Caledonia is one of several communities in the single-tier regional municipality of Haldimand County. Haldimand County is in the western part of the Niagara Peninsula in southern Ontario, Canada, and had a population of 43,280 in 2001.[1] The current mayor of Haldimand County (there is no formal level of government at the town level) is Marie Trainer; Caledonia is within Ward 3 of Haldimand County. The Councillor elected for Ward 3 is Craig Grice. As of September 2006, there are approximately 4,000 households in the town of Caledonia.[2]
Caledonia is located at the intersection of Highway 6 and Regional Road 54 (within the town, these streets are called Argyle Street and Caithness Street respectively) on the Grand River. On Highway 6, the town is 10 km south of Hamilton and 10 km north of Hagersville. On Regional Road 54, the town is 15 km east of Brantford, Ontario and 10 km west of Cayuga, Ontario.
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A Short History
Caledonia was once a small strip of land between Seneca and Oneida villages. The Grand River traveled through Caledonia dividing it into two sides, North and South. In 1836 Ranald McKinnon was hired by the Grand River Navigation company to build a dam in Seneca and a dam in Caledonia. Completed in 1840, the dams made water power available. Mills sprung up all over Seneca village, and five mills were built in Caledonia by 1850. One renamed Caledonia Mill is preserved but closed to visitors.
The Hamilton to Port Dover Plank Road was brought through Caledonia in 1838. A bridge was built across the river in Caledonia and Seneca in 1842. These wooden bridges lasted around 19 years before they were swept away by the ice on the river. The Seneca bridge was never rebuilt. As of 2008, the Grand River Bridge built in 1927 serves Caledonia's traffic.
By 1860 the Grand River Navigation company was bankrupt, and their land was sold to different organizations. Seneca village was failing; many people from Seneca moved to Caledonia. Navigation on the river ended by 1880. A whole new way of transportation arrived around 1883; the Grand Trunk Railway passed through Caledonia. Oneida had become part of Caledonia and the town limits were expanding. By 1960 Caledonia was a bustling town.
In 2006, the Grand River land dispute involving Aboriginals brought Caledonia to national attention.
Annual activities
- Caledonia Fair
- Canada Day Festival and Parade (July 1)
- Light Up Night
- Santa Claus Parade
- Yard Sale Day (First Saturday of June)
- Creepy Caledonia
Attractions
- Caledonia Mill
- Caledonia Old Town Hall (Edinburgh Square)
- Caledonia Toll House
- Grand River Bridge
- Grand River Dam
- Grand Trunk Railway Station
- Haldimand House
- McKinnon Park
- War Memorial
Sports
- Haldimand County Caledonia Centre
- Baseball Diamonds (5 non-school related)
- Soccer Fields (Soccer Complex on McClung road is home to over 10 fields of all sizes)
- Grand River Gymmies
- Hockey Team : Caledonia Corvairs
- Minor Hockey (Boys) -- Caledonia & District Minor Hockey Association (Caledonia Thunder)
- Minor Hockey (Girls) -- Haldimand Girls Hockey League (Haldimand River Cats)
- Sundrim Golf Course
- Lacrosse
- Caledonia Skatepark
Schools
- McKinnon Park Secondary School - Blue Devils
- Caledonia Centennial Public School- Cougars
- Notre Dame Catholic School- Knights
- River Heights- River Hawks
- St. Patrick's Catholic School- Celtics
Media
- Grand River Sachem (905) 765-4441
- The Regional News This Week
- CKNS-FM
Famous people
- James Little Built the Haldimand House in 1836, The Ryan House in 1840 and the Old Mill 1846
- Tom Longboat competed in his first race here on Victoria Day, 1905, on the Caledonia Fairgrounds finishing second.
- Ashley Coles - Top 14 Canadian Idol 2006
- Ian Thompson Historian & Chair, Creepy Caledonia
- Barbara Martindale Historian and Extraordinary volunteer. Executive director for the Caledonia Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Service clubs
- Lions Club Of Caledonia (905) 765-3222
- Caledonia Mill (905) 765-5005
- Caledonia Rotary Club (905) 765-4004
- Caledonia Legion (905) 765-2642
- Caledonia Kinsmen Club (905) 765-4664
- Caledonia Horticultural Society (905) 765-3515
- Caledonia Regional Chamber Of Commerce (905) 765-0377
- Golden Horseshoe Antique Society (905) 765-4891
- Haldimand 4H Club (905) 765-6861
- [http://www.creepycaledonia.org/default.aspx Creepy Caledonia
- Luke O'Reilly performed and sucessfully participated in two consecutive seasons of Canadian Idol.
References
- ^ Statistics Canada. "Aboriginal Identity Population, 2001 Counts, for Canada and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities) With an Aboriginal Identity Population of 250-plus - 20% Sample Data". Statistics Canada. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/Aboriginal/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=CSD&View=1a&Table=1&StartRec=245&Sort=2&B1=Counts01&B2=Total. Retrieved 2006-09-09.
- ^ Canada Post. "Canada Post. Householder Counts and Maps. Valid for mailings from August 18 to September 14, 2006. Summary for Caledonia". Canada Post. http://www.canadapost.ca/cpc2/addrm/hh/current/details/tdONuN3W-e.asp#N3W. Retrieved 2006-09-09.
Coordinates: 43°04′01″N 79°57′00″W / 43.067°N 79.950°W
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For a full history of Caledonia, see Creepy Caledonia
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