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Uxbridge, Ontario

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Uxbridge is a township in the Regional Municipality of Durham in south-central Ontario, Canada.[3]

Uxbridge
Township (lower-tier)
Township of Uxbridge
Brock Street in Downtown Uxbridge
Brock Street in Downtown Uxbridge
Coat of arms of Uxbridge
Coat of arms
Uxbridge is located in Regional Municipality of Durham
Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is located in Southern Ontario
Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Coordinates: 44°07′N 79°08′W / 44.117°N 79.133°W / 44.117; -79.133
Country Canada
Province Ontario
RegionDurham Region
Established1850 (under York County in 1850 and new Ontario County in 1852) and 1974 (under Durham Region)
Government
 • MayorDave Barton [1]
 • Regional CouncillorGord Highet [1]
 • Councillors
List
 • Governing bodyUxbridge Township Council
Area
[2]
 • Land420.52 km2 (162.36 sq mi)
Elevation
273 m (896 ft)
Population
 (2021)[2]
 • Total
21,556
 • Density51.3/km2 (133/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (Eastern (EDT))
Forward sortation area
L9P
Websitewww.uxbridge.ca
Uxbridge within Durham Region

Communities

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The main centre in the township is the namesake community of Uxbridge. Other settlements within the township include the following:[4]

  • Uxbridge Township (former 1850-1974): Altona, Coppin's Corners, Forsythe Glenn, Glasgow, Glen Major, Goodwood, Quaker Village, Roseville, Siloam
  • Scott Township (former 1850-1974): Leaskdale, Sandford, Udora, Zephyr

History

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It was named for Uxbridge, England, a name which was derived from "Wixan's Bridge".[5]

The first settlers in the area were Quakers who started arriving in 1806 from the Catawissa area of Pennsylvania. The community's oldest building, the Uxbridge Friends Meeting House, was built in 1820 and overlooks the town from Quaker Hill, a kilometre to the west.

The township was incorporated as a municipality under York County in 1850 and became part of the newly formed Ontario County two years later.

The first passenger-carrying narrow-gauge railway in North America, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway arrived in Uxbridge in June 1871, and for over a decade Uxbridge was the headquarters of the railway. In 1872, the Village of Uxbridge was separated from the Township and incorporated as a separate entity.

With the creation of the Regional Municipality of Durham in 1974, Uxbridge Township was amalgamated with the Town of Uxbridge and Scott Township to create an expanded Township of Uxbridge.

Uxbridge today

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Today, Uxbridge is as a mostly suburban community in northern Durham Region. Major manufacturing employers include Pine Valley Packaging (packaging, containers and portable shelters), Koch-Glitsch Canada (mass transfer systems) and Hela Canada (spice and ingredient manufacture). Uxbridge area is also home to many small industrial businesses, cultivation farms and beekeeping organizations.[6] Many residents commute to other centres in Durham and York Regions and beyond.

The 30-bed Uxbridge Cottage Hospital opened in 1958 is a site associated with the Markham Stouffville Hospital Corporation. A new ward of the hospital was added in 2022.

Uxbridge is twinned with Catawissa, Pennsylvania, in the United States, from which many of its settlers originated.

Uxbridge has three community newspapers: the Uxbridge Times Journal, the Standard and the Cosmos. Uxbridge is also served by a monthly community magazine and events guide, Uxbridge Town Talk.

Coat of arms

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Coat of arms of Uxbridge, Ontario
 
Notes
Granted 15 February 2001
Crest
Out of a mural crown Or, a demi lion Gules holding in the paws a cogwheel proper;
Escutcheon
Or issuant from two flaunches Vert, each charged with a garb of rye Or, a fess enarched raguly counter raguly Vert charged with a maple leaf Or, in chief an ox's head caboshed Gules armed Or and in base barry wavy Azure and Argent;
Motto
'On't Uxbridge'

The motto is an abbreviation of “On to it Uxbridge,” meaning “Let’s go Uxbridge.” It refers to Ontario through the abbreviation “Ont.,” while being a rallying call for the township and its residents to move forward into the future with confidence.[7]

Demographics

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Historical populations
YearPop.±%
199114,092—    
199615,882+12.7%
200117,377+9.4%
200619,169+10.3%
201120,623+7.6%
201621,176+2.7%
202121,556+1.8%
[8]—    

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Uxbridge had a population of 21,556 living in 8,008 of its 8,310 total private dwellings, a change of 1.8% from its 2016 population of 21,176. With a land area of 420.52 km2 (162.36 sq mi), it had a population density of 51.3/km2 (132.8/sq mi) in 2021.[9]

Racial makeup
Canada 2006 Census Population % of Total Population
Visible minority group
Source:[10]		 South Asian 110 0.6
Chinese 114 0.6
Black 75 0.4
Filipino 20 0.1
Latin American 35 0.2
Southeast Asian 0 0
Arab 20 0.1
West Asian 0 0
Korean 0 0
Japanese 30 0.2
Mixed visible minority 20 0.1
Other visible minority 20 0.1
Total visible minority population 445 2.3
Indigenous group
Source:[11]		 First Nations 110 0.6
Métis 10 0.1
Inuit 0 0
Total Indigenous population 120 0.6
White 18,510 97
Total population 19,075 100

English is the mother tongue of 91.7% of the population, whereas French, the other official language, of 1.0%. German is the mother tongue of 1.4% of the residents of Uxbridge, while native speakers of Italian make up 1.0% of the population.[12]

Attractions

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Thomas Foster Memorial

In 2009 Uxbridge Township received federal designation by Industry Canada as the "Trail Capital of Canada", resulting from the over 220 kilometres of managed trails on over 3,200 hectares (8,000 acres) of protected greenspace within its borders. Uxbridge trails run through and alongside historic villages, mixed forests, meadows, ponds, streams, and wetlands. A number of major trail systems run through the Township, including the Oak Ridges Trail and the Trans-Canada Trail.

The Uxbridge Historical Centre (formerly Uxbridge-Scott Museum and Archives) possesses a number of artifacts, mostly related to the township's agricultural heritage and of the town's Quaker heritage. The museum also includes ten heritage buildings as well as heritage herb and flower gardens. It offers seasonal events, workshops, and specialty programs. It was formed in 1972 by the Uxbridge-Scott Historical Society, who holds an annual Heritage Day festival to supports the museum.[13]

There are also a number of attractions related to the history of the area. Uxbridge's Elgin Park, named after Lord Elgin, was the site of a picnic held by 19th century Prime Minister John A. Macdonald in a re-election bid. In addition, the Thomas Foster Memorial Temple, erected in 1935–36 by the former mayor of Toronto, is situated a short distance north of town. Inspired by Foster's visit to India, the Temple was designed by architects J.H. Craig (1889–1954) and H.H. Madrill (1889–1998). Finally, the former home of famed author Lucy Maud Montgomery of Anne of Green Gables fame is situated in Leaskdale. Montgomery lived in the area from 1911 to 1926, and wrote half of her books at what is now the site of the Leaskdale Manse Museum.

Since 1995, the Lions Club has hosted Art in the Park, held the second week in August. Also known as Summerfest, this juried art show attracts artists from across the province.

On July 1, 2024, the Ontario government opened the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park in the Township of Uxbridge.[14] The park is the province's first urban provincial park. The park was first announced in the 2023 provincial budget, and the proposed urban park may include up to 532 hectares (1,315 acres) of provincially-owned lands.[15] Instead of a single connected block, the park is made up of individual parcels of lands within the Uxbridge area. And while they are not all currently connected, it is possible they might be linked by other lands, recreational areas, and trail systems in the future.[16]

Uxbridge Arena and Recreation Centre

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The Uxbridge Arena and Community Centre contains two ice pads and was built in 1978, with a second pad constructed in 1997. During the winter months, this facility is home to a variety of hockey and skating clubs and programs. During the summer it is used for lacrosse and pickleball.[17] Over the years more recreation facilities have been added to the area surrounding the arena.  The area now features the Uxbridge Lawn Bowling Club, The Bonner Boys Splash Pad, tennis courts and a baseball diamond.[18]

The arena is home to North Durham Minor Hockey and the Uxbridge Bruins.[19][20]

Ski Resorts

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Skiing in Uxbridge area began in 1938 by the Toronto Ski Club when it rented 160 hectares (400 acres) of the Pugh family farm until 1948 and then operated by the Pughs' until it was abandoned.[21]

Today there are three ski resorts, all located within a short distance of one another:

  • Dagmar Ski Resort - largest of the three resorts and was established by the Toronto Ski Club
  • Lakeridge Ski Resort - located north of Dagmar was opened in 1989 following Toronto Ski Club acquisition of part of the former Pugh family farm in 1983
  • Skyloft - smallest of the three resorts and located on property just northwest of Lakeridge; it was the site of the original Toronto Ski Club's first ski area on the original Pugh farm[21]

Uxbridge Fall Fair

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The Uxbridge Fall Fair has been held annually since 1886. Attractions include home craft, vegetable and flower exhibits, cattle, goat, sheep, poultry and rabbit shows, the midway, tractor pull, demolition derby, heavy horse pull and barnyard rodeo.[22]

Other attractions

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The Uxbridge Studio Tour and Sale is also held in September, giving visitors an opportunity to meet with local artists in their studios and explore the creative process.

Since 1988, Uxbridge has hosted an annual Heritage Christmas Craft Show, held the second Saturday in November. A Santa Claus Parade is also held annually in late November.

Since 2008 there has been an annual Uxbridge Ribfest, usually during a middle weekend of July. It was run by the town branch of the Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 170) [23] But since 2015, has been organized by the Bonner Boys, a local community group.

The York Durham Heritage Railway, opened in 1996, is a tourist train operating between Stouffville and Uxbridge. The train is pulled by first generation diesel locomotives which directly replaced the steam locomotives. They have recently purchase 5 Budd RDC railcars from the now defunct Guelph Junction Express.

Throughout the year, a number of theatrical and musical productions are held at the Music Hall. Movies are shown at a local unique movie theatre, named The Roxy.[24]

The Highlands of Durham Games are held in Elgin Park near the end of July. These games focus on Celtic traditions and offer a variety of entertainments.

Once a Year the Uxbridge Optimists host the Fantasy of Lights. This is a drive-through light show through Elgin Park in which you see a variety of different displays and takes about 20 minutes to drive through. This event takes place once a year from December 4 to January 2.[25]

Transport

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Uxbridge station is the northern terminus of the York Durham Heritage Railway, which runs from Stouffville. The Stouffville line of GO Transit is proposed to be extended to Uxbridge (As part of MoveOntario 2020 plan), but is currently served by buses to the GO Transit station at Lincolnville. The expansion is currently unfunded, and could cost as much as $350 million.[26] Durham Region Transit also runs buses through Uxbridge every hour from Route 950 (Uxbridge/Port Perry/Ontario Tech.) and limited service via community bus route (Uxbridge East Uxbridge West).

Local government

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Interactive map of Uxbridge electoral wards

The Township of Uxbridge has five wards, each represented by an elected council member. As of 2022, the mayor is Dave Barton and the Regional Councillor is Gord Highet.[27]

Education

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Public elementary schools

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  • Joseph Gould Public School
  • Quaker Village Public School
  • Scott Central Public School
  • Uxbridge Public School
  • Goodwood Public School

Separate elementary schools

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  • St. Joseph's Catholic School

Independent schools

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  • Uxbridge Montessori School

High schools

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Colleges

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  • Durham College (North Campus Uxbridge on 2 Campbell Drive, an office building next to Uxbridge Cottage Hospital) plus Ontario Employment Services Centre on Brock Street.

Historical figures

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Notable people

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In film

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Official Declaration of Election Results" (PDF). Township of Uxbridge. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Data Table: Uxbridge Township". Statistics Canada. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  3. ^ Burrs and Blackberries from Goodwood Archived June 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (Goodwood, ON: 1980)
  4. ^ "Uxbridge". Statistics Canada. November 2, 2016.
  5. ^ Uxbridge, English Place-Name Society database at Nottingham University
  6. ^ "Uxbridge Hills". Uxbridge Hills Honey.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "The Corporation of the Township of Uxbridge". Canadian Heraldic Authority. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  8. ^ Statistics Canada 2006 Census - Uxbridge community profile Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  10. ^ Community Profiles from the 2006 Census, Statistics Canada - Census Subdivision
  11. ^ Indigenous Peoples - Data table
  12. ^ "Census Profile for the Census Subvision of Uxbridge (Township), Ontario". February 8, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  13. ^ "48th Annual Heritage Day". Uxbridge Historical Centre. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  14. ^ "Ontario Opening Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park". Ontario Government. June 13, 2024.
  15. ^ "Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park". Township of Uxbridge. December 11, 2023.
  16. ^ "Introducing Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park!". Ontario Parks. June 13, 2024.
  17. ^ "Arena and Community Centre". www.uxbridge.ca. May 28, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  18. ^ "We Look Back Wednesday's | Uxbridge's History | Uxbridge Arena and Recreation Centre | Shane Coxworth, Coldwell Banker - R.M.R. Real Estate, Brokerage*". www.shanecoxworth.com. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  19. ^ "North Durham Minor Hockey". northdurhamhockey.ca. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  20. ^ "Home Page". uxbridgebruins.pjhlon.hockeytech.com. June 10, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  21. ^ a b "About Us". Lakeridge Ski Resort. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  22. ^ "Uxbridge Fall Fair". Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  23. ^ "The Uxbridge Fall Fair". Retrieved March 7, 2011.
  24. ^ "Roxy Theatres". Retrieved March 7, 2011.
  25. ^ "Fantasy of Lights | Optimist Club of Uxbridge".
  26. ^ Foran, Tim (July 27, 2001). "Going from Uxbridge to Toronto". Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  27. ^ "Council". Township of Uxbridge. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  28. ^ Brent Scollie, Frederick (2017). "Biography – BLACK, MARY JOHANNA LOUISA". Dictionary of Canadian Biography: Volume XVI (1931-1940). Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  29. ^ "Roberts, Gary". Whitby Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  30. ^ Ed Conroy (April 3, 2016). "Hammy Hamster, Toronto's most famous rodent export". The Toronto Star. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  31. ^ Uxbridge times journal Cosmos Swim Canada magazine
  32. ^ UPROXX (January 12, 2015). "Plus, how Kim Basinger's folly inspired the premise of the series". UPROXX. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
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