Rich in Heritage and Unique Rural Character!
The Village of Carp in the Township of Huntley lies in the western-most ward of Ottawa, approximately ten kilometers west of Kanata. The official boundary for the village was established in 1979 and Huntley Township was amalgamated with the City of Ottawa in 2001.
The village sits on the edge of the Carp Escarpment (or Carp Ridge), a geological fault running through the Carp River Valley. The Carp Hills and the Carp River are other principal geographic characteristics of the village terrain. One of the main streets, Donald B. Munro Drive, was once a part of the Trans-Canada highway until the building of the “Carp bypass” as part of highway 17/417 in the mid 1960s. Carp has been a major centre for agricultural activities since the 1800s.
The area is surrounded by amazing biking, hiking, walking, and snowmobiling trails, joining into hundreds of miles of trails that lace their way back and forth across the Ottawa valley.
Carp Fair – Best Little Fair in Canada: The Carp Fair (2013 marks the 150th Fair) draws visitors and participants from all over Ontario, Quebec, and the New England States. The Carp Farmer’s Market is held every Saturday from April/May to October on the the southern part of the Fair Grounds and attracts regular visitors from Ottawa and many of the towns and communities around Carp. The Carp Agricultural Society and the annual Carp Agricultural Fair date back to 1863.
Diefenbunker, Canada ‘s Cold War Museum – Located a short distance from the Carp Fair grounds is the other well known feature of Carp, namely the Diefenbunker, built in the 1960s to house the principals of the Federal Government in the event of a nuclear attack on Ottawa. Guided tours are available.
Carp Airport – The Carp Airport (ICAO identifier “CYRP”) is located 2.2 km south of Carp, Ontario, Canada, a small village that is now part of Ottawa. Carp is the only airport in the Ottawa area where private hangar space is readily available and is a popular home base for local general aviation pilots.
Carp Library: History naturally comes alive and the community is involved at the Carp branch – the Library is located in a former Canadian Forces base building at the site of the Diefenbunker Cold War Museum!
Carp Farmers Market: The Carp Farmers’ Market is the largest producer-based Farmers’ Market in Eastern Ontario and they are being used as a model for other Ontario markets.
Additional places of interest:
– 6 area riding stables
– Stan ‘s Mini-Putt
– The Swan Pub
Many golf courses in area:
Schools:
Huntley Centennial Public School: Located in Carp, presently has an enrollment of 628 students in grades JK – 8. The talented staff collaborate to provide rich and engaging learning opportunities to meet the needs of all students.
St. Michael School: Opened in 1965, St. Michael School is located on a particularly beautiful country campus, St. Michael has a baseball diamond, skating rink, playground and many play stations. Our dedicated and caring staff encourage children to grow and develop to their fullest potential.
South Carleton High School: For over a half century South Carleton High School has been recognized for continued academic and athletic excellence. The school opened its doors in 1952 to 263 students and 13 teachers. Today, we have a student population of more than 1100, with 69 teaching staff. In the intervening years, thousands of students and staff have passed through the halls and classrooms of South Carleton High School.
Venta Preparatory School: Venta Preparatory Private School opened in 1981 and was the realization of a long-standing dream of Dr. Agatha Sidlauskas to create an environment where children could receive guidance and protection from distracting forces in order to develop to their fullest potential. To this end, Venta provides an enriched and engaging curriculum to sustain motivation and help our students to establish a strong work ethic and appropriate basic skills.
Carp Cooperative Nursery: Carp Cooperative Nursery School is a place where children can broaden their social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth through teacher directed and self directed learning. It provides the children access to excellent play equipment and a safe space to develop along side children their own age.
Churches:
Huntley Parish: Anglican Church
St. Pauls: United Church
St. Isidore: Catholic Church
