Owen Sound, Ontario
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Owen Sound | |
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| Nickname: The Scenic City | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| County | Grey County |
| Government | |
| - City Mayor | Ruth Lovell |
| - Governing Body | Owen Sound City Council |
| - MPs | Larry Miller |
| - MPPs | Bill Murdoch |
| Area | |
| - City | 24.22 km² (9.4 sq mi) |
| - Urban | 25.98 km² (10 sq mi) |
| - Metro | 627.8 km² (242.4 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 307 m (1,007 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - City | 21,753 |
| - Density | 898.1/km² (2,326.1/sq mi) |
| - Urban | 22,649 |
| - Metro | 32,259 |
| - Metro Density | 51.4/km² (133.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| Postal Code | N4K |
| Area code(s) | 519/226 |
| Dwellings: 9,532 dwellings Agglomerated area: 627.30 km² (242.2 sq mi) |
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| Website: City of Owen Sound | |
Owen Sound (2006 City population 21,753; UA Population 22,649; CA Population 32, 259), the county seat of Grey County, is a city in south-western Ontario, Canada. Owen Sound is located at the mouth of the Sydenham River on an inlet of Georgian Bay also named Owen Sound.
Owen Sound is one of many cities in Ontario that are well known for receiving large amounts of snowfall because of a phenomenon known as lake effect snow.
Located at the junctions of Ontario Highways 6, 10, 21, and 26, it serves as a gateway to the Bruce Peninsula.
Owen Sound Transit provides local bus service and specialized transportation for those unable to use the regular transit buses.
The city's downtown is located in a deep valley in the Niagara Escarpment.
As home port of the Owen Sound Transportation Company Limited, the inner harbour is where the MS Chi-Cheemaun car ferry from Tobermory to South Baymouth is docked during the winter months.
The sister city of Owen Sound is Miamisburg, Ohio.
Owen Sound is the seat of Grey Bruce Health Services and has the largest hospital (Owen Sound Hospital) in the Grey County and Bruce County region.
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[edit] History
There is evidence (from his personal writings) that Samuel de Champlain travelled through the region and made camp on the eastern hills overlooking what would become the harbour.
This area of the upper Great Lakes was first formally surveyed in 1815 by William Fitzwilliam Owen and Lieutenant Henry W. Bayfield. The inlet was named "Owen's Sound" in honour of Admiral Sir Edward William Campbell Rich Owen, the explorer Owen's older brother.
The city of Owen Sound was originally known as Sydenham when it was first settled in 1841 by Charles Rankin. Prior to that the area had been inhabited by the Ojibway people. The city gained its current name in 1851 and was incorporated in 1857. For much of its history, Owen Sound was a major port city, known as the "Chicago of the North". Its location on Georgian Bay gave it access to the upper Great Lakes, and major rail lines moved cargo south from there. Port duties have declined dramatically since the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway allowed shipping directly to the lower lakes and dramatically lowered costs compared to transshipment via Owen Sound. Being both the gateway to cottage country, and in the heart of Ontario's beef, apple and corn region, farming and tourism are still integral parts of the local economy.
At one time, Owen Sound's roaring seaport made it a rowdy town that was known to sailors as "Little Liverpool". Louis' Steakhouse, a popular upscale restaurant just outside of town, was opened by the Gavaris family in the 1880s and the historic building has changed hands several times since. It was originally a brothel where the madam would stand from its castle-like tower and watch the port for a ship to come in, and she would ready her prostitutes to excite the sailors. This reputation for vice and villainy, and the problems that came with it, caused the city to ban all drinking establishments for several decades. The city was "dry" until 1972.
One of the city's most famous sons was World War I flying ace and Victoria Cross winner William Avery "Billy" Bishop, Canada's leading pilot in the war and a veteran of Vimy Ridge. Bishop is also one of the few to have tangled with the Red Baron and survived, forcing the German pilot to retreat in a damaged aircraft. The Billy Bishop Regional Airport in the nearby Municipality of Meaford was named after him. His modest gravesite can be visited in the city's Greenwood Cemetery by those willing to take the time to locate the stone. His boyhood home is now a museum dedicated to his life and to Canada's aviation history. The town was also the home of NHL Hall-of-Fame goaltender Harry Lumley and the artist Tom Thomson (buried in the nearby village of Leith). Surgeon Dr. Norman Bethune, an avowed communist and pioneer of public medicine who gained notoriety in his innovative medical work with the Chinese army during the Second Sino-Japanese War is an alumnus of The Owen Sound Collegiate and Vocational Institute. Legendary hockey broadcaster Bill Hewitt was once sports director of the local AM radio station, CFOS. Tommy Holmes, another Victoria Cross winner, was also from Owen Sound, and the city's armoury bears his name.
Owen Sound is home of SummerFolk Festival, a popular folk festival that takes place annually in August. Summerfolk attracts over 4,000 people annually to the shores of Georgian Bay, specifically Kelso Beach Park located on the West shore of Owen Sound. The festival has run continuously since 1977 and is nationally renowned for its music and craft excellence. Many performers who have played there have gone on to great commercial success, such as Leahy, Valdy, The Rankins and Natalie MacMaster. Other more commercial Canadian talent has also graced the stages of summerfolk over the years with the likes of Gowan, Rik Emmett, Blue Rodeo and Bruce Cockburn. One of Summerfolk's most famous and revered performers was Stan Rogers. The Main stage features a memorial to Stan and is dedicated to his memory.
In 2005 Owen Sound became the National Communities in Bloom champion in the cities of 20,001-50,000 category in Canada for its beauty, natural landscape, and strong sense of community.
[edit] Culture and Events
The City of Owen Sound was a 2004 Cultural Capital of Canada and is home to a number of cultural events and facilities. It is home to the famous Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival, held every August, and the Festival of Northern Lights, a large Christmas lights festival with many displays along the Sydenham River, downtown, and in Harrison Park, held from November until January every Winter, as well as A Novel Marathon, a special event fundraiser for the Adult Literacy Program of the Owen Sound and North Grey Public Library.
In 2007 Owen Sound celebrated its 150th year since incorporation, with special events throughout the year highlighted by the 10-day Homecoming 2007 celebrations July 27 to August 5.
Theatrically, the city's 400-seat Roxy Theatre is used for the city's professional live theatre performances, as well as some concerts. In the summer of 2007 the Roxy plays host for the first time to the long-running Georgian Theatre Festival.
The city is also home to a good number of museums and cultural attractions, including:
- Grey Roots Museum - showcasing the history of the city of Owen Sound and Grey County
- Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery - featuring a large collection of memorabilia and works from Tom Thomson, one of Canada's most famous artists who grew up in the Owen Sound area.
- Owen Sound Marine and Rail Museum - showcasing the city's rich history in rail and water transportation and its role in the growth of Ontario.
- Billy Bishop Heritage Museum - located in the former Billy Bishop home, dedicated to the life and times of Billy Bishop and Canada's history in aviation.
- Black History Cairn - located in historic Harrison Park, celebrating Owen Sound's status as a northern terminus of the Underground Railroad.
- Owen Sound Farmer's Market - occupying the same location since 1868, the Market is open every Saturday morning throughout the year and hosts a wide variety of growers and artisans.
- Today Owen Sound's Beth Ezekiel Synagogue, a designated building under Ontario's Heritage Act, remains the last example of the early small town synagogue
- Knox Acoustic Cafe - is a volunteer driven (not-for-profit) concert venue dedicated to supporting both established and rising musicians, while bringing the best of folk, roots, celtic, & blues to Owen Sound. Knox Acoustic Cafe holds 8-10 concerts each year at their underground cafe style venue in the basement of the historic Knox United Church in downtown Owen Sound.
- Over the past twelve years, 37 different writers have created 86 short novels, made friends and raised thousands of dollars for the Adult Learning Centre.
[edit] Recreation
The city is one of two (the other being Barrie, Ontario) that are home to The Grey and Simcoe Foresters Primary Reserve Infantry regiment, as well as various cadet corps.
Some of the largest rainbow trout in the world have been caught in the sound, and annual fishing derbies draw large participation from all over North America.
Southwest of the city are two popular Ontario ski resorts, Talisman and Beaver Valley. The city and area also have numerous snowmobile trails.
[edit] Sports
Owen Sound is the smallest city in Ontario (and one of the smallest in Canada) to boast an OHL Major Junior Hockey Team, in the Owen Sound Attack who play at the Bayshore Community Centre arena.
- Owen Sound Attack - Ontario Hockey League
- Owen Sound Greys - Mid-Western Junior Hockey League
- Owen Sound Woodsmen - OLA Senior B Lacrosse League
- Owen Sound Rams - OLA Junior B Lacrosse League
- Owen Sound United - Mid Western Soccer League
[edit] Former teams
- Owen Sound Mercurys - OHA Senior A Hockey League
- Owen Sound Crescents - OHA Senior A Hockey League
- Owen Sound Canadians - Northern Senior B Hockey League
- Owen Sound Trappers - OHA Intermediate A Hockey League
- Owen Sound Platers - Ontario Hockey League (became Attack)
- Owen Sound North Stars - Major Series Lacrosse
- Owen Sound Crescents - Major Series Lacrosse
Elite Hockey League team The Cardiff Devils are currently playing one of Owen Sounds most respected ice hockey talents, Jason Silverthorn, who is highly regarded and one of the top goal scorers of the current 2007/2008 season.
[edit] Media
[edit] Radio
- AM 560 - CFOS, Oldies
- FM 90.1 - CJLF-1, Christian
- FM 92.3 - ,active rock
- FM 93.7 - CKYC Country 93, country
- FM 94.5 - CIBU-FM The Bull, Rock
- FM 97.1 - CBL-4, CBC Radio Two (Wiarton)
- FM 98.7 - CBCB, CBC Radio One
- FM 106.5 - CIXK Mix 106.5, adult contemporary
[edit] New services
On May 9, 2008, the CRTC has approved Larche Communications Inc., for a new rock radio station undertaking Owen Sound, Ontario at 92.3 MHz. All three remaining applications were denied by the CRTC. [1]
[edit] Television
- Channel 13: CKCO-2 - CTV Television Network - (Transmitter at Wiarton, Ontario and a rebroadcaster of CKCO-TV from Kitchener, Ontario)
- Channel 6: CIII-4, Global Television Network
- Channel 10: CICA-12, TVOntario
- Channel 05: CBLN-5, CBC Television (Wiarton, Ontario)
- Channel 53 Rogers Television Grey-Bruce
[edit] Print
- Owen Sound Sun Times - Newspaper (The Sun Times)
[edit] Statistics
According to the Canada 2006 Census[1]:
| • Population: | 21,753 (+1.4% from 2001) |
| • Land area: | 24.22 km² (9.35 sq mi) |
| • Population density: | 898.1 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,326 /sq mi) |
| • National population rank (Out of 5,008): | Ranked 174th |
| • Median age: | 40.9 (males: 38.9, females: 42.7) |
| • Total private dwellings: | 9,736 |
| • Dwellings occupied by permanent residents: | 9,381 |
| • Mean household income: | $20,126 per person aged 15+ |
[edit] Notable Residents
- Shelagh Armstrong (artist)
- Norman Bethune
- Billy Bishop
- NHLer Hap Day
- Robert Pim Butchart
- Cheryl Hickey (Entertainment Tonight Canada)
- Heather Hiscox [2]
- Thomas William Holmes
- NHLer Alvin "Buck" Jones
- NHLer Harry Lumley
- Agnes Macphail
- Nathan Perrott
- Eddie Sargent
- Tom Thomson
[edit] In media
- Owen Sound was one of the filming locations for the filming of the Disney movie One Magic Christmas along with Meaford, most notably with its city hall serving as the town hall in the film.
- On the October 18, 2006, episode of The Colbert Report, host Stephen Colbert asked his viewers to send in suggestions for bad things to say about Owen Sound, being unable to think of any himself.
| [[Image:|50px]] | Tobermory Wiarton |
Georgian Bay |
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| Southampton, Georgian Bluffs |  |
Meaford, Thornbury | |||||
 Owen Sound, Ontario  |
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| Chatsworth Durham |
