Emo, Ontario

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Emo is a small rural township, located near the Rainy River in northwestern Ontario, Canada, directly north of the state of Minnesota, population of appropximately 1300 residents. It is known for its stock car races and fair. Emo was officially created on July 1st 1899, and celebrated its centennial in 1999. Emo's first Reeve was Alexander Luttrell. The council was comprised of Charles Fisher, John Dungey, Benjamin Phillips, and Thomas Shortreed. Emo is located in the Rainy River District. The Fisher family has maintained strong ties to the township. Charles' grandson Edward Fisher was a long time councillor and served as Reeve from 1975 until 1988. Edward's cousin Ken Fisher is a member of the current town council, as are Reeve Ed Carlson, Harriett Sheloff, and Gary Judson. They were re-elected in 2006, along with new councillor Gerd O'Sullivan.

Emo is within a short drive of two bridges to the United States. One is located at Fort Frances, approximately a 30-minute drive from Emo. Another bridge to the United States is in Rainy River, Ontario, about 40 minutes away from Emo.

The Emo Speedway draws race participants and fans from the central US, Northwestern Ontario and Manitoba. The track is a 600 metre, high-banked dirt oval track which runs every Saturday from May through Mid-September.

There are many volunteer groups and a strong sense of community on Emo. In Emo's Lion's Park, a picturesque riverfront area, a new play structure was recently installed, funded through volunteer fundraising efforts, and a grant from the provincial Trillium Fund. A new effort initiated this spring to expand the facilities in the park is aiming to raise $150,000 to build an interactive water park on the waterfront.

The spring brings the opening of the walleye fishing season, and the annual Emo Walleye Classic, a fishing competition for 65 teams to win prizes totalling $39,000. The tournament is a non-profit event, and enjoys its sixth year of competition in 2007.