Deep River, Ontario, a charming town nestled in Renfrew County, Canada, offers a unique blend of history, science, and natural beauty. Situated along the Ottawa River, approximately 200 kilometres north-west of Ottawa on the Trans-Canada Highway, Deep River is a gem waiting to be discovered.
The name "Deep River" is believed to have originated from the Ottawa River's greatest depth of 402 feet, just outside the township. However, the Ottawa River today reaches a depth of 565 feet in Moose Bay, located on the Holden Lake reservoir from the Des Joachim dam, west of Deux-Rivières.
Deep River's primary industry revolves around research at the Chalk River location of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), a facility of the Chalk River Laboratories about 10 km east of Deep River on Highway 17. Although the site is technically in Deep River, it is primarily accessed via the nearby town of Chalk River.
The federal government initiated plans for constructing this planned community in 1944 as part of the Manhattan Project, to accommodate employees of the nearby Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories (CRNL). Deep River was strategically located far enough upwind and upriver of the Chalk River research reactors to avoid radioactive fallout.
John Bland, an architecture professor at McGill University, developed the town's first master plan in 1944. The town was designed with residential neighborhoods stretching out from a commercial and service-sector core. Parks and schools were strategically located throughout the town, and the streets were named after local flora, Canadian politicians, and famous scientists such as Ernest Rutherford and Charles Darwin.
Deep River is located at a latitude of 46°06' north and longitude 77°30' west, in the Boreal Forest biozone, and has an area of 50.87 square kilometres. The town sits on the section of the Ottawa River referred to as "La Rivière Creuse" (the "Deep River") by 17th-century French explorers, and which later was at the heart of Canada's 19th-century timber trade.
Deep River boasts many active clubs and a vibrant arts scene. The town is home to the Deep River Symphony Orchestra, formed in 1951, making Deep River one of the smallest towns to have a symphony orchestra. The Deep River Choral Group and Deep River Community Band also host multiple concerts every year.
Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy cross-country skiing on the Silver Spoon trails, created by the Deep River Cross-Country Ski Club. The town also hosts Summerfest, a festival held once every two years, featuring local and famous artists.
Deep River is home to two museums: The Canadian Clock Museum, which houses an extensive collection of clocks from The Arthur Pequegnat Clock Company, and the Society for the Preservation of Canada's Nuclear Heritage, founded in 2017, which collects, safeguards, and promotes documents, artifacts, memorabilia, and knowledge associated with the history of the Canadian nuclear industry.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Deep River had a population of 4,175 living in 1,866 of its 1,981 total private dwellings, a change of 1.6% from its 2016 population of 4,109. With a land area of 50.27 km2 (19.41 sq mi), it had a population density of 83.1/km2 (215.1/sq mi) in 2021.
