When John French built a general store in the bustling hamlet of Burritts Rapids in 1855, he could not have imagined the crucial role this building would play in the life of his town.
 
In 1935, after changing hands many times, the building became the Burritts Rapids Community Hall. In 1986, with funds donated by local citizens and businesses, building materials provided by the production company that filmed Nicholas Cage’s Boy in Blue in Burritts Rapids, and with a roof installed by a volunteer group who proclaimed themselves “The Geriatric Builders,” an extension was added to the hall.
 
Today, nestled on an island between the Rideau Canal and the Rideau River, the historic building is indispensable to the community. It is where people gather to celebrate weddings, birthday parties, and anniversaries. It is where people came together during the 1998 ice storm, and where they continue to meet for community fundraisers, concerts, potlucks, exercise classes, seniors’ groups, rug-hooking groups, life-drawing classes, and more. What started as a simple general store has turned into the heart of a vibrant community and one of the main reasons people are proud to call Burritt’s Rapids home.
 

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