Great Fire of 1921: Walking tour of Old Aylmer

Lily Ryan

A tour of Old Aylmer hosted by Lynne Rodier August 10 drew a crowd of some fifty interested people. As part of Gatineau’s Enjoy Summer program, Ms Rodier explained how the dry summer heat of August 10, 1921 was stifling and ultimately was part of why a swath of Old Aylmer burned. The fire ran between the two churches (St Paul and the Anglican one), leaving behind traces as a living reminder. At the time, the community rallied to help each other recover and rebuild. This month Aylmer is raising money again for fire victims, displaced residents of Aylmer Arms were very much on the minds of the public present at Ms Rodier’s walking tour.