The Carleton Place Connection
Over the years, many of my clients have asked me how I ended up in Carleton Place. My answer is always the same, “I went on a canoe trip.”
It was early summer 1991 and I was living in Toronto. I was tired of the city and fed up with my job and had decided to go back to school to become a massage therapist. I was just waiting to hear if my application had been accepted.
I was stuck on the subway (yet another delay on the line) and right outside the window was a large billboard advertisement for a company that offered canoe camping adventures. The ad featured a view from the stern of a canoe looking down a pristine lake with nothing else around and was titled ‘Rush hour in Algonquin Park’. I immediately wrote down the phone number.
Within a week I had booked myself a seven day canoe trip to Temagami. The trip was all that the billboard ad had promised and more – adventure, stunning scenery, tranquility and wonderful camaraderie.
Temagami canoe trip 1991
My tent mate for the week was a woman from Carleton Place. We became friends and after the trip was over, stayed in touch. I went back to school, we corresponded, our friendship grew, I went to visit her. Just before graduating from massage school I wrote to her that the Ottawa/Kingston area had hit the top of my short list for places to move to, whereupon she invited me to come and live with her. It was perfect for both of us. She had been looking for a house mate for a while, since she wanted to spend periods of time away from home working on conservation projects, but had pets. I wanted to live near a major urban center for the cultural things it has to offer but did not want to live in it, having had my fill of cities.
So here I am thirty+ years later still living and working in this lovely town. This is my home base for finding community, friends, outdoor activities, art, music, nature, tranquility, spirituality, joy.
When I first moved here someone said that once you live in Eastern Ontario you’ll never want to leave. I think they were right. Thank you Carleton Place and thanks to my dear friend Susan.