I’ve been driving up and down Highway 7 on a regular basis for many years. My mother lives down that way, in a small blink-and-you’ll-miss it kind of town. I’ve been in Ottawa since the mid-90s so I’ve gotten to know this stretch of road quite well over the years. It’s a quietly scenic drive in its own understated kind of way. Much of it is forest and farmland, with parts of the road cut through rock and within view of lakes, rivers, obvious beaver-shaped geography. There are roadside death memorials, blueberry stands in the summer, and the odd historical marker.
I have a driving routine that includes a stop in Perth for coffee and gas. Amid a handful of the usual fast food options, it’s comforting to know there’s a shwarma place in Carleton Place that never disappoints.
As I drive I watch the scenery go by (safely, out of my peripheral vision of course) and I always think how cool it would be to ride this stretch of Highway 7 on a bike so I can answer some of the questions I have. Like, what’s in Arden? And what’s with that taxidermy place? Maybe someday I’ll figure out the logistics and make a multi-day wander out of it.
(Sidebar: Speaking of Arden, I recently learned about the documentary mentioned in this older article. And it’s available for viewing online! So now I know what’s in Arden.)
A few weeks ago, Mark and I stopped by the studio of an Ottawa photographer named Paul Wing. It was during the West End Studio Tour and since both Mark and I know Paul, we lingered and had a wee chat. At one point Mark spotted a photo of a strange looking building that was on display. Paul told us it was taken at the Lester B. Pearson Peace Park along Highway 7 between Madoc and Tweed.
Coincidentally, Lester B. Pearson Peace Park was one of the many things we have driven by a thousand times and had questions about, so Mark and I decided to check it out while en route to my mother’s place last weekend.
For some backstory, you can read more about this park on this site, which shows a map of what it looked like in its heyday. Let me say right off the bat that I disagree with the statement that is is a “welcoming site for those who wish to stop, relax and nourish their own inner peace.” I am certain there are other places where our inner peace can be nourished, even though we ARE talking about Highway 7 here.
Lester B. Pearson Peace Park is located right off Highway 7. The address is 108087 ON-7, Tweed, ON. (Here’s a link to a Google Map.) I wish I had thought to grab a photo of the entrance, but it kind of sneaks up on ya. We turned on to a very narrow country road:
I have to say, I was already a little bit creeped out at this point, which is weird, because I tend to embrace these kinds of wild spaces and rush into them headfirst, with no fear and without much concern. You know me, I love a good nature trail and picnic in the park!
As we pulled in, it occurred to me that NO ONE knew where we were so I posted a Facebook update regarding our whereabouts. (I could see the headlines: “MARRIED COUPLE DISAPPEARS WITHOUT A TRACE ALONG HIGHWAY SEVEN”)
