Loading
  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Mountain Township, Ontario

North Dundas is a township in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.

North Dundas is located approximately 50 km (31 mi) south of downtown Ottawa, midway between Ottawa and Morrisburg. It is primarily rural with a few small villages. It is spread across the South Nation River and the East Castor River watersheds.

The township was incorporated on January 1, 1998, by amalgamating the former townships of Mountain and Winchester with the independent villages of Chesterville and Winchester. The village of Winchester is the township's primary administrative centre.

Communities

The township of North Dundas comprises a number of villages and hamlets, including the following communities:

  • In the former Mountain Township: Hallville, Harmony, Inkerman, Mountain, South Mountain; Belmeade, Inkerman Station, North Mountain, Reid's Mills, Rosehaven, Van Camps; Baldwins Bridge, Cloverdale, Mulloys, Oak Valley, Vinegar Hill; Hyndman's Ridge, Kerr's Ridge
  • In the former Winchester Township: Chesterville, Marionville (partially), Morewood, Mountain, Ormond, Winchester; Cannamore (partially), Cass Bridge, Connaught, Melvin, North Winchester, Winchester Springs (partially); Annable, Bethune Bush, Forward, Limerick, Maple Ridge, Nation Valley, The Boyne, The Ninth, Toyes Hill.

The township administrative offices are located in Winchester.

Demographics

Historical census populations
YearPop.±%
1871 7,349—    
1881 8,515+15.9%
1891 8,780+3.1%
1901 9,045+3.0%
1911 8,487−6.2%
1921 8,462−0.3%
1931 7,801−7.8%
1941 7,791−0.1%
1951 7,332−5.9%
1986 9,851+34.4%
1991 10,661+8.2%
1996 11,064+3.8%
2001 11,014−0.5%
2006 11,095+0.7%
2011 11,225+1.2%
2016 11,278+0.5%
Population amounts prior to 1998 are totals of Mountain TP, Winchester TP, Chesterville VL, and Winchester VL.

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, North Dundas had a population of 11,304 living in 4,537 of its 4,673 total private dwellings, a change of 0.2% from its 2016 population of 11,278. With a land area of 502.41 km (193.98 sq mi), it had a population density of 22.5/km (58.3/sq mi) in 2021.

Canada census – North Dundas community profile
202120162011
Population11,304 (+0.2% from 2016)11,278 (+0.5% from 2011)11,225 (+1.2% from 2006)
Land area502.41 km (193.98 sq mi)503.08 km (194.24 sq mi)503.21 km (194.29 sq mi)
Population density22.5/km (58/sq mi)22.4/km (58/sq mi)22.3/km (58/sq mi)
Median age44.8 (M: 44, F: 46)45.3 (M: 44.1, F: 46.4)45.3 (M: 44.2, F: 46.2)
Private dwellings4,540 (total)  4,642 (total)  4,518 (total) 
Median household income$78,192
References: 2021 2016 2011 earlier

Politics

With the amalgamation in 1998 of the villages of Winchester and Chesterville and Winchester and Mountain Townships, the former various municipal councils were replaced by a single township council. The township has since been represented by many Mayors and Councillors:

North Dundas Township Officers
Year Mayor & Deputy Mayor Councillors
1998 – 2000 Claude Cousineau *Ward 1 (Winchester Township)
Alvin Runnalls
Martin Schoones
*Ward 2 (Mountain Township)
Keith Fawcett
Estella Rose
*Ward 3 (Winchester Village)
Bob Riddell
David Sloane
*Ward 4 (Chesterville Village)
Gail Parker
Roger Cole
2000 – 2003 Claude Cousineau *Ward 1
Alvin Runnalls
Martin Schoones
*Ward 2
Keith Fawcett
Estella Rose
*Ward 3
Allan Armstrong
David Sloane
*Ward 4
Gail Parker
Roger Cole
2003 – 2006 Alvin Runnalls
Bill Smirle
Allan Armstrong
Estella Rose
Martin Schoones
2006 – 2010 Alvin Runnalls
Estella Rose
Allan Armstrong
Eric Duncan
John Thompson
2010 – 2018 Eric Duncan
Gerry Boyce
Allan Armstrong
Tony Fraser
John Thompson
2018 – 2022 Tony Fraser
Allan Armstrong
Gary Annable
Tyler Hoy
John Thompson
2022 – 2026 Tony Fraser
Theresa Bergeron
Gary Annable
John Lennox
Matthew Uhrig

Events

There are a number of major summer fairs and festivals that take place in the Township of North Dundas. Every summer, Chesterville holds a summer agricultural fair. The Village of Winchester hosts "Dairyfest" in early August and the Village of South Mountain hosts their summer agricultural fair also in August.

The Village of Chesterville hosts the Chesterville Farmer's Market on the waterfront every Saturday during the summer months, and an annual Art on the Waterfront in June.

Education

There are three public elementary schools, one Catholic elementary school, and one public high school in North Dundas:

  • Winchester Public School (JK-Grade 6): 547 Louise Street South, Winchester. Winchester Public School was founded in 1890. The original building burned down in 1927 and a new school was built on the same lot later that year.
  • Chesterville Public School (JK-Grade 6): 38 College Street, Chesterville. Chesterville Public School was founded in 1902. The original building was demolished in 1963 to make way for a larger, more modern school. Happy Face Nursery School operates out of this location, offering the following programs: Toddler (18–30 months of age), Preschool (2.5–6 years of age), Kindergarten (6–8 years of age), and School Age (8–13 years of age).
  • Nationview Public School (JK-Grade 6): 3045 County Road 1, South Mountain. Nationview Public School was founded in 1971. The school formerly taught students from kindergarten to grade 8, but this ended in June 2011 due to declining enrolment. After this, grade 7 and 8 students were primarily split between North Dundas Intermediate School in Chesterville and Seaway High School in Iroquois. Happy Face Nursery School operates out of this location, offering the following programs: Infant (0–18 months of age), Toddler (18–30 months of age), Preschool (2.5–6 years of age), Kindergarten (6–8 years of age), and School Age (8–13 years of age).
  • St. Mary's Catholic School (JK-Grade 6): 67 Main Street South, Chesterville. St. Mary's Catholic School was founded in 1903. From 1907 to 1972, the Sisters of Providence taught at the school. The original school was demolished in 1963 to make way for a larger, more modern school.
  • North Dundas District High School (Grades 7–12): 12835 County Road 43, Chesterville. North Dundas District High School was founded in 1963. Following a fire in 1962 that destroyed Winchester High School (founded 1914), the North Dundas District High School Board (later part of the SDG Board of Education, then the Upper Canada District School Board) built an amalgamated high school to service both Winchester and Chesterville, as well as the surrounding areas. As a consequence, Chesterville High School (founded 1911), was demolished in 1963. Due to declining enrolment, Maple Ridge Senior Elementary School closed in 2011 and the North Dundas Intermediate School was created for grades 7 and 8. The Intermediate School is located on the second floor of NDDHS.

Newspapers

The community has been served by a number of newspapers over the years.

  • Winchester Press (1888–2020). The Winchester Press was a weekly newspaper founded by Byron Lane that was first published on 1 May 1888. George H. Challies, who later served as MPP for the area, was a newspaper boy for the Press in 1894. The Press was sold in 1912 to George C. Lacey, who later sold it in 1915 to James H. Ross after buying the Chesterville Record. The business was devastated in 1921 when a fire destroyed their office, which was located on the south side of Main Street West, directly beside the store owned by Aaron Sweet (now Sweet Corner Park). For the next 30 years, it had several homes, including the Legion building and the Lannin Block (north side of Main Street West). William Fernland "Fern" Workman, who had worked at the Press since 1918, purchased the newspaper in 1942 from Ross's widow, Blanche Gardner Ross. In October 1951, the Press was given a new home with the completion of its office on the north-east corner of St. Lawrence and Clarence Streets. Following Workman's death on March 30, 1957, his sons Reginald and Ronald became co-owners. They sold the newspaper in August 1981 to John and Robin Morris, who co-owned 2woMor Publications Inc. Robin eventually left to create his own company, leaving John as the sole owner. John Morris died on June 5, 2004. At the time of his death, in addition to the Winchester Press, he owned the Leeds & Grenville Business News, the Manotick Messenger, the Barrhaven Independent, the Osgoode & Rideau Packet, the Tupper Lake Free Press, and the Gouverneur Tribune Press. Ownership of the Press then transferred to Morris' wife, Beth, who owned it until the newspaper's closure in January 2020. The last edition was published on January 1, 2020.
  • Chesterville Record (1894–present). The Chesterville Record is a weekly newspaper that was founded by Robert L. Harrop, the Chesterville station master. It was first published on December 12, 1894, and Thomas T. Shaw purchased the newspaper the following year. The Record office burned in the Great Fire of 1909 and was given a new home in 1910 when an office was built on King Street, where the business remained until 2018. T. T. Shaw sold the Record to George C. Lacey in 1915, who owned it until 1950. Lacey's daughter Helen, along with her husband Keith Graham, then became the co-publishers until they sold the newspaper to Blake Feeley and Wayne LaPrade in 1969. In 1976, the Record was sold to 2woMor Publications Inc., co-owned by brothers John and Robin Morris. Robin Morris eventually split from the St. Lawrence Printing Company and established Etcetera Publications, under which he continued to publish the Chesterville Record. Robin Morris acted as editor of the Record for many years until his death on December 9, 2014. In August 2018, the newspaper was purchased by Linda Vogel, AJ Al-Rajab, and Donald Good. In June of that year, the business moved to 29 King Street and in December, the long-time office at 7 King Street was demolished.
  • Eastern Ontario Agri-News (1978–present). Eastern Ontario Agri-News is a monthly tabloid published by Etcetera Publications (owner of the Chesterville Record). It was first published in late February 1978 by John and Robin Morris, who at the time were co-owners of 2woMor Publications Inc. When Robin Morris broke off from the company and established Etcetera Publications, he continued to publish Agri-News.
  • Nation Valley News (2016–present). Nation Valley News is an all-digital news and advertising company founded and operated by Nelson Zandbergen.

Notable people

Politicians

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census: North Dundas, Township". 2016 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  2. ^ "Census of Population, 1951 [Canada]: Selected Tables for Census Subdivisions and Census Divisions". Ontario Data Documentation, Extraction Service and Infrastructure Initiative.
  3. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  4. ^ "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  5. ^ "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2019-06-03.
  6. ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
  7. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
  8. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
  9. ^ Chesterville and District Historical Society (2020). Bridging the Centuries; History of Chesterville 1988-2020. Chesterville: Gilmore Doculink International. p. 41.
  10. ^ Chesterville summer agricultural fair
  11. ^ South Mountain summer agricultural fair
  12. ^ "Winchester Public School". Upper Canada District School Board.
  13. ^ Winchester, Ontario 1888-1988. Winchester, Ontario: Winchester Print. 1988. pp. 11, 15, 38–39.
  14. ^ Historical Review of Winchester, Ont. Winchester, Ontario: Old Home Reunion Committee. 1934. p. 29.
  15. ^ "New School Uses Open Concept Plan" (PDF). Vol. 84, no. 17. Winchester Press. 26 August 1971. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Nationview School Officially Opened" (PDF). Vol. 85, no. 6. Winchester Press. 8 June 1972. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  17. ^ Smith-Millar, Amanda (17 February 2010). "Maple Ridge school closure on track for 2011" (PDF). Vol. 121, no. 49. Winchester Press. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  18. ^ "North Dundas District High School". Upper Canada District School Board. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  19. ^ The Time That Was: A History of Chesterville and District. Chesterville Women's Institute. 1978. p. 27.
  20. ^ "$300,000 Fire Destroys Winchester High School" (PDF). Vol. 74, no. 40. Winchester Press. 15 Feb 1962. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  21. ^ Smith-Millar, Amanda (17 February 2010). "Maple Ridge school closure on track for 2011" (PDF). Vol. 121, no. 49. Winchester Press. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  22. ^ "Prescott firm buys Winchester Press" (PDF). Chesterville Record. 2 September 1881. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  23. ^ Chesterville Women's Institute (1978). The Time That Was: A History of Chesterville and District. p. 159.
  24. ^ Sawyer Helmer, Kalynn (14 August 2018). "Etcetera Publications Under New Ownership". Chesterville Record. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  25. ^ Van Dusen, Tom (5 May 1978). "Publisher breaking new ground with farm paper". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Died---Andrew Broder" (PDF). Vol. 30, no. 37. Winchester Press. 10 January 1918. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  27. ^ "Winchester Loses Fine Citizen in Death of Mr. Aaron Sweet" (PDF). Vol. 50, no. 37. Winchester Press. 14 January 1937. Retrieved 13 January 2022.