Innisfil, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Innisfil is a town in 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
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a lake in Southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk by the Huron natives...

 in Simcoe County, immediately south of Barrie
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...

 and 80 kilometres north of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

. It has historically been a rural area, but growth in the Barrie area and the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...

 has meant greater residential development in Innisfil.

History

The history of Innisfil spans a period in excess of 170 years. The Town was hewn from almost unbroken virgin forests which had been home to the Huron Indians, and was first surveyed
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...

 in 1820. The area encompassed 68,653 acres (278 km²), including the villages of Allandale, Tollendal, Painswick, Minets Point, and Holly at the time.

The first settlers were the Hewson & Soules families who came by way of the East Holland River
East Holland River
The East Holland River is a river in Ontario, Canada that is part of the Holland River watershed that empties into Cook's Bay in Lake Simcoe. The headwaters of the East Holland River rise in the Oak Ridges Moraine...

 and Lake Simcoe to settle at Point Endeavour that they then renamed Hewson's Point (later named Big Bay Point). The Hewsons settled on March 30, 1820 and the Soules in 1822. The Warnica family settled the following year, in 1823, in the area now known as Painswick. The first sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....

 in the Township was built at Tollendal by George McMullen in 1829. At this time James Soules owned a sawmill on the south half of lot 26 concession fourteen (Big Bay Point), Innisfil where he made the lumber for the construction of the first frame house in Innisfil for Lewis J. Clement.

John and George Warnica completed the clearing of the bush between Barrie and Churchill. John Cayton had won the contract to open the road between Churchill and the 12th line of West Gwillimbury, known as Cayton's Corners but owing to his slight acquaintance with the forest, he sub-let the work to John and George Warnica who completed Cayton's contract between Churchill and the 12th line of West Gwillimbury, north of Bradford
Bradford, Ontario
Bradford is the primary country urban area of the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario, in Canada. It overlooks a beautiful and prosperous farming community, known as The Holland Marsh, located on the Holland River that flows into Lake Simcoe...

. This opened the land route, known as Penetanguishene Road, which later became Highway 11
Highway 11 (Ontario)
King's Highway 11 is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. At , it is the second longest highway in the province after Highway 17. Highway 11 begins at Highway 400 in Barrie, and arches through northern Ontario, around Lake Superior, to the Ontario–Minnesota border...

 and is now Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...

. This route between York (now Toronto) and Barrie was completed in the fall of 1825.

Along this road the settlers came, and spread out along the concession lines to clear the lands and develop their farms. There had been those who came ahead by way of the river and the lake; many settled near the shores of Lake Simcoe and Kempenfelt Bay. The only channels of communication were the public roads, and these were scant and poor.

The pioneer farms cut from the forest were mostly self-sustaining. What few products there were for sale found a market in nearby Barrie, which was then little more than a village. Distant York was reached in the winter when the ice and snow made for better roads.

During this period, post offices, churches, and stores were established, also a form of local government performed by commissioners was appointed under a provincial act. The first post office, then called Innisfil, was located at what is now called Barclay's Corners. The first school was built in 1838 and located at Myers Corners, later called Victoria (now the community of Stroud). The first church was also at Victoria, and was of Methodist denomination.

Milling in Innisfil was first done at Tollendal in 1835. The need for a grist mill to grind wheat is an indication of the progress toward an agricultural community.

The earliest official record of a census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

 shows that by 1842 the population of Innisfil was 762.

Establishment of Innisfil

The year 1850 marked the end of the old commissioners rule. The population had increased to 1,807 nearly tripling in under a decade. The first municipal council was established, replacing the government of appointed commissioners. The Corporation of the Township of Innisfil was born.

The settlement of Allandale became more prominent with the construction of the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway (later the Northern Railway) from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

 to Collingwood
Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay.-History:...

. The first train from Toronto arrived in Allandale on October 11, 1853.

The continued building of public roads, together with the railway and the lake navigation, resulted in the establishment of more flourishing hamlet settlements.

Belle Ewart was formed in 1854. Henry's Corners, now Thornton
Thornton, Ontario
The Hamlet of Thornton is located in Essa, Ontario, with Essa having a population of 16901 people in 2006. Thornton is located in Ontario and is about 100 km north of Toronto, Ontario.- Places in Thornton :...

, was formed in 1833. Perry's Corners, now Cookstown, was formed around 1859. Hamlet settlement also resulted in a burgeoning resort development along the entire shoreline.

In 1891, 500 acres (2 km²) of Innisfil became incorporated as the Village of Allandale, now part of the City of Barrie. Barrie annexed a further 500 acres (2 km²) in 1897.

Innisfil flourished over the years and by 1950, had a population of 3500. However, paved roads, the automobile (the first recorded in the town was 1912), the price of fuel, and the cost of housing outside Toronto encouraged commuter residents. This in turn gradually changed the nature of our shoreline development. Seasonal housing evolved to permanent residential. Now, about 90% of the shoreline is permanent residences.

Modern development

Cookstown, at the south-west extremity of the township, became an incorporated village in 1962, with 100 acres (400,000 m²) of Innisfil becoming part of Cookstown.

In 1967, 597 acres (2.4 km²) were annexed from Innisfil by the City of Barrie to accommodate the establishment of the Formosa Spring Brewery. This facility was purchased by Molson's and has since been closed and sub-let to other businesses.

On January 1, 1982, 8623 acres (35 km²) were annexed to the City of Barrie, with a further 737 acres (3 km²) to be annexed January 1, 1987. As a result of the annexations, Innisfil's population was reduced by approximately 26.7% to 12,153 permanent residents, and its total assessment was reduced by 20.4%.

On January 1, 1991, by virtue of the South Simcoe Act, the Township of Innsifil, a north section of the Township of West Gwillimbury, and the Village of Cookstown were amalgamated and incorporated as the Town of Innisfil.

In 1993, the Ontario Stockyards livestock facility, located for a long time in Toronto, relocated to just east of the Cookstown town site, on Highway 89.

The County of Simcoe Act provided for further restructuring of Simcoe County on January 1, 1994 when the Village of Thornton was amalgamated with the Township of Essa and a small section of the Township of Essa
Essa, Ontario
Essa is a township in Ontario, Canada, west and south of the city of Barrie in the County of Simcoe. It is bounded by County Road 90 to its north, County Road 27 to its east, and Ontario Highway 89 to its south...

, adjacent to Cookstown, was amalgamated with Innisfil.

As of 2006, Innisfil had a total permanent population of 31,175 and an estimated seasonal population of 4,000 people. Having begun as a community of seasonal homes for people living in Toronto, it is now a popular place for permanent residents, mostly families and empty nesters, and, indeed, most of the "cottages" along the lake shore have since been converted into year-long homes.

Georgian Downs Harness racetrack and casino is located on the 5th Sideroad near the Highway 400 interchange at Innisfil Beach Road.

The Province of Ontario has enacted legislation that will enable the city of Barrie to annex 2293 acres (9.3 km²) from the town of Innisfil as of January 1, 2010. The land in question extends south beyond 10th line west of the 10th Sideroad, and as far south as Lockhart Road on the east side of the 10th Sideroad. Innisfil retains the community of Stroud, but the community of St. Pauls will shift to Barrie.

Demographics

According to the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...

:
  • Population: 31,175
  • % Change (2001–2006): 8.8%
  • Dwellings: 12,822
  • Area (km².): 284.18
  • Density (persons per km².): 109.7

Neighbourhoods

The township comprises the communities of Alcona, Simcoe Beach, Alderslea, Barclay, Bear Point, Belle Ewart, Belle Air Beach, Bethesda, Big Bay Point, Big Cedar Point, Cedar Mount, Churchill, Cookstown, De Grassi Point, Fennell, Gilford, Glenhaven Beach, Glenwood Beach, Innisfil Heights, Killarney Beach, Lefroy, Maple Grove, Mooselanka Beach, Nantyr, Nantyr Park, Sandy Cove, Sandy Cove Acres and Stroud.

Government

Town council is composed of the mayor, deputy mayor, and seven councillors who are elected on a ward basis. The council members are as follows, as elected in October 2010
Simcoe County municipal elections, 2010
Elections were held in Simcoe County, Ontario on October 25, 2010 in conjunction with municipal elections across the province.-Simcoe County Council:The county council consists of the mayors and deputy mayors of the municipalities.-Adjala-Tosorontio:...

:
  • Mayor: Barb Baguley
  • Deputy Mayor: Dan Davidson
  • Councillor, Ward 1: Doug Lougheed
  • Councillor, Ward 2: Richard Simpson
  • Councillor, Ward 3: Ken Simpson
  • Councillor, Ward 4: Rod Boynton
  • Councillor, Ward 5: Bill Loughead
  • Councillor, Ward 6: Maria Baier
  • Councillor, Ward 7: Lynn Dollin


The mayor and deputy mayor represent Innisfil at Council meetings of Simcoe County.

The town is part of the riding of York—Simcoe
York—Simcoe
York—Simcoe is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1979, from 1988 to 1997 and since 2004.It covers part of the region north of Toronto by Lake Simcoe....

, represented federally by Peter Van Loan
Peter Van Loan
Peter Van Loan, PC MP is a Canadian politician who is the Member of Parliament for the electoral district of York—Simcoe. He has been the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons since May 18, 2011, a role he previously held from 2007 to 2008.-Biography:Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Van...

 of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...

 and provincially by Julia Munro
Julia Munro
Julia Munro is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the Greater Toronto Area riding of York—Simcoe for the Progressive Conservative Party....

 of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...

.

Policing in Innisfil is provided by the South Simcoe Police Service
South Simcoe Police Service
The South Simcoe Police Service is a municipal police service in Ontario, Canada. It borders the York Regional Police to the south and Barrie Police to the north....

.

Culture

Cookstown is a hub of antique specialty stores and outlet shopping, and is known as the antique capital of southern Ontario. Cookstown is also known for its annual garage sale called "Wing-Ding" which occurs the first weekend of June every year. The Cookstown Fair is held annually, usually in September.

Cookstown is the birthplace of Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy was a Canadian women's rights activist, jurist, and author. In 1916, she became the first woman magistrate in Canada, and in the British Empire...

, a noted Canadian women's rights activist. In 1916, she became the first woman police magistrate in Alberta, and in the British Empire. She is best known for her contributions to Canadian feminism, specifically to the question of whether women were "persons" under Canadian law.

A TV movie, Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery was filmed in Cookstown in 1998.

Alcona hosts Summerfest and Winterfest at Innisfil Beach road in the early summer and mid winter, each year at Innisfil Beach located at the end of Innisfil Beach Rd (8th Line).

Sports

  • Innisfil Lakers
    Innisfil Lakers
    The Innisfil Lakers were a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Innisfil, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Greater Metro Junior 'A' Hockey League.-History:The Lakers are one of six expansion teams for the 2007-08 GMHL season....

     of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
    Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
    The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League is a Canadian Developmental Junior "A" ice hockey league. The GMHL is not affiliated with the Canadian Junior Hockey League or a member by Hockey Canada...

  • Innisfil Wolfpack of the Ontario Junior C Lacrosse League
  • Innisfil Soccer Club
  • Innisfil Skating Club
  • Innisfil Jr. Broomball

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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