Georgina, Ontario
Georgina | ||
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Town (lower-tier) | ||
Town of Georgina | ||
Civic Centre | ||
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Location of Georgina within York Region | ||
Georgina Location of Georgina within York Region | ||
Coordinates (Civic Centre): 44°18′N 79°26′W / 44.300°N 79.433°WCoordinates: 44°18′N 79°26′W / 44.300°N 79.433°W | ||
Country | Canada | |
Province | Ontario | |
Regional Municipality | York Region | |
Named | late 1790s | |
Amalgamated | 1971 (township)[1] | |
Incorporated | 1986 (town) | |
Named for | George III | |
Government | ||
• Type | Municipality | |
• Mayor | Margaret (Jordan) Quirk | |
• Regional Councillor / Deputy Mayor | Naomi Davison | |
• Councillor |
| |
Area[2] | ||
• Total | 287.75 km2 (111.10 sq mi) | |
Population (2016)[2] | ||
• Total | 45,418 | |
• Density | 157.8/km2 (409/sq mi) | |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | |
Postal code FSA | L0E, L0C, L4P | |
Area code(s) | 905, 289 and 705 | |
NTS Map | 031D03 | |
GNBC Code | FBHBU | |
Website |
www |
Georgina (Canada 2016 Census population 45,418) is a town in south-central Ontario, and the northernmost municipality in the Regional Municipality of York. The town is bounded to the north by Lake Simcoe. Although incorporated as a town, it operates as a township, in which dispersed communities share a common administrative council. The largest communities are Keswick, Sutton and Jackson's Point; smaller communities include Pefferlaw, Port Bolster, Udora and Willow Beach. The town was formed by the merger of the Village of Sutton, the Township of Georgina and the Township of North Gwillimbury in 1971, and was incorporated in 1986. North Gwillimbury had previously been part of Georgina, but became its own township in 1826. It took its name from the family of Elizabeth Simcoe, née Gwillim.
Georgina was the proposed name for London, Ontario by John Graves Simcoe.
Municipal composition
The main centres in Georgina are the communities of Keswick, Belhaven, Sutton West, Jackson's Point,[3] Baldwin, Virginia, Pefferlaw, Port Bolster, Udora and Willow Beach. Other settlements include Jersey, Cedarbrae, Brown Hill, Island Grove, Elm Grove, Roche's Point (named for the family of Author Mazo de la Roche, who is buried in the cemetery, at St. George's Anglican Church, Sibbald Point), Sibbald Point, Virginia / Virginia Beach (originally called Frenchtown), McRae Beach, Duclos Point, Balfour Beach, Varney, Brighton Beach and a variety of other beach communities.[4]
Demographics
According to the Canada 2016 Census conducted by Statistics Canada:[2]
- Population: 45,418
- Population % Change (2011-2016): 4.4%
- Dwellings: 16,821
- Dwellings % Change (2011-2016): 6.1%
- Area (km².): 287.75 (+ .03)
- Density (persons per km².): 157.8 (+ 6.6)
Racial profile
As per the 2011 Canadian Census
- 96.1% White
- 1.6% Aboriginal
- 0.5% Black
- 0.3% Chinese
Religions[5]
- 45.7% Protestant
- 22.4% Roman Catholic
- 3.3% other Christian
- 0.3% Jewish
- 28.3% non-religious
Mother Tongue[6]
Government
The Town of Georgina operates under a ward system, and its municipal council consists of the mayor, regional councillor (known procedurally as deputy mayor) and a councillor for each of the five wards. The current council consists of:
- Mayor: Margaret Quirk
- Deputy mayor/regional councillor: Naomi Davison (was Danny Wheeler until his passing Nov. 1, 2016)[7]
- Councillor Ward 1: Charlene Biggerstaff
- Councillor Ward 2: Dan Fellini
- Councillor Ward 3: Dave Neeson
- Councillor Ward 4: Frank Sebo
- Councillor Ward 5: Dave Harding
The mayor and deputy mayor represent Georgina at meetings of York Regional Council.
Georgina is part of the Federal riding of York—Simcoe, represented by Peter Van Loan of the Conservative Party of Canada, first elected in 2006.
Provincially, it was part of the riding of York North until 2007 and is now part of the provincial riding of York—Simcoe, represented by Julia Munro of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, who was first elected in 1995.
Notable residents
- Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame member Whipper Billy Watson was a lifelong resident, and he spearheaded the campaign to build the Georgina Cultural Centre in the 1980s, which also houses the Stephen Leacock Theatre.
- Keswick is the birthplace and childhood home of former NHL goaltender Curtis Joseph.
- Captain William Johnson, former Royal Navy officer and founder of Pefferlaw, Ontario.
- Noted writer Stephen Leacock settled on a farm near Egypt, a hamlet within Georgina.
- Jim Carrey, a Canadian actor, comedian, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer. He was born in nearby Newmarket. His family settled in Sutton for his early life.
Attractions
- Canadian Ice Fishing Championship annual event[8]
- Captain William Johnson's Old Mill[9]
- St. George's Anglican Church, built in 1877 by the pioneering Sibbald family and burial place of Stephen Leacock and Mazo de la Roche[9]
- Roche's Point Anglican Church, built in 1862[9]
- The ROC (Recreational Outdoor Campus), including the Georgina Pioneer Village Museum and Archives
- The Red Barn Theatre, Canada's oldest summer stock theatre. [Currently not operating due to a fire in 2010.[10]][9]
- Stephen Leacock Theatre
- Duclos Point Nature Reserve
- Georgina Arts Centre and Gallery
- The Peter Gzowski Festival of Stories[11]
- Georgina Public Libraries
- York Regional Forests
- Sibbald Point Provincial Park
- Sutton Fair and Horse Show
- The Briars Resort and Golf Club, built and owned by the Sibbald family
- Willow Beach Conservation Area
Local clubs and associations
- Georgina Ice Junior C Hockey
- Georgina Girls Hockey Association
- Georgina Minor Baseball Association
- Georgina Minor Hockey Association
- Jericho Youth Services
- Lake Simcoe Minor Softball Association
- Lake Simcoe Soccer Club
- Sail Georgina
- Sutton Agricultural Society
- Georgina-Brock Garden Club
- Lake Simcoe Gardeners
- Georgina Trail Riders Snowmobile Club
- Georgina Military Museum
- Sutton & District Lions Club
- Kinsmen Club of Keswick
- Kinsmen Club of Sutton (Service Club)
- South Lake Simcoe Naturalists (Nature Group)
- Canadian Madeira Club - Madeira Park
See also
References
- ↑ Some sources say 1971 Welch, Deborah; Michael Payne. "Georgina". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2008-01-02., some say 1970 "York County Maps and Facts". York Region Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society. Retrieved 2008-01-02."History of the Town of Georgina". Georgina Village Museum. Archived from the original on 2008-03-02. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
- 1 2 3 Statistics Canada 2016 Census -
- ↑ Kibble, Tracy (2009-08-27). "Jackson’s Point offers alluring gem". YorkRegion.com. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
- ↑ "Brighton Beach". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
- ↑ Statistics Canada. (2002). Georgina 2001 Community Profiles. Released June 27, 2002. Last modified: 2005-11-30. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 93F0053XIE
- ↑ Statistics Canada (2011). Census Profile for Georgina, Ontario (Town). Released Oct 24, 2011
- ↑ "Councillor Naomi Davison to fill Regional Council seat". Town of Georgina. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
- ↑ Canadian Ice Fishing Championship
- 1 2 3 4 "Town of Georgina Historical Sites". Archived from the original on 2008-01-11.
- ↑ "Ontario’s oldest summer theatre closes down". The Toronto Star. 4 July 2010.
- ↑ "Peter Gzowski Festival of Stories". Archived from the original on 2005-12-18.
External links
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