Puslinch, Ontario

Puslinch
Township (lower-tier)
Township of Puslinch
Morriston
Coat of arms
Location of Puslinch within Wellington County
Puslinch Location of Puslinch within Wellington County
Coordinates: 43°27′N 80°10′W / 43.450°N 80.167°W / 43.450; -80.167Coordinates: 43°27′N 80°10′W / 43.450°N 80.167°W / 43.450; -80.167
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County	Wellington
Incorporated	January 1, 1850
Government
• Type	Township
• Mayor	Dennis Lever
• Governing Body	Township of Puslinch Council
• MP	Mike Chong (Con)
• MPP	Ted Arnott (PC)
Area[1]
• Land	214.61 km2 (82.86 sq mi)
Population (2016)[2]
• Total	7,336
• Density	34.2/km2 (89/sq mi)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code FSA	N0B
Area code(s)	519, 226 and 905
Website	www.puslinch.ca

Puslinch is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in Wellington County, surrounding the south end of Guelph. The main source of production is agricultural, spring water bottling and mining. Aggregate mining has been dominant throughout the county.^[3] About half of the township is forested, and a conservation area lies to the southwest. Near the western edge of the township, just outside Cambridge, Ontario is Puslinch Lake, the largest kettle lake in North America. It is part of the Guelph census metropolitan area.

The township has its own Strategic Plan, with the current version dated 2015 to 2010. Its mission statement is as follows: "Progressing together to provide reliable and sustainable services to our residents, businesses and visitors. We will protect our resources while respectfully building upon our heritage as a safe, fun and prosperous rural community."^[4]

Communities

Puslinch

The township includes the communities of Aberfoyle, Aikensville, Arkell, Badenoch, Barbers Beach, Corwhin, Crieff, Killean, Little Lake, Morriston and Puslinch.

Aberfoyle

Aberfoyle house

Aberfoyle is the administrative centre for Puslinch Township and is home to the municipality's administrative offices and fire station. It is located at the headwaters of Mill Creek, approximately three kilometres south of Guelph city limits on Brock Road, formerly a portion of old Hwy 6. Aberfoyle was first settled in the 1840s and is named for Aberfoyle, Scotland. In 1869, the population was only 100.^[5]

It is famous for its spring water Aberfoyle Spring Water, which is bottled from Aberfoyle (formerly Aberfoyle Spring Water Company). Nestlé bought the company in 2002. Other features include Aberfoyle Public School^[6] and the Aberfoyle Mill, a popular restaurant.^[7]

Arkell

Arkell, pronounced like "Ar-Kell", has a long relationship with beer brewing. Arkell was founded in 1830 by John Arkell, an Englishman who returned to the UK and founded Arkell's Brewery.^[8][9] Just north and east of the village runs the Arkell Spring Aquifer, renowned for its fresh spring water which has brought many beverage companies to the area, including Sleeman Breweries, Wellington Brewery, and F&M Brewery. Wellington Breweries named one of their most popular beers Arkell Best Bitter in honour of the prized water they use in their brewing.^[10] The Arkell Springs also provide some of the municipal water for the city of Guelph.^[11]

Arkell is a popular stopping point for cyclists and hikers to take a break when touring the country-side roads the surrounding city of Guelph, or the popular hiking trails at the Starkey Hill loop just east of the village, or the Arkell Springs trail which stretches along the Eramosa River from Watson Rd. It is home to many beautiful houses, and picturesque settings. Just north of Arkell, east to nearby Eden Mills near the Eden Mills outdoor education centre and south-east to Arkell Rd. at the Nassagaweya-Puslinch Townline Rd. intersection, opened in 1974 by the Guelph Hiking Club.^[12]

History

Before colonization, the area was a "neutral" zone and was inhabited by the Neutral Nation, in a village of 4,000 in what is now the Badenoch area of Puslinch, near Morriston.^[13]

The township was named after Puslinch House in Devon, England, where Elizabeth Yonge, the wife of Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada Sir John Colborne, was born. The name was given by Lady Seaton after her birthplace in Devon, England. Sir John would later be the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario from 1828 to 1836.^[14] A historical plaque indicates that the township was surveyed in 1828-1832 by David Gibson and was originally known as the Church Lands.^[15] Many people arrived in the 1830’s via Stone Road from Dundas to Galt toward Killean in Puslinch.^[16] A settler, Edward Ellis who arrived in 1839, donated land for the construction of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, also known as Ellis Chapel, in 1861.^{[17] [18][19]} Records from 1846 indicate a population in the township of 1500, most of whom were "Highland Scotch".^[20]

The Arkell area was named after John Arkell (from an originally Dutch family) who emigrated from Kempsford, South Gloucestershire, arriving to the township in May 1831. He established the small community, but returned to England three years later. His first cousin Thomas Arkell remained, built a home, bred sheep and cattle, and was a Magistrate for three decades.^[21][22] Henry Arkell, a breeder of sheep was heavily involved with the Puslinch Agricultural Society and was a Director of the Guelph Central Exhibition and the Fat Stock Show.^[23]

The settlement of Aberfoyle was named by John McFarlane from Aberfoyle, Perthshire, Scotland who arrived in 1841 and ran the first general store. A small mill had been built earlier, in 1831, by George Schatz who built a sawmill and also laid out lots of land at a time when the area was called Schatzville, inhabited mostly by German families. Schatz also operated a foundry and brickyard over the years in the Aberfoyle area. The post office did not open until 1854 with Samuel Falconbridge the first postmaster. The first church, Mount Carmel, was built in 1877.^[24]

Many of the Germans lived around Morriston, also part of Puslinch.^[25] By 1857, Morriston had established the “Victoria Fire Company of the United Village of Morriston and Elgin” with a single fire wagon.^[26] In that year, Morriston had a "daily male population of about 400".^[27]

Demographics

Population trend:^[28]

• Population in 2011: 7029 (2006–2011 population change: 5.1%)
• Population in 2006: 6689
• Population in 2001: 5885
• Population in 1996: 5416
• Population in 1991: 4943

Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 2534 (total dwellings: 2619)

Transportation

The main thoroughfares in the area include:

• Highway 401
• Highway 6.

GO Bus Service

• GO Bus 29: to Mississauga (Square One GO Bus Terminal and Cooksville GO)
• GO Bus 48: to York University and Guelph University
• GO Bus 25 to Mississauga (Square One GO Bus Terminal), Milton, Cambridge, and Kitchener (Downtown, Wilfred Laurier University, and University of Waterloo)

Attractions

Aberfoyle Mill Restaurant

• Starkey Hill Hiking Trail
• Puslinch Lake
• Antique Market
• Aberfoyle Mill Restaurant
• Aberfoyle Farmers Market
• Ellis Chapel

Notable residents

• Supreme Court of Canada Justice John Idington
• Singer Tommy Hunter
• NHL centre John Cullen
• Junior B reserve goalie Lukas Samson^[29]
• NHL defenseman Ryan Ellis
• CNN International anchor Colleen McEdwards
• Brandon Ilczyna, Slender The Arrival Producer^[30]

See also

• Adventure travel
• Bruce Trail
• Cambridge, Ontario
• List of townships in Ontario
• Spencer Creek (Ontario)
• Valens, Ontario

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Puslinch, Ontario.

• Township of Puslinch
• Wellington Guelph Community Portal
• Ontario Plaques - The Settlement of Puslinch
• Puslinch Lake Conservation Association
• Puslinch Today - Local News & Events