Amherstview, Ontario

Amherstview
Unincorporated community
Amherstview
Coordinates: 44°13′18″N76°38′55″W / 44.2217°N 76.6486°W / 44.2217; -76.6486
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County	Lennox and Addington
Township municipality	Loyalist
Founded	1950
Named after	Amherst Island
Government
• Type	Unincorporated
Population  (2016)
• Total	7,959
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern Time Zone)
Postal code FSA	K7N
Area codes	613, 343
Highways	Highway 33

Amherstview is an unincorporated community in the township of Loyalist, Ontario.

It is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario and has a population of approximately 7,959 as of 2016. It is adjacent to the city of Kingston and is considered part of the Greater Kingston area. Amherstview is named for Amherst Island, directly to the south in Lake Ontario. When the community was first established in the 1950s, the spelling was generally "Amherst View".

Amherst is a common place name found in many parts of Canada commemorating Lord Jeffrey Amherst (1717–97), Field-Marshal of the British Army, Commander-in-Chief in North America, and Governor General of British North America from 1760 to 1763. ^[1]

The community is the eastern end of the Loyalist Parkway, a stretch of Highway 33 that travels along Lake Ontario, in an area in which many United Empire Loyalists settled. Amherstview is home to Fairfield House which is itself situated in Fairfield Park on the shore of Lake Ontario. Fairfield House was constructed in 1793 by the Fairfield family who were among the first Loyalists to settle the area. It served as the family home and a portion of the building was also used as a tavern for some time. The impressive wood-frame building is now a museum exhibiting period artifacts and furniture and offering guided tours.

Since Amherstview is part of Loyalist Township, it has no legal boundaries. General boundaries are Lake Ontario to the south, the Canadian National rail line to the north, Coronation Boulevard to the east (the City of Kingston boundary), and Lennox and Addington County Road 6 to the west.

Infrastructure

Amherstview is home to the Henderson Recreation Centre. The centre houses a public library, a 25 m public swimming pool (currently closed for rebuilding), a skating arena and an outdoor soccer field. ^[2] Amherstview is also home to the educational institutions Amherstview Public School and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School and Fairfield Elementary School, three elementary and middle schools composed of students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.

Public transportation between Amherstview and Kingston is provided by Kingston Transit.

Culture

Historic sites

Fairfield House in Amherstview.

• Fairfield House: completed in 1793, this is a house that was built entirely by hand by William Fairfield. It is the best preserved 18th century dwelling in Eastern Ontario. In 1984, it was officially opened to the public and was visited by Queen Elizabeth II during the bicentennial of the Loyalists' settling of Amherstview. ^[3]

• Joshua Booth House: the Joshua Booth House is called Stonewatch because it was said to have been used as a lookout for United States ships during the War of 1812. The builder, Joshua Booth, served as a sargeant loyal to the British during the American Revolution, was one of the first settlers in the area. ^[4]

Outdoor attractions

• Fairfield Park: located close to Fairfield House and includes Fairfield beach along the shoreline, which is a popular place to launch kayaks and canoes. It has a flower garden, picnic tables, playground equipment, and a trail/walking path. ^[5]

• Great Lakes Waterfront Trail: a 1600 km trail that passes through the community. The Amherstview Route is a trail throughout the community and the Odessa Route connects Amherstview with Odessa, Ontario. ^[6]

Education

Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board

The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board is a Separate school board that serves the community. There is one school in Amherstview: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School. There are no secondary schools in Amherstview. Students within this school board are bussed to Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in Kingston when in secondary school. ^[7]

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School is a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 school and is located on Park Crescent. The school offers French Immersion for all grades. ^[8] In the summer of 2024, the Ministry of Education approved the Board's request to proceed with the construction of a replacement school. The new school will be built on the current grounds, beside the existing school and will remain a JK-8 school that is dual track, French Immersion and English learning. ^[9]

Limestone District School Board

Amherstview is served by the Limestone District School Board. There are two JK-8 schools in the community: Amherstview Public School and Fairfield Elementary School. There are no secondary schools in Amherstview. Students within this school board are bussed to Ernestown Intermediate and Secondary School in Odessa when in secondary school. ^[10]

Amherstview Public School

Amherstview Public School is a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 school located on Fairfield Blvd. The school was founded in 1958 and serves approximately 650 students. The school also offers French Immersion from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6. The school mascot is an alligator and the team name is the Gators. ^[11]

Fairfield Elementary School

Fairfield Elementary School is a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 school located on Kildare Avenue. The school was built in 1973 and serves approximately 300 students. The mascot and team name for Fairfield Elementary School is the Falcons. ^[12]

Public library system

The Lennox and Addington County public library system has five branches, including one in Amherstview, located within the W. J. Henderson Recreation Centre. ^[13]

Fire and emergency services

Ambulance

Ambulance service in Amherstview is provided by Lennox and Addington Paramedic Service and Frontenac Paramedics. ^[14]

Fire services

Amherstview has a fire station located in the community. The apparatus includes: ^[15]

• Pumper 941 – 2013 Spartan Metro Star / Dependable (1500/1000)
• Aerial 941 – 2018 E-One 78’ HP Rear Mount Typhoon / E-One (1500/500)
• Squad 941 – 2011 F-500 / Pierce Crew Cab Walk-Around Light Rescue
• Utility 941 – 2009 Chev ½ Ton
• Ice/Water Rescue Trailer
• Chief 912 – 2018 F-150 Crew Cab
• Inspector 901 – 2011 Chev Impala

Police

Policing in Amherstview is provided by the Ontario Provincial Police. The Lennox and Addington County OPP detachment is located in Odessa. ^[16]

Health care

The Loyalist Medical Centre is located in Amherstview and is home to the Loyalist Family Health Team, who provide health care for the community. ^[17] Amherstview does not have a hospital located in the community. The Lennox and Addington County General Hospital located in Napanee serves Loyalist Township. ^[18] Kingston General Hospital and Hotel Dieu Hospital in Kingston are close by. ^[19]

Amherstview is home to three nursing and retirement homes. The homes are:

• Briargate Retirement Living Centre ^[20]
• Helen Henderson Care Centre ^[21]
• The Windsor Retirement Residence ^[22]

Media

Print media

The Kingston Whig-Standard provides coverage for Amherstview. ^[23]

Radio

A 100% volunteer-run community radio station, Island Radio CJAI 101.3 FM, serves Amherstview in addition to various media outlets in nearby Kingston. ^[24]

Television

Global Kingston (CKWS-DT) provides news for the community. ^[25]

Sports

W. J. Henderson Recreation Centre

The W. J. Henderson Recreation Centre is located in Amherstview and the facility offers a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, a hockey arena and a soccer field. ^[26]

The Amherstview Jets of the Provincial Junior Hockey League play their home games at the arena. ^[27]

Willie Pratt Sports Field

The Willie Pratt Sports Field is a multi-use sports facility in Amherstview featuring ball diamonds, soccer fields, a playground and other amenities. ^[28]

Transportation

Air

The closest airport to Amherstview is Norman Rogers Airport in Kingston. At this time, the airport does not offer regular passenger airline service. ^[29] The closest major airport to Amherstview is the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport located in Ottawa. ^[30]

Bus

Kingston Transit provides public transit between Amherstview and the Cataraqui Centre in Kingston. ^[31]

Roads

Highway 401

Ontario Highway 401 passes through Loyalist Township, north of Amherstview. Lennox and Addington County Road 6 connects Amherstview with Highway 401 via exit 599. ^[32]

Loyalist Parkway

Ontario Highway 33, commonly referred to as Highway 33 or the Loyalist Parkway, runs through Amherstview along the Lake Ontario shoreline. In 1984, Queen Elizabeth II commemorated Highway 33 as the Loyalist Parkway at a ceremony in Amherstview in honour of the settlers that landed there in 1784. ^[33]

Rail

Amherstview does not have a station, however, there is a train station closeby in Kingston. Via Rail's corridor connects Kingston along the main line between Windsor and Quebec City. Kingston is a regular stop on train services between Toronto and Ottawa as well as Toronto and Montreal. ^[34]

Notable people

Gord Downie was a singer and lyricist with The Tragically Hip.

• Gord Downie (1964 – 2017), singer and lyricist of the band The Tragically Hip
• William Fairfield (1769 – 1816), business man and political figure in Upper Canada
• James Scott Macdonald (1896 – 1985), career diplomat
• Ryan Malcolm (1979 – ), singer, winner of Canadian Idol season one
• Jay McKee (1977 – ), professional ice hockey player and coach
• Nathan Robinson (1981 – ), professional ice hockey player
• Mabel Van Camp (1920 – 2012), judge, first woman on the Supreme Court of Ontario

See also

• Ontario portal

• List of unincorporated communities in Ontario

References

1. Hamilton, William (1978). The Macmillan Book of Canadian Place Names . Toronto: Macmillan. pp.  133. ISBN   0-7715-9754-1.
2. "WJ Henderson Pool to remain closed while Loyalist Township considers its future". 20-04-2022. Global News. Retrieved April 17, 2024
3. "Fairfield House". Loyalist Township.
4. "Page 1 and 2 Driving Tour" (PDF). Loyalist Township. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
5. "Fairfield Park". Great Lakes Guide. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
6. "Bike Routes". Naturally L&A. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
7. "Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board". Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
8. "Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School". Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
9. "Official Groundbreaking Ceremony for Our Lady of Mount Carmel". Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
10. "Limestone District School Board". Limestone District School Board. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
11. "About Us". Amherstview Public School. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
12. "About Us". Fairfield Elementary School. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
13. "Amherstview". Lennox & Addington Libraries. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
14. "Fire and Emergency Services". Loyalist Township. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
15. "Fire and Emergency Services". Loyalist Township. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
16. "Police". Loyalist Township. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
17. "Loyalist Family". Loyalist Family Health Team. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
18. "Lennox and Addington County General Hospital". Lennox and Addington County General Hospital. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
19. "Welcome to KHSC". Kingston Health Sciences Centre. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
20. "Welcome to Briargate". Briargate Retirement Living. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
21. "Helen Henderson Care Centre". Gibson Family Health Care. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
22. "The Windsor Retirement Residence". South East Health Line. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
23. "The Kingston Whig-Standard". Kingston Whig-Standard. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
24. "Amherst Island Radio". Amherst Island Radio. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
25. "Kingston News". Global News. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
26. "W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre". Kingston Gets Active. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
27. "Amherstview Jets". PJHL. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
28. "Sports Courts and Fields". Loyalist Township. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
29. "YGK Airport". YGK Airport.
30. "Welcome to YOW". Ottawa International Airport Authority. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
31. "Route 10". Kingston Transit.
32. "Roads". Loyalist Township. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
33. Canadian Press (September 28, 1984). "Battle Re-enacted for Queen, Philip". The Leader–Post. Regina, Saskatchewan. p. A2. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
34. "Kingston train station". VIA Rail. Retrieved 9 April 2025.

External links

• amherstview.ca