Penetanguishene

Town of Penetanguishene
Town docks on Penetanguishene Bay.
Town of Penetanguishene
Coordinates: 44°46′N 79°56′W
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County	Simcoe
Incorporated	February 22, 1882
Government
• Mayor	Gerry Marshall
• Governing Body
• MPs	Bruce Stanton
• MPPs	Garfield Dunlop
Area
• Total	25.38 km2 (9.8 sq mi)
Population (2006)
• Total	9,354
• Density	368.6/km2 (954.7/sq mi)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal code span	L9M 0A2 to L9M 2J4
Area code(s)	705
Website	Town of Penetanguishene

Penetanguishene ⁱ/pɛnɨˈtæŋɡwɨʃiːn/, sometimes shortened to Penetang, is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the southeasterly tip of Georgian Bay. Incorporated on February 22, 1882, this bilingual (French and English) community has since grown to a population of 9,354 in the Canada 2006 Census, an increase of 12.5 per cent from its 2001 population of 8,316.

The name Penetanguishene is believed to come from either the Wyandot language or from the Abenaki language via the Ojibwa language, meaning "land of the white rolling sands".

History

As early as AD 800, the Huron settled in semi-permanent villages in the area. The young French translator, Étienne Brûlé, was the first European to set foot in the Penetanguishene area, some time between 1610 and 1614.

In 1793, John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, visited the area and saw the location's potential as a naval base. He wanted to use the bay to shelter warships to protect British interests on lakes Huron, Erie and Michigan. Beginning in 1814, the British-Canadians built the Penetanguishene Road to provide the area a land route to Barrie and Toronto, as it was previously accessible only by water transport along the rivers or across Georgian Bay.

In 1817, naval units from Michilimackinac and Schooner Town (near modern-day Wasaga Beach) were consolidated at Penetanguishene. But, because treaty limitations with the U.S. limited both countries' naval power on the Great Lakes, two British armed topsail schooners, HMS Tecumseth and HMS Newash were laid up "in ordinary", and eventually reported to have sunk at their moorings in the harbour in 1828. Some other small craft were headquartered in Penetanguishene for the exploration and mapping of the Great Lakes' coastline. In 1828, the main British military establishment on the Upper Lakes moved from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene. Families of Métis fur traders who had moved with the British from Michilimackinac to Drummond Island after the War of 1812, moved again to Penetanguishene. They settled in the town and the surrounding area. Although the naval base was closed in 1834, the military base remained until 1856. Some of the troops settled in the area after their service was complete providing an English-speaking population.

In the 1840s, French-speaking families from Quebec (mainly from the area immediately east of Montreal), attracted by promises of cheap and fertile land, joined the French-speaking Drummond Island settlers already in the area. Later, as the logging industry began to develop, more English-speaking settlers arrived. Penetanguishene became the local market and meeting place for these individuals. Many of Penetanguishene's families today are descended from the Québécois settlers who arrived in the 1800s, giving the town a marked bilingual nature.

Today

Built in 1836, St. James on the Lines is an historic Anglican garrison church in Penetanguishene.

The historic naval and military base (Discovery Harbour) near Penetanguishene is open to visitors. At one time it offered trips in the two reconstructed sailing ships from the 1812 period, HMS Bee and HMS Tecumseth. While this is no longer permitted, the sailing ships may be visited in the harbour.

Penetanguishene, along with Parry Sound, is now one of the departure points for Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands boat tours. These leave daily from the town's main dock.

Penetanguishene is home to the Mental Health Centre Penetanguishene, a maximum security mental health facility.

Education

Penetanguishene has four different school boards within its limits — the publicly founded English board (Simcoe County District School Board), which runs the Penetanguishene Secondary School and James Keating Elementary School; the Public French School Board, the CSDCSO and the English Catholic School Board. The town is also home to the province's last remaining Protestant Separate school board.

Sports

The Junior C hockey Penetang Kings are based in the town.

Transportation

Penetang-Midland Coach Lines (PMCL) operates from Penetanguishene.

Demographics

The town has a significant concentration of Franco-Ontarians. It is one of only three communities in Central and Southwestern Ontario where the population of francophones exceeds the provincial average of five percent, the other two being Welland and Lakeshore. The town is also 12.6% Métis, which is well above the provincial average of 0.6%.

Media

The town is home to a francophone community radio station, CFRH-FM (Vague FM), but is otherwise served by media based in the neighbouring town of Midland.

Notable people

• Bert Corbeau, hockey player
• Patrick DesRochers, hockey player
• Glenn Howard, World champion curler
• Russ Howard, Olympic gold medallist (curling)
• Chris Kontos, NHL hockey player
• James LaBrie, rock singer for progressive metal band Dream Theater
• Phil Marchildon, baseball pitcher
• Tim Mason, lawn bowler
• Peggy McIntaggart, Playboy Playmate (Miss January 1990)
• John Moberly
• Brian Orser, figure skater

External links

• Town of Penetanguishene
• Penetanguishene Area Attractions
• Discovery Harbour
• Penetanguishene Secondary School