Napanee, Ontario

Possibly best known, in recent years, as the hometown of pop star Avril Lavigne, Napanee is a charming and historical community in eastern Ontario.

The Loyalists first came here starting in 1784, and their descendents have stayed in the community ever since. The downtown area is lined with old Victorian buildings harboring an eclectic mix of independent stores and cafés. The historic homes, with their colorful and meticulous gardens and well-maintained balconies and verandahs, are a delight to see. Many of the area's heritage sites are located near the Loyalist Parkway, the oldest public roadway in Ontario. Along the way, you'll spot Napanee Mills, an old gristmill that dates back to the 1780s, and Finkle's Tavern, built just two years after the Loyalists arrived here.

With such deep roots, community is a key part of life in Napanee. A new soccer and hockey facility, the Strathcona Paper Centre, was built with C$1 million in funds raised locally. Many of the area's employers have a reputation for corporate social responsibility. The Lafarge Canada plant in nearby Bath won an award recently for its environmental initiative to provide habitat for local birds and for its excellent training programs for its employees. The Goodyear plant in Napanee has a solar wall to generate heat for its facility. The town's newspaper, the Napanee Beaver, has been independently owned by a local resident for 50 years.

With endless lakes and rivers surrounding the area, including the Napanee River and Hay Bay, you'll find plenty of beautiful sites and outdoor opportunities. Fall is probably the prettiest time of year here. The bright and colorful woodlands provide some of the most scenic hiking and cycling around. With so much beauty, it's no wonder that Harrowsmith magazine and the TV program Studio 2 named Napanee one of Ontario's prettiest towns in 2001.

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