BARRY’S BAY – It looks like the Fisher family might soon be spending their summers in the Madawaska Valley.
Mike Fisher, the centreman for the Nashville Predators, was seen in Barry’s Bay on March 19 scoping out some waterfront properties in the area.
Fisher, who is originally from Peterborough, played for the Ottawa Senators before being traded to the Nashville Predators in February 2011. He and his country music star wife Carrie Underwood, who married in July 2010, recently became parents this February.
The couple is no stranger to Eastern Ontario. In fact, they owned a home on Spruce Ridge Road in Kanata, which is located a 10-minute drive from the Canadian Tire Centre. The couple chose to sell their mansion after Fisher was traded to Nashville.
But it seems like Fisher is itching to get back to Ontario, at least that’s what one local realtor is claiming. According to the Barry’s Bay-based realtor, who asked to remain anonymous over privacy concerns, Fisher was in the Valley on March 19 looking for the perfect cottage.
“He wants to be close enough to his family in Peterborough, but secluded enough to enjoy some privacy with his young family,” the realtor explained.
The day before his visit, he tweeted a message, telling fans he was leaving Nashville and visiting family in Peterborough for some rest and relaxation between games. The tweet was removed shortly after, when fans began asking if there was trouble in paradise for the Fisher family.
But the local realtor laughs at the rumours and shared the inside scoop.
“It was all a lie,” the realtor said. “He told Carrie that he was visiting family so that he could look at summer homes. He wants to surprise her for their fifth anniversary in July.”
Fisher looked at six different homes that Thursday. The realtor said Fisher seemed particularly interested in a four-bedroom home on Tamarack Road and another five bedroom secluded cottage along Paugh Lake.
“He was also interested in one home on Mask Island, too, but Kamaniskeg is a busy lake in the summer,” the realtor explained. “They are new parents and are both very busy all year long. They need their privacy.”
A neighbour of one of the houses for sale on Tamarack Road supports the realtor’s claim of Fisher’s visit. The 72-year-old resident and Nashville Predator fan, who also asked to remain anonymous, noticed Fisher immediately.
“I was shovelling snow when I noticed people checking out my neighbour’s property,” he said. “I nearly had a heart attack when I realized who it was.”
He approached Fisher and soon after, the two potential neighbours were exchanging stories as if they knew each other forever.
“I told him this was good place to live in the summer,” he said. “And I told him that my wife and I would babysit any day of the week.”
Despite the quick visit to the area, it seems like the Fishers could become Madawaska Valley residents this year. According to the realtor, Fisher seemed to be interested in the Opeongo Heritage Cup posters around town.
“He was curious about the games; asking a lot of questions about the hockey atmosphere here in town,” she said. “I told him that we live and breathe hockey, and he seemed pretty happy about that.”
The Gazette contacted Fisher’s representatives for a comment, but unfortunately, NHL players are too busy to provide quotes for an April fool’s day story.
Happy April Fool’s Day! Pick up a copy of the April 1, 2015 paper, which is packed full of *factual* stories from around the Valley!