part of the Capital Pathway in Ottawa:
  • Watts Creek Pathway - Ottawa
  • Pinecrest Creek Pathway - Ottawa
  • Experimental Farm Pathway - Ottawa
  • Aviation Pathway - Ottawa
  • Greenbelt Pathway - Ottawa

Routes in Gatineau

Aylmer
Aylmer
Aylmer is a surname, and may refer to:* Felix Aylmer, English stage actor* Sir Fenton Aylmer, 13th Baronet, British Army general and Victoria Cross recipient* Jennifer Aylmer, American operatic soprano* John Aylmer...

 is home to an effective and generally well-maintained network of bicycle paths that encircle the central portion of the area and run past many scenic locations, such as the Aylmer Marina and the Deschênes Rapids.

The bike trail becomes very steep going northwards into Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park is a park located in the National Capital Region, in Quebec's Outaouais region, just north of Ottawa, Ontario. Administered by the National Capital Commission, the park is a 361 km² wedge of land to the west of the Gatineau River...

. Pink Lake is directly on the path. Other lakes such Kingsmere Lake are accessible. The Champlain Lookout provides a good view of the city of Ottawa from a high elevation.

Safety

Despite the National Capital Region having a low crime rate, there have been some concerns for safety on the pathway. The pathway is dark at night, had places where traffic may be hazardous, and has been involved in the investigation to more than one homicide.

The Pathway patrol
Pathway patrol
The Pathway Patrol is a volunteer organization based in Ottawa, Canada. Trained volunteer patrollers cycle, in-line skate, or walk along Ottawa's recreational pathways to promote active living, improve safety and security, and to encourage courtesy among all users...

 is a volunteer organization based in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...

, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

. Trained volunteer patrollers cycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....

, in-line skate, or walk
WALK
WALK may refer to:*WALK , a radio station licensed to East Patchogue, New York, United States*WALK-FM, a radio station licensed to Patchogue, New York, United States...

 along Ottawa's recreational pathways to promote active living, improve safety and security, and to encourage courtesy among all users. Areas patrolled span the NCC pathways in the west from Andrew Haydon Park
Andrew Haydon Park
Andrew Haydon Park is a park on the Ottawa River in the city of Ottawa. It is situated on Carling Avenue at Holly Acres Road.There is a bandshell for outdoor concerts and a picnic area. The Nepean Sailing Club is located nearby at Dick Bell Park...

 through Britannia Park, east along the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...

 Pathway to Petrie Island, The Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...

 (downtown to Mooney's Bay), The Rideau River
Rideau River
thumb|Rapids on the Rideau River opposite [[Carleton University]].The Rideau River is a Southern Ontario river which flows north from Upper Rideau Lake and empties into the Ottawa River at Rideau Falls in Ottawa, Ontario. Its length is 146 km...

 (Sussex Drive to Mooney's Bay) and within City of Ottawa parks in the Greenboro area.

In 2010, Kanata
Kanata
Kanata is an aboriginal word meaning "village" or "settlement."- Name of Canada :Until the mid-20th century, the Mohawk word "kanata" was thought to have been the origin of Canada's name...

 was added to the patrol region.

In 2003, Ardeth Wood
Ardeth Wood
Ardeth Wood was a graduate student at the University of Waterloo who was killed in a forcible drowning in the city of Ottawa. The initial search for Ms...

 disappeared off a pathway near Rockcliffe Parkway
Rockcliffe Parkway
The Rockcliffe Parkway is a parkway in Ottawa, Canada.The parkway begins at the end of Sussex Drive and follows the Ottawa River, through Rockcliffe Park and past the Canada Aviation Museum. About 200 m after passing Lower Duck Island, it turns towards the south, passing over Regional Road 174. It...

starting a large search effort, and resulting in a homicide conviction. There have also been more than one criminal incident on pathways in Gatineau.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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