Chalk River is a small rural village, part of the Laurentian Hills municipality in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Upper Ottawa Valley along Highway 17, inland from the Ottawa River, approximately northwest of Petawawa, and northwest of Ottawa. Chalk River was a separate municipality until January 1, 2000, when the United Townships of Rolph, Buchanan, Wylie and McKay and the Village of Chalk River were merged. Chalk River's area is environmentally pristine with extensive forests, hills and numerous small lakes all of which support a variety of wildlife typical to the southern edge of the Canadian Shield. St. Anthony's Elementary School is the only educational institution in the community, instructing grades Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8. It provides Catholic education to the children in the neighborhood, with a church next door. Students in higher grades are bussed to nearby Deep River. The town consists mainly of detached houses with some townhouses and an apartment building. Local services include a convenience store and a gas station. The only traditional truck stop style restaurant, the Treetop, was lost in February 2019 to a roof collapse and remains to be demolished or rebuilt. The Chalk River library, the Lions Hall, and the Legion all play an important part in the community. Local recreational activities include hiking, fourwheeling, and biking. In the winter, snowmobile and cross country ski trails can be enjoyed. A skating rink and baseball diamond are also present.
History
The town was first settled in the mid-19th century and named in 1875 after the Chalk River flowing just south of the community. Chalk River played an increasingly important role in settlement of the Upper Ottawa Valley after a Canadian Pacific Railway line was constructed through the area.
Local employers
Employers include Bubble Technology Industries. The Canadian Forest Service maintains the Petawawa Research Forest nearby. The community borders the northern edge of CFB Petawawa. The Chalk River Laboratories is a nuclear research centre located on the bank of the Ottawa River. While named after the community of Chalk River, the research centre is located in Chalk River's neighbouring town of Deep River. Chalk River Laboratories was the first laboratory created by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited.
Notable people
Russell Williams, English-born Canadian serial killer and rapist, lived most of his childhood in this town after he and his family emigrated to Canada.
