If you’re looking for a great place to see the fall colours, to wander a quaint downtown street or to learn how to toss a jug, Verner might just be the day-trip spot for you.
Part of the Municipality of West Nipissing, this agricultural hub lies smack in the centre of a rich farming district. With roots in the Canadian Pacifi c Railway (CPR) boom in the 1880s and an Oblate missionary, about 95 per cent of Verner’s 1,000 resident population is French-speaking. In fact, CPR superintendent Archer Baker — responsible for laying the track through the area — named the town for his lovely wife.
To get to Verner from North Bay proper, head west on Hwy. 17 along Lake Nipissing through Sturgeon Falls. About 16 km or so past Sturgeon Falls you’ll come to the intersection of Hwy. 64 and Hwy. 17 by the Veuve River. Welcome to the friendly, closeknit community of Verner. Lynn Duhaime, co-ordinator of community services for the Municipality of West Nipissing, says the population of Verner is a “good mix of farmers who still work cash crops and also a lot of families, both older ones who’ve lived here for decades and newer families.” Louise Cote, the assistant clerk for the rural area, has lived in Verner for 37 years. She points out the friendly, local population is the type that always pulls together to pitch in during tough times “whether it’s someone needs a hand or an event or cause needs rallying behind. We have a lot of active groups that make this a great place to live.”
Among these is the beautifi cation committee, which grabbed Verner a Communities In Bloom award a few years ago. “For a small community, the Verner beautifi cation committee works hard to improve the town,” says Duhaime.
Cottagers who enjoy property on the shores of Lake Nipissing already know about the spectacular view of the fall colours in the area at large, and Verner has a great spot for checking out the autumn show as well. “As you’re driving through the village if you look toward the north side of Hwy. 17 you’ll see some gorgeous fall colours along a small mountain range there,” says Cote. “I’d like to call it a mountain range, but it’s not really. It’s quite beautiful.”
Verner’s a place where hockey is much-loved, and they have a bustling arena and community centre which see tons of tournaments — and a very interesting curling competition. Every winter around March or April, Verner residents start to fi ll old bleach bottles with water, setting them outside to freeze. Once frozen, the jugs await their new lease on life: as curling stones. “Someone came up with the idea to paint the ice at the hockey arena to resemble curling sheets,” says Duhaime with a laugh.
Residents and visitors set about making their own curling jugs, organizing their teams and getting ready for a good day spent on the ice. Even if you know nothing about curling, that’s okay. It’s an event where newbies are welcomed and where any broom is okay for sweeping, though we wonder if taking a construction-sized broom might offer an unfair advantage. “It’s a tradition that gets the whole community out, and it’s a lot of fun,” says Duhaime.
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