By 1946, the Canadian International Paper Company (CIP) was a well-established and powerful force within the forest and paper-producing industry of Canada. In keeping with the buoyant mood of that post-war era, CIP decided to establish a hunting and fishing club on the picturesque shores of Lac Serpent – just east of Maniwaki (north of Ottawa). It was intended as a recreational refuge for its numerous employees. Therein lay the foundation of what would become, and what remains, the Kensington Fish and Game Club.
In the book, I take you on a journey of Kensington – from its earliest known inhabitants, through its six decades of fishing, hunting and political history, right up to its current “cooperative ownership”. I outline the efforts made by Club founders to acquire land, erect buildings, lobby politicians and secure leases for exclusive fishing and hunting rights on 15 square miles of territory. Pondered too is the possibility that the infamous Louis Riel might have used an old house built there by Jean-Baptiste Riel in the mid 1800s (a building which still stands at Kensington) as a hideout from federal authorities.
I try to paint an image for you of Kensington’s first caretakers and of several other memorable characters, adding what I hope you agree is a very human and humorous element to Kensington’s history by highlighting stories told by Kensington’s more senior members, as well as by former residents.
A collection of over forty photographs dating back to the early 1900s rounds out the historical portrait of this very special place called Kensington Fish and Game Club.