Lombardy,

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 Ca ...

, is a community in the

Township of Rideau Lakes Rideau Lakes is a township located within Leeds and Grenville United Counties in Eastern Ontario, Canada. The township was incorporated on 1 January 1998 by amalgamating the former townships of North Crosby, South Crosby, Bastard, South Burgess a ...

Leeds and Grenville County The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, commonly known as Leeds and Grenville, is a county in Ontario, Canada, in the Eastern Ontario subregion of Southern Ontario. It fronts on the Saint Lawrence River and the international boundary between ...

Eastern Ontario Eastern Ontario (census population 1,763,186 in 2016) (french: Est de l'Ontario) is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River. It s ...

. Its nearest communities are the town of

Smiths Falls Smiths Falls is a town in Eastern Ontario, Canada, southwest of Ottawa. As of the 2021 census it has a population of 9,254. It is in the Census division for Lanark County, but is separated from the county. The Rideau Canal waterway passes thr ...

to the northeast, Rideau Ferry and Perth to the west, and

Portland, Ontario Portland is a police village and unincorporated place located in the municipal township of Rideau Lakes, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville in eastern Ontario, Canada. The community is on Ontario Highway 15 about northeast of Ontario Highwa ...

to the southwest. The village of Lombardy is home to approximately 100 residents, with many more inhabiting the rural areas surrounding it. The only store in Lombardy is a vape shop, which was previously a restaurant.

History

Although the name reprises that of the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

region of the same name, the Ontarian community supposedly owes its name to Francis Lombard, a French soldier who settled in the area in the early 1820s. It has also been known by other names, including Landon's Corners, Landon's Mills, Lombard's Corners and South Elmsley. Capitalising on its proximity to Otter Creek, a number of mills were built in Lombardy, along with tradesmen's shops and hotels and taverns, which served the travelers passing through.

Services and Attractions

The community has two churches, Blessed Sacrament

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, and Holy Trinity

Anglican church Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the ...

. It has an elementary school, Lombardy Public School, which serves children from junior kindergarten to the eighth grade and offers library services to the general public. The Rideau Lakes branch of the

Ontario Provincial Police The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is the provincial police service of Ontario, Canada. Under its provincial mandate, the OPP patrols provincial highways and waterways, protects provincial government buildings and officials, patrols unincorpo ...

is located within the community off of Highway 15. Rural Lombardy is home to several beautiful lakes including Rideau Lake, Bass Lake and Otter Lake. Additionally, the Lombardy area boasts several tourist attractions, including campgrounds, like Bass Lake Lodge, Sandy Beach (Otter Lake), Moonlight Bay an
Camp Otterdale
as well as the Lombard Glen Golf and Country Club. Strawberry picking is available at Miller Bay Farm along with fresh vegetables sold at their roadside stand. It is also home to the Lombardy Agricultural Hall and Fairgrounds, which hosts the Lombardy Fair every year on the August long weekend. The fair is celebrating its 153rd anniversary in 2019, and will move from a 4 to 3 day fair. The Fairgrounds are also host to various events such as auction sales, car shows, gun shows, music festivals, dog shows and an annual barn dance held every year in September.

References

External links

Lombardy Fair WebsiteLombard Glen Golf and Country ClubBass Lake Lodge
{{authority control Communities in Leeds and Grenville United Counties