50 urban expressions urban expressions 51

As for music, the Black Sheep Inn – a self-de-scribed “little juke joint”– is known for attracting big talent from the region and beyond to perform.

For nature and outdoor activities, Gatineau Park is right next door. Even extreme sports enthusiasts will not be disappointed as the Great Canadian Bun-gee Jump is located right outside of town. There are many bed and breakfasts, including Les Trois Ér-ables and one just outside of town called Le Grange, which specializes in yoga retreats. But we were headed to stay at the Wakefield Mill Inn and Spa.

Ancestral groundsI have other intrinsic ties to Wakefield as my an-

cestors were instrumental in pioneering the place, especially my great, great-great grandfather Wil-liam Fairbairn, who built the town’s first mill back in 1838. Located on the McLaren waterfalls just behind the village, the old stone building has been fully re-stored and is now a luxurious heritage inn and spa.

The entrance is deceiving: Though historic looking it's rather plain, and the lobby is tiny, but our room was inviting, all wood and exposed stone with such modern conveniences as an oversized Jacuzzi tub.

But as we later ventured through the more opu-lent dining room, down to the spa and then outside the building to the hot tub area and lookout, a real wow factor kicked in. The power of the falls is over-whelming.

Meanwhile, I felt instantly at home under the tow-ering forests. The grass was dotted with little blue forget-me-nots, my grandmother’s favourite flowers. The gangly heron following me around I later found out is the mill's mascot named Harry (my great-uncle Harry Fairbairn was a well known country fiddler in these parts). But the biggest connection for me came when I realized my view of the falls was identical to a painting that my great aunt Reta Fairbairn had done from that exact spot and that has been hanging in my kitchen for over 30 years. It was amazing to be able to experience the falls with all my senses, the mighty roar of the charging waves, the refreshing cool spray – it’s an inspiring and invigorating natural force. Both dining rooms and the spa face the scenic waterworks, and there are many little private rest areas and a streamside gazebo for a private couple’s massage.

There was also new development underway at the topside of the falls. We did a hardhat tour of the new eco-lodge, which has since opened and is the first Leeds-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) property in the area. It is a thoroughly modern structure with spacious, en-

susan campbellA larger-than-life portrait of founder William Fairbairn peers out of the top window of the new Fairbairn House Heritage Centre, slated to open in spring 2012.

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susan campbellEveryone enjoys watching as the antique steam engine is turned around by hand.

WWW.LESTRoISERaBLES.CoM Les Trois Érables Victorian bed and breakfast.

susan campbellAt the hotel spa, you can soak in the hot tub while taking in the spectacular view of the falls.

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vironmentally friendly rooms and amenities look-ing out onto La Pêche River.

and the old Miller’s House (built in the 1840s) has been turned into what they call a “no-shh zone” eco-spa where up to 10 people at a time can social-ize without reprimands while receiving their treat-ments. There is also a saltwater pool, a year-round hot tub, and complimentary kayaks for guests.

Later in the fine dining room, we enjoyed one of the mill's signature “discovery dinners” of farm-to-fork local specialties and then went for after-dinner drinks in the cozy fireside lounge. We found the entire resort to be simply enchanting. It’s no wonder it has won so many hospitality awards. Past guests of note include Hilary Clinton, who penned a personal thank you let-ter to the staff that’s on display in the lobby.

Bridging the generationsNo visit to Wakefield would be complete with-

out a trip to the old covered bridge just outside of town. Built in 1915, destroyed by fire in 1984, and then rebuilt by local residents, it is the town’s most photographed landmark. It is only open to pedes-trian traffic now and is a popular spot for wedding ceremonies. You’ll often find local youth jumping

off it into the fast running river below. (It seems to be an unofficially sanctioned rite of passage there.) We decided to go for a dip in the river under the bridge, and it was as bracingly cold and refreshing as I re-membered it, but I missed the logs I used to ride on that came from the LaChute sawmill and travelled down this waterway en masse for so many years to be processed at the EB Eddy paper plant in Hull.

Next door, there is another attraction opening soon designed to bridge the generations by way of his-tory called the Fairbairn House Heritage Centre. The 150-year-old farmhouse built by William Fairbairn has been restored and moved twice to finally rest here beside a new eco-park. Though not yet open to the public, the outside is finished and by spring 2012 the grand opening will reveal all kinds of historical exhibits retracing the Fairbairn family’s roots and im-portant contributions to the area. ■

ON THE WEB

Wakefield visitor info: www.wakefieldquebec.com H.C.W. Steam Train: www.steamtrain.ca The Wakefield Mill: www.wakefieldmill.com Les Trois Érables: www.lestroiserables.com Fairbairn House: www.fairbairn.ca