Dryden | |
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— City — | |
Dryden mill | |
Nickname(s): D-Town | |
Dryden
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Coordinates: | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Ontario |
District | Kenora |
Settled | 1895 |
Incorporated | 1910 (town) |
Incorporated | 1998 (city) |
Government | |
• Mayor | Craig Nuttall |
• Governing Body | Dryden Council |
• MPs | Greg Rickford |
• MPPs | Howard Hampton |
Area[1] | |
• Land | 65.20 km2 (25.2 sq mi) |
Elevation[2] | 371.90 m (1,220 ft) |
Population (2006)[1] | |
• Total | 8,195 |
• Density | 125.7/km2 (325.6/sq mi) |
Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
• Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
Postal code | P8N |
Area code(s) | 807 |
Website | www.dryden.ca |
Dryden is the second-largest city in the Kenora District of Northwestern Ontario, Canada, located on Wabigoon Lake. It is the smallest community in the province of Ontario designated as a city.[3] It and Kenora are the only two cities in Ontario located in the Central Time Zone.
Dryden is entirely surrounded by Unorganized Kenora District.
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The Dryden area was part of the Ojibwe nation, which covered a large area from Lake Huron in the east to Lake of the Woods and beyond, disputed by Cree from the north, and Sioux from the south. The Ojibwe was a nomadic culture, groups from family to village size moving over the land with the seasons and the availability of game or the necessities of life, so lasting settlements were not made.
It is believed that the Bending Lake/Turtle River area was a meeting place for aboriginal peoples ranging from as far away as the southern US and much of central Canada for trade and cultural exchange, and there is evidence of ancient occupancy there in the form of pictographs, artifacts, burial grounds, and one might consider this our prehistoric centre. Bending Lake is in the triangle between Dryden, Ignace, and Atikokan.
The settlement was founded as an agricultural community by John Dryden, Ontario's Minister of Agriculture in 1895.[4] While his train was stopped at what was then known as Barclay Tank to re-water, he noticed clover growing and decided to found an experimental farm the following year. The farm's success brought settlers from the Uxbridge area of southern Ontario and the Bruce Peninsula and the community came to be known as New Prospect. It became a town in 1910 and a city in 1998 after merging with the neighbouring township of Barclay. Dryden's eastern boundary is located near Aaron Provincial Park on Thunder Lake.
Pulp and Paper came to the town in 1910 which today is its main industry though agriculture, tourism and some mining are also important. Paper/pulp industries in Dryden were a major contributor in its local economy. In 2008 the mill ceased production of fine paper as the second of two paper machines was shut down. The town came onto the national consciousness in the early 1970s when natives at the community of Grassy Narrows became sick with Minamata disease (mercury poisoning). Investigation determined that a chloralkali plant located at the Dryden mill was the source of the mercury in the Wabigoon and English rivers.[5]
The town was also the site of the March 10, 1989 crash of Air Ontario Flight 1363, which killed 24 people and led to the Moshansky Inquiry on airline safety.
Climate data for Dryden | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 6.1 (43.0) |
11.1 (52.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
30.6 (87.1) |
34.4 (93.9) |
36 (97) |
39.4 (102.9) |
35.6 (96.1) |
33.3 (91.9) |
26.1 (79.0) |
19.4 (66.9) |
8.9 (48.0) |
39.4 (102.9) |
Average high °C (°F) | −13 (9) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
8.7 (47.7) |
17.3 (63.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
23.9 (75.0) |
22.9 (73.2) |
15.5 (59.9) |
8.1 (46.6) |
−2 (28) |
−10.1 (13.8) |
7 (45) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −18.2 (−0.8) |
−14 (7) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
2.6 (36.7) |
11 (52) |
16 (61) |
18.5 (65.3) |
17.1 (62.8) |
11 (52) |
4.4 (39.9) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
−14.5 (5.9) |
1.8 (35.2) |
Average low °C (°F) | −23.3 (−9.9) |
−19.7 (−3.5) |
−12.5 (9.5) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
4.5 (40.1) |
10.3 (50.5) |
13.1 (55.6) |
11.9 (53.4) |
6.4 (43.5) |
0.6 (33.1) |
−8.8 (16.2) |
−19 (−2) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
Record low °C (°F) | −46.1 (−51.0) |
−46.7 (−52.1) |
−41.1 (−42.0) |
−32.7 (−26.9) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−17.2 (1.0) |
−36.1 (−33.0) |
−42.2 (−44.0) |
−46.7 (−52.1) |
Precipitation mm (inches) | 27.5 (1.083) |
21.6 (0.85) |
30.4 (1.197) |
35.1 (1.382) |
66.4 (2.614) |
105 (4.13) |
117.5 (4.626) |
86.4 (3.402) |
95.2 (3.748) |
56.8 (2.236) |
37.4 (1.472) |
26.2 (1.031) |
705.5 (27.776) |
Source: Environment Canada[2] |
Census | Population |
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1901 | 140 |
1911 | 715 |
1921 | 1,019 |
1931 | 1,326 |
1941 | 1,641 |
1951 | 2,627 |
1961 | 5,728 |
1971 | 6,939 |
1981 | 6,640 |
1991 | 6,505 |
2001 | 8,198 |
2006 | 8,195 |
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Dryden is currently part of the provincial electoral district of Kenora—Rainy River. Kenora—Rainy River's Member of Provincial Parliament, Howard Hampton, is the former leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party. Federally, the city is part of the Kenora riding and is represented by Greg Rickford, a Conservative.
Dryden's mayor is Craig Nuttall.
Dryden is known by people passing by as the home of "Max the Moose", Dryden's 5.6 metres (18 ft) high mascot on the Trans-Canada Highway. The city holds an annual Moosefest festival, during which musical performances, children's activities and a fishing tournament known as The Walleye Masters are held.
Several annual music concerts are held featuring local musicians. "Come Together" is an annual Christmas concert, and "Kickin' Country" is a country show featuring local acts. The "Blue Moon Festival" is a daylong event that is held on or near a blue moon calendar event in the summer months.
Dryden is home to a variety of arts groups. "Theatre 17" is a community theatre group that stages theatrical productions, including Noises Off and Tony and Tina's Wedding. The DRAC (Dryden Regional Arts Council) is an artists group that organizes yearly art tours, art shows and also operates a retail store known as Naked North Art Gallery. The Dryden Community Band is a group of musicians who perform under conductor Ryan Graham.
Dryden has one community newspaper, The Dryden Observer and is also serviced by the Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal, which operates a bureau in Dryden.
Dryden is the birthplace of NHL hockey player Chris Pronger.
Dryden is home to Dryden High School. A secondary school which is part of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board.
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