The creation of a geological display at Metcalfe Park in Almonte was first proposed in 2004 as the Almonte Geoheritage Project.

The idea developed from an April 23 presentation of the Almonte Lectures series.  Dr. J. Allan Donaldson, Professor Emeritus, Carleton University, and founder of Friends of Canadian Geoheritage, spoke on the topic of geoheritage.

Through the efforts of Dr. Donaldson and community volunteers in Almonte, plans for a geological display evolved during subsequent meetings with the municipal Council.  Other organizations soon offered their support.  With the enthusiastic endorsement of Councilors, the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists, the Mississippi Mills Chamber of Commerce, and relatives of Dr. Metcalfe, the Council of Mississippi Mills unanimously approved the proposal in 2008.

Metcalfe Park, at the bottom of Bay Hill in Almonte, Ontario, was named in honour of Dr. Archibald Metcalfe (1869-1962), local physician for 63 years, town councilor and Mayor (at least 7 terms), and the driving force to establish the Almonte hydro electric generating station.

The Park’s development, which has attracted community interest and support, has been widely reported by local print and on-line media.

“Almonte Geoheritage project gets off the ground”

The Almonte Gazette, August 24, 2004, page 3

2004 Almonte Geoheritage Project August 24

 Almonte Geoheritage Project volunteers Neil Carleton, Dr. Allan Donaldson and Ben Cleland identified a possible display specimen with fossil stromatolites at the construction site of the Metcalfe subdivision in Almonte.

“Geoheritage Project receiving support from local community”

The Almonte Gazette, October 12, 2004, page 7

“Efforts to form a ‘geopark’ within Almonte continue”

The Almonte Gazette, November 27, 2007, page 13

“Potential for ‘geopark’ discussed at meeting”

The Almonte Gazette, January 1, 2008, pages 1-2

2007 December 17

Professor Allan Donaldson (left) and Neil Carleton attended the December 17 meeting of the Mississippi Mills Committee-of-the-Whole to discuss the merits of establishing Metcalfe Park as a geoheritage park.    The Almonte Gazette, January 1, 2008

“Geopark is passed by Committee”

The Almonte Gazette, April 1, 2008, page 1, 12

“Geoheritage Information Day Saturday, Oct. 3”

The Record News EMC Almonte / Carleton Place, September 29, 2009

“Celebrating Almonte’s heritage from the ground up”

Canadian Gazette, October 1, 2009

2009 Metcalfe Geoheritage Park September 4

Almonte Geoheritage Committee members Scott Newton (Mississippi River Power Corp.) and Calvin Murphy (Town of Mississippi Mills) posed with Lennox Box (M. Sullivan & Son Ltd.) on September 4, 2009, after a sandstone block with ripple marks was set in place at Metcalfe Geoheritage Park.   

2009 October 3

Almonte’s first Geoheritage Information Day was well attended by families on October 3, 2009.  They brought rocks, minerals, and fossils for identification, participated in variety of activities, and learned about plans for developing Metcalfe Geoheritage Park.    The Record News EMC Almonte / Carleton Place.

Metcalfe Geoheritage Park Official Opening 2010

Metcalfe Geoheritage Park first official opening on October 16, 2010

“Metcalfe Geoheritage Park receives rescue rocks”

The Millstone News, November 9, 2012  http://millstonenews.com/2012/11/metcalfe-geoheritage-park-receives-rescue-rocks.html

2012 Georescue 5 November 2

Martin Doornekamp (Cavanagh Construction) supervised the arrival of rescue rocks on November 2 at Metcalfe Geoheritage Park from a median outcrop on Highway 417 in Kanata

“MRPC wants to make Metcalfe Park ‘a gem'”

The Millstone News, August 14, 2014  http://millstonenews.com/2014/08/mrpc-wants-to-make-a-metcalfe-park-a-gem.html

Metcalfe Park Air Photo

Earlier air photo of Metcalfe Park

“Rocks on the move for Metcalfe Geoheritage Park relocation”

The Millstone News, November 1, 2014  http://millstonenews.com/2014/11/rocks-on-the-move-for-metcalfe-geoheritage-park-relocation.html

2014 Relocation 4 October 28

Specimens ready for relocation.

“Winter wrapped rocks”

The Millstone News, December 15, 2014

Winter Wrapped Rocks

Waiting for spring.

“Did ‘geo’ hear about the recent geoheritage tour?”

Website Posting – Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists, June 25, 2015

Did hear

Examining an intensively folded mafic gneiss of Precambrian age.

Metcalfe Geoheritage Park Nears Completion

The Millstone News, May 1, 2016  http://millstonenews.com/2016/05/metcalfe-geoheritage-park-nears-completion.html

Metcalfe Geoheritage Park Committee members Patricia Larkin and Scott Newton with the final proof of the interpretive site sign.

Progress at Metcalfe Geoheritage Park

The Millstone News, June 21, 2016  http://millstonenews.com/2016/06/progress-at-metcalfe-geoheritage-park.html

Installation of the site sign.  Metcalfe Geoheritage Park Committee members Neil Carleton and Scott Newton.

Metcalfe Geoheritage Park opens September 24

The Millstone News, September 14, 2016  http://millstonenews.com/2016/09/metcalfe-geoheritage-park-opens-september-24.html

Metcalfe Geoheritage Park opened on Saturday

The Millstone News, September 25, 2016  http://millstonenews.com/2016/09/metcalfe-geoheritage-park-opened-on-saturday.html
 

Mayor Shaun McLaughlin cuts the ribbon.

Almonte’s Metcalfe Geoheritage Park first of its kind in Canada

Carleton Place Canadian Almonte Gazette, September 28, 2016  https://www.insideottawavalley.com/news-story/6883830-almonte-s-metcalfe-geoheritage-park-first-of-its-kind-in-canada/

The realization of this showcase community project was coordinated from 2004 – 2016 with the participation of community volunteers, and town staff, as members of the initial Almonte Geoheritage Project, and later as the Almonte Geoheritage Committee and the Metcalfe Geoheritage Park Committee.

Frank Anderson, Julie Argue, Pat Browne, Neil Carleton, Ben Cleland,  Allan Donaldson, Reiner Hollbach, Trish Larkin, Calvin Murphy, Scott Newton, Don Wiles

 

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