The Trent River is the beginning point of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Lock 1 of the 43 locks is only a mile from the mouth of the river, not far upriver from the view above. The town of Trenton, lying at the end of the Trent River, is the gateway to the Trent-Severn, as they proudly announce on the bridge leading into town.
The Trent-Severn is a canal system that provides a path over land for boaters traveling from Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay on Lake Huron. The Trent-Severn has been detailed in earlier posts, which can be accessed by clicking on the links below. This post will focus on the town that is the gateway.
Trent-Severn Waterway Post 1
Trent-Severn Waterway Post 2
Trent-Severn Waterway Post 3
Quinte West is a city which encompasses much of the land around the end of the Trent River. A number of towns are part of Quinte West, including Trenton, right at the mouth of the river. Trenton has much to offer the cruising boater, but in past years, was not a stop for most cruisers as the marina was very small, with few transient slips. That situation has changed drastically as the city has invested in creating a huge marina to serve those traveling by boat.
The small but lively downtown area is on the west shore of the river, to the left in the above image. It is centered at the base of the bridge and its compact size serves boaters, traveling on foot, well. A short walk from the marina takes you through a city park and to the town center.
Much of the old architecture remains, creating the old, welcoming downtown visit experience. Walking is the best way to visit the town.
High above the rest of the buildings stands the old post office clock tower, an unmissable landmark marking the main street.
Standing as testimony to the vitality of Trenton downtown, much unaffected by the move to the suburbs and big box stores, is the Saylor Hardware Store. Once a staple of every downtown, hardware stores have long since fled to the suburban areas of towns and cities in the U.S. and Canada. Saylor Hardware and many other retailers, banks, restaurants, and a theater fully populate the downtown storefronts, making Trenton a great place to purchase needs and a great locale just to walk the streets and visit.
Part of Mr. Saylor's success is his creativity in marketing as evidenced by the mechanical man welcoming customers, created by items for sale in the hardware store. Window displays were once a major marketing strategy, a strategy still employed here. Window displays once brought shoppers to town to walk the streets to learn of new items the merchants were offering. Walking the streets of Trenton is still a fun, learning experience.
As one travels, sampling and learning of the different cultures is accomplished through experiencing regional foods. And, a good meal out is always a treat. According to TripAdvisor, six of the top ten restaurants in the Trenton area are within a block of the main street intersection at the base of the bridge. A multiple-day visit is required to sample just a few. Some of the restaurants have patio seating along the river making for a most pleasant environment to enjoy a meal.
In addition to shopping opportunities and the variety of restaurants, there are many attractions in Trenton to entertain and educate the visitors. To make the riverfront available to all, the town has constructed a beautiful, landscaped riverwalk. A visit to downtown should also include a stroll along the river.
Summer is celebrated in Trenton. There are live concerts in the park four evenings every week. Well, actually in three parks, all along the river.
Trenton is home to the National Air Force Museum of Canada with exhibits outside and inside a huge building. Many interesting and historic aircraft are displayed along with memorabilia and artifacts to help tell the story of the role of the Air Force and the changes in the technology of flying.
A replica of the very first Canadian Air Force plane gives a view into the beginnings of flight. It was purchased in the U.S., modified by the Canadians to improve its flying characteristics, then shipped to Europe to assist in WWI. It is actually a flying boat, landing on water, a helpful feature as there were no airports nor landing strips. It was used as an observation platform to scout military positions rather than a weapon of war. The V-8 engine that powered the plane is on display just behind.
Power plants are interesting and amazing evidence of the technology that was always evolving in airplanes. Many engines have been rebuilt and displayed in the museum, including this 14 cylinder radial engine. Oh, if they could only fire up these engines to allow the visitor to feel the power generated.
This museum alone makes Trenton a stop worthy of a prolonged visit.
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| Photo Credit - Trent Port Marina website |
The newly built Trent Port Marina, a huge investment by the City of Quinte West, makes visits by cruising boaters to Trenton an easy stop. The earlier marina had about 24 slips with only a few available to transient boaters. Now, there are nearly 400 slips with close to 100 offered for traveling boaters. It is a state-of-the-art building with many upscale features. Other cities in Canada have visited this marina building to gain insights into the design of marina buildings. It is now easy and convenient to visit Trenton before or after a transit of the Trent-Severn Waterway.
Oh, and one big plus of visiting Trent Port Marina is that there is an on-site snack bar with Kawartha ice cream. If you have not experienced Kawartha ice cream, you will not be able to understand the significance of this. But, if you ever get a chance to enjoy Kawartha, you will gain an appreciation for this treat and realize the benefit offered to boaters who chose to stop here.
Architecture has often been a point of interest in the postings on this blog. While this architectural design is attractive, its design strongly evidences that it was designed to serve those who arrive by car and not boat. The building mimics the First Nation People's Inuksuk, the welcoming, human-like stack of rocks structure. The tower is the head, with the name as a face, and the two wings serving as arms reaching out to the visitor, pulling him/her into the heart and entrance door. This side faces the land and the parking lot. The back of the building, the side facing boaters when they arrive, does not even have a sign identifying the marina and the first-time boater finds only two doors, both locked. Should not the front of a marina building face and welcome boaters?
Trent Port Marina also offers a fueling and pump-out dock facility. It is not in the marina, but located just upriver near the Gateway Bridge. It can be difficult for boaters to locate since the city has not changed the signs to identify the fuel dock as Trent Port.
Trenton is now a "Must-Visit" stop for cruising boaters along the Trent-Severn Waterway.
