Aylmer, Ontario
Aylmer | |
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— Town — | |
Motto: Proud heritage, bright future. | |
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Coordinates: 42°46′22.81″N 80°58′58.6″W / 42.7730028°N 80.982944°WCoordinates: 42°46′22.81″N 80°58′58.6″W / 42.7730028°N 80.982944°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Ontario |
County | Elgin |
Government | |
• Mayor | Jack Couckuyt |
• Deputy Mayor | Gerry Richer |
• Administrator | Heather Adams |
• Federal riding | Elgin—Middlesex—London |
• Prov. riding | Elgin—Middlesex—London |
Area[1] | |
• Land | 6.22 km2 (2.40 sq mi) |
• Urban | 6.23 km2 (2.41 sq mi) |
Population (2006)[1] | |
• Town | 7,069 |
• Density | 1,135.7/km2 (2,941/sq mi) |
• Urban | 7,163 |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
Postal code | N5H 3B4 |
Area code(s) | 519 and 226 |
Website | aylmer.ca |
Aylmer (2006 population 7,069; UA population 7,163) is a town in Elgin County in southern Ontario, Canada, just north of Lake Erie, on Catfish Creek. It is 20 km south of Highway 401. The mayor is Jack Couckuyt.
Aylmer is surrounded by Malahide Township.
Contents |
[edit] History
The town was named after Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer, 5th Baron Aylmer, who was Governor General of British North America from 1830 to 1835. It is sometimes referred to as Aylmer West, to distinguish it from Aylmer East, Aylmer, Gatineau, Quebec. Aylmer was incorporated as a town in 1887.
A Royal Canadian Air Force Training Facility, RCAF Station Aylmer was located just north of Aylmer in Malahide Township from 1941 to 1961. This station is now home to the Ontario Police College and The Aylmer Wildlife Management Area.
[edit] Aylmer today
Former mayor (1994–2003) Robert Habkirk was again elected the mayor of Aylmer on November 13, 2006 to a four-year term. He was defeated by the former principal of East Elgin Secondary School, Jack Couckuyt, by a wide margin on October 25, 2010.
In 2004, a new arena, the East Elgin Community Complex, was completed to house the many hockey leagues in town. The Old Town Hall which houses the library, also has a restored theatre which houses occasional plays. For history buffs, the Aylmer Museum houses a collection of 19th century Victorian art pieces created from hair.
In 2007, Communities in Bloom, a nationwide beautification program, awarded Aylmer first place in Canada in the 5001-10,000 population category.
[edit] Mennonite and Amish communities
In the mid-1970s, many German-speaking Mennonites began migrating to the Aylmer area from Mexico. The Mennonites were Canadian citizens who had moved to Mexico from Manitoba and Saskatchewan during the first half of the 20th century. By the early 21st century, there was a large Mennonite population in Aylmer and the surrounding area. In addition to the Mennonite population there are sizable Dutch, German, and British descended populations in the area.
Just east of Aylmer is a sizable Old Order Amish community. This community was founded by families moving from Ohio in 1953. They were uncomfortable with a nuclear facility being constructed close to their community in Ohio. Since that time, the community has grown to encompass three "districts" the surrounding area. A number of members from this community participate in the weekly Aylmer Sales Barn and sell fruit, vegetables, eggs, and animals, such as rabbits and chickens. This particular Amish community eschews the use of automobiles, electricity, and most modern conveniences. A well-known Amish publishing house, Pathway Publishing Company, is based in this community.
[edit] Tobacco industry
The tobacco growing industry played a large part in the economic development of Aylmer. Imperial Tobacco Canada built a plant in Aylmer in the mid 1940s. At its peak, Imperial employed more than 800 full-time and seasonal workers. After declining tobacco sales in Canada, Imperial began downsizing in the 1990s. In October 2005, Imperial Tobacco announced that the Aylmer and Guelph, Ontario plants would close. The plant closed permanently in July 2007, putting the remaining 75 employees out of work. The current average wage at Imperial Tobacco in Aylmer was $45 per hour. The town council is putting a plan in place to attract automotive-related industries to its new business park or Imperial's facilities, but is widely viewed in the business community as acting too slowly and has been unwilling to finance a permanent economic development officer to promote Aylmer as an attractive municipality for manufacturing. The facility was purchased in March 2010 by a consortium of investors led by Raymond Dueck of East St Paul, Manitoba and Jack Baribeau of Dorchester, Ontario. The complex was subsequently relaunched as the Elgin Innovation Centre as an industrial centre for lease for a wide variety of uses.
[edit] Demographics
Census | Population |
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1841 | 260 |
1871 | 1,400 |
1881 | 1,540 |
1891 | 2,167 |
1901 | 2,204 |
1911 | 2,102 |
1921 | 2,194 |
1931 | 2,283 |
1941 | 2,478 |
1951 | 3,483 |
1961 | 4,705 |
1971 | 4,755 |
1981 | 5,254 |
1991 | 6,244 |
2001 | 7,126 |
2006 | 7,069 |
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Population trend:[4]
- Population in 2006: 7069
- Population in 2001: 7126 (or 7158 when adjusted to 2006 boundaries)
- Population in 1996: 7018 (or 7022 when adjusted to 2001 boundaries)
- Population in 1991: 6244
[edit] Media
Aylmer has two local radio stations: CHPD-FM on 105.9 FM (a Low German radio station), and low-power religious station VF8016 at 90.1 FM.
[edit] Notable residents
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Aylmer community profile". 2006 Census data. Statistics Canada. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3534011&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=aylmer&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
- ^ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. 2009-02-24. http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/index.cfm?Lang=E. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. 2007-02-01. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Index.cfm?Lang=E. Retrieved 2011-02-11.
- ^ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
[edit] External links
- Town of Aylmer
- Aylmer Old Town Hall Library
- East Elgin Community Complex (EECC)
- Performing Arts Council (APAC)
- Aylmer & District Museum Assoc.
- Catfish Creek Conservation Authority (CCCA)
- Aylmer and Area Chamber of Commerce
- Local Weather (Dorchester)
- Elgin Innovation Centre
London via Elgin County Road 73 and Highway 401 |
Thamesford via Elgin County Road 73 |
Tillsonburg via Highway 3 |
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St. Thomas via Highway 3 |
Straffordville via Highway 3 and Elgin County Road 38 |
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Aylmer | ||||
Port Stanley via Elgin County Road 73 and 24 |
Port Bruce via Elgin County Road 73 |
Port Burwell via Elgin County Road 73 and 42 |