Cantley's 1889 Articles in The Echo of Cantley

From Pasture to Park

Margaret Phillips

In September 2000, my father Bob Phillips wrote, “A joyful ceremony at 1:00 p.m. on Labour Day marked the fulfilment of a dream and, at the same time, created a new source of pride among the people of Cantley. Mayor Michel Charbonneau and three members of Council officially inaugurated Parc Mary-Anne-Phillips. Ten years ago (1990), the idea was first proposed to save this stretch of land on Summer Road and turn it into a permanent green space for the enjoyment of visitors. Four years ago (1996), Cantley Council accepted the donation of eight waterfront acres with an unmatched view of Lower Gatineau and the Ottawa skyline.”

The green space idea began decades before. In 1954, my parents bought a rocky section of Ray and Lola Foley’s farm to build our seasonal cottage. Its access was a narrow gravel road running from the Foleys’ three historic Cantley barns, then alongside their pasture. My artistic mother, Mary Anne, depicted this pastoral scene in some of her lovely paintings. The picturesque pasture also inspired artist A.Y. Jackson who we encountered there with his paints and easel in the 1950s.

As a child, I often walked to visit the Foleys at their farmhouse, stopping by the pasture when the cows were grazing there. The cows and I had a unique relationship. They routinely strayed on to our rocky land, often at dawn, and my job was to direct them back to pasture by banging pots together. The pasture was a magical place. Along its forested side, we picked giant puffballs which seemed to grow overnight in late summer. Looking south, we could see the log-filled Gatineau River, the dam, and the skyline of Ottawa - my city world. The silhouetted view of Canada’s parliament buildings is especially stunning at dawn in the red rising sun. On July 1st evenings, our family gathered at the pasture with friends and neighbours to watch Canada Day fireworks displays above the Peace Tower.

After urbanization began in the 1960s, strangers occasionally came to our cottage door asking who owned the pasture and whether it was for sale. We hated to think of the pasture becoming a housing development and thought it should be protected as a green space for the public to enjoy. My parents discussed this with Ray Foley who agreed that, if his family ever decided to sell, our family would have first refusal. This happened in 1989. My father bought the farm (south from today’s rue Bosquet to rue La Baie) and then subdivided it. He could only afford to keep the pasture, so had to sell each lot as quickly as possible. He learned the pasture did not include the southern slope with its river access. After a complicated search, he eventually found its owner in Montreal who agreed to sell.

In 1990, when my father first presented his idea of donating the pasture as a municipal park, only three councillors agreed to its conditions “to remain forever green”. He was also told to first construct a public road of municipal standards (costing him $10,000). These were stressful times for us. After being hospitalized for six months, my mother died in March 1990.

During the 1990s volunteers rallied and formed “Les Ami(e)s du Parc Mary-Anne-Phillips”. Jacques Leblanc planted the magnificent cedar hedge along the southeastern boundary of the park. Les Ami(e)s cleared the small bay of logs and debris from the final 1991 logging activities revealing a shallow sandy beach with a great view and a place to launch kayaks and canoes. Wray Koepke acquired railway ties from the Wakefield steam train tracks to build 79 stairs down to the river. His stairway’s supports were so strong, they were re-used by the municipality to rebuild the stairway in 2023. Meg and Hans Weber enjoyed swimming at the beach and built the stairway’s railing. Les Ami(e)s brainstormed ideas for the future park. Instead of organized sports like baseball, they wanted to keep it green with less-invasive family activities and cultural events. They insisted on no overhead wires so people could fly kites. My father’s vision included a natural amphitheatre with a covered stage or gazebo for cultural activities. Wray drafted these plans into a blueprint of the park to present to the municipality.

It took until 1996 and the need for a soccer field before Cantley council agreed to accept the park donation and its conditions. Mayor Charbonneau suggested the park be named in my mother’s memory. The park’s inauguration was held at a covered boulder beside the park’s new flagpole. The boulder was ceremoniously uncovered to reveal its engraved plaque honouring my mother. For my family, this was such an emotional moment, and a dream come true.