Paris, Ontario

Paris
Unincorporated community
Paris
Coordinates: 43°12′00″N 80°23′00″W / 43.20000°N 80.38333°W / 43.20000; -80.38333Coordinates: 43°12′00″N 80°23′00″W / 43.20000°N 80.38333°W / 43.20000; -80.38333
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County	Brant
Area
• Total	14.35 km2 (5.54 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	11,763
• Density	819.7/km2 (2,123/sq mi)

Corner of William and Grand River

A house in Paris

Turn of the century family gathering on the banks of the Grand River near Paris

Paris, Ontario (2011 population, 11,763) is a community on the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. The town was established in 1850. In 1999, its town government was amalgamated into that of the County of Brant, thus ending 149 years as a separate incorporated municipality.

History

The town was first settled on May 7, 1829, when its founder, Hiram Capron, bought the land for $10,000^[1] and built a mill on the present townsite. The town of Paris was officially established in 1856. Since the late 1990s, Paris has experienced substantial population growth, which may be in part attributed to the rising popularity of rural communities among GTA bound commuters (see bedroom community) and the completion of Highway 403 between Hamilton and Woodstock.

Paris was named for the nearby deposits of gypsum, used to make plaster of Paris. Paris is referred to as "the cobblestone capital of Canada" (in reference to a number of aged cobblestone houses^[2]). Paris, Ontario is located at 43°12′N 80°23′W / 43.200°N 80.383°W / 43.200; -80.383.

Paris is also the transmitter site for a number of broadcast radio and TV stations serving the Brantford and Kitchener-Waterloo areas. The actual tower site is 475 Ayr Road, just south of the town of Ayr, and it was erected and owned by Global Television Network in 1973 for CIII-TV. It was officially the main transmitter for the southern Ontario Global network until 2009, when its Toronto rebroadcaster (which had been the de facto main transmitter, given that the station was and still is based in Toronto) was redesignated as the main transmitter.^[3] Global leases space on the Ayr tower for broadcast clients including Conestoga College's campus radio station CJIQ-FM as well as local rebroadcasters of the CBC's Toronto-based outlets.

The town hosts an annual Fall Fair which takes place over the Labour Day weekend. The Fair features over 100,000 rural lifestyle exhibits, a midway complete with carnival games, rides and great food. Canada's #1 demolition derby attracts drivers from across Ontario. The Fair is also host to country music nights and have included big name acts such as Montgomery Gentry, Gord Bamford, Emerson Drive, Chad Brownlee, Deric Ruttan and Kira Isabella.

Paris is also the northernmost community to participate in Southern Ontario's Green Energy Hub.

Sights and attractions

• Barker's Bush is a historic network of community walking/biking trails, rare Carolinian forest, thriving ecosystem and natural corridors. Its main access is through Lion's Park.
• Paris Fairgrounds is Brant County's Foremost Year Round Event Facility and home to the 5 day Labour Day Weekend Fair.
• Paris Speedway Track There´s local Motorcycle Speedway Track in Paris, where some national Venues are held. Quite famous Riders there were John Kehoe and Kyle Legault.

Education

• Paris Central Public School is an elementary school that is located near the center or downtown, with over 300 students. Children are close to major town attractions. It is a part of the Grand Erie District School Board.
• North Ward School, another elementary school which is part of Grand Erie District School Board.
• Paris District High School (PDHS), founded 1923, is a regional high school in the town, with over 1005 students.

In film

• Away from Her (2006)
• The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005)
• Phil the Alien (exteriors) (2005)
• Shadow Builder (1998)
• Spenser: Pale Kings and Princes (1994) (Television)
• Ordinary Magic (1993)
• Blood & Guts (1978)
• The Hard Part Begins (1973)
• Bark Ranger

Notable natives and residents

(ordered by last names)

• Syl Apps, Olympian in pole vaulting, Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player, and Member of Provincial Parliament
• Morgan Ashbury / Cara Covington, author of A Little R & R, and 38 other novels.^[4]
• John Bemrose, author of The Island Walkers
• Todd Brooker, alpine skier
• George Bernard Flahiff, Archbishop of Winnipeg from 1961 to 1982 and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
• Joel Cassady, Drums/Percussion in the band Walk off the Earth
• Zac Dalpe, Rochester Americans hockey player
• Walter Gretzky, father of Wayne Gretzky, attended high school in Paris from the family farm in nearby Canning, Ontario.
• Mickey Ion, ice hockey referee in the PCHA, WCHL and NHL. Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
• John Muckler, NHL Coach and General Manager
• John Penman, early manufacturer and businessman
• Ted Reader, celebrity chef
• Linda Schuyler, television producer of Degrassi franchise
• Barry Silverthorn, documentary producer of The End of Suburbia
• Glen Sonmor, hockey player and manager
• Albert Johnson Walker, infamous conman and convicted killer
• William "Lady" Taylor, early professional ice hockey player in the IPHL and OPHL.
• Jay Wells, ice hockey player with the New York Rangers and Stanley Cup champion in 1994.

Service clubs

• The Lions Club of Paris
• The Kiwanis Club of Paris
• The Optimist Club of Paris
• Kinsmen Club of Brantford (Serving Brantford and Brant County)

Buildings and structures

• CIII Television Tower
• Paris Old Town Hall
• The Historic Arlington Hotel
• The Canadian Tavern
• Hamilton Place (Key example of Cobblestone building in Canada)
• Paris Branch of the County of Brant Public Library (a Carnegie Library)
• The Cedar House 12 Broadway St. W (formerly the old mill that ran the raceway from the Nith River to the Grand River)

See also

• At The Forks of The Grand - history book about the town

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paris, Ontario.

• The County of Brant
• Brant Tourism
• Paris Business Directory
• Kinsmen Club of Brantford
• Collection of historical photographs of Paris
  • Second collection at the same website
• Historic photos of Paris Central Public School.