Boundaries
The municipal boundaries for Carleton Place are roughly William Street and Maple Lane to the east, Bates Drive to the north, Riverside and Boundary roads to the west, and Megan Drive to the south.
History
The Carleton Place area was first surveyed for European settlement in 1816. English soldiers, Scottish Highlanders and Irish settlers soon arrived, and a village called Morphy’s Falls sprang up around a grist mill on the Mississippi River. Lumber mills, textile mills, railway repair shops, steamboat builders and a stove factory provided jobs, and Carleton Place was incorporated as a town in 1890. Steady growth increased when several high-tech firms set up shop there in the 1960s. Now a bustling town on the Mississippi River, Carleton Place has small independent businesses and big-box retailers, public and Catholic schools, sports and other recreation facilities, and varied restaurants and services.
Claim to fame
Captain Roy Brown grew up in Carleton Place and joined the Royal Naval Air Service (later the Royal Air Force) during the First World War. Although the claim has been disputed, Brown is credited with shooting down the fearsome German flying ace Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, aka the Red Baron. You can learn more about him at the town’s Roy Brown Museum and Information Centre.
Who’s building where
- McEwen’s Mill: BLD Homes
- Miller’s Crossing: Cardel Homes
- Mississippi Shores: Patten Homes
In the area
Carleton Place attracts home buyers looking for small-town life within easy reach of nature, shopping and west-end Ottawa. Attractions include:
- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
- Carleton Place Labyrinth
- Roy Brown Museum
- Mississippi River
- Carleton Place Arena
- Carleton Place Farmers’ Market
- Parrot Partners
Schools
Carleton Place has three English public elementary schools, two English Catholic elementary schools, one French Catholic elementary school, an English public high school and an English Catholic high school.
- English public: Upper Canada District School Board
- English Catholic: Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario
- French public: Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario
- French Catholic: Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est
T.R. Leger School, which offers adult education and alternative programs, also has a campus in Carleton Place.
Businesses
Downtown Carleton Place is home to many independent stores, restaurants and other businesses, while larger national chains are clustered mainly along Highway 7. Businesses include:
- Black Tartan Kitchen
- The Grand Hotel
- The Good Food Company
- Stalwart Brewing Company
- Braumeister Brewing Company
- Carleton Place Gallery (art)
- The Real Wool Shop
- The Floral Boutique
- Wisteria
- Walmart
- Canadian Tire
- Marks
- RONA
- The Home Depot
- Staples
- Mitchell’s Your Independent Grocer
- Starbucks
- Tim Hortons
- McDonalds
Amenities
Carleton Place has nature trails, outdoor rinks, public docks, a biking pump track, a skateboard park, playgrounds, baseball diamonds and tennis courts. Other amenities include:
- Carleton Place Canoe Club
- Riverside Park (with splash pad and beach)
- Centennial Park (includes a beach)
- Mississippi Mudds (amateur theatre group)
- Carleton Place Dog Park
- Public boat launch (off Lake Avenue)
- Carleton Place Curling Club
- Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital
- Carleton Place Public Library
- Mississippi Golf Club
Services
Many services are available in Carleton Place, including doctors’ and dentists’ offices, veterinary clinics, churches, and a range of independent shops and outlets of national chains. The Town of Carleton Place Recreation and Culture Department offers diverse recreational programs.
There are also service groups such as the Rotary Club, Civitan Club, Royal Canadian Legion, IODE and more.
Transit options
Carleton Place has a direct four-lane link to the Queensway and Ottawa via Highway 7.