The cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment flank both sides of this city in the Sydenham River Valley. Known to the Ojibway Indians as `beautiful valley,` Owen Sound serves visitors to the nearby Georgian Bay, Blue Mountains, and Bruce Peninsula. Two notable Canadians were born here -- Tom Thomson, landscape artist, and Billy Bishop, a World War I flying ace. Visitors to the city can watch the spawning of rainbow trout in May, and chinook salmon in August to October at the Mill Dam on Second Avenue, one of Ontario's first fish ladders. Rolling meadows, hardwood forests, caves, rivers, and waterfalls draw visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. There are many opportunities for recreational activities -- hiking, cross-country skiing, picnicking, and bird-watching, among others.