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Georgina (Canada 2006 Census population 42,346) is a town in south-central Ontario, and the northernmost municipality in the Regional Municipality of York. It forms part of the northern boundary of the Greater Toronto Area and is situated on the southern shores of Lake Simcoe. Although incorporated as a town, it operates as a township, in which dispersed communities share a common administrative council. The largest communities are Keswick, Sutton and Jackson's Point; smaller communities include Pefferlaw, Port Bolster and Udora.
The town was incorporated in 1986 and was formed by the merger of the Village of Sutton, the Township of Georgina and the Township of North Gwillimbury in 1971, but the area's history dates back to the 1700s. North Gwillimbury took its name from the family of Elizabeth Simcoe, nee Gwillim.
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Municipal composition
The main centres in Georgina are the communities of Keswick, Belhaven, Sutton, Jackson's Point[2], Baldwin, Virginia, Pefferlaw, Port Bolster, Udora and Willow Beach.
Demographics
According to the 2006 Statistics Canada Census:[3]
- Population: 42,346
- % Change (2001-2006): 7.9%
- Dwellings: 15,518 (2001)
- Area (km².): 287.72
- Density (persons per km².): 136.5 (2001)
The Town of Georgina is growing at a fast rate mostly due to beach lovers leaving the hustle and bustle of Toronto to relax. It has been a favourite for retirees.
Racial profile
- 96.1% White
- 1.6% Aboriginal
- 0.5% Black
- 0.3% Chinese
Religions[4]
- 45.7% Protestant
- 22.4% Roman Catholic
- 3.3% other Christian
- 0.3% Jewish
- 28.3% non-religious
Government
The Town of Georgina operates under a ward system, and its Municipal Council consists of the Mayor, Regional Councillor (known procedurally as Deputy Mayor) and a Councillor for each of the five wards. The current council consists of:
- Mayor: Robert Grossi
- Deputy Mayor/Regional Councillor: Danny Wheeler
- Councillor Ward 1: Margaret Jordan Clark
- Councillor Ward 2: Ross Jamieson
- Councillor Ward 3: Dave Szollosy
- Councillor Ward 4: Ken Hackenbrook
- Councillor Ward 5: Brad Smockum
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor represent Georgina at meetings of York Region Council.
Georgina is part of the Federal riding of York—Simcoe, represented by Peter Van Loan of the Conservative Party, elected in 2006.
Provincially, it was part of the riding of York North until 2007 and is now part of Provinical riding of York-Simcoe, represented by Julia Munro of the Progressive Conservative Party, who was first elected in 1995.
Notable residents
- Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame member Whipper Billy Watson was a life-long resident, and he spearheaded the campaign to build the Georgina Cultural Centre in the 1980s, which also houses the Stephen Leacock Theatre.
- Keswick is the birthplace (and for a while home) of NHL goaltender Curtis Joseph (or Cujo) who currently plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Jim Carrey and his family resided in Georgina area.
Attractions
- Canadian Ice Fishing Championships Annual Ice Fishing Championships.
- Captain William Johnson's Old Mill[5]
- St. George's Anglican Church, built in 1877 by the pioneering Sibbald family and burial place of Stephen Leacock and Mazo de la Roche[5]
- Roche's Point Anglican Church, built in 1862[5]
- Red Barn Theatre, Canada's oldest summer stock theatre. [5]
- Stephen Leacock Theatre
- Duclos Point Nature Reserve
- Georgina Arts Centre and Gallery
- Georgina Pioneer Village & Museum
- The Peter Gzowski Festival of Stories [6]
- Georgina Public Libraries
- Georgina Skate Park
- Georgina Studio Tour
- York Regional Forests
- Sibbald Point Provincial Park
- Sutton Fair and Horse Show
- Walking Trails
- The Briars Resort and Golf Club, built and owned by the Sibbald family
- Ice Fishing, Georgina was proclaimed the Ice Fishing Capital of North America in the 1990s
- Willow Beach Conservation Area
Local clubs and associations
- Georgina Ice Junior C Hockey
- Georgina-Brock Garden Club
- Georgina Girls Hockey Association
- Georgina Minor Baseball Association
- Georgina Minor Hockey Association
- Georgina Trail Riders Snowmobile Club
- Kinsmen Club of Keswick
- Lake Simcoe Gardeners
- Lake Simcoe Soccer Club
- Sail Georgina
- South Lake Simcoe Naturalists (Nature Group)
- Sutton Agricultural Society
- Kinsmen Club Of Sutton (Service Club)
References
- ^ Some sources say 1971 Welch, Deborah, and Michael Payne. "Georgina". The Canadian Encyclopedia. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0010755. Retrieved 2008-01-02., some say 1970 "York County Maps and Facts". York Region Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society. http://www.rootsweb.com/~onyrbogs/ref_100.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-02."History of the Town of Georgina". Georgina Village Museum. http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/museum/3731/history.html. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
- ^ Kibble, Tracy (2009-08-27). "Jackson’s Point offers alluring gem". YorkRegion.com. http://www.yorkregion.com/article/95919. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
- ^ 2006 Community Profiles
- ^ Statistics Canada. (2002). Georgina 2001 Community Profiles. Released June 27, 2002. Last modified: 2005-11-30. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 93F0053XIE
- ^ a b c d "Town of Georgina Historical Sites". http://www.town.georgina.on.ca/history-townsites.aspx.
- ^ "Peter Gzowski Festival of Stories". http://www.festivalofstories.ca.
External links
- Town of Georgina
- York Region
- Ontario Plaques - Eildon Hall
- Ontario Plaques - Robert Alexander Laidlaw
- Ontario Plaques - Stephen Butler Leacock
| North: Lake Simcoe | Northeast: Beaverton (part of Brock) | |
| West: Holland River, Cook's Bay, Lake Simcoe | Georgina | East: Brock |
| South: East Gwillimbury, Uxbridge |
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