Georgetown is a large unincorporated community in the town of
Halton Hills
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Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
, Canada, in the
Regional Municipality of Halton
The Regional Municipality of Halton, or Halton Region, is a regional municipality in Ontario, Canada, located in the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario. It comprises the city of Burlington and the towns of Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hi ...
. The town includes several small villages or settlements such as
Norval,
Limehouse
Limehouse is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London. It is east of Charing Cross, on the northern bank of the River Thames. Its proximity to the river has given it a strong maritime character, which it retains through ...
, Stewarttown and
Glen Williams near Georgetown and another large population centre,
Acton. In 2016, the population of Georgetown was 42,123. It sits on the banks of the
Credit River
The Credit River is a river in southern Ontario, which flows from headwaters above the Niagara Escarpment near Orangeville and Caledon East to empty into Lake Ontario at Port Credit, Mississauga. It drains an area of approximately . The total le ...
, approximately 40 km west of
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
, and is part of the
Greater Toronto Area. Georgetown was named after entrepreneur
George Kennedy who settled in the area in 1821 and built several mills and other businesses.
History
By 1650, the
Hurons
The Wyandot people, or Wyandotte and Waⁿdát, are Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands. The Wyandot are Iroquoian Indigenous peoples of North America who emerged as a confederacy of tribes around the north shore of Lake Ontario w ...
had been wiped out by European diseases and the
Iroquois
The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...
. The region was now open to the Algonquian Ojibwa (also known as
Mississauga). By 1850 the remaining Mississauga natives were removed to the
Six Nations Reserve
Six Nations (or Six Nations of the Grand River, french: Réserve des Six Nations, see, Ye:i’ Níónöëdzage:h) is demographically the largest First Nations reserve in Canada. As of the end of 2017, it has a total of 27,276 members, 12,848 of w ...
, where the
Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation Reserve was established.
Early settlement
Commencing in 1781, the British government purchased blocks of land from the Mississauga Nation. In 1818, they purchased land that later became the townships of
Esquesing
Esquesing Township was a municipality within the historic Halton County in Ontario, Canada. It is today a geographic township in the town of Halton Hills in the Regional Municipality of Halton.
Territorial development
The township of Esquesing was ...
and Nassagaweya. The task of laying out the townships fell to Timothy Street and Abraham Nelles. Charles Kennedy was hired by Nelles to survey the northern part of Esquesing Township in 1819, and Charles Kennedy received a significant parcel of land as payment for his work. The brothers of Charles Kennedy, John, Morris, Samuel and George, all acquired land close to each another in the Silver Creek Valley. Charles Kennedy built a sawmill in a location where Main Street meets Wildwood Road today.
George Kennedy took advantage of the Silver Creek in the early 1820s to power a sawmill, and later a gristmill and foundry and then a woolen mill; a small settlement formed around the mills, often called "Hungry Hollow".
In 1828,
John Galt
John Galt () is a character in Ayn Rand's novel ''Atlas Shrugged'' (1957). Although he is not identified by name until the last third of the novel, he is the object of its often-repeated question "Who is John Galt?" and of the quest to discover ...
of the
Canada Company opened the York to Guelph Road (now Highway 7) which connected the settlement around George Kennedy's Mill with other settlements in the area. The road also extended to
Galt Galt or GALT may refer to:
Biology and biochemistry
* Galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase, an enzyme
* Gut-associated lymphoid tissue, a subset of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue
People and fictional characters
* Galt (surname), a list o ...
, to
Guelph
Guelph ( ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Kitchener and west of Downtown Toronto, at the intersection of Highway 6, Highway 7 and Wel ...
and to
Goderich.
In 1837 the Barber brothers, including
William
William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
and James, purchased land and the woolen mill and foundry from Kennedy in 1837; they renamed the settlement Georgetown.
The brothers started the paper-making industry in 1854, using electricity produced by a dynamo at the Credit River. Their products included large volumes of wallpaper. John R. Barber's home, Berwick Hall, still stands at Main and Park Streets. The business prospered for over 100 years.
Other entrepreneurs arrived including Philo Dayfoot in the early 1840s, who started the local leather industry. In the 1850s, George Kennedy subdivided his land into small lots for sale to new settlers.
Esquesing Village (
Stewarttown) was settled around 1818 and became the seat of the Township of Esquesing. It was also on the main north-south route to the steamships at
Oakville. The Stewart Brothers had a successful mill in Esquesing Village, and
James McNab
James McNab was the first settler in Norval, Ontario, originally called "McNab's Mills"
McNab was an acting Lance Sergeant at the Battle of Queenston Heights during the War of 1812. He transferred to Captain John Powell's Provincial Artillery an ...
had a prosperous mill in
Norval.
In 1846, Norval had a population of about 200 inhabitants, served by two churches, various tradesmen, a grist mill, an oatmeal mill, a distillery, two stores and a tavern. Author
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942), published as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a collection of novels, essays, short stories, and poetry beginning in 1908 with ''Anne of Green Gables''. She ...
who wrote the
Anne of Green Gables series lived in Norval from 1926 to 1935 and considered it to be "one of the prettiest villages in all Ontario".
The settlement of
Glen Williams had been called Williamsburg but the name was changed in 1852 when the post office opened. The Barbers' brother-in-law, Benajah Williams, was one of the first settlers here and the community's name was given in his honour.
Limehouse
Limehouse is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London. It is east of Charing Cross, on the northern bank of the River Thames. Its proximity to the river has given it a strong maritime character, which it retains through ...
, formerly Fountain Green, was a small settlement that grew after the railway arrived in the area in 1856; in addition to lime kilns (which opened in about 1840), a sawmill, blanket factory and paint factory opened in the village.
In 1893, a fire destroyed the woollen mill, a paint factory and wood at the waterlime mill in Limehouse creating a serious financial problem for the settlement. The lime industry operated until 1917.
In 1846, Georgetown had a grist mill, sawmill, cloth factory, tavern, cabinet maker, foundry, chair maker, two tanneries, two tailors, two stores, three wagon makers, three shoemakers, and four blacksmiths. The population was about 700.
The
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway (; french: Grand Tronc) was a railway system that operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario and in the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The rail ...
arrived in 1856 and a line of the
Hamilton and North-Western Railway
The Hamilton and North-Western Railway (H&NW) is a former railway in Ontario, Canada. It ran north from Hamilton on the western end of Lake Ontario to Collingwood on Georgian Bay and Barrie on Lake Simcoe. Through the purchase of the Hamilton an ...
reached the community about 20 years later. The two provided a convenient method for transporting not only passengers but manufactured goods.
Hotels opened near the station, including the Railroad Exchange in a building that still stands.
Georgetown was incorporated as a village in 1864. In 1869 the population was 1500; the Ontario Gazetteer mentioned Barber Brothers as a noted paper goods manufacturer with a staff of 40.
The settlement was incorporated as the village of Georgetown in 1865.
The 1860s and 1870s were prosperous years. Recently opened businesses in that era included the ''Georgetown Herald'' newspaper, Culp and Mackenzie's carriage making enterprise, the Creelman brothers' machine shop and the Bank of Hamilton, the first to open in the entire Halton County. By 1880, the Chapel Street School and Baptist Church and the Town Hall had been built; the high school opened in 1887.
Georgetown residents began to receive municipal water in 1891, piped by gravity. Electricity was not available until 1913 although John R. Barber had purchased a generator in 1888 and installed it at the Credit River; that provided power for the family's paper mill.
On May 13, 1895, brothers Sam & John McGibbon leased, in partnership, Thomas Clark's Hotel for $600/year. The Hotel McGibbon was built by Robert Jones and was sold to Clark in about 1867. A double veranda graced the Main & Mill Street side of the building until the hotel was ravaged by fire in the 1880s. After the fire, a third floor was added to part of the building. The McGibbon family lived at the hotel. Sam's wife, Ann, kept white linen in the dining room, and in its earliest years had been a popular place for wedding receptions and banquets.
The
Toronto Suburban Railway Company ran the Toronto-Guelph
electric rail
A railway electrification system supplies electric power to Rail transport, railway trains and trams without an on-board Prime mover (locomotive), prime mover or local fuel supply.
Electric railways use either electric locomotives (hauling pa ...
line through Georgetown opening opening 1917. The line, which transported both goods and passengers, had a combined station and substation building located at 29 Main Street South (at the current Goodfellas Pizza site). The line closed in 1931 after business had declined substantially. The venture failed because of the Depression and the increasing popularity of the automobile, buses and trucks. Its proximity to the competing
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway (; french: Grand Tronc) was a railway system that operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario and in the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The rail ...
(Canadian National) line was also a factor.
By 1921 the village had over 2000 residents and was incorporated as a town in 1922, with LeRoy Dale as the first mayor.
Many historic buildings still stand in the heart of Georgetown and in its small, more rural communities.
Since World War II
In the mid-1940s, the population was close to 4,000 and began to grow more quickly in the 1950s when Rex Heslop bought farms and developed the Delrex subdivision. The Hotel McGibbon was still operating although Sam McGibbon had died in 1940; a daughter, Gladys, and a son, Jack, took over the business until 1962 when it was sold to Isaac Sitzer Investments and later to George and Nick Markou purchased the hotel in 1978 and operated it until the property was sold to a condominium developer in 2015.
In 1962, the Moore Park subdivision started construction and would attract more residents to town. By that time, Georgetown had its own hospital.
The
GO train
GO Transit rail services are provided throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The GO Transit rail fleet consists of 90 MPI MP40 locomotives and 979 Bombardier BiLevel Coaches. In , the system had ...
arrived in Georgetown in 1974; the service has since expanded with a great deal of available parking at the
Georgetown GO Station and frequent commuter trains on weekdays.
On January 1, 1974 Georgetown was absorbed into the new regional town of Halton Hills. One of most significant changes since then included the Georgetown South residential expansion that started in 1989. The two paper companies, Provincial Papers and Georgetown Coated Paper Company closed in 1991 and 1977 respectively.
The Georgetown Boys
On July 1, 1923, the first 50 orphans of the
Armenian genocide
The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through t ...
arrived in Georgetown to be educated and trained for farming at the Cedarvale Farm, now known as
Cedarvale Park, operated by the Armenian Canadian Relief Fund. The children were known as
the Georgetown Boys. By 1928, most had homes on farms.
Aris Alexanian was a teacher and assistant superintendent at the school. He went on to open an oriental rug store in Hamilton, Ontario, which has grown throughout Ontario and is now known as Alexanian Carpet and Flooring. In 1929 the farm became the Cedarvale School for Girls; most of the residents found positions as domestic staff. In total, 109 boys and 40 girls were taken in by the Canadian government, considered by many to be Canada's first humanitarian initiative. Many became Canadian citizens.
French presence
![Église du Sacré-Cœur - Georgetown, ON](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/%C3%89glise_du_Sacr%C3%A9-C%C5%93ur_-_Georgetown%2C_ON.jpg)
The area had no early history of a concentration of French-Canadians, but that changed after World War II. First, in 1947, a boys' orphan farm relocated from
St. Catharines, to Georgetown. This orphanage was operated by Father Clovis Beauregard and his niece, Therese St Jean. The Acadian boys from the orphanage decided to remain here in adulthood. The boys had learned apple farming and other
Acadian families moved here to assist them with their apple business. Second, in 1957 a French-Canadian Association was formed. By 1966, about 150 French-speaking Catholic families created their own parish when the old Holy Cross Church was rededicated as L'Eglise Sacre Coeur.
Halton Hills
On January 1, 1974, Georgetown became part of the
Town of Halton Hills when it amalgamated with the
Town of Acton and most of the Township of Esquesing.
Together with the
Town of Milton, the
Town of Oakville and the
City of Burlington, the
Regional Municipality of Halton
The Regional Municipality of Halton, or Halton Region, is a regional municipality in Ontario, Canada, located in the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario. It comprises the city of Burlington and the towns of Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hi ...
was formed, replacing Halton County. Halton Hills is well known for its terrain including slopes and inclines. In 1932, Bill Gauser proposed the idea to change the name from Halton to Halton Hills.
Neighbourhoods
Georgetown grew as new neighbourhoods were added. The oldest section is around Main Street and Church Street. The arrival of the railway produced a new section — around King Street and Queen Street. The Delrex subdivision was the third part of the town that was added. Shortly after Delrex, Moore Park was developed. In 1989, the Georgetown South development began and the town has grown considerably since that point.
*Delrex: In the 1950s,
Rex Heslop Rex Wesley Heslop, (1905 – September 30, 1973) was a Canadian businessman noted for being a land developer and residential real estate developer.
Biography Early years
Heslop was born on a farm in Etobicoke, Ontario. The property would have been ...
, the builder of
Rexdale
Rexdale is a neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located north-west of the central core, in the district of Etobicoke. Rexdale defines an area of several official neighbourhoods north of Highway 401 and east of Highway 427. Rexdale was orig ...
in Toronto, built the Delrex subdivision. Delrex is a combination of Rex and his wife Delma's names. In the 1950s and 1960s this area was referred to as Georgetown East.
*Moore Park: With the growth of Delrex subdivision, a second subdivision called Moore Park appeared in 1962.
*Trafalgar Country: Added in the mid-1990s and early 2000s, Trafalgar country is mostly bungalows and two-storey homes, and sits at the westernmost point in Georgetown.
*Georgetown South: In 1989 the farm land south of Silver Creek became the newest subdivision of Georgetown, Georgetown South. The development was undertaken by primarily Fernbrook Homes (West of Mountainview) and Canada Homes (East of Mountainview). Additional developments include Arbour Glen, Stewart's Mills and the Four Corners. Not to be mistaken as the "Four Corners" of Hornby at Trafalgar Road and
Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue is an east–west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region in Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the western and central Greater Toronto Area from Appleby Line in Milton in th ...
.
Demographics
The population at the time of the 2016 census was 42,123 (an increase of 4.8% over 2011) in the 24 km² of the community. There were 14,679 private dwellings at that time. Data from previous years indicates steady growth.
Census data for periods prior to the amalgamation into the present Town are as follows:
Government
Georgetown ceased to be a separate town in 1974, and is now part of the Town of Halton Hills, which is divided into four wards, each with two elected Councillors. Two others are Regional Councillors, each representing two wards on Halton Hills Council, and also serve on the Halton Region Council as does the mayor.
The current membership of the town council is as follows:
Halton Hills has its own fire department but policing is provided by the
Halton Regional Police Service
The Halton Regional Police Service provides policing service for the Regional Municipality of Halton, which is located west of Toronto, in Ontario, Canada. Halton Region encompasses the City of Burlington and the Towns of Oakville, Milton and ...
. Halton Hills has its own official plan which came into force on 28 March 2008 and was consolidated in 2017 with the Region's plan.
Climate
Sports teams
Georgetown's sports teams include :
![Mold-Masters SportsPlex Park - Georgetown, ON](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Mold-Masters_SportsPlex_Park_-_Georgetown%2C_ON.jpg)
*
Georgetown Raiders
The Georgetown Raiders are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. The team began play in the Central Ontario Jr. B league and was known as the "Georgetown Gemini" u ...
Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey team, part of the
Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league was listed as the 7th best d ...
.
*
Halton Hills Bulldogs
The Halton Hills Bulldogs are Junior "B" box lacrosse team from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada. The Bulldogs play in the OLA Junior B Lacrosse League
The Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League (OJBLL) is a box lacrosse league sanctioned by the Ontario ...
Junior "B"
box lacrosse
Box lacrosse, also known as boxla, box, or indoor lacrosse, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada in the 1930s, where it is more popular than field lacrosse. Lacrosse is Canada's officia ...
* Halton Hills Blue Fins Swimming club
* North Halton Highlanders Rugby Football Club, competes in the
Toronto Rugby Union.
* Halton Hills Minor Baseball Association, baseball organization for players ages from 5–21.
Defunct sports teams
Georgetown Minor Hockey Association – Raiders – In 2013, the Acton Tanners and the Georgetown Raiders Minor Hockey Association completed their merger to create the Halton Hills Thunder Minor Hockey Association.
Georgetown Raiders Sr A competed in the OHA Senior A and Intermediate A ranks in the 1970s and 1980s. They are not connected to another Georgetown Raiders team which is currently a member of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League.
Events
Georgetown Highland Games
The second Saturday in June, Georgetown is host to a variety of Scottish traditional games and celebrations.
Farmers' market
A farmers' market operates on Main St. in downtown Georgetown on Saturdays 8:00am – 12:30pm from June through October. The section of Main St. that hosts the market is closed off to vehicles during the event.
Georgetown Fall Fair
The Fall Fair was started in 1846. It is held the Friday to Sunday following the Labour Day Weekend. The annual event is held at the Georgetown Fairgrounds and consists mainly of carnival rides and rural contests, such as the
tractor pull
Truck and tractor pulling, also known as power pulling, is a form of a motorsport competition in which antique or modified tractors pull a heavy drag or sled along an , track, with the winner being the tractor that pulls the drag the farthe ...
and
demolition derby. The Georgetown Agricultural Society organizes and runs the fair each year.
In 2003, the Fall Fair was the scene of a riot which broke out between local youth (approximately 500) and the
Halton Regional Police
The Halton Regional Police Service provides policing service for the Regional Municipality of Halton, which is located west of Toronto, in Ontario, Canada. Halton Region encompasses the City of Burlington and the Towns of Oakville, Milton and ...
force. There were several teens arrested and at least another half a dozen shot by rubber bullets during the riot. No major property damage occurred, only a portion of a small white picket fence was damaged. Conflict in the years following the event has so far been avoided.
Georgetown Santa Claus Parade
The third Sunday in November, the evening parade begins at 5pm. Organized by the Georgetown Lions Club. Includes a variety of floats from local organizations and businesses, bands, and Santa Claus. The parade route is: Guelph Street from Sinclair to Mill Street and Charles Street to the Fairgrounds. These roads are closed to traffic from approximately 5:00–7:00pm.
Georgetown Craft Beer Festival
Also known as "Head For The Hills", this festival is held the third Saturday of the month in September, and runs from 11:00am–6:00pm at Trafalgar Sports Park. Organized by the Georgetown Lions Club, Georgetown Kiwanis Club, Georgetown Kinsmen Club, and Georgetown Rotary Club. The festival showcases craft brewers from across Ontario, gourmet food trucks, live music, and games.
Education
Public education in Georgetown is managed by the
Halton District School Board
The Halton District School Board serves public school students throughout Halton Region, including the municipalities of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville. Its administration area is to the southwest of the city of Toronto. In 2006-20 ...
, while Catholic education is managed by the
Halton Catholic District School Board
The Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) serves over 37,000 students at its 46 elementary schools, 9 secondary schools and 3 continuing education facilities. The HCDSB serves the communities of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakvi ...
.
Elementary schools
Catholic
*Holy Cross (with French Immersion)
*St. Brigid
*St. Francis of Assisi
*St. Catherine of Alexandria
Christian
*Halton Hills Christian School (a.k.a. Georgetown District Christian School)
French
*Sacré-Coeur
Public
*Gardiner Public School
*Silver Creek Public School
*Pineview Public School
*Park Public School
*Joseph Gibbons Public School
*Harrison Public School
*George Kennedy Public School (with French Immersion)
*Glen Williams Public School
Middle schools
Public
*Centennial Public School
*Stewarttown Middle School
*Silver Creek Public School
*Gardiner Public School
Secondary schools
Catholic
*
Christ the King Catholic Secondary School
Public
*
Georgetown District High School
Georgetown District High School or better known as GDHS is a high school located in Georgetown, Ontario, Canada. The school is under the jurisdiction of the Halton District School Board. As of the 2019–20 school year, approximately 1,500 studen ...
*
Gary Allan High School
Gary Allan High School (GAHS) is a public secondary school located in Halton Region, Ontario, Canada. GAHS, part of the Halton District School Board.
GAHS is oriented towards adult, alternative and Community Education programs.
Gary Allan High ...
(Adult Education)
Architecture of E.J. Lennox
Two buildings in Georgetown were designed by Toronto architect
E.J. Lennox
Edward James Lennox (September 12, 1854 – April 15, 1933) was a Toronto-based architect who designed several of the city's most notable landmarks in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including Old City Hall and Casa Loma. He d ...
:
*Berwick Hall, the home of John R. Barber (1880–1904) which is now an apartment building.
*Georgetown High School (1889–1959) – built 1899 and demolished in 1959
Industry and business
Major industries with head offices and facilities in Georgetown include Mold Masters Limited, CPI Canada,
Eastwood Guitars
Eastwood Guitars is a Canadian manufacturer of guitars. The company specializes in making vintage-style instruments including electric guitars, basses, acoustic guitars, electric mandolins, resonator guitars, lap steels, and ukuleles.
Notable ...
, and Saputo. Other major industrial concerns include Cooper Standard, ADM
Archer Daniels Midland Cocoa (was Ambrosia Chocolate), Howmet Georgetown Casting, a division of Alcoa Power and Propulsion and Kingsbury Technologies (Canada) Inc. The community also serves as the Canadian headquarters of
Jehovah's Witnesses. Georgetown has seen an explosion of population growth in the south. This has caused new businesses to appear including
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons Inc., commonly nicknamed Tim's, or Timmie's is a Canadian multinational coffeehouse and restaurant chain. Based in Toronto, Tim Hortons serves coffee, doughnuts, and other fast-food items. It is Canada's largest quick-service res ...
,
Sherwin-Williams
Sherwin-Williams Company is an American Cleveland, Ohio–based company in the paint and coating manufacturing industry. The company primarily engages in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of paints, coatings, floorcoverings, and related p ...
,
Metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urb ...
, and others.
The Georgetown Marketplace is Georgetown's Mall. It has roughly 63 stores, including major companies such as
WalMart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
. The mall is home to stores such as: Peoples Jewelers, Coles, Winners & Home Sense, Sport Chek, Marks Work Wearhouse, and Ardene.
Recreation and parks
Hiking trails
The
Bruce Trail
The Bruce Trail is a hiking trail in southern Ontario, Canada, from the Niagara River to the tip of Tobermory, Ontario. The main trail is more than long and there are over of associated side trails. The trail mostly follows the edge of the Nia ...
goes through Halton Hills, passing north of Georgetown.
The town is developing a multi-purpose trail system in Hungry Hollow, on old railbeds and various other locations. A citizens group called HHORBA is trying to work with the Town in planning and constructing the trails to be as environmentally friendly, safe for hikers and enjoyable for bicyclists as possible. HHORBA helped construct a one trail and three bridges with members of the Bruce Trail. HHORBA in the past has been a member of the
International Mountain Bicycling Association
The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is a non-profit educational association whose mission is to create, enhance and preserve trail opportunities for mountain bikers worldwide.
IMBA was formed in 1988, when five California-based ...
.
Georgetown Skate Park
Located outside of the Mold-Masters SportsPlex at 221 Guelph Street, this facility was made possible by the co-operative efforts of the Halton Hills Community through the Skateboarders, Inline Skaters & BMX Bikers of Halton Hills (SIBAHH) Committee and the Recreation and Parks Department. Funding was provided through generous community donations and the Corporation of the Town of Halton Hills. The facility is user supervised and is managed through posted regulations.
Gellert Community Centre
Located on Eighth Line just north of 10 Side Road in South Georgetown. The facility contains a large indoor swimming pool and hosts various exercise classes plus other community events. Outside amenities include a splash pad, three baseball diamonds, soccer field, six tennis courts and park trails. The Gellert Community Centre is the namesake of the late Jobst Gellert, founder of Mold Masters LTD, headquartered in Georgetown.
Library
The
Halton Hills Public Library is a two-branch library system. Both branches reflect the historic character of the community. The Georgetown Branch (9 Church Street) is co-located with the Halton Hills Cultural Centre, anchored by the former Methodist Church (now the Art Gallery) and The
John Elliott Theatre. The Acton Branch (17 River Street) was built as the community's centennial project in a park setting, across a foot bridge over a creek.
On Saturday January 26, 2013 the renovated Georgetown Branch of the
Halton Hills Public Library opened. The renovations included making the library more accessible to the public as well as more environmentally friendly.
Media
Georgetown is covered by local newspapers and television through the following services:
* ''Georgetown Independent''
*
TVCogeco
* ''The Halton Compass''
* ''Acton UP'', local online news
Transportation
GO Transit
GO Transit is a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, Canada. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto, GO Transit's green-and-white trains and buses serve a population of more than seven millio ...
and
Via Rail
Via Rail Canada Inc. (), operating as Via Rail or Via, is a Canadian Crown corporation that is mandated to operate intercity passenger rail service in Canada. It receives an annual subsidy from Transport Canada to offset the cost of operating ...
serve
Georgetown Station Georgetown or George Town may refer to:
Places
Africa
*George, South Africa, formerly known as Georgetown
*Janjanbureh, Gambia, formerly known as Georgetown
* Georgetown, Ascension Island, main settlement of the British territory of Ascension Isl ...
. There is no local bus service, although the Georgetown Halton Hills ActiVan provides local transportation for individuals with physical disabilities. GO Transit offers both bus and rail services through the Georgetown GO Station. The GO Transit Kitchener rail line runs between Toronto and Kitchener. The GO bus connects to many of the nearby communities including Brampton, Toronto, Acton, Guelph, and Kitchener.
Georgetown is also linked to the
Provincial Highway network by
Highway 7, and to
Highway 401
King's Highway 401, commonly referred to as Highway 401 and also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway or colloquially referred to as the four-oh-one,
is a controlled-access 400-series highway in the Canadian provinc ...
by Trafalgar Road (
Halton Regional Road 3
This article lists all of the numbered regional roads in the Regional Municipality of Halton, Ontario, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacifi ...
), Mountainview Road/9th Line (
Halton Regional Road 13) and Winston Churchill Boulevard (
Halton Regional Road 19)
There are no airports in Georgetown; the closest are
Brampton Airport
Brampton-Caledon Airport is a privately owned general aviation airport in Caledon, Ontario, Caledon, near Brampton, Ontario, Canada, northwest of Toronto.
The club and airport was established in 1946 and occupies of land. The airport consists o ...
(general aviation) to the north and
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Lester B. Pearson International Airport , commonly known as Toronto Pearson International Airport, is an international airport located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is the main airport serving Toronto, its metropolitan area, and the surr ...
(domestic and international flights) to the east.
Notable residents
*
Aris Alexanian, noted businessman and world traveller
*
Adam Bennett
Adam Bennett (born March 30, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman and coach. He was selected in the first round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, 6th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Playing career
Bennett played junior w ...
, former NHL Hockey player
*
Karl Clark, member of the Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame
*
John Cummins, former MP and former Leader of the
British Columbia Conservative Party
The Conservative Party of British Columbia is a provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. In the early half of the 20th century, the Conservatives competed with the British Columbia Liberal Party for power in the province. Since ...
*
Kenneth Walter Davidson (1937–), former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
*
Jason Dickinson, NHL first round draft pick and forward for the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
*
Dan Dunleavy Dan Dunleavy (born September 27, 1965) is a Canadian sportscaster for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He was formerly a sportscaster with Sportsnet 590 The Fan, and Rogers Sportsnet.
Career Hockey
Dunleavy is currently the play ...
(1966–), play-by-play broadcaster for the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
and
Toronto FC
Toronto Football Club (commonly known as Toronto FC or TFC) is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matches at BM ...
*
Timothy Eaton
Timothy Eaton (March 1834 – 31 January 1907) was an Irish businessman who founded the Eaton's department store, one of the most important retail businesses in Canada's history.
Early life and family
He was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, ...
(1834–1907), founder of
Eaton's department store
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Sarah Fillier, national Women's Ice Hockey player
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Marcelo Flores
Marcelo Flores Dorrell (born 1 October 2003) is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as an Midfielder#Attacking midfielder, attacking midfielder or Midfielder#Winger, winger for Premier League club Arsenal F.C., Arsenal. B ...
, professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Arsenal U18
*
Bob Goldham
Robert John "Golden Boy" Goldham (May 12, 1922 – September 6, 1991) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and broadcaster. He played two seasons for the Toronto Marlboros earning the name "Golden Boy". He was later called the "Second Goalie" be ...
, five-time
Stanley Cup Winner
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PJ Haarsma, science fiction author
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Mike Harris
Michael Deane Harris (born January 23, 1945) is a Canadian retired politician who served as the 22nd premier of Ontario from 1995 to 2002 and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PC Party) from 1990 to 2002. During his time ...
, Olympic
curler
*
Brian Hayward
Brian George Hayward (born June 25, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who currently serves as a color analyst for Anaheim Ducks broadcasts on Prime Ticket/Fox Sports West and KDOC.
Playing career
Hayward played coll ...
, former NHL goalie and
William M. Jennings Trophy
The William M. Jennings Trophy is an annual National Hockey League (NHL) award given to "the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it ... based on regular-season play." From 1946 until ...
winner
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Shawn Hill
Shawn Richard Hill (born April 28, 1981) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays. He was part of Team Can ...
, retired MLB pitcher
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Mike Holmes
Michael James Holmes (born August 3, 1963) is a Canadian builder/contractor, businessman, investor, television host, and philanthropist. In his first television series, ''Holmes on Homes,'' he rescues homeowners from renovations gone wrong. He ...
, star of the home renovation show ''
Holmes on Homes
''Holmes on Homes'' is a Canadian television series featuring general contractor Mike Holmes visiting homeowners who are in need of help, mainly due to unsatisfactory home renovations performed by hired contractors.
The series originally aire ...
''
*
Brent Ladds, former president of the Ontario Hockey Association
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Bryan Lewis
Bryan Lewis (born September 10, 1942) is a Canadian municipal politician and a former referee and Director of Officiating for the National Hockey League.
Lewis was born in Alliston, Ontario. His first NHL experience was in the 1967-68 NHL se ...
, former NHL Director of Officiating
*
Robert Maillet
Robert Maillet (born October 26, 1969) is a Canadian actor and retired professional wrestler. He is known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1997 to 1999, where he performed under the ring name Kurrgan and was a member of ...
, actor and retired professional wrestler
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John Malinosky, former CFL lineman
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Noel Duignan
Noel Duignan (born December 20, 1948) is former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995.
Background
Before running for office, Duignan was an executive assis ...
, former Provincial MPP
*
John McCauley
Air Marshal Sir John Patrick Joseph McCauley, KBE, CB (18 March 1899 – 3 February 1989) was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1954 to 1957. A Duntroon g ...
, former NHL Director of Officiating
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Wes McCauley
Wes McCauley (born January 11, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current National Hockey League (NHL) referee. He is the son of John McCauley, who was also an NHL referee, and his wife Irene.
A defenceman during his p ...
, current NHL Referee
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Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942), published as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a collection of novels, essays, short stories, and poetry beginning in 1908 with ''Anne of Green Gables''. She ...
(1874–1942), author of ''
Anne of Green Gables'', lived in Norval for a large part of her life
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Cristy Nurse, Olympic rower
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Dan Talevski
Dan Talevski is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Georgetown, Ontario, who comes from a Macedonian background. His career first began as an online YouTube sensation in 2007 posting covers of popular songs. Since then he has gone on to work with w ...
, Canadian singer-songwriter
"Musician Finds Success South of the Border"
''The IFP''. Retrieved on 2016-02-11.
* W. Stewart Wallace
William Stewart Wallace (23 June 1884 – 11 March 1970) was a Canadians, Canadian historian, librarian, and editor. His historical reference works were considered "of inestimable value in Canadian studies." Canadian professor of political econo ...
(1884–1970), historian, librarian, and editor
See also
*Wilbur Lake {{Unreferenced, date=February 2010
Wilbur Lake was a prominent feature in Georgetown, Ontario, Canada. The lake contributed to the growth and economic development of the area, during the early years of the township. It also served as a recreational ...
References
* ''Georgetown — Reflections of a Small Town'', by John Mark Benbow Rowe, 2006,
* ''The Story of Georgetown Ontario'', by John Mark Benbow Rowe, 1992.
St. Andrews United Church - Our History
* Toronto Sketches 5 : "The Way we Were", Mike Filey
* ''Halton Sketches Revisited'', by John MacDonald, 1996,
Halton County Railway Museum
Statistics Canada 2006 Census Data
External links
Town of Halton Hills
{{Authority control
Neighbourhoods in Halton Hills
Former municipalities in Ontario