Simcoe, Ontario
| Simcoe, Ontario Simcoe | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Community in Norfolk County | |
 | |
  Simcoe, Ontario | |
| Coordinates: 42°50′0″N 80°18′0″W / 42.83333°N 80.30000°W | |
| Country |
 Canada |
| Province |
 Ontario |
| Established | 1795 |
| Amalgamated | 2001 (Single-tier municipality) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Dennis Travale |
| • Governing Body | The Council of The Corporation of Norfolk County |
| • MPs | Diane Finley (Con) |
| • MPPs | Toby Barrett (PC) |
| Elevation | 224 m (735 ft) |
| Population (2011) | 14,777 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal code span | N3Y |
| Area code(s) | 519 and 226 |
| Website | www.norfolkcounty.ca |
Simcoe is an unincorporated community and town in Southwestern Ontario, Canada located near Lake Erie. It is the county seat and largest community of Norfolk County.[1] Simcoe is located at the junction of Highway 3, at Highway 24, due south of Brantford, and accessible to Hamilton by nearby Highway 6.
Simcoe was founded in 1795 by Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe.[2] Simcoe was incorporated as the Corporation of the Town of Simcoe in 1878 and had its own town council and mayor until amalgamation into Norfolk County.
Community and culture
A notable landmark is the Norfolk County Memorial Tower, which commemorates the lives of Canadians who died for Canada in conflicts overseas.[3] The Memorial Tower overlooks scenic Wellington Park, a public greenspace that includes walking paths and a waterway system with a small lake, close to the downtown core.
The only operating alligator tugboat remaining in the world, the W.D. Stalker, is located in Simcoe.[4]
Simcoe has its own radio station, 98.9 My FM, and two newspapers: The Simcoe Reformer and the NYCA Hub.
Major local festivals include the Rotary-sponsored Friendship Festival on the Civic Holiday Weekend in August, the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show in October, and the Simcoe Christmas Panorama.
In 2010, Simcoe was one of the communities in Canada through which the Olympic torch travelled while going from its home base in Athens, Greece to Vancouver for the 21st Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Notable churches in the area include St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Emmanuel Bible Church, Trinity Anglican Church, and the Calvary Church.
Housing and neighbourhoods
Many of Simcoe's buildings feature the International style of architecture; typical of the period between 1920 and 1950[5] while some older residential buildings make use of the Gothic Revival style of architecture.[6]
Modern subdivisions surround the downtown core and business area.
Transportation and tourism
Simcoe is served by a modern road system. Ontario Highway 24 (travelling North/South) intersects with Ontario Highway 3 (travelling East/West). in the northern end of the town.
A local bus transit program is centred around Simcoe, and helps to serve the major communities of Norfolk County.[7]
A golf and country club was established in Simcoe by Duncan Campbell, in 1895. It exists today as the Norfolk County Golf and Country Club. It is a modern, 9-hole course, located in the heart of the town. It is open to the public.
Employment
There are many employers engaged in pursuits which benefit the area, some examples being light manufacturing, financial services, along with retail services, hospitality, general specialty shops for clothing and consumer goods, and other commercial enterprise typical of towns similar to Simcoe. Agriculture and the employment it provides continues to be important to the area.
2600 people have officially joined the Norfolk County workforce between June 2012 and June 2013.[8]
Health
Simcoe is home to the Norfolk General Hospital; the only general hospital in Norfolk County.
Education
Secondary
Holy Trinity Catholic High School (within the BHNCDSB) and Simcoe Composite School (within the Grand Erie District School Board) are both located in Simcoe.
Post Secondary
Simcoe is home to Fanshawe College's James N. Allen campus.
Notable persons
Sports
- John Axford, baseball player
- Rob Blake, hockey player
- Jassen Cullimore, hockey player
- Red Kelly, hockey player
- Andrew Penner, hockey player
- Dwayne Roloson, hockey player
- Ryan VandenBussche, hockey player
- Rick Wamsley, hockey player
Education/politics
- R. Scott Bakker, Canadian fantasy author
- Reed Elley, former Member of Parliament for Nanaimo—Cowichan and current Baptist preacher
- Robert Gardner, Professor Emeritus, Ryerson University
- Alexander M. Hardy, former United States Congressman
- Eric Hoskins, Canadian administrator and politician
- Arthur Slaght, former member of the Canadian House of Commons
- David Strangway, Canadian geophysicist
Entertainment
- James Atkinson, musician (Ronnie Hawkins, Atkinson, Danko and Ford, Bearfoot; session musician with Rick Danko, Eric Clapton, Richard Manuel, Bob Dylan, amongst others).
- Rick Danko (d. 1999),[9] musician (Ronnie Hawkins, The Band)
- Terry Danko, musician[10] (Ronnie Hawkins, Atkinson, Danko and Ford, Bearfoot; session musician with George Harrison, Stephen Stills, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan amongst others)[11]
- Margo Davidson (d. 2008),[12] musician (The Parachute Club)
Climate
Simcoe generally belongs to the humid continental climate zone when compared to most of the world's climate zones.
| Climate data for Simcoe (Norfolk County) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.9 (57) |
15.0 (59) |
23.9 (75) |
29.0 (84.2) |
33.3 (91.9) |
35.6 (96.1) |
35.6 (96.1) |
36.1 (97) |
34.4 (93.9) |
27.8 (82) |
21.0 (69.8) |
20.0 (68) |
36.1 (97) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −2.4 (27.7) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
4.0 (39.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
18.5 (65.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
26.3 (79.3) |
25.2 (77.4) |
21.0 (69.8) |
14.5 (58.1) |
7.6 (45.7) |
0.9 (33.6) |
12.5 (54.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −6.2 (20.8) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
6.5 (43.7) |
12.6 (54.7) |
17.8 (64) |
20.4 (68.7) |
19.5 (67.1) |
15.5 (59.9) |
9.6 (49.3) |
3.8 (38.8) |
−2.8 (27) |
7.5 (45.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −10.2 (13.6) |
−9.8 (14.4) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
1.1 (34) |
6.7 (44.1) |
11.9 (53.4) |
14.5 (58.1) |
13.8 (56.8) |
10.0 (50) |
4.6 (40.3) |
0.0 (32) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
2.6 (36.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −29.4 (−20.9) |
−26.7 (−16.1) |
−23.9 (−11) |
−13.2 (8.2) |
−3.9 (25) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
5.0 (41) |
2.0 (35.6) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−7.2 (19) |
−13.0 (8.6) |
−23.3 (−9.9) |
−29.4 (−20.9) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 63.2 (2.488) |
58.3 (2.295) |
82.1 (3.232) |
83.4 (3.283) |
73.8 (2.906) |
81.6 (3.213) |
76.7 (3.02) |
80.1 (3.154) |
88.8 (3.496) |
73.2 (2.882) |
95.0 (3.74) |
92.2 (3.63) |
948.4 (37.339) |
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 29.6 (1.165) |
27.4 (1.079) |
61.3 (2.413) |
76.0 (2.992) |
73.6 (2.898) |
81.6 (3.213) |
76.7 (3.02) |
80.1 (3.154) |
88.8 (3.496) |
72.0 (2.835) |
80.4 (3.165) |
55.0 (2.165) |
802.3 (31.587) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 40.4 (15.91) |
34.6 (13.62) |
22.9 (9.02) |
7.8 (3.07) |
0.2 (0.08) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1.2 (0.47) |
15.1 (5.94) |
43.3 (17.05) |
165.6 (65.2) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 17 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 154 |
| Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 5 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 110 |
| Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 15 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 57 |
| Source: Environment Canada[13] | |||||||||||||
References
- ↑ See Norfolk County, Ontario
- ↑ 's_south_coast/simcoe.html "Southern Ontario Tourism: Simcoe, Ontario". Southern Ontario Tourism Organization. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
- ↑ http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009128 Canadian Encyclopedia Monuments, World Wars I and II
- ↑ Alligator of the North, Barrett Harry, and Clarence Coons
- ↑ International Building Style at Ontario Architecture
- ↑ Architecture: Ontario/New York at Thousand Islands Life
- ↑ Make public transit a top priority at SimcoeRefomer.ca
- ↑ Daniel Pearce (June 2013). "Optimism being felt in Norfolk". Simcoe Reformer. Retrieved June 2013.
- ↑ Danko is interred at Woodstock Cemetery, New York State.
- ↑ Brother of Rick Danko. Both Dankos were born in the hamlet of Green's Corners which is immediately outside of Simcoe; see Rick Danko.
- ↑ See Canadian Pop Encyclopedia, Biography of Terry Danko; www.jam.canoe.ca.
- ↑ Davidson is interred at Oakwood Cemetery, Simcoe. See Margo Davidson Obituary, Ferris Funeral Homes, Simcoe; www.ferrisfuneral.com.
- ↑ Environment Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1961-1990 for Simcoe, accessed 18 March 2012
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Simcoe, Ontario. |
- Simcoe and District Chamber of Commerce
- Norfolk County
- Norfolk Heritage Centre at Eva Brook Donly Museum
- Ontario Museum Association
- Canadian Women Artists History Initiative
- Norfolk General Hospital
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