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The Rural West Community

Zone 1 (West Carleton-March, Stittsville-Kanata West, Rideau-Goulbourn) comprises the former Townships of West Carleton, Goulbourn and Rideau and, since the 2006 Ottawa municipal elections, parts of rural Kanata and rural Nepean, for a total area of over 1500 square kilometres.   It encompasses the villages of Ashton, Burritts Rapids, Carp, Constance Bay, Dunrobin, Fitzroy Harbour, Galetta, Kars, Kinburn, Manotick, Munster, North Gower, Richmond and Stittsville.

The rural western and southern area of what is now the City of Ottawa is steeped in 200 years of heritage and history. Communities like Fitzroy Harbour and Richmond were well on their way to being bustling centres of commerce and industry well before the lumbering community of Bytown was chosen as the capital of the new nation of Canada and renamed Ottawa.  Manotick and Burritts Rapids were (and still are) important stops on the Rideau River and Canal system. 

Rich agricultural lands in parts of the rural western area were granted to soldiers who had served in the War of 1812, beginning the permanent settlement of the area.  Class lists in Zone 1 schools still include many surnames of original families, now in their fifth and sixth generations.  The importance of agriculture is highlighted annually at events like the Carp Fair and the Richmond Fair.

Over the last 30 years, explosive population growth has changed the social fabric of the townships. New housing developments in places like Stittsville, one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, are distinctly suburban. New residents throughout Zone 1 are drawn to attractive villages and rural areas within easy reach of hi-tech employers in Kanata and Nepean. Lands unsuitable for agriculture are dotted with small rural estate lot subdivisions, and the Constance Bay area, long a haven for cottagers, now consists mainly of permanent homes along the scenic shores of the Ottawa River and Buckham's Bay.  The scenic shores of the Rideau River have long attracted permanent residents as well as cottagers.

Every corner of Zone 1 today includes a dynamic mix of people from all walks of life, a lively blend of fifth-generation farmers, hi-tech workers, all manner of professionals, skilled tradespeople, craftspersons and artists.

Education has been a high priority in the communities of the western townships since the first school in Ottawa-Carleton was established at Richmond in 1820. Community support for local schools is very strong, with a high level of interest in education issues. Meeting the education needs of the area is made more complex by its vast geography, but Lynn Scott is committed to ensuring the accessibility of high-quality programs to meet the needs of students within their communities to the greatest extent possible, educating students for success in a 21st century world. 

For more information about Zone 1 and its schools, please explore the menu at the top.

Page last modified 19 August 2010
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