Dalhousie, New Brunswick

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Location of Dalhousie in New Brunswick

Dalhousie (2006 population: 3,676) is a Canadian town located in Restigouche County, New Brunswick.

Geography

Dalhousie is the most northern point in New Brunswick, and thus in one of the three Maritime provinces. It is situated in the Restigouche River valley at the mouth of the river where it discharges into Chaleur Bay. The valley lies in a hilly region, part of the Appalachian mountain range, although the Dalhousie town site is situated on a flat plateau several metres above sea level with some development to its south on a low ridge of approximately 60 metres elevation. The town is surrounded by salt and fresh water bodies, which are home to many species of wildlife, unique birds, and fish. The area is rich in natural resources.

Dalhousie faces Miguasha, Quebec on the Gaspé Peninsula to the north. The city of Campbellton lies 20 km upriver to the west and the city of Bathurst is approximately 80 km southeast along the shore of Chaleur Bay. There are no major centres south of Dalhousie as this is the undeveloped and heavily forested geographic centre of the province.

History

Dalhousie is the shire town of Restigouche County and dates European settlement to 1800. The town did not gain prominence until after the 1825 Great Miramichi Fire swept through Maine and Central New Brunswick, and destroyed the forests that were the mainstay of that region's economy. After that fire, lumbermen started looking north for timber, and they found it in the Restigouche region.

The hilly town site was first laid out in 1826 with the first settlement established by the British in 1827. It was named after the ninth Earl of Dalhousie, who was then the governor of both Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Some Acadians displaced in the Great Upheaval also settled in Dalhousie, and to this day there is a very close balance between anglophones and francophones. Many of the present residents can trace ancestry back to the original European settlers in the region. The Eel River Bar First Nation, adjacent to Dalhousie, is home to many Micmac natives, who were the original residents of the region.

Dalhousie was officially incorporated in 1905.

Famous Person Born in Dalhousie NHL Hockey Player Gordie Dwyer. Gordie Dwyer (born January 25, 1978, Dalhousie, New Brunswick) is a Canadian ice ... Gordie Dwyer's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Dwyer Gordie Dwyer, NHL hockey player.

Economy

The town's industries are major employers in Restigouche County and provides a significant contribution to the province's industrial base.

Until January 31, 2008, the economy was dominated by the forestry industry, namely a large pulp and paper mill spanning the waterfront along the Restigouche River. This mill was built to produce newsprint by the New Brunswick International Paper Co. in 1928 (a subsidiary of International Paper). The mill underwent ownership changes in 1980, when it was purchased by Oji Paper Co. Ltd. and Mitsui & Co. of Japan (who grouped it under the name Canadian International Paper) and 1991, when it was purchased by Canadian Pacific Limited (who grouped it under their Canadian Pacific Forest Products subsidiary), and again in 1994 (when CPFP changed to become Avenor Inc.. In 1998 Bowater purchased the Dalhousie newsprint mill from Avenor who renamed the mill "Bowater Maritimes Inc.". The 2007 merger of Bowater and Abitibi Consolidated resulted in the decision by the newly merged company to announce the closure of the Dalhousie newsprint mill on November 29, 2007. The mill, which produced 640 tonnes of newsprint per day for shipment by rail, truck and ship to domestic and international markets, was officially closed on January 31, 2008. Consequently the town of Dalhousie's economy is facing uncertainty during the post-industrial adjustment.

The town's other major industries include a Pioneer Chemicals plant and a large orimulsion-powered electrical generating station operated by NB Power, however their combined employment levels are approximately half of the former pulp and paper mill's workforce.

Transportation

File:Dalhousie port.jpg

Dalhousie's port facilities, fronting Chaleur Bay.

The town benefits from its geography by having a deep sea port located adjacent to the pulp and paper mill.

It is also served by the New Brunswick East Coast Railway and is located on the Highway 11 arterial highway. VIA Rail Canada provides passenger train service 6 days/week with stops at Charlo immediately east of the town and in Campbellton to the west.

The Charlo Airport is located several kilometres east of the town for private and charter service with scheduled air service available at the Bathurst Airport.

Education

Dalhousie has two elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools, the Dalhousie Regional High School and Ecole Aux Quatre Vents.

Religion

The area is dominated by Catholics, but is also home to many other religious affiliations including Protestants, Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Pentecostals.

Tourism

In terms of tourist attractions, Dalhousie is home to the Inch Arran Park , one of New Brunswick's highest-rated campgrounds.

Dalhousie Mountain offers stunning panoramic views of the entire region and the Gaspé coast.

With four very well defined seasons, Dalhousie is the perfect home - or destination for - the sports enthusiast. water sports such as sailing and power boating are increasingly popular in the summer, as are skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing in the winter.

The popular Bon Ami festival in the summer serves as a homecoming for the community, where residents celebrate the town and its heritage.

The town is commonly referred to as a Papertown.

External links

• the DRHS school website
• the AQV school website
• the NB Lighthouses Website
• the Town of Dalhousie website
• Downtown Dalhousie
• Papertown, The Dalhousie Story

48°04′N 66°22′W