Killarney, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Killarney is a municipality located on the northern shore of Georgian Bay
in the Sudbury District
of Ontario
. It is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. Killarney is commonly associated with Killarney Provincial Park
, which is a large wilderness park located to the east of the townsite which occupies much of the municipality's expanded boundary.
The eastern end of the La Cloche Mountain Range
is also located within the municipality of Killarney.
in Ireland
.
The area was first settled in 1820 by French Canadian
fur trader Étienne Augustin de Lamorandière and his Anishinaabe
wife Josephte Saisaigonokwe, who established a trading post
named Shebahonaning (canoe passage) at the townsite.
Highway 637, connecting Killarney to Highway 69
, was constructed in 1962. Prior to its construction, the community relied primarily on water transport via Georgian Bay
and the North Channel
.
The current municipality was incorporated on January 1, 1999, when the Ontario provincial government expanded the boundaries of the township
of Rutherford and George Island, the former governing body of the community of Killarney. The municipality was also transferred from the Manitoulin District to the Sudbury District at that time.
The larger municipality of Killarney now encompasses virtually all of Killarney Provincial Park
and the French River
delta, and in fact extends all the way to Highway 69, over 70 kilometres from the townsite. Despite the municipality's geographic size, however, most of its population continues to reside in the community of Killarney itself, although smaller settlements also exist at Hartley Bay and Bigwood.
The ghost towns of French River and Key Harbour are also located within the municipal boundaries of Killarney.
and the northern part of Henvey in Parry Sound
The township of Hansen was originally named Stalin after Joseph Stalin
, but was renamed in 1986 when Ontario MPP Yuri Shymko
successfully had a private member's bill
passed through the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
to rename the township in honour of athlete Rick Hansen
, who was embarking on his international Man in Motion tour at the time.
, consisting mainly of wilderness lodges, campgrounds and retail services geared toward campers and other visitors to Killarney Provincial Park.
A community museum, the Killarney Centennial Museum, is located in Killarney adjacent to the municipal government offices.
Although not officially part of the Sudbury East
region, Killarney participates in the regional Sudbury East Planning Board with the municipalities of French River, St. Charles and Markstay-Warren
.
Killarney Provincial Park is also home to the Killarney Provincial Park Observatory
.
.
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
in the Sudbury District
Sudbury District, Ontario
The Sudbury District is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1894 from townships of eastern Algoma District and west Nipissing District....
of 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....
. It is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. Killarney is commonly associated with Killarney Provincial Park
Killarney Provincial Park
Killarney Provincial Park is a provincial park in central Ontario, Canada.Although not as well known as the world famous Algonquin Provincial Park, Killarney is one of Ontario's most popular wilderness destinations...
, which is a large wilderness park located to the east of the townsite which occupies much of the municipality's expanded boundary.
The eastern end of the La Cloche Mountain Range
La Cloche Mountains
The La Cloche Mountains, also called the La Cloche Range, are a range of hills in Northern Ontario, along the northern shore of Lake Huron near Manitoulin Island. The hills are located in the Canadian Shield, and are composed primarily of white quartzite.They extend roughly from La Cloche...
is also located within the municipality of Killarney.
History
The area was named after the town of KillarneyKillarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
The area was first settled in 1820 by French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
fur trader Étienne Augustin de Lamorandière and his Anishinaabe
Anishinaabe
Anishinaabe or Anishinabe—or more properly Anishinaabeg or Anishinabek, which is the plural form of the word—is the autonym often used by the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonquin peoples. They all speak closely related Anishinaabemowin/Anishinaabe languages, of the Algonquian language family.The meaning...
wife Josephte Saisaigonokwe, who established a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
named Shebahonaning (canoe passage) at the townsite.
Highway 637, connecting Killarney to Highway 69
Ontario Highway 69
King's Highway 69, commonly referred to as Highway 69, is a major north–south highway in the central area of the Canadian province of Ontario, linking Highway 400 north of Parry Sound with Sudbury...
, was constructed in 1962. Prior to its construction, the community relied primarily on water transport via Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
and the North Channel
North Channel (Ontario)
The North Channel is the body of water along the north shore of Lake Huron, in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is bordered on the east by Georgian Bay, on the west by the St. Marys River, to the north by the eastern Algoma District and to the south by the islands of Manitoulin, Cockburn,...
.
The current municipality was incorporated on January 1, 1999, when the Ontario provincial government expanded the boundaries of the township
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...
of Rutherford and George Island, the former governing body of the community of Killarney. The municipality was also transferred from the Manitoulin District to the Sudbury District at that time.
The larger municipality of Killarney now encompasses virtually all of Killarney Provincial Park
Killarney Provincial Park
Killarney Provincial Park is a provincial park in central Ontario, Canada.Although not as well known as the world famous Algonquin Provincial Park, Killarney is one of Ontario's most popular wilderness destinations...
and the French River
French River (Ontario)
The French River is a river in Central Ontario, Canada. It flows from Lake Nipissing west to Georgian Bay. The river largely follows the boundary between the Parry Sound District and the Sudbury District, and in most contexts is considered the dividing line between Northern Ontario and Southern...
delta, and in fact extends all the way to Highway 69, over 70 kilometres from the townsite. Despite the municipality's geographic size, however, most of its population continues to reside in the community of Killarney itself, although smaller settlements also exist at Hartley Bay and Bigwood.
The ghost towns of French River and Key Harbour are also located within the municipal boundaries of Killarney.
Townships
The municipal boundaries of Killarney encompass the geographic townships of Rutherford and George Island, Hansen, Goschen, Sale, Attlee, Kilpatrick, Travers, Struthers, Allen and Bigwood in the District of Sudbury, Killarney and part of Carlyle in Manitoulin DistrictManitoulin District, Ontario
Manitoulin District is a district in Northeastern Ontario within the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1888 from part of Algoma District. The district seat is Gore Bay....
and the northern part of Henvey in Parry Sound
Parry Sound District, Ontario
Parry Sound District is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its seat is Parry Sound. Its boundaries are Muskoka to the south, the Sudbury District, the French River and Lake Nipissing in the north, Nipissing District, Ontario and North Bay in the north and east and parts of...
The township of Hansen was originally named Stalin after Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
, but was renamed in 1986 when Ontario MPP Yuri Shymko
Yuri Shymko
Yuri Shymko is a former politician, human rights advocate, social activist, and community leader in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1978 to 1979, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1981 to 1987...
successfully had a private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
passed through the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
to rename the township in honour of athlete Rick Hansen
Rick Hansen
Richard M. Hansen, CC, OBC is a Canadian Paralympian and an activist for people with spinal cord injuries. Following a car crash at the age of 15, Hansen sustained a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the waist down. Hansen is most famous for his Man In Motion World Tour...
, who was embarking on his international Man in Motion tour at the time.
Economy
The Killarney area's economy is based primarily on tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, consisting mainly of wilderness lodges, campgrounds and retail services geared toward campers and other visitors to Killarney Provincial Park.
A community museum, the Killarney Centennial Museum, is located in Killarney adjacent to the municipal government offices.
Although not officially part of the Sudbury East
Sudbury East
Sudbury East was a provincial electoral riding in the Canadian province of Ontario, that was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1967 to 1999. It served the easternmost portion of the former city of Sudbury, the eastern portion of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury, and...
region, Killarney participates in the regional Sudbury East Planning Board with the municipalities of French River, St. Charles and Markstay-Warren
Markstay-Warren, Ontario
Markstay-Warren is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Sudbury District. Highway 17, from the city limits of Greater Sudbury to the Sudbury District's border with Nipissing District, lies entirely within Markstay-Warren...
.
Killarney Provincial Park is also home to the Killarney Provincial Park Observatory
Killarney Provincial Park Observatory
The Killarney Provincial Park Observatory is a small observatory located in Killarney Provincial Park near the George Lake Campground...
.
Transportation
The primary road access to Killarney is via Highway 637. The town is also served by the small Killarney AirportKillarney Airport
Killarney Airport, , is located adjacent to the town of Killarney, Ontario, Canada....
.