The Blue Mountains, Ontario
| The Blue Mountains | |
|---|---|
| Town (lower-tier) | |
| Town of The Blue Mountains | |
|
Thornbury harbour from the Royal Harbour Resort | |
  The Blue Mountains | |
| Coordinates: 44°29′N 80°23′W / 44.483°N 80.383°WCoordinates: 44°29′N 80°23′W / 44.483°N 80.383°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| County | Grey |
| Formed | January 1, 2001 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | John F. McKean |
| • Federal riding | Simcoe—Grey |
| • Prov. riding | Simcoe—Grey |
| Area[1] | |
| • Land | 287.23 km2 (110.90 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 6,453 |
| • Density | 22.5/km2 (58/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal Code | N0H 2P0 |
| Area code(s) | 519 & 226 |
| Highways |
 Highway 26 |
| Website | www.thebluemountains.ca |
The Blue Mountains is a town in Grey County, southwestern Ontario, Canada, located where the Beaver River flows into Nottawasaga Bay. It is named for the Blue Mountain, and hence the economy of the town is centred on tourism, particularly on the Blue Mountain ski resort and the private Craigleith and Alpine Ski Clubs.
The town was formed on January 1, 2001, when the Town of Thornbury was amalgamated with the Township of Collingwood. Thornbury is home to the architecturally unique L.E. Shore Memorial Library, named after the founding partner of the architectural practice of Shore Tilbe Irwin + Partners, and designed by the firm.
The Bruce Trail passes through sections of the town. The Kolapore area for mountain biking and cross-country skiing, Metcalfe Rock which is popular with rock climbers as well as the Duncan Crevice Caves Nature Reserve are in the area as well.
During the Southern Ontario Tornado Outbreak of 2009, a tornado passed through the Blue Mountains area on August 20. The F2 tornado passed by Thornbury and hit Craigleith before moving out onto Georgian Bay.
Ravenna is the setting for the novel Ravenna Gets by author Tony Burgess.
Recreation
The Blue Mountains has a host recreational activities for all the seasons. Most notably is the winter Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing and Cross-country Skiing. In the summer there is hiking, downhill/cross-country biking, an extravagant mini putt,[2] the Ridge Runner[3] and events such as Met Con Blue.[4] If physical activities are not what you are looking for, The Village at Blue Mountain[5] has a plethora of boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and chalets, as well as golf courses within walking distance. Less than a 5-minute drive away there is the Scandinave Spa[6] which situated on 25 acres of natural Ontario birch, as well as the Scenic Caves[7] for those who want to experience a different kind of adventure.
Craigleith Provincial Park is located along Highway 26 near Blue Mountain resort.
Communities
The primary population centre is Thornbury. Additionally the town's territory also includes the communities of Banks, Collingwood, Camperdown, Castle Glen Estates, Christie Beach, Clarksburg, Craigleith, Duncan, Gibraltar, Swiss Meadows, Heathcote, Kolapore, Little Germany, Lora Bay, Loree, Ravenna, Red Wing, Slabtown, and Victoria Corners.
Thornbury
Thornbury was first incorporated in 1831 and divided from Collingwood Township in 1887 as a separate administration.[8] This existed until 2001 when it remerged with Collingwood Township to form The Blue Mountains municipality. The town was a shipping and processing centre for local agricultural produce especially apples though it's harbour on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. A small fishing fleet operated from the harbour. The coming of the railroad in 1855 further expanded trade and made the town a desirable summer resort for the wealthy from Toronto. Many large late nineteenth century houses on tree lined streets characterise the town suburbs.[9] Thornbury is home to the architecturally unique L.E. Shore Memorial Library, built in 1995 and named after the founding partner of the architectural practice of Shore Tilbe Irwin + Partners who designed it.[10]
Demographics
| Canada census – The Blue Mountains, Ontario community profile | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2006 | 2001 | |
| Population: | 6453 (-5.5% from 2006) | 6825 (11.6% from 2001) | 6116 (7.9% from 1996) |
| Land area: | 287.23 km2 (110.90 sq mi) | 286.78 km2 (110.73 sq mi) | 286.77 km2 (110.72 sq mi) |
| Population density: | 22.5/km2 (58/sq mi) | 23.8/km2 (62/sq mi) | 21.3/km2 (55/sq mi) |
| Median age: | 50.6 (M: 50.1, F: 51.0) | 47.4 (M: 47.1, F: 47.7) | |
| Total private dwellings: | 6200 | 5619 | 5374 |
| Median household income: | $59,061 | $47,809 | |
| References: 2011[1] 2006[11] 2001[12] | |||
Population trend:[13]
- Population total in 1996: 5667
- Collingwood (township): 3904
- Thornbury (town): 1763
- Population in 1991:
- Collingwood (township): 3390
- Thornbury (town): 1646
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1991 | 5,036 | — |
| 1996 | 5,667 | +12.5% |
| 2001 | 6,116 | +7.9% |
| 2006 | 6,825 | +11.6% |
| 2011 | 6,453 | −5.5% |
| Canada 2006 Census | Population | % of Total population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible minority group Source:[14] | South Asian | 0 | 0 |
| Chinese | 10 | 0.1 | |
| Black | 15 | 0.2 | |
| Filipino | 0 | 0 | |
| Latin American | 0 | 0 | |
| Southeast Asian | 0 | 0 | |
| Other visible minority | 25 | 0.4 | |
| Total visible minority population | 50 | 0.7 | |
| Aboriginal group Source:[14] | First Nations | 0 | 0 |
| Métis | 15 | 0.2 | |
| Inuit | 0 | 0 | |
| Total Aboriginal population | 15 | 0.2 | |
| White | 6,675 | 91.9 | |
| Total population | 6,750 | 100 | |
Notable residents
- Cecil Dillon – NHL hockey player of the 1930s
- Captain Charles Stuart – Anglo-American abolitionist who helped freed slaves make their way to Ontario via the Underground Railroad
Images
The eponymous Blue Mountains
The Craigleith Provincial Park on the shore of the Georgian Bay
See also
References
- 1 2 3 "The Blue Mountains census profile". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- ↑ Cascade Putting Course
- ↑ Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster
- ↑ Met Con Blue Mountain Adventure Race
- ↑ Blue Mountain Village
- ↑ Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain
- ↑ Scenic Caves Nature Adventures
- ↑ "Thornbury BIA - 3". www.thornbury.ca. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
- ↑ "WE USED TO HAVE A RAILWAY RUNNING THROUGH THORNBURY" (PDF). http://beavervalleyprobus.com/. Retrieved July 2016. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help); External link in|publisher=(help) - ↑ "The Leonard E. Shore Memorial Library: A Living Legacy" (PDF). THE BLUE MOUNTAINS PUBLIC LIBRARY. 30 Nov 2012.
- ↑ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- ↑ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- ↑ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
- 1 2 "Blue Mountains, Ontario (Town) Census Subdivision". Community Profiles, Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada.
- "Blue Mountains". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
- "Toporama - Topographic Map Sheet 41A9". Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Blue Mountains. |
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Meaford | Nottawasaga Bay | | |
| Grey Highlands |  |
Collingwood | ||
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| Grey Highlands | Clearview |
