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* [[Lon Cheney]]{{disambiguation needed|date=September 2012}}
* [[Lon Cheney]]{{disambiguation needed|date=September 2012}}
* Dr. Lorne William (Bill) Bentley, MSM, CD
* Dr. Lorne William (Bill) Bentley, MSM, CD
* Aura the black and white Pitbull - Protector of Big Island
* Bobby Hull (the Golden Jet, the first hockey player to be paid $1,000,000.00) farmed and kept a summer home here while playing in the NHL and WHL.
* Bobby Hull (the Golden Jet, the first hockey player to be paid $1,000,000.00) farmed and kept a summer home here while playing in the NHL and WHL.
* The late movie star Robert Urich spent his summers here at his summer home on West Lake. His cremated remains are buried here.
* The late movie star Robert Urich spent his summers here at his summer home on West Lake. His cremated remains are buried here.

Revision as of 17:27, 9 November 2013

Prince Edward County
City
Location of Prince Edward County
Country Canada
Province Ontario
Countynone (Single-tier municipality)
Settled1792
Incorporated1998
Government
 • TypeCity
 • MayorPeter Mertens
 • Federal ridingPrince Edward—Hastings
 • Prov. ridingPrince Edward—Hastings
Area
[1]
 • Land1,050.45 km2 (405.58 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total25,258
 • Density24.0/km2 (62/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal Code
K0K
Area code613
Websitewww.pecounty.on.ca

Prince Edward County (2011 census population 25,258) is a single-tier municipality and a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario.

History

Long settled by indigenous peoples, the county has significant archeological sites. These include the LeVescounte Mounds of the Point Peninsula Complex people, built about 2000 years ago.

The settlement for European-Canadians was facilitated when the county was created by Upper Canada's founding lieutenant-governor John Graves Simcoe on July 16, 1792.[2] It was named after Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent (the fourth son of King George III) who was commander-in-chief of British North America.

Shortly after the American Revolution, the Crown made land grants to some of the earliest United Empire Loyalists to encourage their settlements in Ontario and provide compensation for property lost in the Thirteen Colonies. The county was originally composed of three townships named in honour of three of George III's daughters.

For many years Prince Edward County has been closely associated with the wholly mainland Hastings County. Its longtime militia unit has been The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment (locally known as the Hasty Ps), whose most famous member was Farley Mowat. This noted nature author wrote And No Birds Sang, about his experiences with the Hasty Ps during the Second World War's Italian Campaign.

In 1998, all of the former municipalities in Prince Edward County amalgamated to form a single-tier municipality as part of provincewide municipal restructuring. Each of the former municipalities is now a ward.

Geography

Map of Prince Edward County

Prince Edward County is located in Southern Ontario on a large irregular headland or littoral at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, just west of the head of the St. Lawrence River. This headland (officially named Prince Edward County in 1792[3]) is surrounded on the north and east by the Bay of Quinte. As the Murray Canal now connects the bay to Lake Ontario across the only land connection, the county is technically an island.

Climate

The county's relatively mild climate due to the influence of Lake Ontario has led to the establishment of about 50 vineyards and close to 30 wineries; as a result Prince Edward County is one of Ontario's newest designated viticultural areas.[4] The lake effect from Lake Ontario results in heavier snowfall than in neighbouring counties.

Climate data for Picton (1981−2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 15.6
(60.1) 		12.0
(53.6) 		23.3
(73.9) 		29.5
(85.1) 		29.0
(84.2) 		34.5
(94.1) 		37.8
(100.0) 		34.4
(93.9) 		31.1
(88.0) 		26.0
(78.8) 		21.7
(71.1) 		16.1
(61.0) 		37.8
(100.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −2
(28) 		−1.0
(30.2) 		3.9
(39.0) 		11.1
(52.0) 		17.8
(64.0) 		22.4
(72.3) 		25.6
(78.1) 		24.3
(75.7) 		20.0
(68.0) 		13.5
(56.3) 		7.4
(45.3) 		1.4
(34.5) 		12.0
(53.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.4
(20.5) 		−5.6
(21.9) 		−0.6
(30.9) 		6.8
(44.2) 		13.0
(55.4) 		17.6
(63.7) 		21.0
(69.8) 		20.2
(68.4) 		16.0
(60.8) 		9.6
(49.3) 		4.1
(39.4) 		−2.4
(27.7) 		7.8
(46.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −10.9
(12.4) 		−10.2
(13.6) 		−5.1
(22.8) 		2.5
(36.5) 		8.2
(46.8) 		12.7
(54.9) 		16.4
(61.5) 		16.0
(60.8) 		11.9
(53.4) 		5.6
(42.1) 		0.8
(33.4) 		−6.2
(20.8) 		3.5
(38.3)
Record low °C (°F) −36
(−33) 		−35.6
(−32.1) 		−27
(−17) 		−15.6
(3.9) 		−4.4
(24.1) 		0.6
(33.1) 		5.0
(41.0) 		3.3
(37.9) 		−0.6
(30.9) 		−7.2
(19.0) 		−18.9
(−2.0) 		−33
(−27) 		−36
(−33)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 80.4
(3.17) 		77.1
(3.04) 		49.3
(1.94) 		84.4
(3.32) 		79.7
(3.14) 		74.3
(2.93) 		59.3
(2.33) 		76.3
(3.00) 		85.0
(3.35) 		80.9
(3.19) 		102.1
(4.02) 		94.4
(3.72) 		943.1
(37.13)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 23.4
(0.92) 		23.2
(0.91) 		33.8
(1.33) 		79.8
(3.14) 		79.7
(3.14) 		74.3
(2.93) 		59.3
(2.33) 		76.3
(3.00) 		85.0
(3.35) 		80.5
(3.17) 		96.8
(3.81) 		48.8
(1.92) 		760.7
(29.95)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 57.0
(22.4) 		53.9
(21.2) 		15.5
(6.1) 		4.6
(1.8) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.39
(0.15) 		5.4
(2.1) 		45.7
(18.0) 		182.4
(71.8)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 12.9 10.9 9.2 11.3 12.4 11.4 8.5 10.4 11.9 13.1 13.1 13.4 138.4
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 3.4 2.9 5.0 10.5 12.4 11.4 8.5 10.4 11.9 12.9 11.9 6.2 107.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 10.0 8.1 4.5 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.23 1.6 7.5 32.9
Source: Environment Canada[5]

Landscape

Indian Point, westernmost point of Prince Edward County and entrance to the Bay of Quinte.

Prince Edward County is an island community encompassing approximately 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi), with over 500 kilometres (310 mi) of shoreline with beaches and limestone rich soil.

Communities

Prince Edward County includes the population centres of Ameliasburg, Bloomfield, Carrying Place, Cherry Valley, Consecon, Demorestville, Fawcettville, Glenora, Hillier, Lake On The Mountain, Milford, Mountain View, Northport, Picton, Rednersville, Rosehall, Rossmore, Salmon Point, Waupoos, Waupoos Island, Wellington, West Lake, Woodrous, and Yerexville.

Government

Despite the official name, Prince Edward is not a county by the standard Ontario definition — it is a single-tier municipal government with city status that handles all municipal services. The former county seat and current council hall is located at the Shire Hall in Picton. Officially the area is the smallest single-tier municipality in Ontario, consisting of the merged governments of the original county and the 10 former towns, villages and townships which governed the area until 1997.

Ward No. Name
1 Picton
2 Bloomfield
3 Wellington
4 Ameliasburgh
5 Athol
6 Hallowell
7 Hillier
8 North Marysburgh
9 South Marysburgh
10 Sophiasburgh

Demographics

Canada census – Prince Edward County, Ontario community profile
2011
Population25,258 (-0.9% from 2006)
Land area1,050.45 km2 (405.58 sq mi)
Population density24.0/km2 (62/sq mi)
Median age51.6 (M: 50.8, F: 52.2)
Private dwellings12,397 (total) 
Median household income
References: 2011[1] earlier[6][7]

Population trend:[8]

  • Population in 2011: 25,258
  • Population in 2006: 25,496
  • Population in 2001: 24,901
  • Population in 1996: 25,046
    • Ameliasburgh Township: 5571
    • Athol Township: 1383
    • Bloomfield Village: 687
    • Hallowell Township: 4577
    • Hillier Township: 1851
    • North Marysburgh Township: 1312
    • Picton Town: 4673
    • Sophiasburgh Township: 2283
    • South Marysburgh Township: 1018
    • Wellington Village: 1691
  • Population in 1991:
    • Ameliasburgh Township: 5357
    • Athol Township: 1416
    • Bloomfield Village: 689
    • Hallowell Township: 4349
    • Hillier Township: 1804
    • North Marysburgh Township: 1258
    • Picton Town: 4386
    • Sophiasburgh Township: 2110
    • South Marysburgh Township: 968
    • Wellington Village: 1426

Mother tongue:[6]

  • English as first language: 93.3%
  • French as first language: 1.3%
  • English and French as first language: 0.3%
  • Other as first language: 5.1%

Activities

Vacationing

Prince Edward County has become a vacation Mecca with Sandbanks Provincial Park (world famous for camping) as the certerpiece. Many cottages are available such as those offered at Sandbanks Beach Resort. Hotels, Motels, Bed & Breakfasts are abundant and mostly occupied during the summer months.

Water Activities

PEC's main attraction is Sandbanks Provincial Park, attracting thousands of visitors on hot summer days. The numerous campgrounds throughout the County also allow many tourists to enjoy watersports such as those offered through Westlake Wakeboarding School, kayaking, canoeing, tubing, and more.

Skateboarding & BMXing

Beside the historic Crystal Palace is the County Youthpark. It provides a great location for people of all ages and interests to congregate, as a recent mini-documentary reveals. Whereas the region is known for a large retirement community, young blood now flocks to the County to visit the skatepark and innovative playground nestled in the corner of the Picton Fairgrounds property (which also holds the Picton Arena & Crystal Palace). For example, the YoungLife youth event "Road Rage" had teens of all ages visiting skateboard parks across Ontario and then entering their homemade skateboarding video into a contest; Picton was one of their stops. That Transworld and Etnies representatives have visited and given very positive reviews about the Picton skatepark shows that the skatepark is recognized by the skateboarding/biking community as one of Ontario's best parks. The playground is also very creative and innovative and loved by those in the community. During the summer, a canteen is open to sell small food items. The artistic rendering of the skatepark is available at Transworld's website by clicking here. Vancouver-based Spectrum Skateparks Inc, says of the skatepark,

Prince Edward County had a big dream, & Spectrum guided them in achieving it. Inspired by the attraction / tourist-draw success of Spectrum’s other parks in the area, Parks Commissioner Barry Braun decided to plan by the creed that their local skaters ride by: “Go Big or Go Home!” A powerfully dynamic yet easy- to-ride bowl with enough lines for a lifetime is surrounded by a park-like “tech-street” pathway, converging into a central Plaza zone with still more “never been done before” elements including the spinning pac-man waiting to be explored. This park is one of Canada’s sweetest.

Eating

Prince Edward County in recent years has become a top culinary destination. With emerging artists and wineries around every corner, there is never enough time to take in all the region has to offer.

From the historic Black River Cheese Company which started operations in 1901 to the new LEED-certified, award-winning Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Factory, the ‘County’ as it is referred to, boasts of being both a tranquil and culinary destination hot spot.

With an increasing number of cultural activities — in part due to the emigration of top artists and chefs to the area – like the "Harvestin’ supper", the "Taste" celebration or "Six Barrels for Six Chefs", the County has created a niche in the new Creative Economy. “It's yet another point of pride for Prince Edward County, which has become the gastronomic capital of Ontario — a fertile island bursting with vineyards, organic farms and a community of artists and chefs. Tucked into the "golden triangle" between Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, it is the province's newest Designated Viticultural Area, which helps identify the origin of a wine and its grapes.” (Globe and Mail)

Birding

Events also include the Spring Birding Festival;[9] Prince Edward County Authors' Festival; the County Jazz Festival, a summer event; the Prince Edward County Music Festival (a chamber music series) held on the same fall weekend as the Prince Edward County Studio and Gallery Tour; "Music at Port Milford," a summer music festival and school for string students from 12–18 years old, and an annual season of professional theatre produced by Festival Players of Prince Edward County.

Theatre

One of the few surviving art-deco movie houses in Ontario, Picton's downtown Regent Theatre, is host to a variety of plays, musicals and art movie screenings throughout the year. A drive-in movie theatre, The Mustang, is located north-west of Picton on Route 1.

Acknowledging Famous People

County residents with established reputations in the arts include flugelhornist Guido Basso; authors Janet Lunn, J. D. Carpenter, and John Oughton; folk opera composer Suzanne Pasternak; the late poet Al Purdy; and potter Bill Reddick.

Education

Post secondary education

Prince Edward County is within close proximity to top educational institutions in Kingston and Belleville including, Queen’s University, the Royal Military College of Canada, St. Lawrence College and Loyalist College.

Primary and secondary education

The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board serves close to 17,000 students each day at 46 elementary and eight secondary schools. The district covers a wide geographical area of 7,221 square kilometers bordered by Maynooth to the north, Deseronto to the east, Prince Edward County to the south and Quinte West to the west.

The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board serve students of the Roman Catholic faith. Approximately 15,000 students attend 36 elementary schools and 5 secondary schools in this school district

Sonrise Christian Academy is located at 58 Johnson St. in Picton and offers K-8 education from a Biblical worldview to families in Prince Edward County.

Previously the Prince Edward County Board of Education served the county.

List of area schools

Sonrise Christian Academy

Sports

Hockey

Driving south on Loyalist Highway 33 to the village of Wellington. Proudly displayed on billboards as you arrive in the small town of 1,700 — located 15 kilometers west of Picton in Prince Edward County — is ‘Home of the Dukes.’ Every season for the past dozen years the Wellington Dukes[10] have finished at, or near the top of the II-tier league. “Parents of hockey-playing kids all over Ontario compete to send their kids to try out for the Dukes. Players aspiring for hockey scholarships to American universities, vie to play for the Dukes...”

Prince Edward Community Centre located at 375 Main Street is where the Picton Pirates[11] Junior C Hockey Team play their home games, Nicknamed the "Patcheyes", the Picton Pirates were founded in 1989 as members of the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League.

Picton recently won the 2011 Empire "B" Junior C Championship after beating 2nd place Amherstview Jets 4-3 in the best of 7 and 1st place and defending champions Napanee Raiders in their best of seven series 4–2.

Sailing

Prince Edward County is surrounded by 800 km of shoreline offering a dozen or more sheltered harbors and many facilities that cater to boating are located throughout, including full-service marinas. The County has a rich sailing history which can be discovered at Mariners Park Museum[12] in South Marysburgh. For those interested in a broader collection of maritime material, Picton is also home to The Archives and Collections Society[13] which offers more than fifty thousand documents on the Great Lakes and the sea, maritime history and navigation.

The Prince Edward County Yacht Club[14] located in Picton Harbour offers a junior sailing program for children aged 10–18 using monohull dinghies which sail out into the Bay of Quinte. The non-profit West Lake Catamaran Sailing School[15] offers a junior sailing program for children aged 11–18 using catamarans out of Wellington Harbour beside Sandbanks Provincial Park[16] into West Lake or into Lake Ontario, depending upon weather conditions. Both programs use CYA certified instructors and successful students are granted CYA certificates.

Emergency Services

Prince Edward County is served by 1 EMS station by Hastings-Quinte EMS

Former municipalities

Glenora.

The following are former municipalities:[17]

Notable residents

  • Al Purdy — (December 30, 1918 – April 21, 2000) One of the most popular Canadian poets of the 20th century, Purdy moved to Ameliasburgh in the 1950s.
  • Jamie Kennedy — is a renowned Canadian chef and owner and operator of Jamie Kennedy Kitchens.
  • Sir John A. Macdonald — First Canadian Prime Minister, lived for three years at Glenora, where his father operated a grist mill. In 1833, Macdonald returned to the Picton area to take over a law practice from his ailing cousin, Lowther P. Macpherson, who was in ill-health. During his stay here, Macdonald became the first secretary of the Prince Edward Young Men’s Society in 1834 and served as secretary of the Prince Edward District School Board. The latter position constituted his earliest experience in the field of public administration.
  • Gord Downie — Lead singer of Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip is noted as saying during a concert in Belleville, Ontario that he has taken up occasional residence in the County.
  • David 'Zeke' Mazurek — famous Canadian fiddler who resided in Wellington Ontario, passed away from cancer in October 2010
  • Lon Cheney[disambiguation needed]
  • Dr. Lorne William (Bill) Bentley, MSM, CD
  • Aura the black and white Pitbull - Protector of Big Island
  • Bobby Hull (the Golden Jet, the first hockey player to be paid $1,000,000.00) farmed and kept a summer home here while playing in the NHL and WHL.
  • The late movie star Robert Urich spent his summers here at his summer home on West Lake. His cremated remains are buried here.

See also

Further reading


References

  1. ^ a b c "Prince Edward County census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-02-28. Cite error: The named reference "cp2011" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ Origins of the name of Prince Edward County
  3. ^ http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/maps/districtmaps.htm#districts_1792
  4. ^ Vintners Quality Alliance
  5. ^ "Picton". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  7. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  8. ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
  9. ^ Spring Birding Festival
  10. ^ Wellington Dukes.
  11. ^ Picton Pirates.
  12. ^ Mariners Park Museum.
  13. ^ The Archives and Collections Society
  14. ^ Prince Edward County Yacht Club.
  15. ^ West Lake Catamaran Sailing School.
  16. ^ Sandbanks Provincial Park.
  17. ^ Province of Ontario — A History 1615 to 1927 by Jesse Edgar Middleton & Fred Landon, copyright 1927, Dominion Publishing Company, Toronto.
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