Parks Canada offers 100+ spots – 19 in Quebec, but only 1 in the West Island
BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1510 West
What is it about a tranquil waterfront view? It makes you stop. Look out. And look some more.
Now, if that view is of a uniquely-Canadian sight and comes with a fall wind and a comfortable Adirondack chair in which to sit while contemplating the surroundings, well, let’s just say that as you huddle your arms together and feel the weather at this time of year, the combination unlocks a moment that is worth your while.
That is what is on offer at 106 locations in Canada, including 19 in Quebec and just one in the West Island. A red Adirondack chair is waiting for you at each of these spots.
The chairs are provided by Parks Canada, which just over a decade ago launched an initiative that was simple in concept, yet grand in scope. It aims to provide Canadians with a comfortable chair to take in a fabulous view. The spots are among the best of the best of the country’s public spaces, providing a glimpse of Canada’s picturesque landscapes that combine iconic rugged beauty with, in some instances, a sense of natural serenity, while in others, a backdrop of historical significance. All you have to do is sit back and take it all in.
The chairs in West Island can be found at the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal National Historic Site.
There are actually two sets of chairs at the park, one just off Ste. Anne Street, where pedestrians can access the site. They offer a front-row seat to view the old locks. The other set is at the far end of the concrete pier that is known as Lookout Point at the western tip of Ste. Anne Canal, where the St. Lawrence River’s Lake St. Louis melds into the Ottawa River’s Lake of Two Mountains.
Take in the surroundings
The red chairs near the locks themselves, two identical Adirondacks with wide armrests and comfortable backrests, standout in Canada’s flagship colour. They offer a vantage point that allows you to see the workings of the locks. They also allow you to take in all the comings and goings of people who are drawn to the park. It can be a busy place depending on the weather. Behind you, the spire of the Ste. Anne de Bellevue Catholic Church rises, framing the treed front yard that looks out on the waterway.
The chairs out at Lookout Point offer an entirely different experience, and worth the walk to find them. Set up in the middle of the concrete quay, they offer an expansive view of the rapids, Île Perrot, Île Bellevue and the smaller non-inhabited island in the area. In the distance, vehicles can be seen as they make their way across the Île aux Tourtes Bridge. The view is wide and conjures a sense of isolation, especially as the temperatures at this time of year keep you company.
Look back at history
The Ste. Anne locks are part of network of canals that permit boats to bypass rapids, acting as a gateway to the Ottawa River.
The locks at this site date back to before Confederation. Merchants who would travel from Kingston to Montreal had petitioned the government of Lower Canada to build it to provide save public access to the route that, up until then, had been controlled by private companies that operated a canal off Vaudreuil.
Construction began in 1840, and the locks opened on Nov. 14, 1843, an event that is credited, in part, to enabling the settlement of Upper Canada, what is known today as Ontario.
Accessing the locks was not an easy navigational feat, however. And in 1870, the Canals Commission recommended new locks be built, running parallel to the old locks. These new locks were completed in 1882. At the same time, a channel was dredged in the middle of Lake St. Louis, allowing larger ships to make their way across the waterway.
The use of the second locks at Ste. Anne by commercial ships was healthy up until the first two decades of the 1900s, when the transition to rail transport took hold.
But the Ste. Anne locks continued to function, and today are widely used by reacreational and pleasure boaters who make their way from Lake St. Louis to the Lake of Two Mountains and beyond.
Finding a part of the past
In October of 2020, Parks Canada officials pulled an old lock gate from the waters of Lake St. Louis. The large wooden panel fitted with steel fixtures weighed more than 36 tonnes. It was determined that the gate was one of the emergency doors that had been sunk to the bottom of the waterway to be used in case of needed repairs.
Parks Canada analyzed the large flat panel, opting not to return it to its underwater holding spot nor putting it on display after finding it contained toxic chemicals.
Commemorating site’s significance
The canal was officially recognized as being of national historic significance in 1987. In August of 2007, the federal government unveiled a plaque at the canal site commemorating this designation, recognizing it as an integral part of a network of inland waterways that played a big role in the growth and development of Canada. As Senator Claude Nolin said when the plaque was installed: The canal “played a major role in the transportation of lumber and the transit of immigrants toward the country’s interior during the 19th century.”
So if you have a moment to reflect, head to Ste. Anne, find the chairs, take in the view and cast your mind back to the past.
Cutline: These red Adirondack chairs are waiting for you at the Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal National Historic Site. They provide a beautiful view of the locks near the junction of Lake St. Louis and the Lake of Two Mountains.