Quinte West Community Profile 2011 a Great Place to Live
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Quinte West Community Profile 2011 A great place to live. The right place to do business. QUINTE WEST AT A GLANCE 1 QUINTE WEST AT QUINTE WEST AT A GLANCE A Natural Attraction Location & Climate History 2-9 Population SERVICES & RESOURCES Members of Government Business Support Services Social Services 10-19 Education Quinte West Public Library BUSINESS & ECONOMY The Quinte West Advantage Labour Market Quinte Business Achievement Awards Wage Profile Industrial Sector Quinte West Industrial Park Industrial Site Maps 20-43 Commercial Sector Shop Local Business Retention & Expansion Community Improvement Plan Economic Development and Revitalization Committee City of Quinte West Commercial Recruitment Strategy INFRASTRUCTURE Transportation Services Planning & Development Public Works & Environmental Services 44-53 City Utilities Municipal Taxes Quinte Real Estate LIFESTYLE & LEISURE Recreational Opportunities Marinas Local Sporting Attractions 54-63 Parks & Trails YMCA of the City of Quinte West Health Care TOURISM Special Events Tourism in Quinte West Chamber of Commerce 64-72 Photo by: Peggy DeWitt Museums Places of Interest Quinte West at a Glance Photo by: Robert Vreeburg A Natural Attraction . .4 Location & Climate . .5 History . 6. Population . .8 The City of Quinte West is situated on the shores of the beautiful Bay of Quinte, serving as the gateway to the world famous Trent Severn Waterway . We are located approximately 1 5. hours east of Toronto along the Highway 401 corridor and 2 5. hours west of Ottawa . Over 42,000 people make Quinte West their home, enjoying both the urban and rural landscapes that encompass the area . Quinte West, formed through the amalgamation of the former municipalities of Trenton, Sidney, Murray and Frankford, offers its residents and visitors a unique and dynamic mix of rural and urban lifestyles . The exquisite natural features of our City are complimented by a strong, vibrant and diverse economic base while also serving as home to Canada’s largest military base, 8 Wing/CFB Trenton . We offer low operating costs achieved through a combination of low municipal utility rates, municipal tax rates and land and building costs . This allows the development of new facilities to be affordable and feasible in order to meet your company’s needs and requirements . Quinte West offers a strong combination of lifestyle and business amenities that make it a great place to live and the right place to do business . QUINTE WEST AT A GLANCE 5 QUINTE WEST AT Photo by: Peggy DeWitt With a location approximately 1 5. hours east of City Driving Toronto and 2 5. hours west of the Nation’s Capital, the City of Quinte West is ideal for commercial and Kingston, ON 75 kilometres industrial businesses of all sizes . Peterborough, ON 100 kilometres Quinte West is in the fortunate position of being able to enjoy all four seasons . The climate in the area is Toronto, ON 190 kilometres moderated by the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario, Ottawa, ON 230 kilometres which reduces the severity of the summer and winter temperatures . In each season, you can expect the Buffalo, NY 324 kilometres following temperatures: Montreal, QC 360 kilometres Winter: December to March Average temperature: -4C Detroit, MI 531 kilometres Spring: April to June Average temperature: 13C New York, NY 702 kilometres Summer: July to August Philadelphia, PA 711 kilometres Average temperature: 21C Fall/Autumn: September to November Chicago, IL 992 kilometres Average temperature: 9C Atlanta, GA 1685 kilometres Heritage Quinte West has a rich historical past . From Samuel The townships were named after family members of de Champlain’s first visit to our future town to the King George III and were called ‘Royal Townships’ . amalgamation of four municipalities in 1998 that led By 1787, the 8th (Sidney), 9th (Thurlow), and 10th to what is now one large city, Quinte West has many (Richmond) townships completed the circle around stories to tell, all of which have shaped this unique the Bay . community . The area remained part of Quebec until the Many of the families living in Quinte West today Constitutional Act of 1791, which divided the country can trace their families back to the United Empire into Upper Canada and Lower Canada, gave it the Loyalists . The Quinte Bay area was considered British Law System, a Legislative Assembly, and its desirable for settlement as early as 1773 when the first Lieutenant-Governor, Lord John Graves Simcoe . Governor General of the Canadian Colonies, Sir Guy There were 19 townships in Upper Canada (now Carleton, asked Governor Haldimand of Quebec Ontario) . to inquire if the Mississauga Indians would make a treaty to sell the land . In January 1998, The City of Quinte West was formed by the amalgamation of four former municipalities; In October 1783 an ‘Agreement to Purchase’ was City of Trenton, Village of Frankford, Sidney finally made with the signing of the Gunshot Treaty Township and Murray Township . The amalgamation and surveying began . At the time, there were many created a unique community offering a blend people living in the United States who had remained between urban and rural lifestyles . The City thrived loyal to England and trekked north to what is now in the years following, establishing itself as a sought Canada . The British ordered that a list of these people after destination offering a vibrant outdoor natural under the designation of United Empire Loyalists be environment for agricultural and recreational pursuits made . Among these were ex-military personnel, ex- combined with endless retail and entertainment slaves, and aboriginals loyal to the Crown . opportunities . Settlements were established surrounding the At the heart of Quinte West is the southern entrance Quinte Bay on lands promised to them by the Crown . to the Trent-Severn Waterway, a unique 386 kilometre Nearly £4 million was divided among the Loyalists in system of lakes and rivers stretching from the Bay of addition to large grants of land in the new country Quinte in the south, to Georgian Bay in the north . varying in size from 200 to 5,000 acres . The money Quinte West is home to Canada’s largest military air was used for tools, farm equipment, seed to sow, force base, 8 Wing/CFB Trenton . food and clothing . Trenton Ward Frankford Ward Located at the mouth of the River Trent and the Head The area originally known as Cold Creek and Scott’s of the Bay of Quinte, this area was first visited by Mill was first settled by United Empire Loyalists in Samuel de Champlain in 1615 . The first permanent the 1780s . At this location, they were able to ford the settlers of the Trenton area were the United Empire river just below the rapids . Loyalists who arrived in the Quinte area around 1784 . The first settlers at the mouth of the Trent River The Village of Frankford was named following a visit (present day downtown) arrived in 1790, establishing in 1837 by Sir Francis Bond Head, Lt . Governor of an economy based primarily on the lumber industry . Upper Canada . Although it was a small village at that time, a proper name was of paramount importance The first bridge was built in 1833, linking the west to the developing community . The name Frankford and east sides of the Trent River . Trenton grew represented a combination of the first name of the steadily in the years that followed attaining the status visiting Governor and the ford in the Trent River A GLANCE 7 QUINTE WEST AT of village by 1853 and town by 1880 . The economy running through the town . To this day, the village is in the area has shifted throughout the years from a called Frankford . primarily lumber and agricultural-based economy to the industrial-driven economy now present . The town was greatly aided with the opening of the RCAF training centre in 1931, which has evolved into Canada’s largest air force base . Sidney Ward Sidney Ward is known most significantly for its strong agricultural base and rugged landscape . It is here that Thomas Bata established the Bata shoe manufacturing plant in 1939, resulting in the development of the inlet of Batawa . Sidney is also home to 8 Wing/CFB Trenton and the National Air Force Museum of Canada . Sidney Township claims a place of honour in the history of municipal government in Ontario as the township with the oldest continuous local government . On May 15, 1790, a group of pioneers assembled here and recorded the minutes of a town meeting to elect officials to administer their affairs . Murray Ward Like many areas in Quinte West, Murray Ward is rich in local history . Located south of the swing bridge in Carrying Place is the Kente Portage, a route that was used by Joliette, Champlain, LaSalle, and scores of missionaries, traders, and settlers to cross the 1 5. miles between the Bay of Quinte and Weller’s Bay . To this day, many old homes and buildings can be seen along the Kente Portage, the oldest road in continuous use in Ontario . The township was first surveyed in 1791 and was incorporated in 1851 . Records from 1878 show a population of 3,734 living mostly on the lower concessions . Photo by: Peggy DeWitt The population in Quinte West traditionally Quinte West Population Characteristic (2006) experiences marginal growth . There have been 4,500 above average increases in the 40+ age category in 4,000 recent years reflecting the aging population growth 3,500 3,000 seen throughout Canada . Recent growth patterns 2,500 also reflect an increase in relocation of military 2,000 Population personnel to 8 Wing/CFB Trenton as well as