| Tillsonburg | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Motto: A Place to Build Your Future | |
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Tillsonburg
|
|
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| County | Oxford |
| Settled | 1825 (as village) |
| Incorporated | 1872 (as town) |
| Government | |
| • Governing Body | Tillsonburg Town Council |
| • Town Mayor | John Lessif |
| • Deputy Mayor | Mark A Renaud |
| • Councillors |
List of councillors
|
| Area[1] | |
| • Land | 22.34 km2 (8.6 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 270 m (886 ft) |
| Population (2006)[1] | |
| • Total | 14,822 |
| • Density | 663.6/km2 (1,718.7/sq mi) |
| • Demonym | Tillsonburger |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal code | N4G |
| Area code(s) | 519 and 226 |
| Website | www.tillsonburg.ca |
Tillsonburg is a town in Oxford County, Ontario, Canada.
Tillsonburg is a town of 14,822[1] located about 50 kilometres southeast of London, on Highway 3 at the junction of Highway 19 the closest route to Highway 401 at Ingersoll, Ontario. Although the town population is listed as 14,822, the town is a regional hub for business, industry, health care, education, agriculture, government and emergency services which serves a catchment/trade area of nearly 225,000 people.[2]
The area was settled in 1825 by George Tillson and other immigrants from Massachusetts. A forge and sawmill were erected, roads built which led to the establishment of this small community called Dereham Forge. In 1836 the village was renamed Tillsonburg in honour of its founder. It was also in this year that the main street, Broadway, was laid out to its full 100-foot (30 m) width. Because the village was predominantly a logging and wood product centre, the street was constructed wide enough to accommodate turning of three team logging wagons. This width now is unique to Ontario and a tremendous asset toward handling pressures of modern day traffic, by providing the benefits of angle parking. As a logging village, what is now called Broadway, as well as Highway 19, was originally called Plank Line.
The mid-19th century proved to be the first step in the industrialization of this municipality. A water system was devised to not only supply pure water for domestic use, but also to provide water power to such industries as a sawmill, planing mill, grist mill, spinning mill, pottery and a tannery. Many of these new establishments were either owned, started, or financed by George Tillson, great-grandfather of Tillson Harrison, a Chinese humanitarian born in Tillsonburg.
1872 witnessed the incorporation of the village as the Town of Tillsonburg, with E.D. Tillson elected as its first Mayor. The Town of Tillsonburg reached a population of 2,000 in 1885, experienced its first church dedication, and had its first telephone installation established. Electric power was first utilized in 1912 and automobiles began to appear on the market.
In 1915, a Public Library was built with funds provided by the Carnegie Foundation, and the town's Memorial Hospital came into existence in 1925.
In the 20s, major enterprises included milk production, manufacture of shoes, tractors, textiles and an increased production of tobacco. The Tillsonburg Livingston's Basketball Team (representative of Tillsonburg's largest industry) won the Canadian Championships in 1952 and represented Canada in the Olympics at Helsinki, Finland. CKOT Radio began broadcasting operations in 1955 and the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Marketing Board opened its new auction exchange 3 years later. The Town's Centennial Year (1972) saw the opening of the new $1,000,000 Community Recreation Complex by the Governor-General of Canada, as well as the opening of the Tillsonburg Museum in the old community centre on the shores of Lake Lisgar. A new 8,000-square-foot (740 m2) Library was completed in 1975, and a second indoor skating rink was built in 1977, funded completely by donations from industry, commerce, service clubs, citizens and Wintario. In 1979, the hospital built a $7,000,000 addition for offices, improved x-ray and emergency departments, and an expanded Intensive Care Unit. A fire hall was constructed in 1979, replacing the old building which was demolished to make way for a downtown mall.
The controversial Tillsonburg Town Centre Mall opened in 1980, where the former Town Hall once stood. The mall, a joint effort of the Town and Trottier Investments, was built primarily to meet competition from out-of-town malls and keep more of the shopping dollar in town.
In 1983, two important buildings - Annandale House (built by the founding Tillson family) and the Hale Street railway station became public buildings. The former would be restored as a house museum, while the latter would become The Station Arts Centre.
A major residential development geared for seniors - Hickory Hills - was announced in 1985. The development significantly added to the Town's population as well as increased the pool of volunteers for local non-profit agencies.
In 1991, a Food Bank had to be established for the community's needy and continues to be operated on a volunteer basis.
Throughout the early 1990s, volunteers were also busy on the Lake Lisgar Renaissance Project, which sought to revitalize the Lake, and make the park around the Lake more attractive with the construction of a gazebo, water fountain and walkways into the Lake.
That same period saw the closing of two major entertainment outlets: the Skylark Drive-In and the Strand movie theatre, victims of the video store arrival. The original angled marquee architecture of the Strand Theatre is still intact but the building is again unoccupied after brief stints as businesses. To the relief of many, big screen movies came back in Tillsonburg in 1996 with the opening of Broadway Cinemas.
In 1994, the downtown area was significantly enhanced with the construction of the Rotary Club Clock Tower, which incorporated a clock from the town's former Post Office, and a bell from the demolished Town Hall. Soon, it became a community tradition (sponsored by the Rotary Club) for local residents to gather at the Clock Tower to ring in the New Year with fireworks, hot apple cider and the dropping of a ball.
In 1998, The Livingston Centre opened. Named after notable resident Gerry Livingston, the centre provides a wide range of human services in one location. Organizations include:
Further development of residential senior's focused development began in 2001 with the Baldwin Place subdivision located on the western periphery of the town. This development which is currently in Phase 8 will have approximately 300 homes when completed.
The Tillsonburg Community Centre was refurbished in 2004 with renovations and enlargement of the main ice surface to NHL size. The project's scope of work included keeping the whale-back roof as a key architectural feature as well as to increase seating and provide for new recreation and health club facilities.
A major fundraising campaign was undertaken to fund the equipment for a dialysis unit at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital. This became operational during 2006.
Recent residential development includes the re-urbanization of the former railway lands on Bridge Street East which is the site of Tillson Landing condominium, the first such highrise construction in more than a decade. Tillson Landing was completed in January 2006.
Another major subdivision containing nearly 400 homes, The Oaks, is currently under construction. This subdivision is located in the south-west area of town on the east side of Quarterline Road between Concession and Baldwin Streets. Additional new subdivision development is concentrated in the west quadrant of town including Park Place, Southridge Heights (Morning Glory), and Brookside Phase 3.
Tillsonburg is one of eight municipalities that make up the County of Oxford. The Mayor also represents the Town as a County Councillor. The County administers social programs, ambulance and paramedic services, planning, water and wastewater services, garbage and landfill operations and the County road system.
Tillsonburg is governed by an elected Mayor, Deputy Mayor and five Councillors. Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month in the Council Chambers in the Corporate Municipal Office. They oversee staff and set policy for the various operations and services provided by the Town.
The council of the Town of Tillsonburg was inaugurated and took the oath of office on December 4, 2006 following the municipal election held on November 13.
The town also owns and operates:
Through town-sanctioned committees, the following organizations contribute to the vitality of the town:
Tillsonburg elementary and secondary schools are under the control of two school boards, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB).
It became a middle school in 1995, offering Grade 7-9 education. Following the 2009 expansion of Glendale High School (finished September 2010) Annandale ceased to offer Grade 9 education. Grade 9 students began attending Glendale High School.
Tillsonburg serves a regional tri-county area of 225,000 people at the confluence of Oxford, Elgin and Norfolk counties. The industrial base has become quite diverse during the decline of the once prominent tobacco industry. The area is home to several branch plants of major US-based automotive suppliers including Rieter Automotive, Guardian Industries, TRW - 2 plants, and Johnson Controls. There are many service-related industries and home-grown success stories including Verspeeten Transport, Marwood Metal Fabrication Ltd., Otter Valley Foods, E & E McLauglin Ltd., J/E Bearing Ltd., Fleetwood Metal Products, and MIL-SIM-FX International Inc.
The town has a very active and developing downtown core area which includes the Tillsonburg Town Centre mall, built in 1980 and the recently opened big box stores including Canadian Tire, Shopper's Drug Mart and Staples-Business Depot. Newly expanded The Source store and Mark's Work Wearhouse are located in the Tillsonburg Town Centre Mall.
All of the major Canadian chartered banks have branches in the town and there is also a Credit Union.
The town is well served with 3 grocery stores: Sobey's, Zehrs and Metro, of which, Sobey's and Metro are open 24 hours.
Tillsonburg is served by three radio stations; The New Country 107.3 (107.3 CJDL FM), Country 1510 (1510 CKOT AM), Easy 101 (101.3 CKOT FM) and two newspapers; The Tillsonburg News and The Tillsonburg Independent.
The town has been positively impacted by the CAMI plant in Ingersoll, 22 kilometres north of the town, which opened in 1986. The CAMI plant, owned by General Motors of Detroit, Michigan, produces the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain CUVs.
The announcement of a new Toyota plant in Woodstock, 30 km northeast of Tillsonburg, will have a similarly positive impact on the development of Tillsonburg. In preparation for the increased traffic demands in the County of Oxford, Highway 19 has been upgraded and completely rebuilt north of the town to Highway #401.
The area also has a strong agricultural community with cash crops, hog farming, milk production, tobacco, ginseng and various tertiary crops.
The town has recently become a hub for regional operations of the Ontario Provincial Police including Oxford County Division Headquarters and also the Southwestern Ontario Forensics laboratory which opened in April 2008.
The town is the 3rd fastest growing community in Oxford County, and ranks as one of the top places to live in Canada.
In January 2006 the National Post listed Tillsonburg as number 75 on the top 100 places to visit in Canada.[3] Annandale House was designated a Canadian National Historic Site in 1997.[4] Tillsonburg is also home to one of the "Large Canadian Roadside Attractions," an electric guitar. The guitar was once accompanied by a piano that functioned as a roadside advertisement for the music store on the same property. Today, the piano portion of the sign and the music store itself are gone. The building is now a residence but the electric guitar remains.[5] Other attractions include the Station Arts Centre with an art gallery and several workshops featuring the works of various local artists, and the Tillsonburg Special Event Centre located in the Forest Hill industrial park. This facility is the largest of its kind in southwestern Ontario. The building has over 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2) of floor space and can host events from dinners to car shows and exhibitions.
The first ever Canadian Kennel Club Charity Dog Show ("The Purina National") was held in Tillsonburg at the Tillsonburg Special Event Centre in March, 2007, and drew entries from top show canines from across Canada and the United States. Subsequent shows were held in 2008 and 2009, but the show moved to the Toronto area in 2010.
Camping is available north of town at Casey's Park located on Highway #19 north of Mount Elgin, which is the home of weekly Country Music Jamborees between Victoria Day and Labour Day, where audience members are encouraged to participate on stage. Lake Lisgar, a small lake located in the centre of town, has been rehabilitated and is home for the Tillsonburg Rowing Club and the Lake Lisgar Water Park.
| Census | Population |
|---|---|
| 1871 | 1,700 |
| 1881 | 1,939 |
| 1891 | 2,163 |
| 1901 | 2,241 |
| 1911 | 2,758 |
| 1921 | 2,974 |
| 1931 | 3,385 |
| 1941 | 4,002 |
| 1951 | 5,330 |
| 1961 | 6,600 |
| 1971 | 6,608 |
| 1981 | 10,487 |
| 1991 | 12,019 |
| 2001 | 14,052 |
| 2006 | 14,822 |
All statistics are based on the 2006 census by Statistics Canada.[1]
| Tillsonburg | Oxford County | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female |
| Total - All Persons | 14,820 | 6,995 | 7,830 | 102,755 | 50,460 | 52,295 |
| 0 - 4 | 765 | 380 | 385 | 5,945 | 3,075 | 2,870 |
| 5 - 9 | 750 | 395 | 355 | 6,510 | 3,305 | 3,210 |
| 10 - 14 | 880 | 435 | 445 | 7,390 | 3,805 | 3,585 |
| 15 - 19 | 870 | 435 | 430 | 7,275 | 3,685 | 3,590 |
| 20 - 24 | 860 | 445 | 415 | 6,320 | 3,235 | 3,085 |
| 25 - 29 | 825 | 395 | 430 | 5,500 | 2,755 | 2,740 |
| 30 - 34 | 785 | 390 | 400 | 6,045 | 3,035 | 3,005 |
| 35 - 39 | 875 | 440 | 435 | 6,645 | 3,300 | 3,345 |
| 40 - 44 | 1,020 | 485 | 540 | 8,395 | 4,120 | 4,275 |
| 45 - 49 | 1,070 | 490 | 585 | 8,105 | 3,970 | 4,140 |
| 50 - 54 | 950 | 445 | 510 | 7,210 | 3,625 | 3,585 |
| 55 - 59 | 890 | 425 | 465 | 6,425 | 3,195 | 3,225 |
| 60 - 64 | 860 | 385 | 480 | 5,015 | 2,465 | 2,555 |
| 65 - 69 | 805 | 375 | 430 | 4,265 | 2,045 | 2,220 |
| 70 - 74 | 840 | 365 | 470 | 3,805 | 1,760 | 2,050 |
| 75 - 79 | 735 | 325 | 415 | 3,280 | 1,450 | 1,830 |
| 80 - 84 | 635 | 260 | 370 | 2,630 | 1,070 | 1,570 |
| 85+ | 390 | 120 | 280 | 2,000 | 580 | 1,415 |
| Median Age | 43.9 | 41.9 | 45.8 | 39.8 | 38.6 | 40.9 |
| % Over 15 | 83.9 | 82.7 | 84.9 | 80.7 | 79.8 | 81.5 |
| Tillsonburg | Oxford County | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marital Status | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female |
| Total - Population 15 years and over | 12,425 | 5,780 | 6,645 | 82,910 | 40,280 | 42,625 |
| Single | 3,070 | 1,630 | 1,440 | 22,420 | 12,270 | 10,150 |
| Married | 6,655 | 3,325 | 3,330 | 45,535 | 22,790 | 22,740 |
| Separated | 495 | 215 | 275 | 3,185 | 1,470 | 1,710 |
| Divorced | 930 | 370 | 555 | 5,810 | 2,605 | 3,210 |
| Widowed | 1,285 | 240 | 1,045 | 5,960 | 1,145 | 4,815 |
| Tillsonburg | Oxford County | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female |
| Total - All Persons | 14,635 | 6,930 | 7,705 | 101,460 | 50,070 | 51,385 |
| English Only | 12,460 | 5,900 | 6,565 | 89,875 | 44,395 | 45,485 |
| French Only | 210 | 90 | 120 | 1,100 | 495 | 610 |
| Both English And French | 15 | 0 | 10 | 95 | 35 | 55 |
| Other Languages | 1,950 | 935 | 1,010 | 10,380 | 5,145 | 5,235 |
| Tillsonburg | Oxford County | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnicity | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female |
| Total - All Persons | 14,635 | 6,930 | 7,705 | 101,460 | 50,075 | 51,385 |
| Visible Minority Population | 585 | 270 | 315 | 2,555 | 1,320 | 1,230 |
| Chinese | 40 | 20 | 15 | 300 | 140 | 155 |
| South Asian | 20 | 10 | 10 | 265 | 125 | 140 |
| Black | 150 | 65 | 85 | 515 | 315 | 195 |
| Filipino | 10 | 0 | 10 | 140 | 65 | 80 |
| Latin American | 15 | 10 | 10 | 110 | 50 | 60 |
| Southeast Asian | 320 | 150 | 170 | 465 | 215 | 250 |
| Arab | 10 | 10 | 0 | 115 | 60 | 50 |
| Japanese | 10 | 0 | 0 | 230 | 120 | 110 |
| All others | 14,055 | 6,660 | 7,395 | 98,905 | 48,745 | 50,160 |
Though not directly on the route, Highway 401 passes close to the town, and is served by Highway 19. Greyhound has weekly bus service to and from Tillsonburg. There is currently no transit system (Tillsonburg Transit ceased operations in 2001 after a 6 year lifespan), however there are 3 taxi cab companies to make up for this.
The Town of Tillsonburg is rail served by the St. Thomas & Eastern Railway,[14] a division of Trillium Railway Co. Ltd, which runs in most cases parallel to Highway 3 in the south end of the town on the former CNR Cayuga subdivision, previously the Canada Air Line. Service on the STER is daily, Monday - Friday.
The Ontario Southland Railway[15] also serves Tillsonburg using the former CPR Port Burwell subdivision running from nearby Ingersoll, parallel to Highway 19 north of town, and then into the north-east end of town. The OSR interchanges with the STER at the south end of town.
Passenger train services are provided by Via Rail stations in nearby Ingersoll or Woodstock.
The town is served by the Tillsonburg Municipal Airport, owned and operated by the Town of Tillsonburg. The airport is located 7 kilometers north of the town in Southwest Oxford Township. The airport is home to several aviation-related businesses. The airport has 3 runways, with the primary runway being re-constructed and extended to 5,500', constructed of asphalt. A new terminal building is also under construction with completion expected in January 2010. The airport is used by corporate aircraft including jets. Regular users of the airport also include the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association, Air Ambulance, Canadian Coast Guard, the Ontario Provincial Police and other government agencies.
Scheduled airline passenger service is available at 3 airports within a 1 hour drive from Tillsonburg.
The Region of Waterloo International Airport o daily non-stop service to Ottawa on Bearskin Airlines, and daily non-stop service to Calgary on WestJet. During the winter months, non-stop passenger service from Kitchener-Waterloo to Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. Service on Northwest/Delta is suspended until further notice effective June 1, 2009.
The John C. Munro International Airport in Hamilton, offers daily domestic service to Calgary, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal and seasonal service to the UK and Caribbean.
The London International Airport offers daily non-stop service to Winnipeg, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Chigago-O'Hare and Detroit, Michigan. Seasonal service to Halifax and Vancouver as well as the Caribbean are also offered from London.
Tillsonburg was once home to six Scouting groups in Ontario, however currently only two are left in existence. Each scouting organization has served the Tillsonburg community well over the years, aiding in environmental clean-ups, volunteering at the Tillsonburg Fair, and helping with security at events such as Relay for Life to name but a few.
The Station Arts Centre is home to a number of clubs and organizations, including: The Bridge Street Artists, The Stationhouse Potters, The Tillsonburg Photography Club, The Tillsonburg and Area Miniature Enthusiasts (T.A.M.E), The Tillsonburg Linux Users Group ("Tillug") and The Tillsonburg Videography Club.
| South-West Oxford | ||||
| South-West Oxford | Norwich | |||
| Tillsonburg | ||||
| Bayham | Norfolk County |