Dunnville

Last updated

Dunnville
Unincorporated community
Kakost1.JPG
St. Michael's Catholic Church
Motto: 
Grand Living in a Great Town
Canada Ontario location map 2.svg
Red pog.svg
Dunnville
Canada location map 2.svg
Red pog.svg
Dunnville
Coordinates: 42°54′10″N79°37′00″W / 42.90278°N 79.61667°W / 42.90278; -79.61667
CountryCanada
Province Ontario
County Haldimand
Incorporated as Village of DunnvilleJanuary 1, 1860
Incorporated as Town of Dunnville1900
Joined Haldimand CountyJanuary 1, 2001
Government
  Mayor of HaldimandShelley Ann Bentley
  Governing bodyThe Council of the Corporation of Haldimand County
  Ward 6 (Dunnville) CouncillorPatrick O'Neill
   MP Leslyn Lewis (Conservative)
   MPP Bobbi Ann Brady (Independent)
Area
  Total
5.39 km2 (2.08 sq mi)
Elevation
183 m (600 ft)
Population
 (2021)
  Total
5,907
  Density1,086.8/km2 (2,815/sq mi)
Demonym Dunnvilian
Time zone UTC−05:00 (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Forward sortation area
N1A
Area code(s) 905, 289, 365

Dunnville is an unincorporated community located near the mouth of the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada, near the historic Talbot Trail. It was formerly an incorporated town encompassing the surrounding area with a total population of 12,000.

Contents

History

Dunnville was the site of a Cayuga settlement called Detgahnegaha'gó:wah. [1] The European settlement was originally built as the entrance to the Welland "feeder" canal, and the town once boasted several water-powered mills and a once-bustling canal port. The feeder canal closed in the late 1880s, and the last mill was destroyed and replaced with a condominium complex. There is an impassable dam at Dunnville which regulates the level of the Grand River at Port Maitland, which, in the 19th century, also helped regulate the level of the Welland Canal (from 1829 to 1887 when the third canal began to intake its water directly from Lake Erie). Dunnville was incorporated as a village in 1860 and then as a town in 1900. In 1974, the town amalgamated with the Dunn, Canborough, Moulton and Sherbrooke townships into an enlarged Dunville. In 2001, Dunnville was amalgamated with Haldimand and half of Nanticoke to form Haldimand. What was the incorporated town of Dunnville now consists of Wards 5 and 6 in Haldimand County.

CensusPopulation
18711,452
18811,808
18911,776
19012,105
19112,861
19213,224
19313,405
19414,028
19514,478
19615,181
19715,576
198111,353
199112,131
20015,686
20065,729
20115,626
20165,759
20215,907

It is located only a few kilometres from Lake Erie, so Dunnville has many private vacation properties.

The Mud Cat of Dunnville Mud Cat of Dunnville, ON, Canada.JPG
The Mud Cat of Dunnville

Dunnville has many events and natural attractions. In June, the annual Mudcat Festival is held to celebrate one of the Grand River's most well-known inhabitants. The festival includes a parade, strongman contests, midway and fireworks. Another popular event is the Dunnville Agricultural Fair, held in late August, which includes heavy, light, miniature horse shows, and sheep and goat shows. Dunnville has tennis, golf and swimming facilities and many Bed and Breakfasts and campsites. Tuesday and Saturday are Farmers Market days since the relocation of the local arena. Dunnville is currently constructing a new Farmers Market Pavilion, providing more protection from the elements while helping to support what the local farming has to offer (heating may still be an issue).

RCAF Memorial, Dunnville Public Library RCAF Harvard 2766.jpg
RCAF Memorial, Dunnville Public Library

The former World War II RCAF Training Base, the Dunnville Airport, offers a unique window on history with its massive hangars and runways. Previously used for recreational flying and skydiving, the airport is now closed due to six large wind-turbine power generators on the airfield. [2] The airport is also home to Haldimand County's newest museum, the No. 6 RCAF Dunnville Museum. It has also been the home of the Driver Rehabilitation Centre for the reality television program Canada's Worst Driver since 2010. The Grand River and nearby Lake Erie offers aquatic activities including swimming, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and features prime locations for fishing. Nearby are Byng Island Conservation Area, Rock Point Provincial Park and Port Maitland's new pier. In the fall, Rock Point hosts thousands of monarch butterflies heading south. Dunnville is also the site of one of Ontario's largest expanses of provincially significant wetlands where bird watching and nature photography are popular activities. Smuckers Foods of Canada Co., which operates the Bick's Pickle Plant (Dunnville's largest factory), employs a small percentage of the town's population, mainly students. In 2001, Bick's head office facility in Scarborough, Ontario was shut down, and operations were transferred to the Dunnville location, where it remained until the end of November 2011, at which point it closed. This community is the easternmost city that belongs to the Green Energy Hub of Southern Ontario.

2009 Grand River flood

On February 13, 2009, the Grand River flooded when the river ice thawed, damaging Cayuga and Dunnville. [3] The next day, the CCGC Griffon proceeded up the river to help clear ice.

Demographics

Canada census – Dunnville community profile
2021 2016
Population5,907 (+2.6% from 2016)5,759 (+2.4% from 2011)
Land area5.44 km2 (2.10 sq mi)5.39 km2 (2.08 sq mi)
Population density1,086.8/km2 (2,815/sq mi)1,068.4/km2 (2,767/sq mi)
Median age50 (M: 47.6, F: 52.0)48.2 (M: 46.3, F: 49.8)
Private dwellings2,585 (total) 2,535 (total) 
Median household income$62,400$50,048
References: 2021 [4] 2016 [5]

Ethnicity

Only those populations that comprise more than 1% of the population have been included. [6]

Ethnic Groups in the Community of Caledonia, Ontario (2021)
Ethnic
Group
2021 [6] 2016 [7]
Pop. % Pop. %
Canadian 1,0952,105
English 1,7502,070
Irish 1,1701,080
Scottish 1,2501,260
French [a] 470550
German 875995
Italian 170110
Ukrainian 200220
Dutch 875810
Polish 165155
Métis 6030
Welsh 10090
Portuguese 6040
American 6540
Hungarian 115145
North American Indigenous [b] 70250
Total responses5,7105,610
Total population5,9075,759
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.

Language

As of the 2021 census, 5,585 citizens spoke English only, 140 that spoke both official languages and five that spoke neither. [6]

Religion

As of the 2021 census, 3,255 citizens were identifying as Christian and 2,395 as non-religious and secular perspectives. [6]

Education

Public education is administered by the Grand Erie District School Board. Schools located in Dunville include: [8]

Catholic Education is administered by the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board. Catholic schools located in Dunnville include:

Sports

Dunnville Jr. Mudcats Home Game Dunnville Memorial Arena - Dunnville, ON.jpg
Dunnville Jr. Mudcats Home Game

Dunnville is home to the Dunnville Jr. Mudcats who plays in the Provincial Junior Hockey League. [9]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. Carrie Dick. Personal correspondence. Op. cit. GeoNative. "Iroquois: Mohawk, Cayuga, Wyandot". January 1, 1999. Accessed April 20, 2012.
  2. Wind Turbines Close Flight Operations at Historical Dunnville Airport
  3. Cathy Pelletier (February 10, 2010). "The Flood --One Year Later". Dunnville Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. It was Friday the 13th, 2009 when the Grand River awakened from its winter hibernation and began to unleash an unprovoked assault upon its neighbours. Melting snow and the accumulation of waters flowing into the 300-km length of the Grand suddenly and without warning spelled disaster for Cayuga and Dunnville. A repeated cycle of ice jams and releases caused the crest of the water to rise and fall, spilling over the banks at various locations. Very early in the morning, the water began its considerable, rapid ascent in Cayuga, and emergency personnel embarked upon what would become a very long, intensive rescue effort.
  4. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census . Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022.
  5. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census . Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Dunnville, Ontario Census 2021". Statistics Canada. February 1, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  7. "Census Profile: Dunnville Ontario (Population centre)". Canada 2016 Census . Statistics Canada . Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  8. "School Boundary Map". Grand Erie District School Board. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  9. Smith, Cory (November 22, 2024). "GAME DAY: Tavistock set to host PJHL South Conference all-star game". Stratford Beacon Herald. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  10. Poitras, Cameron. "Pete DeBoer fired by Devils". CBC Sports. The Associated Press. Retrieved May 16, 2015.

Notes

  1. Statistic includes all individuals that identified as having a French origin but not otherwise specified.
  2. Statistic includes all individuals that identified as having an Indigenous origin but not otherwise specified.