Fonthill, Ontario

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Fonthill is a community in the town of Pelham, Ontario, Canada. It has a few small industries, most notably Fonthill Lumber, but is primarily a residential suburb known for its upscale homes and community spirit. As a bedroom community, most residents commute to Welland, St. Catharines and some as far as Hamilton and Toronto daily for work.

Letters written by Henry Giles, a settler who came to the area in 1840, suggest that he chose the name Fonthill because the area looked similar to the area around Fonthill Abbey in England. The village's first post office (and thus the Village of Fonthill) was established in 1856. On June 10, 2006 Fonthill celebrated its 150th anniversary. The celebration was marked by the opening of the band stand (a replica of the original band stand the existed in the early 1900s), historical displays and a variety of musical and artistic presentations.

Fonthill shares its name with the Fonthill Kame, on which it is located, formed by glacial deposits. On a clear day, the tall buildings of Niagara Falls to the East and Toronto to the North are clearly visible. As well one vantage point allows a view of both Lake Ontario and Lake Erie at the same time, the only spot where this is possible. Following the War of 1812 it was proposed to build a fortification on the site, to be named Fort Wellington. As tension between Canada and the U.S.A. lessened, the idea was abandoned. At one time a ski tow operated on the slope.

Fonthill is the headwater for southern Ontario's only coldwater stream. It originates underground as meltwater from ancient glacial remnants left buried after the last ice age. The glacier remnants are found inside St. John's Conservation Area.

Fonthill is a fifteen minute drive south of St. Catharines, five minutes northwest of Welland, twenty minutes west from Niagara Falls and twenty minutes north of Port Colborne. Its main access route is Highway 20, a portion of which is also known as Canboro Road, running west to east from Hamilton to Niagara Falls. Access to the United States is through either the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie, the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, or the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge in Queenston.

Within the Town of Pelham, Fonthill is the commercial centre where residents have access to basic shopping necessities. It is also the location of the Town of Pelham Municipal offices. Several retirement homes are located in Fonthill.

Plenty of greenspace areas are located within the community. A series of public access trails, the primary system being the Steve Bauer trails in honour of the Pelham Olympian which bears its name, are built into the residential planning of Fonthill. Harold Black Park, named for a former Mayor, plays host to the town's Canada Day festivities, which includes a parade down Haist Street. There is also a park named in honour of local golf legend Marlene Stewart Streit, which consists of a baseball diamond, a large outdoor pool, and nature trails.

Fonthill has tried to balance its natural resources with a suitable development scheme, keeping an eye on a policy of smart growth.

Economic activities in the area are diverse. Cherry, apple and peach orchards surround the town. There are also thousands of hectares of vineyards and a viable greenhouse industry. Additionally, thousands of tonnes of aggregate material are removed each year from a large quarry at the top of the Fonthill Kame. Quarry sites in the area are usually rehabilitated. Fruit orchards have been developed in many of these sites, and the renowned Peninsula Lakes golf course occupies one.

Fonthill has 3 elementary schools: A. K. Wigg, Glynn A. Green (operated by DSBN), and St. Alexander's (NCDSB), as well as E.L. Crossley Secondary School (DSBN).

The 613 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps is based at the local Royal Canadian Legion hall. It is affiliated with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.