New Dundee, Ontario

New Dundee is a small community of about 1,500 people in the Township of Wilmot, Ontario, Canada, south-west of Kitchener.

It is home to the Dundee Country Club golf course and the New Dundee Emporium, founded in 1887. Many small businesses are located within the community on Alder Lake. Some businesses include fishing, canoeing and skating in the winter. However, due to the locality to Kitchener, many residents tend to do most of their business outside of town in the larger urban centre. This has caused trouble in sustaining local businesses. The award-winning New Dundee Emporium draws diners and shoppers from Waterloo Region and beyond to enjoy the fine cuisine, guided by chef Danny, and browse through the unique collection of women's clothing, handbags and jewellery, orchestrated by Mark. A full-service grocery store used to serve the town and surrounding area. There is however a variety store that services the area that contains an LCBO and beer store. Current businesses include a video store/ice cream shop, a busy branch of the Region of Waterloo Library, a pizza parlour/bakery, a hairstylist, a book store specializing in Christian books and, a pottery studio/ stained glass business including gallery and teaching area.

New Dundee Creamery, founded in 1908, was for many years the town's largest employer, with up to 100 employees at its peak. By the mid-1960s, it was producing 115 million pounds of milk and five million pounds of butter a year. It closed in 1998 and the vacant building was torn down in 2004. A township proposal to build a park on the site was rejected by residents in 2005 due to its location to the main roads going through the town and the proposed loss of the main park at the corner of New Dundee and Main streets. The township is currently proposing a new park near the community centre that would keep the original park intact.

A lumber yard was also located in town and for many years was operated as Weber Home Centre (Castle Building Centre). After its closing the location was bought and re-branded. On June 1, 2006 Harron's Rona opened its doors to customers. This became the new large employer in the small residential community with about 50 people from New Dundee and Kitchener-Waterloo area are employed there. On October 4, 2010 at 11:00 am the business closed its doors for good, declaring bankruptcy.

With the expiation of the surrounding urban areas, as well as, no major employer left, New Dundee has become a bedroom community with many residents working in Kitchener-Waterloo.

The village does not have a sewer system, and all properties must have a septic system installed. New Dundee's history is very religious, and many churches are still thriving today.

Geography

New Dundee is situated along the Grand River watershed. The local stream is called Alder Creek. Alder Creek flows into the Nith River a few kilometres downstream. The original settlers built the town because of its creek.

Locations surrounding New Dundee

		Kitchener
	Tavistock, Stratford, Shakespeare		Cambridge, Roseville
	New Dundee
		Ayr, Paris

External links

• New Dundee at Geographical Names of Canada

Coordinates: 43°21′04″N 80°32′12″W / 43.35111°N 80.53667°W / 43.35111; -80.53667