Preston, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Preston is a community in Cambridge
, Ontario
, Canada
. Prior to its amalgamation
with the city of Galt, the town of Hespeler
and the village of Blair to form the new city in 1973, it was an independent town. It is located near the confluence of the Grand River
and Speed River
. Downtown Preston is commonly considered to be bounded on the north by the entrance to Riverside Park on King Street, and on the south by the King and Bishop plaza.
, which was purchased earlier from the Six Nations Indians. It was John Erb who bought the 7500 acres (30 km²) of land and settled it in 1805. He later built a sawmill in 1806 and a gristmill in 1807. This settlement became known as Cambridge Mills. The settlement grew and by 1879 there were many industries such as a foundry, carriage manufacturer, potteries and a furniture company. This was also the year that the Cherry Flour Mills started, which would later become the Dover Flour Mills, a Preston company that still operates today. Preston became the Town of Preston in 1900, and had a population of just under 11 000 by 1959.
; one public middle school, William G Davis; as well as the elementary schools Preston Public, Coronation Public, Grandview Public, Parkway Public, Ryerson Public, St. Michael's Catholic and St. Joseph's Catholic.
The 7.5 kilometer Mill Run Trail runs north-east from the park at Russ Street, along the banks of the Speed River, to Sheffield Street in the town of Hespeler. On its way, it passes through the hamlet of Speedsville, the former site of Idylwild Park
and Chilligo Conservation Area
.
Also in Preston is Linear Park which has extensive trails for walking, running or biking. At certain points the trail gives a perfect view of the confluence of the Grand and the Speed Rivers.
The Grist Mill Centre including a new Giant Tiger Department store is a small commercial mall on King Street in Preston.
Cambridge, Ontario
Cambridge is a city located in Southern Ontario at the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It is an amalgamation of the City of Galt, the towns of Preston and Hespeler, and the hamlet of Blair.Galt covers the largest portion 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....
, 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...
. Prior to its amalgamation
Amalgamation (politics)
A merger or amalgamation in a political or administrative sense is the combination of two or more political or administrative entities such as municipalities , counties, districts, etc. into a single entity. This term is used when the process occurs within a sovereign entity...
with the city of Galt, the town of Hespeler
Hespeler, Ontario
Hespeler is a town and community located in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada on the Speed River.- History :In 1830, Joseph Oberholtzer purchased land along the Speed River. The settlement that followed was to become known as New Hope. In 1845, Jacob Hespeler arrived in New Hope. Hespeler purchased land...
and the village of Blair to form the new city in 1973, it was an independent town. It is located near the confluence of the Grand River
Grand River (Ontario)
The Grand River is a large river in southwestern Ontario, Canada. From its source, it flows south through Grand Valley, Fergus, Elora, Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Paris, Brantford, Caledonia, and Cayuga before emptying into the north shore of Lake Erie south of Dunnville at Port Maitland...
and Speed River
Speed River
The Speed River is a river that flows through Wellington County and the Region of Waterloo in western Ontario, Canada. It flows south from its source near Orton, through Guelph, where it is joined by the Eramosa River, then through the towns of Hespeler and Preston, finally uniting with the Grand...
. Downtown Preston is commonly considered to be bounded on the north by the entrance to Riverside Park on King Street, and on the south by the King and Bishop plaza.
History
Preston was originally formed on land belonging to the German Company Tract, along the Speed RiverSpeed River
The Speed River is a river that flows through Wellington County and the Region of Waterloo in western Ontario, Canada. It flows south from its source near Orton, through Guelph, where it is joined by the Eramosa River, then through the towns of Hespeler and Preston, finally uniting with the Grand...
, which was purchased earlier from the Six Nations Indians. It was John Erb who bought the 7500 acres (30 km²) of land and settled it in 1805. He later built a sawmill in 1806 and a gristmill in 1807. This settlement became known as Cambridge Mills. The settlement grew and by 1879 there were many industries such as a foundry, carriage manufacturer, potteries and a furniture company. This was also the year that the Cherry Flour Mills started, which would later become the Dover Flour Mills, a Preston company that still operates today. Preston became the Town of Preston in 1900, and had a population of just under 11 000 by 1959.
Education
Preston is home to one high school, Preston HighPreston High School (Ontario)
Preston High School, located on the bank of the Grand River in Cambridge, Ontario, first opened in 1934. Feeder schools are William G. Davis, Clemens Mill Public School and Silverheights Public School in Cambridge and Doon Public School in Kitchener. It is one of sixteen secondary schools in the...
; one public middle school, William G Davis; as well as the elementary schools Preston Public, Coronation Public, Grandview Public, Parkway Public, Ryerson Public, St. Michael's Catholic and St. Joseph's Catholic.
Parks and trails
The main park in Preston is Riverside Park. It is Cambridge's largest community park with an area of 256 acres (1.02 km².) The park contains a splash pad, two playgrounds,tennis courts, soccer pitch, a skateboard park, picnic areas that can be reserved, and a multitude of walking trails. The baseball fields are used often and on Canada Day there is always an event at the field whether it is a fair, bands at a bandstand, or fireworks. Riverside Park also hosts a fishing derby on Canada Day when support is available.The 7.5 kilometer Mill Run Trail runs north-east from the park at Russ Street, along the banks of the Speed River, to Sheffield Street in the town of Hespeler. On its way, it passes through the hamlet of Speedsville, the former site of Idylwild Park
Idylwild Park
Idylwild Park was a park located on the Speed River in what is now Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. It attracted people from across Southwestern Ontario and the Golden Horseshoe, via the Grand Trunk Railway and the Galt, Preston & Hespeler Street Railway....
and Chilligo Conservation Area
Grand River Conservation Authority
The Grand River Conservation Authority is a conservation authority in Ontario, Canada. It operates under the Conservation Authorities Act of Ontario...
.
Also in Preston is Linear Park which has extensive trails for walking, running or biking. At certain points the trail gives a perfect view of the confluence of the Grand and the Speed Rivers.
Sports
Preston has a lawn bowling club that has been in existence for over 70 years. * The Preston Lawn Bowling Club is located at 427 Queenston Rd. and is open to not only the residents of Preston, but also the surrounding area. Soccer is also very popular.Preston Towne Centre
This traditional downtown core area remains quite vibrant and through the B.I.A. has organized a closely knit group of merchants providing a wide range of goods and services in office-related industry, business service industries and licensed restaurants. The target market area is predominately the immediate surrounding residential area, which is constantly growing through new high density developments. In addition, high traffic counts through this area adds to the market potential.The Grist Mill Centre including a new Giant Tiger Department store is a small commercial mall on King Street in Preston.
See also
- Cambridge, OntarioCambridge, OntarioCambridge is a city located in Southern Ontario at the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It is an amalgamation of the City of Galt, the towns of Preston and Hespeler, and the hamlet of Blair.Galt covers the largest portion of...
- Hespeler, OntarioHespeler, OntarioHespeler is a town and community located in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada on the Speed River.- History :In 1830, Joseph Oberholtzer purchased land along the Speed River. The settlement that followed was to become known as New Hope. In 1845, Jacob Hespeler arrived in New Hope. Hespeler purchased land...
- Preston Car CompanyPreston Car CompanyThe Preston Car Company was a Canadian manufacturer of streetcars and other railway equipment, founded in 1908. The company was located in the town of Preston, Ontario...
- Regional Municipality of WaterlooRegional Municipality of WaterlooThe Regional Municipality of Waterloo is a regional municipality located in Southern Ontario, Canada. It consists of the cities of Kitchener, Cambridge, and Waterloo, and the townships of Wellesley, Woolwich, Wilmot, and North Dumfries. It is often referred to as the Region of Waterloo or just...
- Speed RiverSpeed RiverThe Speed River is a river that flows through Wellington County and the Region of Waterloo in western Ontario, Canada. It flows south from its source near Orton, through Guelph, where it is joined by the Eramosa River, then through the towns of Hespeler and Preston, finally uniting with the Grand...
External links
- cambridgeweb.net: Brief History of the community of Preston
- Preston at Geographical Names of Canada
- Evolution of Preston. City of Cambridge web-site.