Placentia is made up of several communities including; Freshwater, Jerseyside, Ferndale, Dunville, Placentia and Point Verde. Placentia also includes Argentia, the former U.S. Base that is now an industrial park and ferry terminal.
Placentia is on the west side of the Avalon Peninsula on Placentia Bay. The town is on Route 100, about 30 minutes from the Trans Canada Highway.
Placentia has about 3,500 people and all the services travellers would need. The town has the dubious distinction of being the 2nd fastest shrinking town in Canada. The closing of the U.S. military base in Argentia, along with the cod moratorium have taken a big toll on the local economy. It now looks like the town has turned the corner. Vale has built a nickel processing facility in nearby Long Harbour. There is also a new oil platform being built in the Argentia industrial park, next to the old airfield. Placentia is also a great place for tourists to visit.
The town is the arrival and departure point for tourists taking the Argentia ferry. The ferry operates in the summer between North Sydney, NS and Argentia. Placentia is also home to the Castle Hill National Historic Site. Placentia is a one hour drive from the Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve.
The Lift Bridge
The prominent structure in Placentia is the lift bridge which crosses The Gut. The narrow channel has strong currents that run in and out with the tides. A car ferry serviced the crossing between 1954 and 1961. The original lift bridge was built in 1961 and served Placentia for 50 years. The new bridge you see today replaced that one.
Townside
The centre of town is marked by Sacred Heart Church. You’ll find several heritage buildings on the surrounding streets. It’s a great area to stroll around.
Placentia has a full sized Sobey’s grocery store. If you are looking for local seafood, watch for our friend’s white van. Brian Hickey travels around town and out to the the RV Park in Argentia, where we met him. When we were in town, he had trout, salmon, cod and scallops that were all amazing. See the photo above for his phone number.
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