Petawawa, Ontario
Petawawa is a town located in the Canadian province of
Ontario. Situated in the Ottawa Valley, with a population of
15380, Petawawa is the largest municipality in Renfrew County.
Geography
Latitude 45°54' North and Longitude 77°17' West
Petawawa is scenically located on the western shore of the Ottawa River
where it's intersected by the Petawawa River. Situated across the Ottawa River from the Laurentian Mountains, and east of Algonquin Park,
Petawawa is a favourite stop for outdoor enthusiasts, anglers,
hikers, canoers, and kayakers.
Transportation
Ontario highway 17, Greyhound bus lines, and
the nearby commercial airport in Pembroke all provide access to
Petawawa.
Primary industries
Petawawa's primary employer is the Canadian Government. Most of
Petawawa's residents work as civilian employees, or as members of the
Canadian Forces at CFB Petawawa which is home to
2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group.
Another major employer is Atomic Energy of Canada Limited located
nearby in Chalk River, Ontario.
History
The earliest settlement in the Petawawa area was inhabited by the Algonquin
First Nation. In fact the name of Petawawa comes from a local
Algonquian language meaning "where one hears a noise like this".
In the late 19th century the area was surveyed, and settled by
Europeans from Scotland, Ireland and Germany. The land was
unsuitable for crops, but the heavily forrested surroundings were useful
for logging. The Canadian military acquired land in the area in 1905,
which later became Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.
Petawawa was incorporated as a township in 1865 and as a
village in 1961. On July 1, 1997, the village and township
amalgamated to become the Town of Petawawa.
Local media
