Rayside-Balfour, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Rayside-Balfour was a town in Ontario
, Canada
, which existed from 1973 to 2000.
It was created as part of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury. The town took its name from the geographic townships
of Rayside and Balfour, which fell within the boundaries of the new town.
Although the Regional Municipality of Sudbury was a very important centre of Franco-Ontarian
population and culture, Rayside-Balfour was the only town in the regional municipality which had a majority francophone
population.
On January 1, 2001, the town and the Regional Municipality were dissolved and amalgamated into the city of Greater Sudbury. The Rayside-Balfour area is now divided between Wards 3 and 4 on Greater Sudbury City Council
, and is represented by councillors Claude Berthiaume and Evelyn Dutrisac.
In 2006, there was interest in the de-amalgamation of the former town of Rayside-Balfour from the City of Greater Sudbury. However, as any referendum on the matter would require the consent of the provincial government, any such move is not likely to take place.
. It was once known as Ste-Azilda, until it was discovered that there was no saint by that name.
Municipal Road 35, linking Azilda to downtown Sudbury, has been increased from two lanes to four lanes, which improved the commute for Azilda's workers, who are mostly employed in the city's urban core. In addition, it shortens the travel time for tourists hoping to visit Sudbury Downs
, which is located in the outskirts of Azilda. There are future plans to complete the widening of Municipal Road 35 between Azilda and Chelmsford, although the start of the construction has not yet been determined.
On September 12, 1906, Azilda was the site of a train wreck.
Azilda's telephone and postal service also includes the smaller local neighbourhoods of Bélanger and Simard.
. Some say Chelmsford was named by one the Canadian Pacific Railway engineers, who was from the United Kingdom
. As with many communities in Northern Ontario
, logging
and fur trapping were the first industries. Having depleted the lumber in the early 1900s, Chelmsford turned to mining and agriculture to support the town's economy. Errington Mine and Nickel Offset mine were two of the largest mines in Chelmsford and both closed in the 1930s.
Today, Chelmsford has no major industries and is mostly a residential community. Although there are still some farms producing mostly potato
es, small fruit
s and corn
, it is mostly supported by the mining activities in the nearby communities of Onaping Falls and Copper Cliff.
Postal delivery and telephone service in Chelmsford also includes the smaller neighbourhoods of Boninville, Hull and Larchwood.
Chelmsford is host to an annual fiddle festival, Fiddle Works, in May.
.
Chelmsford is home to an English language secondary school: Chelmsford Valley District Composite School
, which offers French immersion
and English high school, specializing in technology and the trades with an excellent STAR (Science and Tech Achieving Results) academic programme. CVDCS' motto is "The Place to Be". École secondaire catholique Champlain
is the francophone high school in the area, which serves the former towns of Rayside-Balfour and Onaping Falls.
Chelmsford is also home to a new elementary school, École Alliance St-Joseph. The school, part of the Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario
, services the francophone community and is the largest population-wise in the entire City of Greater Sudbury, amalgamated three separate French Catholic elementary schools: St-Joseph, Jacques-Cartier and Monseigneur-Côté. The school uses advanced technology in the classroom, and provides its students with portable computers for in-class use.
The community is also home to a French public school, Pavillon-de-l'Avenir, which is housed in the former Collège Rayside-Balfour section of the Chelmsford Valley District Composite School
building.
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...
, which existed from 1973 to 2000.
It was created as part of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury. The town took its name from the geographic townships
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 Rayside and Balfour, which fell within the boundaries of the new town.
Although the Regional Municipality of Sudbury was a very important centre of Franco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarians are French Canadian or francophone residents of the Canadian province of Ontario. They are sometimes known as "Ontarois"....
population and culture, Rayside-Balfour was the only town in the regional municipality which had a majority francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
population.
On January 1, 2001, the town and the Regional Municipality were dissolved and amalgamated into the city of Greater Sudbury. The Rayside-Balfour area is now divided between Wards 3 and 4 on Greater Sudbury City Council
Greater Sudbury City Council
Greater Sudbury City Council is the governing body of the City of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.The council consists of the mayor plus a twelve-person council. The city is divided into twelve wards; each ward is represented by one councillor...
, and is represented by councillors Claude Berthiaume and Evelyn Dutrisac.
In 2006, there was interest in the de-amalgamation of the former town of Rayside-Balfour from the City of Greater Sudbury. However, as any referendum on the matter would require the consent of the provincial government, any such move is not likely to take place.
Azilda
Azilda gets its name from Azilda Brisebois,the first female pioneer of the area and wife of François Bélanger. The community borders the eastern shore of Whitewater LakeWhitewater Lake
Whitewater Lake is a lake in the city of Sudbury, Ontario. The community of Azilda borders its eastern shore.The lake is host to a number of amateur fishing tournaments, and it was the site of an annual powerboat racing championship. It is the site of the Sudbury/Azilda Water Aerodrome, which...
. It was once known as Ste-Azilda, until it was discovered that there was no saint by that name.
Municipal Road 35, linking Azilda to downtown Sudbury, has been increased from two lanes to four lanes, which improved the commute for Azilda's workers, who are mostly employed in the city's urban core. In addition, it shortens the travel time for tourists hoping to visit Sudbury Downs
Sudbury Downs
Sudbury Downs is a harness racing track located in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, on Bonin Road between the communities of Azilda and Chelmsford...
, which is located in the outskirts of Azilda. There are future plans to complete the widening of Municipal Road 35 between Azilda and Chelmsford, although the start of the construction has not yet been determined.
On September 12, 1906, Azilda was the site of a train wreck.
Azilda's telephone and postal service also includes the smaller local neighbourhoods of Bélanger and Simard.
Chelmsford
Founded in 1868, Chelmsford started out as an outpost on the Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
. Some say Chelmsford was named by one the Canadian Pacific Railway engineers, who was from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. As with many communities in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
, logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
and fur trapping were the first industries. Having depleted the lumber in the early 1900s, Chelmsford turned to mining and agriculture to support the town's economy. Errington Mine and Nickel Offset mine were two of the largest mines in Chelmsford and both closed in the 1930s.
Today, Chelmsford has no major industries and is mostly a residential community. Although there are still some farms producing mostly potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es, small fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s and corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, it is mostly supported by the mining activities in the nearby communities of Onaping Falls and Copper Cliff.
Postal delivery and telephone service in Chelmsford also includes the smaller neighbourhoods of Boninville, Hull and Larchwood.
Chelmsford is host to an annual fiddle festival, Fiddle Works, in May.
Education
There are two francophone schools (École publique Franco-Nord and École catholique Ste-Marie) in Azilda. All anglophone students must attend a school in Chelmsford or Valley EastValley East, Ontario
Valley East was a city in Ontario, Canada, which existed from 1973 to 2000.It was created as part of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury, and took its name from the fact that it comprised the eastern half of the Sudbury Basin....
.
Chelmsford is home to an English language secondary school: Chelmsford Valley District Composite School
Chelmsford Valley District Composite School
Chelmsford Valley District Composite School is a high school located in the community of Chelmsford, Ontario, part of Greater Sudbury. The school opened in 1953. CVDCS offers a Bilingual Trades program as their magnet program...
, which offers French immersion
French immersion
French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which a child who does not speak French as his or her first language receives instruction in school in French...
and English high school, specializing in technology and the trades with an excellent STAR (Science and Tech Achieving Results) academic programme. CVDCS' motto is "The Place to Be". École secondaire catholique Champlain
École Secondaire Catholique Champlain
École Secondaire Catholique Champlain is a French Catholic school in the region of Chelmsford, Ontario. Champlain is a secondary school owned and operated by the Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario. The school has an estimated 300 students ranging from grade 9 to grade...
is the francophone high school in the area, which serves the former towns of Rayside-Balfour and Onaping Falls.
Chelmsford is also home to a new elementary school, École Alliance St-Joseph. The school, part of the Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario
Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario
The Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario is a school board in the Canadian province of Ontario. The board is the school district administrator for French language Roman Catholic separate schools in the city of Greater Sudbury and the districts of Sudbury, Manitoulin and Algoma.-Secondary:*...
, services the francophone community and is the largest population-wise in the entire City of Greater Sudbury, amalgamated three separate French Catholic elementary schools: St-Joseph, Jacques-Cartier and Monseigneur-Côté. The school uses advanced technology in the classroom, and provides its students with portable computers for in-class use.
The community is also home to a French public school, Pavillon-de-l'Avenir, which is housed in the former Collège Rayside-Balfour section of the Chelmsford Valley District Composite School
Chelmsford Valley District Composite School
Chelmsford Valley District Composite School is a high school located in the community of Chelmsford, Ontario, part of Greater Sudbury. The school opened in 1953. CVDCS offers a Bilingual Trades program as their magnet program...
building.
Notable people
- Robert CampeauRobert CampeauRobert Campeau is a Canadian financier and real estate developer.-Early years:His formal education ended in grade eight, at the age of 14. He talked himself into jobs at Inco as a general labourer, carpenter and machinist. In 1949 he entered the residential end of the construction business...
, financier - Randy CarlyleRandy CarlyleRandolph Robert Carlyle is a former ice hockey defenceman and formely the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He was raised in Azilda, just northwest of Sudbury, Ontario.-Career:...
, NHL hockey player - Chuck LabelleChuck LabelleJean-Guy Labelle is a Canadian singer-songwriter, who is one of the most prominent Canadian performers of francophone country music. His 1999 album Le Cowboy, released in both French and English versions, reached #1 on the European country music charts that year.A franco-Ontarian from Mattawa,...
, musician - Stéphane PaquetteStéphane PaquetteStéphane Paquette is a Franco-Ontarian singer-songwriter and actor from Canada.A founding member of the band Les Chaizes Muzikales in 1993, Paquette launched a solo career in 2002 with his first solo album, L'Homme exponentiel.Paquette is also known as an improv comedian and actor...
, musician and actor
External links
- Greater Sudbury Virtual Heritage Museum, photo of derailment near Azilda
- History of Rayside-Balfour at Greater Sudbury Heritage MuseumsGreater Sudbury Heritage MuseumsThe Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums are a network of four small community history museums in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. Three of the four are located on heritage properties in different neighbourhoods within the city, and the fourth is located in a library facility.-Anderson Farm Museum:The...
- Hello Chelmsford - Chelmsford Community Action Network