Belleville, Ontario
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Belleville | |
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| Coordinates: 44°10′N 77°23′W / 44.167°N 77.383°W | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Ontario |
| County | Hastings |
| Settled | 1789 |
| Named | 1816 |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Neil Ellis |
| Area | |
| - City | 246.76 km2 (95.3 sq mi) |
| - Urban | 1,918.2 km2 (740.61 sq mi) |
| Population (2006)[1] [2] | |
| - City | 48,821 |
| - Density | 197.8/km2 (512.3/sq mi) |
| - Metro | 91,518 |
| - Metro Density | 123.6/km2 (320.1/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC−5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC−4) |
| Postal Code FSA | K8N, K8P, K8R |
| Area code(s) | 613 |
| Website | http://www.city.belleville.on.ca/ |
Belleville, Ontario (Canada 2006 Census population 48,821,[1] census agglomeration population 91,518)[2] is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern (Southeastern) Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County. The current mayor of Belleville is Neil Ellis.
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[edit] History
Originally the site of a Native settlement known as Asukhknosk, the future location of the city was settled by United Empire Loyalists in 1789, after which it became known as Meyer's Creek after prominent settler and industrialist John Walden Meyers. It was renamed Belleville in honour of Lady Arabella Gore in 1816, after a visit to the settlement by Sir Francis Gore and his wife. Belleville became an important railway junction with the completion of the Grand Trunk Railway in 1855. In 1858 the iron bridge over the Moira at Bridge Street became the first iron bridge in Hastings County. Belleville's strikingly beautiful Gothic city hall was constructed in 1872. The City Hall tower stands some 185 feet above street level.
In 1998, the city was amalgamated with the surrounding Township of Thurlow to form an expanded City of Belleville as part of Ontario-wide municipal restructuring. The city also annexed portions of Quinte West to the west.
[edit] Geography and climate
Belleville is located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in southeastern Ontario between the cities of Quinte West to the west and Napanee to the east. These cities are connected by both Ontario's Highway 2 and the Macdonald-Cartier Freeway (Highway 401); The city is also served by Highway 37, running north-south from Belleville towards Tweed to the east of the Moira River; and Highway 62 (once Highway 14 south of 401), northwards towards Madoc, and southward to Prince Edward County over the Bay Bridge.
Belleville is located in a transitional zone which may be considered part of the Central Ontario or Eastern Ontario regions by different sources. Officially, Belleville is properly considered part of the Central Ontario region as it is located west of the St. Lawrence River's starting point, but the city is popularly considered part of Eastern Ontario as it shares the eastern region's area code 613 and K postal code.
[edit] Climate
Belleville's climate has four distinctive seasons. The summer season has comfortable temperatures and modest rainfall. The winter season is not exceedingly cold and the average snowfall is lower than in many other parts of Canada and north-east United States. The City's traditional continental climate (hot summers, cold winters) is moderated somewhat by its location near the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario. The lakes moderates temperature extremes, cooling hot summer days and warming cold days during the fall and winter.[citation needed]
- Mean Daily Temperature - Annually = 7.5 °C (45.5 °F)
- Mean Maximum Highest Temp. - Summer = 26.5 °C (79.7 °F)
- Mean Minimum Lowest Temp. - Winter = −11.9 °C (10.6 °F)
- Growing Degree-Days = 2239
- Growing Season = 190-200 days
- Mean Annual Precipitation = 85 cm (33.5 in)
- Mean Annual Snow Fall = 151 cm (59.5 in)
- Average Number of Days with Precipitation = 141 days
- Average Number of Days with Snowfall = 42 days
- Average Number of Days with max. temperature > 0°C (32°F)= 304 days
[edit] Economy
Procter & Gamble, Kellogg's, Lipton, Wilson Sports, Sears and Nortel are among the internationally known companies with industrial operations in Belleville. The central Canadian Forces Post Office (CFPO) is located here. As this post office is the gateway between the civilian and military postal systems of Canada, Belleville serves as the mailing address for Canadian Armed Forces Bases and Ships abroad.
Many other companies in the manufacturing sector formerly operated plants in Belleville, including Mead Johnson, Westwood-Squibb, Union Carbide,Stewart Warner,Corbin Lock, American Optical,Bakelite and Deacon Brothers. Prior to the Nortel downturn there was a large workforce of skilled workers at two of its plants, formerly known as Northern Telecom and prior to that, Northern Electric. Federal Signal remains one of Belleville's largest employers manufacturing Air Raid and Tornado Sirens for the North American and Western European market.
[edit] Demographics
The city of Belleville, with the amalgamation of the Township of Thurlow, and the annexation of a portion of the City of Quinte West, had a population of 48,821 people in the Canada 2006 Census. Belleville is the largest urban centre in a much larger market area generally known as the Quinte Region. The city's census agglomeration had a population of 91,518 in the 2006 census.
[edit] Education
Belleville offers a number of options at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels.
[edit] Post-secondary
Loyalist College is the local public college.
[edit] Public schools
The Public school system is served by the Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board.
| Public Secondary schools |
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| Centennial Secondary School (Belleville) |
| Moira Secondary School |
| Quinte Secondary School |
| Public Elementary schools |
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| Susanna Moodie Elementary School |
| Parkdale Public Elementary School |
| Queen Elizabeth Elementary School |
| Prince of Wales Elementary School |
| Harry J. Clarke Elementary School |
| Queen Victoria Elementary School |
| Chase Maracle Elementary School |
| Sir John A Macdonald School |
| Sir Mackenzie Bowell School |
| Hillcrest Elementary School |
| Prince Charles Elementary School |
| Foxboro Public Elementary School |
| Special education schools |
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| William R. Kirk School for developmentally disabled,
multiple disabilities, and special education. Serving elementary and secondary students. |
[edit] Separate schools
The Separate school board is served by the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board.
| Separate board Secondary schools |
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| Nicholson Catholic College |
| St. Theresa Catholic Secondary School |
| Separate board Elementary schools |
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| Our Lady of Fatima Elementary School |
| St Michael's Elementary School |
| St Joseph's Elementary School |
| Georges Vanier Elementary School |
| Holy Rosary Elementary School |
[edit] Provincial schools
| Provincial Demonstration schools |
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| Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf |
| Sagonaska School |
[edit] Private schools
| Private schools |
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| Albert College |
| Quinte Ballet School of Canada |
| Quinte Christian High School |
| Belleville Christian School |
| Belleville Montessori School |
[edit] Sports teams
Belleville is home to the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League. They play at the Yardmen Arena, located on Cannifton Road. Belleville was previously home to two senior hockey teams, the Belleville Macs and the Belleville McFarlands. The McFarlands won the Allan Cup in 1958, and the World Championship in 1959. Belleville is also home the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club, which challenged for the America's Cup in 1881.
[edit] Media
[edit] Print
- Belleville Intelligencer (daily)
- The Shield (weekly)
[edit] Radio
- AM 800 - CJBQ ("800 AM") country music
- FM 91.3 - CJLX ("91X") Loyalist College campus radio
- FM 95.5 - CJOJ ("Classic Hits 95.5"), classic hits
- FM 97.1 - CIGL ("Mix 97"), hot adult contemporary, top 40
- FM 100.1 - CHCQ ("Cool 100"), country music
- FM 102.3 - CKJJ, ("UCB") Christian music
- FM 107.1 - CJTN ("Rock 107"), active rock
See also List of radio stations in Ontario.
[edit] Television
- Channel 15: CBLFT-TV-13 - SRC
- Channel 53: CICO-TV-53 - TVOntario
- See also List of television stations in Ontario.
[edit] Internet
- Quinte Frontpage
[edit] Sister cities
Lahr, Germany - Established in 1971
Kunpow, South Korea - Established in 1996
Zhucheng, People's Republic of China - Established in 1996
[edit] Notable residents
- Lee Aaron, Metal singer, now a Jazz singer, born in Belleville
- Sir MacKenzie Bowell, Canada's fifth Prime Minister
- Matt Cooke, hockey player
- Norm Maracle, hockey player
- Bob Crawford, hockey player
- Lou Crawford, former OHL and AHL head coach
- Marc Crawford, NHL head coach
- Bobby Hull, Hockey Hall of Fame member
- Brett Hull, son of Bobby, 2006 Inductee into Hockey Hall of Fame
- Dennis Hull, Bobby's younger brother, member of 1972 Team Canada
- Avril Lavigne, singer, born in Belleville, raised in nearby Napanee
- Susanna Moodie moved to Belleville with her husband in 1840, after several years spent "roughing it in the bush"
- Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007 spent her teenage years in Belleville, studying at Centennial Secondary School and at Quinte Ballet School of Canada[3]
- Farley Mowat, author, born in Belleville, resides in Port Hope
- Pete Quaife, bassist for The Kinks in the 1960s, lived in Qunite Region from 1980 to 2005
- Andrew Raycroft, hockey player
- Brad Richardson, hockey player
- Mike Schad, National Football League offensive lineman who attended Moira Secondary School and played for Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams
- Jason Tam, Asian-American Civil Rights Attorney and author of "Stereotypes of an Asian Man"
- John Weldon, animated movies director, Oscar Award winner (1979)
- The Wilkinsons, country music group
- Rick Green, former NHLer
- Jerry Yanover, political advisor
[edit] References
- ^ a b 2006 Community Profiles: City of Belleville, Statistics Canada.
- ^ a b Statistics Canada 2006 Community Profiles: Census Agglomeration of Belleville, Statistics Canada.
- ^ CANOE - CNEWS - Canada: New Miss Universe studied in Ont
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Belleville, Ontario |
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Stirling-Rawdon | Centre Hastings | Tweed | |
| Quinte West |  |
Tyendinaga Township Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory |
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| Bay of Quinte / Prince Edward |
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