Thorold

Last updated
Thorold
City (lower-tier)
City of Thorold
Quebec Bank - Thorold, ON.jpg
Downtown Thorold in 2023
Thoroldflag.png
Flag
Logo of Thorold, Ontario.svg
Seal
Thorold-niagara.png
Location of Thorold in the Niagara Region
Canada Southern Ontario location map 2.png
Red pog.svg
Thorold
Location in southern Ontario
Coordinates: 43°07′N79°12′W / 43.117°N 79.200°W / 43.117; -79.200
CountryCanada
Province Ontario
Region Niagara
Incorporated 1850 (village)
 1870 (town)
 1975 (city)
Government
 • MayorTerry Ugulini
 • Governing bodyThorold City Council
 •  MP Vance Badawey
 •  MPP Jeff Burch
Area
[1]
 • Land83.29 km2 (32.16 sq mi)
Elevation
162 m (531 ft)
Population
 (2021) [1]
 • Total23,816
 • Density285.9/km2 (740/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal code
L2V, L2T, L0S
Area code(s) 905, 289, 365, and 742
Website www.thorold.ca

Thorold is a city in Ontario, Canada, located on the Niagara Escarpment. It is also the seat of the Regional Municipality of Niagara. The Welland Canal passes through the city, featuring lock 7 and the Twin Flight Locks.

Contents

History

The first survey of Thorold, or Township 9 as it was known then, occurred in 1788. The earliest communities in what is now Thorold emerged at Beaverdams, DeCew Falls and St. Johns. [2] In 1846, the community had a population of about 1,000 and there were three churches or chapels and a post office. Various types of tradesmen worked here. Industry included two grist mills, a cement mill, a brewery and three wagon makers. There were seven taverns. [3] Thorold, located on the brow of the Niagara Escarpment, soon became dominant and was incorporated as a village in 1850. [4] Its formation was linked to the creation of the First Welland Canal. [5] The village experienced population growth as the canal became more developed. In 1875, Thorold became a town. [4]

When the Regional Municipality of Niagara was formed in 1970, the Town of Thorold expanded to include the former Thorold Township. In 1975, the town became incorporated as the City of Thorold. [6]

Thorold is also the location of the War of 1812 battle site, Beaverdams, where, on June 25, 1813, Colonel Charles Boerstler and his American troops were defeated by the British regulars and Caughnawaga Mohawks. [7]

The 2021 Canadian census identified Thorold as the eighth-fastest growing municipality in Canada. [8]

Demographics

Historical populations
YearPop.±%
18411,000—    
18711,635+63.5%
19011,979+21.0%
1911 2,273+14.9%
19214,825+112.3%
19315,092+5.5%
19415,284+3.8%
19516,397+21.1%
19618,633+35.0%
197115,065+74.5%
198115,412+2.3%
199117,542+13.8%
1996 17,883+1.9%
2001 18,048+0.9%
2006 18,224+1.0%
2011 17,931−1.6%
2016 18,801+4.9%
2021 23,816+26.7%

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Thorold had a population of 23,816 living in 9,095 of its 9,856 total private dwellings, a change of

Economy

A ship passing through Thorold Lock 7 (238984698).jpg
A ship passing through Thorold

Thorold's economy, like other municipalities in the Niagara Region, has benefitted from the Welland Canal. [10] An estimated 37 million tonnes of freight is handled and shipped there annually. [11]

Thorold South has several industrial and manufacturing businesses. [12]

Arts and culture

The Thorold Reed Band has been in operation since its formation in 1851. The band has performed every year, with the exception of 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario. [13] The Canal Bank Shuffle is an annual musical festival that takes place in Thorold. The event features blues music. [14]

In July 2024, downtown Thorold was used as a filming location for the eighteenth season of Murdoch Mysteries. [15] 11 scenes were filmed in the city. [16] Thorold was chosen due to its proximity to other filming locations and the lack of "contamination" in historical buildings. The setting being filmed for the series was Grimsby. [17]

Attractions

Parks and trails

Officially opened in 2002, the Mel Swart Lake Gibson Conservation Park is a 29-acre waterfront park located on Lake Gibson. [18] The park is part of the Niagara Greenbelt. [19] The Short Hills Provincial Park is also partially located in the City of Thorold. [20]

The Welland Canal Parkway Trail is a paved 42 km recreational path along the Welland Canal, from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. [21]

Historic sites

There are multiple historic sites in Thorold. These include:

DeCou House.jpg The Decew House, which was the destination of Laura Secord's journey to warn the British of a planned American attack. Thanks to her warning, FitzGibbon was prepared for the attack, and in the ensuing Battle of Beaver Dams was able to secure the surrender of an American force of approximately 500 men. [22] In 1950, it was destroyed by a fire. [23]
Old Firehall Thorold.jpg The Old Fire Hall at 12 Albert Street West. It was constructed in 1878 and designed by the architect John Latshaw. The building was repurposed as a design studio. [24]
Carnegie Library Thorold.jpg Thorold's Carnegie Library, which opened in 1912 and closed in 1983. [25]
Chestnut Hall-East Side School Bell.jpg Chestnut Hall is a historic building that was the home of John McDonagh, who was the mayor of the Village of Thorold. [26] It was then used for the city hall. [27] It is attached to the current Thorold Public Library. [26]
St. Johns Common School, St. Johns, Ontario (2017).jpg The St. Johns Common School was the first non-denominational free school in Upper Canada, and remained in use until 1844, when a new school was built nearby. The cabin continues to be used for educational purposes, and is the oldest extant public school in Ontario. [28] [29] [30]
Maplehurst.jpg The Keefer Mansion is a building with ten rooms and bathrooms. It is also known as Maplehurst. It is owned by the city and has been leased as an inn. [31]
Welland Mills Thorold 2013.jpg Welland Mills was a flour mill built by Jacob Keefer. [32]
Beaverdams Church.jpg The Beaverdams Church, which opened in 1832. [33]

Sports

The Canada Games Park in 2022 2022 Canada Games Park in Thorold, Ontario.jpg
The Canada Games Park in 2022

The Thorold Blackhawks are a Junior 'B' hockey team in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. In 2023, the team permanently moved to Port Colborne from Thorold. [34]

Thorold, along with other municipalities in the Niagara Region, hosted events for the 2022 Canada Summer Games. The Canada Games Park was built in Thorold for the event. [35] The facility cost 102.7 million dollars. [36] In 2023, it was determined by a municipal lawyer that the city of Thorold did not own the arena and was instead one of three co-tenants leasing it from Brock University. [37]

Infrastructure

In 2015, the Ontario government provided money to Thorold under the Small Communities Fund. [38] The city used the 4.6 million dollars in funding to start building an affordable housing complex for seniors. 14.8 million dollars through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund was also used for the project. [39]

Transportation

The Thorold Tunnel Thorold Tunnel under Welland Canal in Thorold, Ontario.jpg
The Thorold Tunnel

The Thorold Tunnel is an underwater vehicular tunnel, built between 1965 and 1967, which allows Highway 58 to cross the Welland Canal without interrupting shipping. Approximately 24,300 vehicles pass through the tunnel daily. [40]

Niagara Detention Centre

Thorold is home to the Niagara Detention Centre, a 260-person capacity maximum-security prison. It generally serves people on remand, offenders sentenced to short terms (60 days or less), and offenders awaiting transfer to larger federal or provincial facilities. [41]

Education

Thorold Secondary School is the only high school in the city. In 2012, District School Board of Niagara trustees voted on whether to close the school and decided to keep it open. [42] Thorold is close in proximity to Brock University and therefore has a large student population. [43] In 2021, four students were arrested after a large street party took place in the city. [44]

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Catharines</span> City in Ontario, Canada

St. Catharines is the most populous city in Canada's Niagara Region, the eighth largest urban area in the province of Ontario. As of 2017, St. Catharines has an area of 96.13 square kilometres (37.12 sq mi) and 140,370 residents. It lies in Southern Ontario, 51 kilometres (32 mi) south of Toronto across Lake Ontario, and is 19 kilometres (12 mi) inland from the international boundary with the United States along the Niagara River. It is the northern entrance of the Welland Canal. Residents of St. Catharines are known as St. Catharinites. St. Catharines carries the official nickname "The Garden City" due to its 1,000 acres (4 km2) of parks, gardens, and trails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welland</span> City in Ontario, Canada

Welland is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada. As of 2021, it had a population of 55,750.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welland Canal</span> Ship canal in Ontario, Canada, connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie

The Welland Canal is a ship canal in Ontario, Canada, and part of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes Waterway. The canal traverses the Niagara Peninsula between Port Weller on Lake Ontario, and Port Colborne on Lake Erie, and was erected because the Niagara River—the only natural waterway connecting the lakes—was unnavigable due to Niagara Falls. The Welland Canal enables ships to ascend and descend the Niagara Escarpment, and has followed four different routes since it opened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niagara Peninsula</span> Peninsula in Ontario, Canada

The Niagara Peninsula is an area of land lying between the southwestern shore of Lake Ontario and the northeastern shore of Lake Erie, in Ontario, Canada. Technically an isthmus rather than a peninsula, it stretches from the Niagara River in the east to Hamilton, Ontario, in the west. The peninsula is located in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario, and has a population of roughly 1,000,000 residents. The region directly across the Niagara River and Lake Erie in New York State is known as the Niagara Frontier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional Municipality of Niagara</span> Regional municipality in Ontario, Canada

The Regional Municipality of Niagara, also colloquially known as the Niagara Region or Region of Niagara, is a regional municipality comprising twelve municipalities of Southern Ontario, Canada. The regional seat is in Thorold. It is the southern end of the Golden Horseshoe, the largest megalopolis in Canada.

King's Highway 58, commonly referred to as Highway 58, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The route is divided into two segments with a combined length of 15.5 km (9.6 mi). The southern segment travels from Niagara Regional Road 3, formerly Highway 3, in Port Colborne, to the Highway 58A junction in the southern end of Welland, a distance of 7.2 km (4.5 mi). The northern segment begins at Highway 20 near Allanburg and travels north and west to a large junction with Highway 406 at the St. Catharines – Thorold boundary, a distance of 8.3 km (5.2 mi). An 18.1 km (11.2 mi) gap separates the two segments within Welland and Pelham. The entire route is located within the Regional Municipality of Niagara.

Chippawa is a community located within the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelham, Ontario</span> Town in Ontario, Canada

Pelham is a town located in the centre of Niagara Region in Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Beaver Dams</span> War of 1812 battle

The Battle of Beaver Dams took place on 24 June 1813, during the War of 1812. A column of troops from the United States Army marched from Fort George and attempted to surprise a British outpost at Beaver Dams, billeting themselves overnight in the village of Queenston, Ontario. Laura Secord, a resident of Queenston, had earlier learned of the American plans from several Americans billeted at her house and had struck out on a long and difficult trek to warn the British at Decou's stone house near present-day Brock University. When the Americans resumed their march, they were ambushed by Kahnawake and other native warriors and eventually surrendered to a small British detachment led by Lieutenant James FitzGibbon. About 500 U.S. troops, including their wounded commander, were taken prisoner.

King's Highway 406, commonly referred to as Highway 406, is a 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The primary north–south route through the central portion of the Niagara Peninsula, Highway 406 connects Welland, Thorold and downtown St. Catharines to the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niagara Centre (federal electoral district)</span> Federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada

Niagara Centre is a federal electoral district in the Niagara Region of Ontario that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1867 to 1988 and since 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Hamilton Merritt</span> Upper Canada businessman and politician

William Hamilton Merritt was a businessman and politician in the Niagara Peninsula of Upper Canada in the early 19th century. Although he was born in the United States, his family was Loyalist and eventually settled in Upper Canada. Merritt fought in the War of 1812, was captured by the invading American forces, and held as a prisoner of war. After the war, he returned to the Niagara region and began a career in business. He was one of the founders of the Welland Canal. He was a supporter of the Abolitionist cause to end slavery in the U.S., and of the settlement of escaped slaves in St. Catharines.

The Port Colborne Sailors are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Port Colborne, Ontario. They played in the Golden Horseshoe division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Twelve Mile Creek is a waterway located on the Niagara Peninsula in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada. Its headwaters are located in the town of Pelham, encompassing some of the most unspoiled and natural areas of Niagara area. The creek's lower reaches flow through urban areas of Thorold and St. Catharines and has been heavily altered by human activity for almost two centuries. The creek was first known as "Ashquasing" by the Mississaugas Indigenous people, the name meaning "that which lies at the end" in the Anishinaabe language.

The Niagara District Junior B Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league in the Golden Horseshoe of Ontario from 1954 until 1979. The league was a part of the Ontario Hockey Association of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and was eligible for the Sutherland Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niagara Centre (provincial electoral district)</span> Provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada

Niagara Centre is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, represented from 1867 until 1977 and again since 2007 in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Its population in 2006 was 112,875.

Niagara Region Transit is a regional public transit system operating in the Niagara Region of Ontario. Initial service commenced on September 12, 2011, and consisted of inter-municipal routes. In January 2023, Niagara Region Transit assumed the operations of Welland Transit, Fort Erie Transit, St. Catharines Transit, and Niagara Falls Transit to form a single unified local transit service for the entire Niagara Region. Local fares are $3 for an adult customer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thorold Public Library</span> Library in Thorold, Ontario

The Thorold Public Library is a building in Thorold, Ontario, located on 14 Ormond Street North.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada Games Park</span> Sports venue in Thorold, Ontario

The Canada Summer Games Park is an athletic venue built in Thorold, Ontario, for the 2022 Canada Summer Games. It now hosts local events.

References

  1. 1 2 "St. Catharines, Ontario census profile". 2021 Census . Statistics Canada . Retrieved 7 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ "History". Archived from the original on January 16, 2018.
  3. ↑ Smith, Wm. H. (1846). Smith's Canadian Gazetteer - Statistical and General Information Respecting all parts of The Upper Province, or Canada West. Toronto: H. & W. Rowsell. p.  191. Archived from the original on 2016-04-03. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  4. 1 2 Gayler, Hugh. "Thorold". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  5. ↑ "Canals". City of Thorold. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  6. ↑ Gayler, Hugh. "Thorold". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  7. ↑ Collins, Gilbert (2006). Guidebook to the Historic Sites of the War of 1812 (2 ed.). Dundern Press. p. 155. ISBN   9781550029147 . Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  8. ↑ Drevfjall, Ludvig. "Welcome to Thorold—Population: 23,816". Thorold Today. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  10. ↑ Vallier, Kevin. "Welland Canal was a game changer". The Niagara Independent. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  11. ↑ Gayler, Hugh; Jackson, John. "Welland Canal". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  12. ↑ Lansbergen, Bernard. "The man hired to help Thorold's economy grow". Thorold Today. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  13. ↑ Hutton, Richard. "It's been a long and winding road for the Thorold Reed Band". Thorold Today. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "Canal Bank Shuffle latest Covid-19 casualty". Thorold Today. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  15. ↑ Tymczyszyn, Bob. "Photos: Thorold gets makeover for 'Murdoch Mysteries' filming". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  16. ↑ "'Murdoch Mysteries' to film in downtown Thorold". Niagara This Week. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  17. ↑ Hutton, Richard. "Making Murdoch: 'The biggest challenge is that it's not 1911'". Pelham Today. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  18. ↑ "Community Parks - City of Thorold". City of Thorold. April 23, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Community Parks - City of Thorold". City of Thorold. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Short Hills Provincial Park Management Plan". Ontario.ca. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  21. ↑ "Trails". The City of Thorold. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  22. ↑ Collins, Gilbert (2006). Guidebook to the Historic Sites of the War of 1812. Toronto: Dundurn Press Ltd. pp. 153–154. ISBN   1-55002-626-7.
  23. ↑ "DeCew House, Thorold". Brock University. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  24. ↑ Blay, Jeff. "Niagara designer breathes new life into Thorold's old firehall". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  25. ↑ Pellatier, Cathy. "History of the Thorold Public Library". Thorold Today. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  26. 1 2 "Chestnut Hall 'badly showing its age'". Niagara This Week. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  27. ↑ Pelletier, Cathy. "History of the Thorold Public Library". Thorold Today. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  28. ↑ "St. Johns Village". Niagara Greenbelt. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  29. ↑ "The Pioneers at St. Johns Short Hills Upper Canada" (PDF). Niagara Catholic District School Board. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  30. ↑ "St. Johns Common School 1804". Niagara Greenbelt. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  31. ↑ Walter, Karena. "Thorold's historic Keefer Mansion up for lease". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  32. ↑ "Welland Mills, The". Ontario Heritage Trust. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  33. ↑ "Beaverdams Church 1832, The". Ontario Heritage Trust. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  34. ↑ Lansbergen, Bernard. "Why the Blackhawks decided to leave Thorold for good". Thorold Today. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  35. ↑ Rankin, Christine. "Niagara region gets $29M from feds for 2021 Canada Summer Games". CBC News. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  36. ↑ Lansbergen, Bernard. "City council closes door on Canada Games Park investigation". Thorold Today. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  37. ↑ Lansbergen, Bernard. "City Council still debating 'crappy' Canada Games Park deal". Thorold Today. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  38. ↑ "Ontario Funding Infrastructure in Thorold". Ontario.ca. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  39. ↑ Lansbergen, Bernard. "Local politicians break ground on affordable housing for seniors". Thorold Today. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  40. ↑ Gannon, Dennis. "Yesterday and Today: The Thorold Tunnel turns 50". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  41. ↑ "Niagara Detention Centre". Niagara Community Information Database. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012.
  42. ↑ "Keeping Thorold high school 'logical' choice". Niagara This Week. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  43. ↑ Camlasaran, Megan. "Why people are flocking to Thorold". Thorold Today. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  44. ↑ Lansbergen, Bernard; Drevfjall, Ludvig. "Rowdy party weekend in Juneberry-area of Thorold leads to 4 arrests and furious neighbours". Thorold Today. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  45. ↑ Blay, Jeff. "Owen Nolan to be inducted into Thorold's Runway of Recognition". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  46. 1 2 Lansbergen, Bernard. "Thorold hockey star enjoying shift to new career". ThoroldToday. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  47. ↑ Liddycoat, Bob. "NHL dream come true for Timmins". ThoroldToday. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.