Manotick, Ontario

Manotick is a quiet residential village located on the Rideau River, some 15 miles south of the city of Ottawa just off new Highway 416. Originally a small farming community with a water powered grist mill, it is now principally a bedroom community for the big city, with a population (including the immediate surrounding area) of around 5,000. While the original mid-eighteen hundreds village was located in the immediate area surrounding the mill on the west bank of the river, the modern village has expanded to include a much enlarged western area, virtually the whole of Long Island, a 3.5 kilometer long island in the river running north from Manotick, and also an area on the eastern side of the river.

The commute time into the centre of Ottawa on most weekdays can be as little as 30 minutes, since the city runs east and west, and access from the south is still reasonable.

The mill, more correctly called Watson's Mill, is a classic eastern stone mill, and is a favourite subject for oil and water colour artists. It comes complete with its own intriguing historical stories. A photograph of the mill is available at the Manotick.org site.