Asphodel-Norwood, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Asphodel-Norwood is a township
in central-eastern Ontario
, Canada, in Peterborough County
. It is located on the Trent-Severn Waterway
.
The township comprises the communities of Birdsalls, Birdsalls Station, Norwood and Westwood.
The township was created in its current form on January 1, 1998 when the township of Asphodel and the village of Norwood were amalgamated.
. Norwood intermediate is now a wing of the Elementary school.
The NMHA has operated out of three arenas since the Association's inception in the 1920's. Originally the minor hockey programs skated in the Trent Valley League (TVL) holding games at the Spring Street Arena located north of Spring Street and south of Hwy. 7 (between Pine and Hwy.45). The Spring Street Arena was an outdoor facility that featured Norwood taking on TVL rivals such as neighboring Havelock, Hastings, Warsaw, Douro, Marmora and Keene.
In the mid-1950's, the G.A. Brethen Coliseum was built originally for use for the Norwood Fair, however, was converted into a hockey arena and was used until the year 2001 when the new Asphodel-Norwood Community Centre opened. Around this time, the Norwood programs participated in the Hasting & District League against newere opponents such as Ennismore, Warkworth and Campbellford.
In the early 1980's, former NHL goaltender Marv Edwards settled in Norwood and implemented the Fundamentals In Action (FIA) skills development system. The program paid immediate dividends as the Hornets had unprecedented success from 1983 to 1992 - winning seven (7) OMHA titles and participating in twelve (12) OMHA Finals between 1983 and 1994.
It was believed that much of Norwood's minor hockey success was attributed to the Brethen Coliseums' small, tight quarters. The ice surface was measured at 186 feet long by 72 feet wide. (NHL regulation ice is 200 x 85). The Coliseum's ice was approximately 23% smaller than the traditional north American ice surface.
Norwood's OMHA championship success over the years is one of the most successful among centres of its size (the DD and D classification) for communities under 5,000 residents.
The Hornets program has sent several players onto the various levels of Junior levels of hockey, however, the most notable was forward Fred Doherty who went onto to play in the NHL in 1918. He was called up to the Habs just as World War I was ending and saw action in 3 games in the 1918-19 campaign for Montreal.
David Stewart, a key member of several OMHA championships in the mid-1980's, signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings in 1992 after three years of major junior with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs. Stewart spent six years in the AHL and ECHL playing for the Kings' farm teams in Phoenix, Toledo, Muskegon, Flint and Muskegon. Stewart's final four seasons would be spent playing in Roanoke, Virginia for the ECHL's Roanoke Express. His efforts in Roanoke saw his jersey retired after just four years - only the 2nd jersey in Roanoke hockey history to be retired.
Today Stewart is settled in Norwood and operates the Norwood J.J. Stewart Motors Vipers OHA Senior A hockey team. Still playing at age 39, Stewart's Vipers have competed in the Major League Hockey loop for the prestigeous Allan Cup since 2006.
Greg Snetsinger, who was a defenseman on several of the same 1980's Hornet teams, also went onto play four years of NCAA hockey at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania. Snetsinger graduated the Hornets and went onto play three seasons with the Lindsay Bears Jr.A. club before heading to the NCAA.
Mike Payne, a native of nearby Westwood, graduated Hornets programs at age 17 and played OHA Jr.B. for the Peterborough Roadrunners from 1987 to 1989 before playing four seasons for the University of Waterloo Warriors of the OUAA. While with the Roadrunners, Payne was a teammate of future NHLers, and Stanley Cup Champions Darren McCarty and Jassen Cullimore.
The Norwood MHA also started girls hockey in the early-1990's and graduated Shanley White who played for the York University Lions of the OUAA and Heather Richardson to NCAA Division III women's hockey at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
After her playing days were over, Richardson went onto become one of the top women's hockey referees in the world and officiated the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, BC. She was selected to be a lineswoman for the Gold Medal Final game between Canada and the U.S. A contest Canada won.
There have been numerous volunteers over the years who have donated their time to the Norwood Minor Hockey Association including Jim Lytle, who went onto be an OMHA Executive Member for 33 years. He was the goalie on the first OMHA finalist Bantam team in 1958.
The Hornets have had sixteen (16) O.M.H.A. Championships and seventeen (17) O.M.H.A. Finalists since 1958 - 33 of Norwood's OMHA Finals appearances came in a 27-year span from 1983 to 2010:
Census:
Population trend:
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
in central-eastern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada, in Peterborough County
Peterborough County, Ontario
Peterborough County is located in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is projected to reach a population of 159,840 by 2031, according to the Ontario Ministry of Finance's Ontario Population Projections Update...
. It is located on the Trent-Severn Waterway
Trent-Severn Waterway
The Trent–Severn Waterway is a Canadian canal system formerly used for industrial and transportation purposes and now for recreational and tourism purposes, connecting Lake Ontario at Trenton to the Georgian Bay portion of Lake Huron at Port Severn...
.
The township comprises the communities of Birdsalls, Birdsalls Station, Norwood and Westwood.
The township was created in its current form on January 1, 1998 when the township of Asphodel and the village of Norwood were amalgamated.
Schools
Norwood has four schools in three buildings. Norwood District Public School (elementary), St. Paul's Elementary School (Catholic), Norwood Intermediate Public School (grade 8) and Norwood District High SchoolNorwood District High School
Norwood District High School is located at 44 Elm Street in Norwood, Ontario, Canada. As of 2005 it has 500 secondary students taught by 36 teachers. It is a member of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board....
. Norwood intermediate is now a wing of the Elementary school.
Recreation
Norwood has a modern single pad arena, a baseball diamond, a skateboard park and a playground. The high school has soccer, rugby and football pitches. Norwood currently is home to the Norwood Vipers an OHA Sr. A hockey team. The town hockey teams are referred to as the Norwood Hornets.Minor Hockey History
The Norwood Hornets Minor Hockey Association (previously known as Norwood Minor Sports) has operated minor hockey programs for more than 80 years in the community of approximately 1,300.The NMHA has operated out of three arenas since the Association's inception in the 1920's. Originally the minor hockey programs skated in the Trent Valley League (TVL) holding games at the Spring Street Arena located north of Spring Street and south of Hwy. 7 (between Pine and Hwy.45). The Spring Street Arena was an outdoor facility that featured Norwood taking on TVL rivals such as neighboring Havelock, Hastings, Warsaw, Douro, Marmora and Keene.
In the mid-1950's, the G.A. Brethen Coliseum was built originally for use for the Norwood Fair, however, was converted into a hockey arena and was used until the year 2001 when the new Asphodel-Norwood Community Centre opened. Around this time, the Norwood programs participated in the Hasting & District League against newere opponents such as Ennismore, Warkworth and Campbellford.
In the early 1980's, former NHL goaltender Marv Edwards settled in Norwood and implemented the Fundamentals In Action (FIA) skills development system. The program paid immediate dividends as the Hornets had unprecedented success from 1983 to 1992 - winning seven (7) OMHA titles and participating in twelve (12) OMHA Finals between 1983 and 1994.
It was believed that much of Norwood's minor hockey success was attributed to the Brethen Coliseums' small, tight quarters. The ice surface was measured at 186 feet long by 72 feet wide. (NHL regulation ice is 200 x 85). The Coliseum's ice was approximately 23% smaller than the traditional north American ice surface.
Norwood's OMHA championship success over the years is one of the most successful among centres of its size (the DD and D classification) for communities under 5,000 residents.
The Hornets program has sent several players onto the various levels of Junior levels of hockey, however, the most notable was forward Fred Doherty who went onto to play in the NHL in 1918. He was called up to the Habs just as World War I was ending and saw action in 3 games in the 1918-19 campaign for Montreal.
David Stewart, a key member of several OMHA championships in the mid-1980's, signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings in 1992 after three years of major junior with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs. Stewart spent six years in the AHL and ECHL playing for the Kings' farm teams in Phoenix, Toledo, Muskegon, Flint and Muskegon. Stewart's final four seasons would be spent playing in Roanoke, Virginia for the ECHL's Roanoke Express. His efforts in Roanoke saw his jersey retired after just four years - only the 2nd jersey in Roanoke hockey history to be retired.
Today Stewart is settled in Norwood and operates the Norwood J.J. Stewart Motors Vipers OHA Senior A hockey team. Still playing at age 39, Stewart's Vipers have competed in the Major League Hockey loop for the prestigeous Allan Cup since 2006.
Greg Snetsinger, who was a defenseman on several of the same 1980's Hornet teams, also went onto play four years of NCAA hockey at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania. Snetsinger graduated the Hornets and went onto play three seasons with the Lindsay Bears Jr.A. club before heading to the NCAA.
Mike Payne, a native of nearby Westwood, graduated Hornets programs at age 17 and played OHA Jr.B. for the Peterborough Roadrunners from 1987 to 1989 before playing four seasons for the University of Waterloo Warriors of the OUAA. While with the Roadrunners, Payne was a teammate of future NHLers, and Stanley Cup Champions Darren McCarty and Jassen Cullimore.
The Norwood MHA also started girls hockey in the early-1990's and graduated Shanley White who played for the York University Lions of the OUAA and Heather Richardson to NCAA Division III women's hockey at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
After her playing days were over, Richardson went onto become one of the top women's hockey referees in the world and officiated the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, BC. She was selected to be a lineswoman for the Gold Medal Final game between Canada and the U.S. A contest Canada won.
There have been numerous volunteers over the years who have donated their time to the Norwood Minor Hockey Association including Jim Lytle, who went onto be an OMHA Executive Member for 33 years. He was the goalie on the first OMHA finalist Bantam team in 1958.
The Hornets have had sixteen (16) O.M.H.A. Championships and seventeen (17) O.M.H.A. Finalists since 1958 - 33 of Norwood's OMHA Finals appearances came in a 27-year span from 1983 to 2010:
- 1958 - Bantam D Finalists - lost to Mildmay Monarchs
- 1960 - Midget D Finalists - lost to Mildmay Monarchs
- 1966 - Juvenile B CHAMPIONS - over Mitchell Meteors
- 1969 - Juvenile C Finalists - lost to Uxbridge Stars
- 1983 - Juvenile B CHAMPIONS - over Port Dover Pirates
- 1984 - Juvenile BB CHAMPIONS - over Watford
- 1985 - Peewee D CHAMPIONS - over Howick Township (Wroxeter, ON)
- 1987 - Bantam D CHAMPIONS - over Beverly (Rockton, ON) Bandits
- 1988 - Midget D CHAMPIONS - over Creemore Oilers
- 1988 - Bantam D Finalists - lost to Howick Township (Wroxter, ON)
- 1989 - Midget D CHAMPIONS - over Beverly (Rockton, ON) Bandits
- 1990 - Juvenile DD Finalists - lost to Teeswater Otters
- 1991 - Juvenile DD Finalists - lost to Teeswater Otters
- 1992 - Juvenile D CHAMPIONS - over Ripley Wolves
- 1994 - Juvenile DD Finalists - lost to Drayton Flyers
- 1994 - Midget D Finalists - lost to Watford
- 1995 - Juvenile DD Finalists - lost to Drayton Flyers
- 1995 - Peewee D Finalists - lost to Beverly (Rockton, ON) Bandits
- 1996 - Juvenile DD CHAMPIONS - over Chesley Colts
- 1998 - Midget D Finalists - lost to Thedford Thunder
- 1998 - Juvenile D Finalists - lost to Thedford Thunder
- 2000 - Juvenile DD Finalists - lost to Thedford Thunder
- 2001 - Novice DD CHAMPIONS - over Cayuga Stars
- 2002 - Bantam DD CHAMPIONS - over Ilderton Jets
- 2004 - Peewee DD Finalists - lost to Mildmay Monarchs
- 2005 - Novice DD East CHAMPIONS - over Beaverton Blades
- 2006 - Novice DD East Finalists - lost to Mariposa Lightning
- 2008 - Midget DD CHAMPIONS - over East Lambton Eagles (Watford-Alvinston, ON)
- 2009 - Midget DD CHAMPIONS - over East Lambton Eagles (Watford-Alvinston, ON)
- 2009 - Peewee DD Finalists - lost to St. Catharines Warriors
- 2010 - Midget DD CHAMPIONS - over Teeswater Otters
- 2010 - Juvenile DD CHAMPIONS - over Mildmay Monarchs
- 2010 - Midget AE4 Finalists - lost to Petrolia Oilers
Demographics
According to the 2006 Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
Census:
- Population: 4,247
- % Change (2001 – 2006): 6.6
- Area (km².): 160.85
- Density (persons per km².): 26.4
- Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 1631 (total dwellings: 2077)
- Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 96.0 %
- French as first language: 0.2 %
- English and French as first language: 0 %
- Other as first language: 3.8 %
Population trend:
- Population in 2006: 4247 (2001 to 2006 population change: 6.6 %)
- Population in 2001: 3985
- Population in 1996:
- Asphodel (township): 2611
- Norwood (village): 1469
- Population in 1991:
- Asphodel (township): 2456
- Norwood (village): 1441
Notable residents
- Norwood is the birthplace of NHLerNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Fred DohertyFred DohertyWilfred Patrick Doherty was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played one season in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens. He was born in Norwood, Ontario.-References:*... - Adam GontierAdam GontierAdam Wade Gontier is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter of the rock band Three Days Grace...
, Neil SandersonNeil SandersonNeil Christopher Sanderson is the drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the Canadian band Three Days Grace. He cites his influences as John Bonham, Danny Carey and Stewart Copeland.-Early years:...
, and Brad Walst, of the rock band Three Days GraceThree Days GraceThree Days Grace is a Canadian rock band, formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada in 1992, originally under the name Groundswell. After a breakup in late 1997, the band regrouped in the same year under its current name and with a line-up consisting of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer... - The rock band My Darkest DaysMy Darkest DaysMy Darkest Days is a Canadian rock band based in Toronto, consisting of lead singer Matt Walst, lead guitarist Sal Costa, Bassist Brendan McMillan, Drummer Doug Oliver, and keyboardist Reid Henry...
- Cale Gontier of the rock band Art of DyingArt of Dying (band)Art of Dying is a Canadian rock band fronted by Jonny Hetherington. The band has built an international following since 2006 touring with Seether and Disturbed as well as performing at international festivals such as Download and Virginfest alongside artists like Tool, Metallica and...