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38-570: Blackburn Hamlet is a suburban community in Innes Ward , in the east end of Ottawa , Ontario , Canada. Before the 2001 amalgamation of the city of Ottawa, it was in the city of Gloucester . It is surrounded by rural areas and contains several older and newer areas of settlement. According to the Canada 2021 Census , its population was 8,173. The community took its name from Robert Blackburn , former Member of Parliament for Russell . Often referred to by

76-496: A dozen for $ 5.00. They could also enjoy the adjacent Dominion Trotting Park – a horse racing track. It is not known when this facility shut down, but it was “in ruins” by 1917 and an aerial photograph of the site in 1928 shows no sign of it. Further south, near the current intersection of Andersen and Ridge Roads the Borthwick Mineral Springs were another important resource. While there was no hotel located at these springs

114-520: A few smaller streams including Black, Mud and McEwan Creeks, drain approximately 53 square kilometres (20 sq. mi.) – an area larger than the four smallest countries in the world combined. There is a large area of silver maple swamp where it enters the Ottawa River; this is one of the most important wetland complexes along the south shore of the Ottawa River . Rare species include the only population of

152-419: A pleasant place for picnic parties where visitors could depend upon “good food at reasonable prices.” Green’s Creek is also well known for the small mineral concretions containing the remains of fresh and saltwater marine life that can be found along its shores. Green’s Creek is well-known in the geological and fossil collecting world due to the presence of smooth nodular formations that were commonly found from

190-454: Is now Innes Road. Some of the hamlet streets are named after these, and other early settlers, Kemp, Cleroux, Tauvette. In 1858, Joshua Bradley settled in Blackburn. It was through the efforts of his son William Bradley and Robert Blackburn , (Reeve in 1864, then MP) that a post office was secured in 1876 and it was then that the area became known as "Blackburn". The settlement during these times

228-638: Is part of the Orléans federal electoral district, with Marie-France Lalonde as Member of Parliament . On the local level, community initiatives are organized by the Blackburn Community Association (BCA), a group of volunteers from around the Hamlet. The BCA works to promote local businesses as well as run events such as the Blackburn Fun Fair, the annual garage sale, and others. On top of that,

266-453: Is represented at city council but there is active community volunteer involvement as well through the Blackburn Community Association (BCA). Many activities, clubs, events and committees are run through the BCA. The earliest settlers to the area arrived between 1803 and 1811, most of whom were of English or Irish descent. The area was called "Green's Creek" after Robert Green who operated a sawmill on

304-515: Is today. Most of the homes were built in the 1960s and 1970s and it was renamed "Blackburn Hamlet". In 1967 the first residents moved in. Budd Gardens is operated by Budd's two sons on land now rented from the NCC and both families live in Blackburn. Bob MacQuarrie was a Gloucester Councillor from 1958 to 1966 and was instrumental in providing to the Council and the NCC the feasibility of installing services to

342-767: The Wisconsin Glaciation and the retreat of the Champlain Sea from the Ottawa Valley . Currently it starts at the confluence of Borthwick and Ramsey Creeks just west of the Walkley Road off-ramp from Highway 417 and flows 13.4 kilometres ( 8 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles) to the Ottawa River. From the meeting of its two main tributaries, Borthwick Creek runs eastwards for about four kilometres ( 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles) while Ramsey Creek proceeds southwards for approximately 10 kilometres (6 miles). Together these three creeks, and

380-636: The 1860s owned and operated by Prosper Oliver, who dammed the water to power his saws. Later, an 1880 map of Gloucester Township showed a different sawmill located at the mouth of the creek on the land of William Mosgrove, and by some accounts that industry remained in operation until the early 1900s. Also, by the 1860s many of the main roads that are still in use today had been roughed out. Both Montreal Road and Navan Road were in place, and Innes Road had been extended east from Cyrville Road past Green’s Creek (although not as far as Blackburn Hamlet ). The oldest of these thoroughfares, Montreal Road (then known as

418-601: The 1870s this had become the Victoria Sulphur Springs Hotel owned by H.F. Brading and E.W. Hillman. Like other famed mineral springs such as those at Carlsbad Springs people came to this hotel to consume and bathe in the mineral rich waters. The spring, which was situated on the west bank of Green’s Creek just upstream from Montreal Road had a flow rate of 250 gallons per hour and contained particularly high levels of hydrogen sulphide and methane. Patrons to this hotel could purchase sulphur baths for 50 cents each, or

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456-600: The BCA also manages the Blackburn Community Hall and other community undertakings. Administering the BCA is a board of directors of at least four persons, with each director overseeing a different part of BCA operations. The current president of the Board of Directors is Ali Yassine. According to the Canadian census , the population of Blackburn was 8,167 in 2016, a drop of 0.8% from the 2011 population of 8,237. About 17.5% of

494-494: The Champlain Sea have been identified (the other being near Montreal ). These deposits were well known to the early settlers of the region and at the time hundreds of them could be collected over the course of a few days. Enterprising businesses even sold these smooth, kidney shaped rocks to tourists as places such as Besserer’s Wharf. Despite being a largely urban stream Green's Creek has an impressive level of biodiversity. On

532-466: The First Nations occupying the lands around Green’s Creek there is evidence of human habitation along what was the southwestern shore of the Champlain Sea near present day Perth as long as 11,000 years ago. It is likely that the area around Blackburn Hamlet was first used by humans around 10,500 years ago when bands from the late-paleo period began to hunt the forests that were beginning to take root after

570-518: The Hamlet. MacQuarrie served as Deputy Reeve and Reeve 1969 to 1978 and as MPP 1981–85. Next to Blackburn is Hornet's Nest, an outdoor recreational facility containing 11 soccer fields. Also in Hornet's Nest is a multi-use, privately owned indoor sports dome called the SuperDome, which houses an additional FIFA-approved soccer pitch. The SuperDome runs throughout the year, allowing summer sports to be played in

608-481: The King’s Road), was run through Gloucester Township in 1850. Initially a small ferry existed to carry passengers and freight across the creek, charging users between 10 and 20 cents on their way between Bytown and Orléans, Ontario . By the early 1860s a bridge had been constructed and a toll booth on the west side of the creek was operated by James Coombs, although by 1880 it appears that the tollgate had been moved to

646-403: The area took root after 1800. While Samuel De Champlain ’s early exploration of the Ottawa River is generally well known, it was in fact his protégé, Étienne Brulé , who was the first European to pass by the mouth of Green’s Creek in 1610. Although Gloucester Township was first surveyed in 1792, it was not until 1812 that Braddish Billings became its first permanent resident and it seems that

684-425: The church and as school board secretary for 20 years. Innes Road running through the Hamlet was named after Alexander Innes who owned a farm further west than Blackburn Hamlet. He also ran the toll road -Russell Rd. heading east from St. Laurent Blvd. He was survived by John Innes who was reeve of Gloucester Township. Isaiah Scharf settled on a lot near Emily Carr School, four generations lived in Blackburn on what

722-442: The community of Blackburn Hamlet as well as the neighbourhoods of Orléans Village , Châteauneuf and Chapel Hill in Orléans . It also included the part of the community of Notre-Dame-des-Champs formerly in the city of Gloucester and the newer Bradley Estates development. The ward was created when the city of Gloucester was amalgamated into the new city of Ottawa. It was named Innes Ward from 1997 to 2022. Prior to that, it

760-452: The creek in their water to the Ottawa River. By the 1860s most of the land along the creek had been settled and many farms lined its banks including those owned by the Barnes, Kenney, Hopkins and Presley families although many of the surveyed lots away from the creek and Ottawa River still remained unassigned. Despite the clearing of the forests there was a sawmill on the upper end of the creek in

798-407: The creek. By 1834, the timber was exhausted and the government lands had been sold to farmers who began to settle in the area. These people had to clear their own land and build their own roads and schools. In 1850, Richard Dagg donated the land for the first school in Blackburn. The area was subsequently called "Daggsville" after three families that settled there. John Kemp and his family were one of

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836-546: The current location of the Residence Saint-Louis. Founded as a summer resort called Besserer’s Grove in the early 1850s it remained a popular destination for day-trippers from Ottawa for many years. Nearby, Besserer’s Wharf acted as a port of call for the Ottawa River steamer “Empress” and families from the city would come out on weekends for a country getaway. An advertisement in the Ottawa Journal from 1896 promised as

874-591: The early settlers of Blackburn. When the first school burned down in 1915, a second school was built on the Kemp property where Blackburn Public School was located. Agnes Purdy and her husband William settled on Lot 9 across from St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church on Navan Road. Four generations of Purdys farmed the land until the NCC expropriated the farm for the Greenbelt. Agnes is notable as a significant fundraiser for

912-459: The east side of the bridge. Somewhat incredibly, there is even an account of a steamboat being seen fully two miles upstream of what is now Montreal Road in the 1850s. At the start of the 1860s the west side of Green’s Creek at Montreal Road became the site of an important hotel and recreational area. The 1863 map of Carleton County shows a hotel owned by Joseph Lafleur near the location of the present-day Montreal Road interchange on Highway 174. By

950-663: The end of glaciation and the retreat of the sea. From that time onwards the area fell within the traditional territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin people . Immediately prior to European contact the creek was almost certainly being used by the Weskarini band who traditionally occupied the South Nation River watershed. However, by the 1620s the Weskarini were facing extreme pressure from the Iroquois Confederacy that

988-430: The era of the Champlain Sea . It has cut deeply into sediments of the Champlain Sea, producing a complex mixture of forest types, from upland oak and pine to floodplain forest. As a consequence there are nearly 500 species of plants known from the area. The surface geology of the creek bed is 84 per cent clay, 8 per cent bedrock, 6 per cent sand and 2 per cent diamicton . While there is no archeological evidence of

1026-493: The first settlements around Green’s Creek were established sometime around the early 1830s. At the time of the first agricultural clearances, the land around the creek was still covered with large stands of red pine and oak trees and these were gradually cleared in the 1840s, 1850s and 1860s as squared timbers were cut on the tablelands above the creek and floated downstream in the spring run-off. One early account described logs up to 60 feet long, and 18 inches in diameter moving down

1064-470: The hamlet, also opens with the snowfall, and is maintained by the City of Ottawa . Blackburn Hamlet is represented on the municipal level as part of Innes Ward , with the current city councillor being Laura Dudas . On the provincial level, the Hamlet makes up part of the Orléans provincial electoral district, and is represented by Member of Provincial Parliament Stephen Blais . On the national level, Blackburn

1102-632: The locals as simply " Blackburn ," it is one of only two suburban areas (the other being Bells Corners ) surrounded by National Capital Commission (NCC) Greenbelt lands as well as lands owned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) which were formerly the National Defence Proving Grounds. Together, these lands form part of Ottawa's " Greenbelt " and provide Blackburn Hamlet residents and visitors with over 250 km of hiking and cross country skiing trails. Blackburn

1140-450: The mouth of the creek and along the south shore of the Ottawa River as far as Hiawatha Park. Specimens up to 10,000 years old containing the remains of near complete fish skeletons, ancient whale and seal bones and numerous smaller marine and terrestrial fauna have all been found along the shores of Green’s Creek. It is the only place in central Canada that many samples have been found and is one of only two locations where starfish remains from

1178-466: The population is under the age of 15, while those of retirement age (65 and over) comprise approximately 20.0%. In 2016, females made up about 52.5% of the population while males made up about 47.5%. Innes Ward Within Orleans, it contains the neighbourhoods of Hiawatha Park , Convent Glen , Orleans Wood , Orléans Village , Chapel Hill and Orleans South . From 1994 to 2022, the ward included

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1216-558: The provincially rare pinedrops ( Pterospora andromeda ) in the region, and the only regional population of witch-hazel ( Hammamelis virginiana ). The area is conserved as part of the Ottawa Greenbelt and 5.5 kilometres ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles) of walking trails have been maintained as part of the Green's Creek Valley conservation area. Green's Creek is also geologically significant for its fine assemblage of fossil fish dating from

1254-583: The water was so widely known that a medical dictionary from had the following entry; “Borthwick Mineral Springs, Canada. Indo-bromated saline waters, used internally.” In the early 1890s both of these springs were listed as being amongst the largest producers of bottled mineral water in Canada. In addition to the hotel at the Victoria Sulphur Springs there was also an inn located in Hiawatha Park near

1292-626: The winter. École secondaire publique Louis-Riel is home to the Hamlet's second dome, which is also the largest air-supported fabric structure indoor recreation facility in North America at 12,422 square meters (133,705 square feet). The Dome at Louis-Riel, like the SuperDome, also allows for year-round summer sports. During the winter months, the Blackburn Arena opens its 3 ice rinks, where local residents can partake in hockey and public skating. The Green's Creek toboggan hill, located just next to

1330-465: Was divided in two, the area of "Blackburn Corners", located around the existing intersection of Navan and Innes Rds; and "Blackburn Station", the area around the existing intersection of Anderson and Innes Rds. In 1958, the government gave authority to the NCC to establish a Greenbelt. Landowner Michael Budd and Costain Estates Ltd were key players in the creation and construction of the community as it

1368-453: Was easily elected. Green%27s Creek (Ontario) Green's Creek is a small tributary of the Ottawa River that flows through the community of Gloucester in eastern Ottawa , Ontario, Canada. Among its tributaries are Borthwick Creek, Black Creek, Mud Creek, and Ramsay Creek, all of which spring in the Mer Bleue bog . The creek was formed approximately 10,000 years ago at the end of

1406-509: Was expanding northwards from New York State. Armed with Dutch firearms the Iroquois drove them out of the lower Ottawa Valley by the spring of 1642 and by 1650 even the Algonquin in the upper Ottawa Valley had been removed from their homelands. For most of the next 200 years trappers, traders and the famed coureur des bois travelled up and down the Ottawa River until the first European settlements in

1444-795: Was just known as Ward 2 . Following the 2020 Ottawa Ward boundary review, the ward gained the neighbourhood of Convent Glen and lost the neighbourhood of Chapel Hill South . Ethnic groups: 76.8% White, 5.8% Black, 3.9% Arab, 3.5% South Asian, 2.6% Chinese, 2.1% Aboriginal, 1.3% Filipino, 1.3% West Asian Languages: 54.8% English, 33.0% French, 2.8% Arabic, 1.8% Chinese Religions: 72.9% Christian (49.3% Catholic, 5.6% Anglican, 5.1% United Church, 1.7% Christian Orthodox, 1.4% Pentecostal, 1.4% Baptist, 1.0% Presbyterian, 7.4% Other), 5.3% Muslim, 1.2% Hindu, 18.7% No religion Median income (2010): $ 45,511 Average income (2010): $ 54,173 Following Gloucester's amalgamation into Ottawa, Gloucester City Councillor (for Blackburn Hamlet Ward) Rainer Bloess

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