Grenville

The municipality of Grenville is a village municipality crossed by route 344, connecting Montreal to Hull. This scenic route is a reflection of regional history as it ends near the heritage site of the canal on the Ottawa River. The main tourist attraction sites in the Lower Laurentians are heritage sites, in particular the Grenville Canal.

The village of Grenville is part of the Laurentides tourist region. Its main roads (e.g., route 148 and route 344) generate an influx of traffic, in particular many tourist attractions. This village is crossed by the Kingham River which flows into Grenville Bay. The McIntyre Bridge spans this river near its mouth.

Grenville Canal

After the construction of a merchandise warehouse in 1818, the first period of canalization of the Ottawa River dates from 1819 to 1830 under the direction of Captain Henry du Vernet of the Royal Staff Corps of Great Britain, with a hundred British soldiers. Hundreds of Irish immigrants united their working energies with those of French Canadians to dig the way for the canal. The Grenville Canal was operational in 1829. Finally, the network of canals on the Ottawa River was not fully completed until around 1843. In 1870, the upper portion of the canal was widened.

These initiatives to build military infrastructure are dependent on the military conflicts of 1812. This canal was part of the pipeline network, to supply Kingston and the Great Lakes in the event of a military conflict with neighbors south of the Canadian-American border. The purpose of these canals was to allow the transport of military troops and military equipment between the provinces of upper and lower Canada, thus avoiding the risk of being captured by the enemy on the St. Lawrence River. Of military design, the canals and locks of the Outaouais did not meet the demands of the growing commercial transport which was trying to establish itself on the Ottawa River. In the middle of the X19h century, commercial navigation took a big expansion on the St. Lawrence river; but struggled to relay to the upper Outaouais circuit.

Initially, six miles in length, the Grenville Canal was completed in 1833, with the three sections of canal: Grenville, Greece's point and Carillon. Partially flooded in 1962 by the rising water levels during the construction of the Carillon hydroelectric dam, only two thousand of the Grenville Canal remain visible and navigable; this non-submerged segment of the canal network is mainly in the Grenville territory.

Commercial shipping

From 1819, a regular barge service (Durham boat) was in use in the opposite direction of the river, between Hull and Grenville, under the aegis of Philémon Wright. However, the demand for transporting raw materials and goods was significantly higher than the capacity to transport. The ships were loaded with goods at the Grenville Quay in order to sail up the Outaouais, bound for the Rideau Canal in Ottawa or to the upper part of the Ottawa River.

The steam powered boats were put into service to ensure the superior link of the circuit, that is to say between Grenville and Hull: the ship "Union of Ottawa" and in 1828, the "Shannon", a powerful steamboat built in Hawkesbury, served this circuit. Even so, in the early part of the 19th century, commercial shipping on the Ottawa River had a rather modest record, with only two steamboats on the upper circuit.

Carillon dam

The construction under the aegis of Hydro-Quebec of a hydroelectric dam (from 1959 to 1963) and of a modern lock at Carillon, irreparably modified this network of canals in the Ottawa River. Upon completion of this work, the water level rose over 62 feet at Carillon and 9 feet at Grenville. The portion of Greece's point of the canal was found submerged, as well as its hamlet. In addition, by gradually rising the water level, the rapids of the Long Sault were inundated, transforming them into a body of calm water.

This military-type canal is recognized as a civil engineering work, emeritus for the 19th century. Nowadays, it is a distinctive historical draw and a municipal park to appreciate the great local history and nature.

• From Montreal (101 km (63 mi). Time: 1 hr 16 min. Take highway 40 (west) to the Ontario limit; Highway 417 (west); Highway 17 (west), to Hawkesbury; Tupper Street (north); Main Street East (west); cross the Long-Sault Bridge spanning the Ottawa River.

• 🌍 Station-service Crevier, 13, rue Maple, ☏ +1 819-242-1234. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Station-service Pétro-Canada, 40, rue Maple, ☏ +1 343-500-2644. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Station-service Esso, 54, rue Maple, ☏ +1 418-242-3134. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Station-service Shell, 130, rue Maple, ☏ +1 819-242-9310. (updated Dec 2021)

• 🌍 Electric charging station, 441, rue Principale, ☏ +1 800-686-9243. (updated Dec 2021)

• 🌍 Canal de Grenville (Grenville Canal), rue Canal Nord. Canal along the north shore of the Ottawa River. It offers a magnificent hiking trail along the Grenville Canal and the Ottawa River. The foundations of the swing bridge are still visible on the ground, as well as the remains of the structure of the railway bridge that led to Ontario, of the Carillon-Grenville railway line, and of the old penicillin factory. Along the canal, walkers or boaters can see the attachment points for the cables holding the boats. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Phare de l'entrée nord du canal de Grenville (Grenville Canal North Entrance Lighthouse), 49, rue Canal Nord, ☏ +1 819-242-2146. (updated Dec 2021)

• 🌍 Maison du patrimoine (Heritage House), 17, rue du Canal Nord (Between rue Principale and the canal.). This ancestral house was erected around 1820 near the Grenville Canal, to house workers. It turns out to be one of the oldest houses still standing near the canal. Initially of vernacular architecture, this house was renovated towards the end of the 19th century, in order to incorporate characteristic elements of the Second Empire style. From 1924 to 1998, the Heritage House served as a Masonic lodge. Since 1998, this house has been occupied by the offices of the Grenville Heritage Commission. On October 6, 2008, the Municipality of the village of Grenville granted heritage building status to this historic building. The toponymic designation "Heritage House" was formalized on March 26, 2018 at the Commission de toponymie du Québec. (updated Dec 2021)

• Concours de décorations de Noël (Christmas decoration contest), ☏ +1 877-493-7837. Annual competition organized under the aegis of the Municipality of Grenville, with the objective of putting a magical note in the streets during the holiday season. (updated May 2017)

• 🌍 IGA Grenville - Famille Goulet, 30 rue Maple (on Maple Street near Route 344 and the Long-Sault Bridge spanning the Ottawa River), ☏ +1 819-242-6888. General grocery store. Online grocery shopping. Catering. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Boni-Soir, 54, rue Maple, ☏ +1 819-242-3134. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Charlebois & Filles - Kiosque de fruits et légumes (Charlebois & Filles - Fruit and vegetable kiosk), 107, rue Maple, ☏ +1 450-562-0478. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Dépanneur Grenville, 163 rue Principale, ☏ +1 450-562-0478. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Dépanneur Villeneuve, 271 rue Principale, ☏ +1 450-562-0478. (updated Dec 2021)

• 🌍 L'Univers du Meuble Grenville (The Grenville Furniture Universe), 196, rue Queen, ☏ +1 819-242-4848. Furniture and home accessories store. (updated Dec 2021)
• 🌍 Ti-Gros Barils, chemin de l'Écocentre, ☏ +1 450-516-4172. M-F 08:00-17:00. Furniture maker from recycled barrels and barn wood. (updated Dec 2021)