Montague is the largest population centre in the county and straddles the Montague River which is the dividing line between the townships of Lot 52 and Lot 59. The community functions as a regional service centre for the eastern end of the province, supporting two supermarkets, three hardware stores, a number of independent businesses, and several fast food restaurants, banks, and car dealerships.
General information
Montague is home to the Kings County Memorial Hospital, provincial government offices, and the Montague Curling Club, along with an elementary, intermediate and regional high school. A number of older homes and commercial buildings have been replaced with new, suburban style development along Main Street, particularly in the north end. A large scale redevelopment of the community's waterfront has taken place in recent years.
In 1732, Jean-Pierre Roma, an Acadian French merchant, settled a site a few miles east of present-day Montague that he called Trois Rivieres, now The Three Rivers. It is now a designated historic site, which brings to life his story and how he established there an international trading post. Its interpretive centre is open from the last week of June to the last week of September each year.[2] Unfortunately for him and his business, the French Army on Ile St. Jean were to be defeated by the British in 1745, in an act of ethnic cleansing in which the Acadian population was deported and lost all their earthly goods.
The Garden of the Gulf Museum (c. 1887 to 1888) is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.[3]
Recent events
Montague waterfront
Montague is notable as the first community to combine a Wendy's restaurant and a Tim Hortons franchise under one roof. In 1992, the owner of both franchises in Prince Edward Island, Daniel P. Murphy, opened a new outlet for both brands in the same building in the community. He invited Ron Joyce and Wendy's chairman Dave Thomas to the grand opening, where the two executives met for the first time and established an immediate rapport. Murphy's success with the combined operation led to an agreement resulting in a merger of Wendy's and Tim Hortons (TDL Group) in 1995.[4]
Montague has had several modest property developments in recent decades, consisting of several subdivisions, as well as new big box retail and institutional buildings.
The bridge carrying Route 4 across the Montague River was replaced in December 2007.
The Cavendish Farms Wellness Centre opened in 2009 on the southern edge of the community beside the existing Atlantic Fitness Centre East complex. This facility includes an Olympic sized hockey arena, municipal offices, meeting rooms, two indoor walking tracks and the local library.[5]
In early 2010, the provincial Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development relocated from Charlottetown to a new building in downtown Montague.
Montague Regional High School opened for the 2010–2011 school year at the southern edge of the community on Valleyfield Road.[6]
In 2011, the intersection of the Wood Islands Rd (Route 4) and the Valleyfield Rd (Route 326) was replaced by Kings County's first roundabout.
In 2014, the 30-room Riverhouse Inn hotel opened,[7] and Aspin Kemp & Associates' world headquarters relocated to Montague, along with the relocation of a construction facility for the marine supply company to nearby Poole's Corner.[8]
The same year, Montague also received $320,000 of federal and provincial funding for cultural development, which was used in the construction of a waterfront art gallery, park construction, and the installation of several historic murals throughout the community.[9]
In July 2016, the Montague local council elicited controversy when it voted 2-4 against a request to fly the pride flag during pride month.[10]
On September 28, 2018, the Town of Montague amalgamated with the Town of Georgetown, five nearby rural municipalities – Brudenell, Cardigan, Lorne Valley, Lower Montague, and Valleyfield, and portions of three adjacent unincorporated areas to form the Town of Three Rivers.[11]
As of September 28, 2018, Montague is governed by the Town of Three Rivers.[11] The Kings District of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) serve the community from their headquarters just north of Montague, with one officer exclusively serving the community.
Culture
Montague celebrates its birthday the first week after Canada day every year with an annual tradition called Montague Days, with activities including midway, buskers, soap box derby, Miss Montague contest, a pet parade,a parade (missed in 2007 due to construction of the bridge) and a fireworks display on the Montague Waterfront to wrap up the weekend long festival. The Montague Waterfront also plays host to musical acts and various other activities all weekend long. The gazebo at the waterfront was constructed by local carpenter, Shane Phillip MacDonald. He described it as his magnum opus. [24]
The provincial community college, Holland College, has a location in the Down East Mall, in a wing named the "Montague Centre."[26]
Sports
Montague is home to several sports teams and recreation programs. It has running tracks, recreational trails, parks, and playing fields for soccer, rugby, football, field hockey, softball and baseball. The community also has a swimming pool and fitness centre along with basketball courts and nearby tennis courts. The Eastern Eagles Soccer Complex, on the southern edge of the community, is home to the regional soccer teams, the Eastern Eagles. The Eastern Eagles host a soccer tournament for other teams on Prince Edward Island and those from out of province every summer. In 2009, the Cavendish Farms Wellness Centre opened, giving a new home to the Montague Norsemen hockey teams and replacing the aging Iceland Arena. It also gave Montague junior B and senior hockey teams, the Montague Maniacs and Montague Marines. The community is also home to the Montague Curling Club, which takes in curlers from all of Kings County.[27] Montague Regional High School and Montague Intermediate School are also home to many male and female sports teams.
Climate
Montague has a humid continental climate (Dfb) with short, warm summers with cool nights and long, cold, and wet winters.
Montague's main attraction is the community itself, aptly named "Montague the Beautiful" for its tree-lined streets, tranquil river and stately buildings. Other draws include the Garden of the Gulf Museum (the oldest museum in the province), the Canada Tree, the Montague Curling Club, Cavendish Farms Wellness Centre, Montague Regional High School, the Down East Mall, Station Street Adventure Company,[29] and Gillis' Drive-In Restaurant (in Brudenell). Montague is also a starting point of the Confederation Trail, linking many communities across P.E.I. The former train station has been renovated into a café, gift shop and information centre, looking out over the river.
Economy
Like much of the province, the area's three main industries are fishing, farming and tourism. Montague is home to many independent businesses, along with several chains primarily in the North End. Several large employers include the new Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development, the Provincial Addictions Centre, Vital Statistics, On-Line Support, Shoppers Drug Mart, Mariner Seafoods, Cavendish Farms potato processing plant in Pooles Corner, Real Atlantic Superstore, and Sobeys. The community itself has no designated industrial areas, however neighbouring communities, notably Pooles Corner, have several industrial businesses.
The region's weekly newspaper, the Eastern Graphic, is based in Montague.
Fishing boats in Montague Harbor
Neighbourhoods
Aerial view of Montague
"Greater Montague," which includes outlying areas outside the actual community, has a population of over 6,000. It comprises several neighbourhoods, including:
Stratford is a town located in Queens County, Prince Edward Island.
Summerside is a Canadian city in Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is the second largest city in the province and the primary service centre for the western part of the island.
Kings County is located in eastern Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Cornwall is a Canadian town located in Queens County, Prince Edward Island. The town is located immediately west of the provincial capital Charlottetown.
Souris is a town in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is located near the northeastern tip of the province.
North Rustico is a Canadian town located in Queens County, Prince Edward Island.
Alberton is a Canadian town located in Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is situated in the western part of the county in the township of Lot 5.
Georgetown is a community located within the municipality of Three Rivers in Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is the Capital of Kings County. Previously incorporated as a town, it amalgamated with the town of Montague, the rural municipalities of Brudenell, Cardigan, Lorne Valley, Lower Montague, and Valleyfield, and portions of three adjacent unincorporated areas in 2018.
Breadalbane is a municipality that holds community status in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Located in Queens County, Prince Edward Island, its population as of 2021 is 170.
Murray Harbour is a community that holds rural municipality status in Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is located in southeastern Kings County.
Mount Stewart is a rural municipality in Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is located in the northeastern part of Queens County, at the head of the once-navigable portion of the Hillsborough River at the point where the river begins to narrow significantly. Mount Stewart had a population of 226 at the time of the 2021 Census.
Victoria is a rural municipality in Prince Edward Island, Canada. A historic seaport, the community is situated at the extreme southwestern edge of Queens County in the township of Lot 29.
St. Louis is a municipality that holds community status in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Charlottetown is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, Charlottetown was an unincorporated town until it was incorporated as a city in 1855.
Cardigan was a municipality that held community status in Prince Edward Island, Canada. It was a fishing community in eastern Kings County.
Clyde River is a rural municipality in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Clyde River is located in Queens County in the central part of Prince Edward Island and just 15 minutes away from Charlottetown. The original community name was Dog River. It was named after the River Clyde in Scotland. Heritage is predominantly Scottish and English.
Resort Municipality, officially named the Resort Municipality of Stanley Bridge, Hope River, Bayview, Cavendish and North Rustico, is the lone municipality in Prince Edward Island, Canada that holds resort municipality status. It was established in 1990.
Three Rivers is a town within Kings County in Prince Edward Island that was incorporated on September 28, 2018, through an amalgamation of seven municipalities and adjacent unincorporated areas. The municipalities that were amalgamated included two towns – Georgetown and Montague – and five rural municipalities – Brudenell, Cardigan, Lorne Valley, Lower Montague, and Valleyfield.
↑ "Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1901–1961". 1961 Census of Canada(PDF). Series 1.1: Historical, 1901–1961. Vol.I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. March 8, 1963. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
↑ "Table 2: Population of Census Subdivisions, 1921–1971". 1971 Census of Canada(PDF). Population. Vol.Census Subdivisions (Historical). Ottawa: Statistics Canada. July 1973. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
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