Sydenham, Frontenac County, Ontario

For other places called Sydenham, see Sydenham (disambiguation).

Sydenham
Coordinates: 44°24′26″N 76°36′1″W / 44.40722°N 76.60028°WCoordinates: 44°24′26″N 76°36′1″W / 44.40722°N 76.60028°W
Country Canada
Province Ontario
County Frontenac
Municipality South Frontenac
Government
 • MPs Scott Reid (C)
 • MPPs Randy Hillier (PC)
Elevation 70–110 m (230–360 ft)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC−5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (EDT) (UTC−4)
Postal code span K0H 2T0
Area code(s) 613
Website http://sydenhamvillage.com/

Sydenham, named after Lord Sydenham, is a community in Frontenac County, located in the municipality of South Frontenac. It is situated at the west end of Sydenham Lake and located north of Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

The former Canadian Northern Railway runs through the north end of town, which when the local section was completed, formed the first rail link between Toronto and Ottawa. The abandoned railway right of way is now part of the Trans Canada Trail.

Sydenham once held the township offices for Loughborough Township, but after the neighbouring townships amalgamated, it is now the seat for the Township of South Frontenac.

Although located in a farming community, many of the area residents work in Kingston. Sydenham has more amenities than many of the smaller surrounding towns making it a hub for the region.

Geography

Geologically, Sydenham straddles the boundary of the St. Lawrence Lowlands (limestone) and the Canadian Shield (granite). Frontenac Provincial Park is found just north of Sydenham in the shield rock and sits atop the Frontenac Axis, a part of the shield that extends south and eventually crosses the St. Lawrence River. Mica mining was common in the 19th century and there are many abandoned mines in the area. One area where mica mines can be found is nearby Gould Lake situated between Sydenham and Frontenac Provincial Park.

An annual canoe/kayak regatta is held on Sydenham Lake next to The Point, a popular local public beach, which was purchased by a local women's group in the mid-late 19th century and given back to the community so that there was always a public gathering point. Sydenham Lake drains westward into Millhaven Creek (originating from Gould Lake), which empties into Lake Ontario at Millhaven.

Culture, recreation and economy

The residents of Sydenham utilize a beach that it located in the east end of the town on Sydenham Lake. Locals call it "The Point" because the beach is actually a Peninsula located on the lake.

Those who are not employed at the local schools or who are not running a local farm, are usually employed in Kingston. The three Christian churches in Sydenham are Grace United Church, St. Paul's Anglican Church, and Sydenham Holiness Church. There is a Roman Catholic church in nearby Railton.

Many cottages and summer homes are located in the area, and tourism increases during the summer months. Visitor use at Gould Lake Conservation Area and Frontenac Provincial Park also increases during the summer. The increase in visitors provides revenue to Sydenham.

Trousdale's, which is Canada's oldest, continuously open, same-family-run general store , is located in Sydenham.

Education

Notable people