The following article first appeared in The Echo of Cantley Volume 27 no 8, March 2016. This article is made available for the enjoyment of others with the express permission of the Echo of Cantley.
Toponymy (part 2) Stories behind Cantley's Street Names
by members of Cantley 1889
Place names should be expressions of identity, linking our community with its history, culture or geographic features. "Toponymy - the Bilingual Concept that Builds Communities!" by Michael Rosen appeared in the June 2015 Echo (volume 26 no.11).
In the early days, particularly in the early 1970s, the municipality named existing un-named roads in consultation with property owners living on those streets. In 1993 and after, these names became officially accepted by the Quebec Government under its new toponymy policy. This is also the time when each Cantley house was assigned a street number.
The following tells the origins of some Cantley street names.
Interestingly, chemin Summer was the road through the Ray Foley farm for close to a century. Because the name chemin Foley already existed elsewhere in Cantley another name had to be chosen. In the early 1950s, several summer cottages were built at the end of the road, so after consulting their owners, the road became chemin Summer. Rue du Chalet is a small street leading from chemin Summer to two of these cottages.
Avenue Gatineau was named for access to the Gatineau River. This sign is on the Templeton/ East Hull Line about 2 km north of chemin Taché. It was once named the Haycock Mine Road since it led to the Haycock Iron Mine. Later it was named Lamarche Road for François Lamarche, an early settler in Gatineau. It is now on land used by the Nakkertok Ski Club.
The Gatineau River and the City of Gatineau were named after Nicholas Gatineau (1664- 1700), notary of Trois-Rivières, Quebec. In about 1650, Gatineau wanting to return to his beloved France, turned to hunting and trapping on the Gatineau River to gather the needed cash for his voyage home. He never made it. Legend says he drowned in the river that now bears his name.
Cantley 1889 welcomes any information about the origin of a Cantley street or place name. If you can help, please email: info.cantley1889@gmail.com or write to 934 montée de la Source, Cantley, QC J8V 3K5. We are hoping to write more toponymy articles in future Echo editions.
For information on Quebec's toponymy, including when a street name became offi cial, see the official government website www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca. This website also welcomes missing information.