Pink Lake at the end of October

Gatineau Park (French: Parc de la Gatineau) is a park near Gatineau, Québec, Canada, just north of Ottawa, Ontario. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Gatineau ( 2006 census population 242124 is a city in western Quebec, Canada. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Administered by the federal National Capital Commission, the park forms a 363 km² triangle west of the Gatineau River, whose circumference is 179. The National Capital Commission (NCC known in French as the Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² A triangle is one of the basic Shapes of Geometry: a Polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are Line The Gatineau River is a River in western Quebec, Canada which rises in lakes north of the Baskatong Reservoir and flows south to join the Ottawa 2 km, and includes parts of the City of Gatineau, the Municipality of Chelsea, the Municipality of Pontiac and the Municipality of La Pêche. Gatineau ( 2006 census population 242124 is a city in western Quebec, Canada. Chelsea is a municipality located immediately north of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada and about 15 minutes

Although it was advocated by Dominion Parks Commissioner James Harkin as the first national park to be created outside the Rocky Mountains, it remains the only federal park that is not a national park. James Bernard Harkin ( 30 January 1875 &ndash 27 January 1955) served as Canada 's first commissioner for national parks Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. ^[1]

History

A road through the park

"La chute" trail through the park

Aerial Camp Adventures inside the park

Cross Country ski trails in Gatineau Park track-set for classic skiing at the sides and groomed for skate skiing in the centre.

The park area was originally settled by early immigrants to the area, who were soon discouraged by its thin soils. The government of Canada began acquiring land in the area for a park in the 1930s. The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. ^[2]

Created in 1938, Gatineau is the only federal park not protected by the National Parks Act, a situation largely attributable to former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's caution, fear of criticism and desire for privacy. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian ^[3]

Gatineau Park was not only the first national park advocated for Quebec, it was also the first national park advocated for creation outside the Rocky Mountains of the West, and the first national park advocated for creation by the first parks service in the world, the Dominion Parks Branch. Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America.

On December 3, 1912, Dominion Parks Commissioner James Harkin wrote to Deputy Minister of the Interior William Cory, arguing for the creation of a nation-wide system of parks, the first of which was to be Gatineau Park. Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting In his memo, Harkin said:

"The East has no national parks like those in the Rockies, and it is proposed that the country develop a broader scheme of parks than exists in any other country[…] Bringing into effect the proposed Gatineau Park […] would, I think, most easily commence this scheme. "^[4]

A few months later, on Cory’s suggestion, Harkin wrote Quebec Minister of Mines and Forests Charles Devlin inquiring whether he would help establish a national park in the Gatineau district. Although provincial officials wrote back that the matter would receive their minister’s immediate attention, Devlin died before he could follow up on Harkin’s request, and no further response was ever received. ^[5]

And with the 1913 economic depression and First World War intervening shortly thereafter, the government of Canada had to tend to more pressing matters^[6]

On April 7, 1927, the national park idea was again raised in the House of Commons, where MPs considered a bill to create the Federal District Commission, which would build parks and parkways on both sides of the Ottawa River. Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and The National Capital Commission (NCC known in French as the Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally This is about the river in Canada For other uses see Ottawa River (disambiguation. During debate, however, Conservative MP John Edwards accused Prime Minister King of wanting to create a park around his Kingsmere property and ease access to it by building a parkway. The Farm is the official residence of the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons. Though he denied the charge, the criticism would shape King’s subsequent decisions regarding the park^[7]

Eight years later, at the behest of Percy Sparks of the Federal Woodlands Preservation League, Minister of the Interior T. G. Murphy commissioned a survey to examine the effects of fires and excessive logging in the Gatineau Hills. The Gatineau Hills are a geological formation in Canada that makes up part of the southern tip of the Canadian Shield, and acts as the northern shoulder of the Ottawa Among other recommendations, the survey proposed creating a national park. Two years later, however, King chose instead to solve the problem by gradual property acquisition, creating Gatineau Park in embryonic form on July 1, 1938. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[8]

In his diary entry of December 20, 1937, King explained the reasons behind his decision, writing that he would allow the park to be created, despite his aversion to tourists invading the Meech and Kingsmere Lake areas, and his fear that he would be criticized for wanting to create a park around his country estate. Events 69 - Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Meech Lake is located within Gatineau Park in the Municipality of Chelsea, Quebec, Canada (about 20 km NW of Gatineau) ^[9]

King’s self interest and fear of criticism greatly contributed to denying Gatineau Park status as a national park in the 1930s. The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. Moreover, the reasons officials give today for this continued state of affairs do not stand up to careful analysis. ^[10]

Several senior federal officials and journalists have recently claimed or suggested that the Quebec government is responsible for preventing Gatineau Park from becoming a national park, because it has historically refused to transfer its 17% “ownership” of the land to the federal government. ^[11]

For instance, appearing before a Commons committee on April 14, 2005, Parks Canada CEO Alan Latourelle said that the preconditions to creating national parks include a federal-provincial agreement to do so, along with the province’s transferring to the federal government the surface and subsurface rights to the lands concerned. Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Parks Canada (French Parcs Canada) is a Government of Canada agency that is mandated to protect and present nationally significant examples of Canada's Referring specifically to Gatineau Park, he said that:

"Part of the land is not federal. It is provincially owned – about 11% [sic] of it – and the subsurface rights are owned by the Province of Quebec. In this specific case, if it were to be considered for a national park, we would require the Government of Quebec’s support, and clearly historically we have not received that level of support anywhere in Quebec to create national parks. So it’s not an option we’re currently looking at. "^[12]

However, by virtue of a 1973 agreement, the Quebec government transferred the control and management of 12,500 acres of provincial lands located inside Gatineau Park to the federal government – “in perpetuity” according to the two accompanying Orders in Council. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in Commonwealth Realms. The province also transferred the control and management of the lake bottoms located in the park, committed itself not to issue mining exploration permits, stipulated that the lands it was transferring were to form part of Gatineau Park, and guaranteed that the rights it was transferring were free of all defects in title. ^[13]

In such agreements, and those preceding creation of national parks, it is had been argued that it is not ownership that is being transferred, but rather the control and management of the land and resources. As the Supreme Court has said, citing the principle of indivisibility of the Crown, and quoting legal scholar Paul Lordon, “Her Majesty is the owner of the property whether in right of Canada or the province and cannot grant to Herself. The Supreme Court of Canada ( French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian Only administrative control of the property passes. The transfer is, therefore, made by reciprocal Orders in Council and is confirmed by statute where third party rights are involved. An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in Commonwealth Realms. ”^[14]

Moreover, Gatineau Park’s boundaries have changed a great deal in recent years. As a result of a boundary rationalization exercise conducted in the 1990s, the National Capital Commission removed 48 properties totalling 1,508. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 The National Capital Commission (NCC known in French as the Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally 4 acres from the park. With the 334. 45 additional acres given up to road building within the same time frame – roads built in disregard of master plan commitments – the total number of acres removed from the park stands at 1,842 acres, or nearly three square miles (eight square kilometres). ^[15]

In 2005, the Honourable Ed Broadbent, MP for Ottawa-Centre, tabled a private member's bill in the House of Commons that provided legal boundaries and a land management mechanism for the park, similar to the protection provided by the National Parks Act. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. John Edward "Ed" Broadbent PC, CC (born March 21, 1936 in Oshawa, Ontario) is a Canadian Social The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and The National Parks Act is a Canadian federal law that regulates protection of natural areas of national significance And, in similar moves, the Honourable Mira Spivak of Manitoba tabled a bill in the Senate on April 25, 2006 which would also grant legal status and protection to the park, while Paul Dewar, who replaced Ed Broadbent as MP for Ottawa-Centre in 2006, tabled similar legislation in the House of Commons in May 2006. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. May 2006 was a month with thirty-one days The following events also occurred during the month

Senator Spivak's Bill S-210 received second reading in the Senate on December 13, 2006. Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. It was referred to the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee, where it was studied on March 22, 27 and 29, and on June 5 and 7. It was reported back to the Senate on June 7 with three amendments. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins

Although the government had originally expressed support for Bill S-210, it proposed 18 amendments which, if adopted, would have largely undermined the letter and spirit of the legislation, by denying Parliament the authority to approve property sales in the park or changes to its boundaries. ^[16]

Bill S-210 died on the Senate Order Paper when the government prorogued Parliament in September 2007. Its successor, Bill S-227, was tabled by the Hon. Mira Spivak on February 12, 2008. This new bill contains the amendments made by the Senate Environment Committee, along with a schedule providing a full technical description of the park's 1997 boundary. It was referred to the Senate Environment Committee on May 8, 2008.

A debate on the issue of private property in the park raged in the early months of 2008, when news of a residential development on Carman Road came to light. A group of park activists, the Gatineau Park Protection Coalition, managed to pressure the NCC into purchasing that property in early May. However, more development is currently taking place, most notably on the shores of Meech Lake, and the NCC has been criticized for not using its legal authority to stop all further construction in what is, after all, supposed to be a public park. ^[17]

Sites

Ottawa Valley and Gatineau Hills from Champlain lookout in Gatineau Park

Biking along one of the many trails in Gatineau

Cross country ski trail in Gatineau

Gatineau Park includes a number of campgrounds and picnic areas. The Ottawa-Bonnechere Graben (also known as the Ottawa Graben) with its branch the Timiskaming Graben, is an ancient Rift valley in the The Gatineau Hills are a geological formation in Canada that makes up part of the southern tip of the Canadian Shield, and acts as the northern shoulder of the Ottawa There are 165 km of hiking trails and 90 km of trails for mountain bikes and the Trans Canada Trail passes through the park. The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries but there are differences in usage A mountain bike or mountain bicycle (abbreviated MTB or ATB (all terrain bicycle is a Bicycle designed for off-road cycling including The Trans Canada Trail is a proposed corridor in Canada. The creation of the trail was announced as part of Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations in 1992 The park is also popular with cyclists; note that most routes are quite steep and very demanding on legs, heart and lungs! There are beaches at Meech Lake, Lac Philippe and La Pêche Lake, which each offer camping facilities. Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance Meech Lake is located within Gatineau Park in the Municipality of Chelsea, Quebec, Canada (about 20 km NW of Gatineau) These lakes also offer canoeing; boats with gas motors are not allowed on most lakes in the park. A canoe is a small narrow Boat, typically human-powered though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors Although the practise is not permitted in the park, some of the more secluded corners are popular with nudists. Naturism or nudism is a cultural and Political movement advocating and defending social Nudity in private and in public.

There is a tea room at Moorside, the former summer home of William Lyon Mackenzie King, the tenth Prime Minister of Canada, at Kingsmere. William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian The Prime Minister of Canada ( French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus The estate also features gardens and the "ruins" collected by King in a woodland setting. A small waterfall runs down the escarpment near Moorside.

The Champlain lookout provides a spectacular view of the Ottawa Valley from high atop the Eardley Escarpment. The Ottawa-Bonnechere Graben (also known as the Ottawa Graben) with its branch the Timiskaming Graben, is an ancient Rift valley in the When the leaves change colour in fall, tourists and locals are drawn to the park's lookouts, roads and pathways to enjoy the autumn scenery.

All of the Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area's television and FM radio stations broadcast from a transmitter site at Camp Fortune just north of Kingsmere. The National Capital Region is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighboring city of Gatineau, Quebec Camp Fortune is a commercial Alpine ski center It is located in the Gatineau Hills north of Gatineau Quebec, approximately 15 minutes from downtown

The park's location in the Gatineau Hills makes it a popular destination for cross-country skiing. The Gatineau Hills are a geological formation in Canada that makes up part of the southern tip of the Canadian Shield, and acts as the northern shoulder of the Ottawa Cross-country skiing (also known as XC skiing) is a Winter sport popular in many countries with large snowfields primarily Northern Europe, There are almost 200 km of cross-country trails and the park plays host to the annual Gatineau Loppet (formerly known as Keskinada Loppet). There is also a downhill skiing and snowboarding area at Camp Fortune. A snowboard is a thin hourglass shaped board ridden down a sloped section of earth covered in snow Camp Fortune is a commercial Alpine ski center It is located in the Gatineau Hills north of Gatineau Quebec, approximately 15 minutes from downtown

Gatineau Park provides habitat for birds such as the Pileated Woodpecker and Common Loon. The Pileated Woodpecker ( Dryocopus pileatus) is a very large North American Woodpecker. The Great Northern Diver, known in North America as the Common Loon ( Gavia immer) is a large member of the Loon, or diver Family Turkey Vultures and migrating hawks take advantage of the thermals at the Eardley Escarpment. The Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura, also known in some North American regions as the Turkey Buzzard (or just "buzzard" is a Bird A thermal column (or thermal) is a column of rising Air in the lower altitudes of the Earth's atmosphere. There are many beavers and white-tailed deer in the park, as well as some black bears and a few wolves in more remote sections. The American Beaver ( Castor canadensis) is a large semi-aquatic Rodent native to Canada, much of the United States, and parts of northern The White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) also known as the Virginia deer, or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized Deer found throughout The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora

Pink Lake is a meromictic lake found in the park. Pink Lake is a Meromictic lake located in Gatineau Park, Quebec, Canada. A meromictic Lake has layers of water which do not intermix In ordinary " Holomictic " lakes at least once each year there is a physical mixing of the surface Tiny algae within the lake give it a bright green colour. Algae ( sing. alga are a large and diverse group of simple typically Autotrophic organisms ranging from Unicellular to Multicellular forms The lake's name comes from the Pink family who originally owned property in the area.

King Mountain, the highest peak in Gatineau, rising an almost vertical 345 meters from the Eardley Escarpment, was the first triangulation point in Canada. In Trigonometry and Geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either Also, due to the mountain’s unique positioning, it presents a very interesting spectrum of vegetation, from dark evergreen forest, to rich deciduous forest in another area, and windswept savanna in yet another area. In Botany, an Evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem. The mountain is also home to a number of very rare species of trees for the area, including some which are almost 600 years old.

For many years a large red wooden cross was situated on top of King Mountain’s peak, looking out over the Ottawa River Valley, however the cross has fallen into disrepair and has been removed as a safety precaution. King Mountain served as the main location for Will Inrig's feature-film Ivannikov and the Blessèd Virgin Mary, filmed in the Gatineau forest in 2006. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Mackenzie King donated his 600 acre property at Kingsmere to the people of Canada at his death in 1950. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Prime Minister of Canada's country retreat at Harrington Lake, and The Farm, the official residence of the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, and Prime Minister King's former residence, are located within the park. The Harrington Lake estate is both the name of the official country retreat of the Prime Minister of Canada and of the land which surrounds it The Farm is the official residence of the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons. In Canada the Speaker of the House of Commons ( French: Président de la Chambre des communes) is the presiding officer of the William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian

Image Gallery

Rock Climbing in the Luskville area of the park

External links

• Official web site

• Gatineau Park is at coordinates 45°27′16″N 75°46′38″W / 45.454532, -75.777168 (Gatineau Park)Coordinates: 45°27′16″N 75°46′38″W / 45.454532, -75.777168 (Gatineau Park)
• Photography of the park
• NCC Approved Gatineau Park Camping Webite