Brockville, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Brockville is a city
in Eastern Ontario
, Canada
, in the Thousand Islands
region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville
, Brockville is politically independent
and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.
Known as the "City of the 1000 Islands", Brockville is located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, directly opposite Morristown, New York
, about half-way between Cornwall
in the east and Kingston
in the west, and roughly a 40-minute drive to the national capital of Ottawa
. It is one of Ontario's oldest urban centres, and is named after the British general Sir Isaac Brock
.
lived along both sides of the St. Lawrence River for thousands of years. The first people known to have encountered the Europeans in the area were the St. Lawrence Iroquoians
, a group distinct from and preceding Iroquois nations of the Haudenosaunee. While the explorer Cartier
recorded about 200 words in their Laurentian language
, the people disappeared from the area by the late 16th century. The Iroquois by then used the St. Lawrence Valley as a hunting
ground.
This area of Ontario
was first settled by English
speakers in 1785, when thousands of American
refugees arrived from the American Revolutionary War
. The colonists were later called United Empire Loyalists
for their political position supporting continued relationship with King George III. The struggle between Britain
and the 13 American colonies took place in the years 1776 to 1783 and seriously divided loyalties among people in some colonies, such as New York
and Vermont
. In many areas, traders and merchants in the coastal cities or the northern border had stronger business ties and alliances with the British than did frontiersmen of the interior. During the 6-year war, which ended with the capitulation of the British forces in 1782, many of those colonists who remained loyal to the crown were frequently subject to harsh reprisals and unfair dispossession of property by their countrymen. Many "Loyalists" chose to flee north to the then-British colony of Quebec
. Great Britain opened this western region of Canada by allocating land to the mostly English-speaking Loyalists and helping them with some supplies as they founded new settlements.
The St. Lawrence River, which separates between Brockville and Morristown, New York, was named by French explorers in the 18th century to commemorate the martyred Roman Christian, Saint Laurentis. The small inlet on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River had been a natural resting point for French voyageurs
in the past. In 1785 the first U.E. Loyalist to take up land here on the site of Brockville was William Buell Sr. (1751–1832), an ensign disbanded from the King's Rangers
, from the state of New York. Residents commonly called the first settlement "Buell's Bay". Around 1810 government officials of Upper Canada
designated the village as Elizabethtown. About 1812, leading residents of the small village decided to suggest a name which differed from the surrounding township of Elizabethtown.
This was during the ensuing second war with Canada's American neighbours, known as the War of 1812
. The commanding ranking British General in Upper Canada and temporary administrator of the province was Major-General Isaac Brock
. He was celebrated as the "Hero and Saviour" of Upper Canada because of his recent success in securing the surrender of Fort Detroit
. Perhaps to curry favour with Gen Brock, certain leading citizens in the village, including Charles Jones, proposed the name of Brockville. They began using this new name in their correspondence and dealings with Isaac Brock. Gen. Brock was soon involved in other battles on the Niagara Peninsula
, and on October 13, 1812, he was fatally shot while leading troops up the heights near the village of Queenston, then being held by American
militia
.
The general had been aware of the honour being offered by the residents of Elizabethtown, but had no chance to give it his official blessing before his death. Provincial officials accepted the new name, which was soon commonly used by residents and visitors. In 1830 the growing population of Brockville had managed to exceed the 1000 mark. This entitled it to be represented by its own elected member in the House of Assembly
. Henry Jones
, the village postmaster
, was elected in October 1830 to the 11th Parliament
of the Province.
Brockville became Ontario's first incorporated
self-governing town on January 28, 1832, two years before the town of Toronto
. By means of the Brockville Police Act, passed by the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
, Brockville was given the right to govern its own affairs, pass laws and raise taxes. The first elections for the new Board of Police were held on April 2, 1832, to choose four members to the Board. These four in turn chose a fifth member, Daniel Jones, who was also chosen as the first Police Board president, or Mayor of Brockville. In March 1836 he became the first native Upper Canadian to receive a royal knighthood from King William IV
, and became "Sir Daniel Jones".
In the 19th century, the town became a local centre of industry, including shipbuilding, saddleries, tanneries
, tinsmith
s, a foundry
, a brewery, and several hotels. By 1854, a patent medicine
industry had sprung up in Brockville and in bordering Morristown
, NY featuring products such as "Dr Morse's Indian Root Pills", "Dr. McKenzie's Worm Tablets" and later, "Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People
".
In 1855, Brockville was chosen as a divisional point
on the line of the new Grand Trunk Railway
, which was built and opened from Montreal
to Toronto
. This contributed to its growth, as it could offer jobs in railway maintenance and related fields. At the same time, the north-south line of the Brockville and Ottawa Railway was built as a transportation link to join the St. Lawrence River ship route with the timber trade of the Ottawa Valley
. A well-engineered tunnel
for this railway was dug and blasted underneath the middle of Brockville. The Brockville Tunnel
was the first railway tunnel of its kind created and opened in Canada, It is now an historic site for visitors to enter and experience.
Brockville and many other towns in Canada West became involved in the threatened Fenian
invasion following the close of the American Civil War
in 1865. In June 1866, the Irish-American "Brotherhood of Fenians" invaded Canada. They launched raids across the Niagara River
into Canada West and from Vermont into Canada East
. Canadian Premier John A. Macdonald
called on the volunteer militia companies in every town to protect Canada. The Brockville Infantry Company and Brockville Rifle Company (now The Brockville Rifles
) were mobilized to protect Brockville. These unsuccessful Fenian Raids
were a catalyst that contributed to the creation of the new Dominion of Canada in 1867.
In 1962 Brockville was granted official status as a city. Its coat of arms features a beehive
surrounded by a golden chain and bears the motto Industria, Intelligentia, Prosperitas. This is an official heraldic design. Brockville is one of the few cities that has a recognized heraldic flag.
and Montreal
(330 kilometres (205.1 mi) northeast of Toronto and 210 kilometres (130.5 mi) southwest of Montreal) and less than one hour from Ottawa
. Highway 401
runs through Brockville, with exits at Leeds & Grenville County Road 29 and North Augusta Road. There are several daily Via Rail
connections to Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa along the Corridor.
The town has a municipal airport (Brockville-Thousand Islands Regional Tackaberry Airport
) in the neighbouring Elizabethtown-Kitley Township
. The Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
is approximately 100 km away.
The Thousand Islands Bridge
and the Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge, both of which cross the St. Lawrence River into New York
, are located 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) south-west and 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) north-east from Brockville, respectively.
Brockville Transit
is the city-operated public transit system which covers the urban area, providing three regular scheduled bus routes and paratransit services, from Monday to Saturday.
Brockville has high band/high speed telecommunication capability provided by both Bell Canada and AT&T fibre lines.
Citywide Wi-Fi is also available by various carriers, including Starbucks (Bell Wi-Fi).
operates two factories in Brockville, manufacturing tape and occupational health and safety products. Procter & Gamble
operations in the city manufacture dryer sheets and cleaning products, employing 600. Other industries include ceiling fan
manufacturer Canarm, pharmaceutical manufacturer Trillium Canada, and the oil-blending plant of Shell Canada
. Canadian retailer Giant Tiger
has also opened a distribution centre for frozen products in Brockville. Abbott Laboratories has a manufacturing plant in Brockville, making infant formula and adult nutritionals for the domestic and overseas markets, although it is closing down in 2012, a loss of 150 jobs. Many area residents are employed at the Invista
Canada facility (formerly DuPont
Canada Ltd.) located in Maitland, just east of Brockville. Transcom WorldWide
(formerly NuComm International
) also operates a large call centre employing roughly 200 people.
Brockville is also the main administrative, health-care and commercial center for Leeds—Grenville
county. Major public-sector employers include the Upper Canada District School Board
, which has its headquarters in Brockville; and the Brockville Mental Health Center, locally referred to as the "psych", short for Psychiatric Hospital.
. St. Lawrence River tour boats offers scenic trips on the river. The Brockville area is the launching point for some of the best fresh-water wreck diving
in the world. Numerous sunken ships have been discovered below the waters of the St. Lawrence and a number of dive operators with fully equipped boats are ready to take divers to these sites.
A revitalized downtown area, waterfront open to the public with parks and walking trails, and numerous shopping locations are found throughout the city. The city's architecture consists of many stately mansions and elaborate fountains, carefully preserved as reminders of Canadian history. The historic Fulford Place
house museum is located in the east end of Brockville at 287 King St. E. This was the palatial home of Senator George Taylor Fulford
, whose success in marketing "Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People
" around the world made him one of the area's richest industrialists before his death in 1905. The house owned and operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust
is open for public tours on a seasonal schedule.
The Brockville Museum, situated in the historic downtown core, features exhibits and artifacts related to Brockville's rich Loyalist history and the city's development as a waterfront community.
The Maritime Discovery Centre, a $12-million dollar (estimated) tourism and waterfront education attraction is currently approved by the city. It will be part of developer Simon Fuller's $60-million Tall Ships Landing condominium project located on Broad Street.
Brockville has been awarded one of Canada's safest communities by the World Health Organization
.
system.
Brockville is at the downstream end of the world-famous Thousand Islands
, which extend as far as Kingston, Ontario
(at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River at Lake Ontario
), 80 km away.
The next closest commercial boating facilities are each about a half-day boat-trip away (at displacement speeds), downstream at Prescott, Ontario
and upstream at Rockport, Ontario. So, many boaters come to Brockville during their boating vacations, to re-fuel, have repairs done, and re-provision, before casting off again for home.
The city has several music, art and dance organizations, such as Brockville Artists Studio Association, Brockville Community Choir, Brockville Concert Association, Brockville Musicians' Association, Brockville Operatic Society, City of Brockville Pipe Band, and the Thousand Islanders Chorus.
The Brockville Concert Band arises from a long tradition of community and military bands in Brockville. Civic bands provided entertainment at public venues such as community picnics and outdoor skating rinks. The Brockville Rifles Reserve Band entertained "on the green" in the 1930s and 40s.
Military band members returning from the Second World War formed the Brockville Civic Band. Re-organized as the Brockville Concert Band in 1974, it inherited a musical tradition (and actual sheet music) from civic and military bands dating back to the turn of the 20th century. The Brockville Concert Band plays a series of summer concerts every second Tuesday in Hardy Park in Brockville within view of the beautiful St. Lawrence River. The band also plays for various civic functions and entertains at charitable fundraising events. Since 1995, the band's musical director and conductor has been trumpeter and music teacher Lance Besharah.
St. Lawrence College in Brockville is home to the Music Theatre - Performance Program which trains students to enter the professional world of musical theatre. SLC Stage produces three professional quality musicals each season at the Brockville Arts Centre. The Brockville Arts Centre is a 710-seat, newly refurbished theatre venue with a full season of entertainment offerings.
Several festivals occur each year, including Riverfest, a four-day entertainment event which occurs in July.
Print
The city's main daily newspaper is The Recorder & Times. There are two free weekly papers, St Lawrence EMC and The Observer. A new monthly magazine called Living in Brockville is now being distributed free to residents of Brockville.
, England where they have won several Henley Women's Regatta titles. This success often comes by competition against clubs from much larger Canadian centers such as Toronto
, Montreal
, and Vancouver
. Close to 50 Brockville Area Youth are offered an opportunity to participate in a national level rowing program annually. The club has also sent athletes to cities across Europe and Asia to compete at international regattas as part of the Canadian National Team.
Thousand Islands Secondary School is home to a strong high school track & field and cross-country running program. The Pirates have captured numerous Canadian championships and have won 5 straight overall provincial (OFSAA) Ontario championships in track & field and cross country running in an association of over 1000 schools since 2004. With over 15 former students currently on NCAA athletic track & field scholarships in the United States, TISS has been awarded over $1,000,000 in student athletic scholarships. The TISS team travels all over North America
including Ohio
, Florida
, New Hampshire
, and British Columbia
, consistently winning major international championships. The accomplishments of the school have inspired the community to construct a $1.5 million athletic centre at the school.
The Brockville Braves are a Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey team from Brockville, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Junior A Hockey League.
History
Founded in 1963, the Braves are the second oldest team that has never ceased operation in CJHL history—second only to Pembroke. In the 1979, the teams was the focus of national attention when they were left homeless due to their arena collapsing. This did not stop the Braves though, playing their home games out of Cardinal and Rockland, Ontario, the Braves did not miss a beat.
It took until 1986 for the Brockville Braves to win a CJHL championships. They clinched the Bogart Cup on a late April night, defeating their arch-nemesis Pembroke Lumber Kings 8-7 in the finals. Braves' goalie Jacques Breault was the hero, as with 22 seconds to go in the game, turned away a penalty shot by the league's all-time leading scorers Luc Chabot. Although losing to Orillia, Ontario in the Ontario playdowns, the team was a memorable one. Notable members of this team were all-time Braves leading scorer Larry Mitchell, Breault, Paul Duford, Tim Dubas, Dan Nummikoski, Steve Rachwal, Chad Badawey and Rob White.
Since that championship, the team has experienced more bad times than good. The late 80's and early 90's were not good to the Braves, who failed to make the playoffs multiple times.
In 1997, times began to change for the better again. The Braves were given the duty of hosting the Fred Page Cup, the Eastern Canadian Junior "A" championship. This allowed for their team to compete in the event and give them the experience they needed for the next season. The Braves regained their league title in 1998, bringing the club around full circle. The team will host the 2010 Fred Page Cup.
3 star graduates Bryan Murray (Barry's Bay, Ontario) Mike Daoust (Brockville, Ontario) and Guy Come (Iroquois Falls, Ontario)of the Brockville Braves won the 2001 NCAA National Championship with the Plattsburgh Cardinals vs the RIT Tigers.
Brockville Bunnies Youth Baseball Program is also an elite level program that operates out of this small city, with provincial championships and several pro and Olympic graduates. The Brockville youth basketball teams, the Brockville Blues and the Brockville Blazers, provide basketball coaching and training for boys and girls across the area. The Blues and Blazers have repeatedly placed in the Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) championships. A female basketball player, Stacey Dales
(a graduate of Thousand Islands Secondary School), has gone on to play for the Oklahoma University Sooners, coming in a close second for the NCAA title in her graduating year. She also has the highest Canadian woman's draft pick for the WNBA, where she has played for the Washington Mystics
and Chicago Sky
. She currently works for ESPN. Upper Canada Swim Club is another local youth organization that operate at a high level of competition.
There are several golf courses in the Brockville area for a variety of skill levels. Sunnidel Golf is a par three course designed for an easy going round. The Brockville Highlands is a full length 18 hole course. The course has a small membership and is open to patrons willing to pay green fees. The Brockville Country Club poses greater difficulty to the average golfer. The membership comprises an older demographic and is semi-private. The course is open to green fees however certain playing restrictions are imposed.
The Brockville Ontario Speedway
(The BOS) is a clay oval track located just north of the city on Highway 29 in Forthton. The track races every Saturday night from May to September. Classes that race every week include Rookies, Street Stock, Sportsman, Modified and Vintage.
, with an enrollment of approximately 560, is a predominantly university preparatory school with a strong rowing and football program. The BCI Stage Crew is a team of students who are particularly proficient in many aspects of technical theatre. Due to the auditorium at BCI, the BCI Stage Crew has a long tradition of experienced Technical Directors and Crew members alike, some who have gone on to work professionally in the theatre and concert show business circuits.
Thousand Islands Secondary School
, with an enrollment of 1000+, is both a university and college preparatory school with tech facilities and athletics programs, most notably the track and field, girls basketball
, boys soccer, and cross country running teams. St. Mary Catholic High School, with around 600 students, also had athletic success with their girls basketball programs, winning the all Ontarios, back to back, in the late 90s.
Ecole Academie Catholique Ange Gabriel is a school (Grades JK-11) located in the northern end of the city. It is the regional francophone school, and it is the newest built school in the city.
Public elementary schools in the city include Commonwealth Public School, Prince of Wales Public School, Westminster Public School, Toniata Public School and Vanier Public School. The Catholic elementary schools are St. Francis Xavier, St. John Bosco and James L. Jordan. There is also a French Catholic elementary and high school, the Académie Catholique Ange-Gabriel.
St. Lawrence College
(Brockville Campus) has been graduating post secondary students since the 1960s and has an enrollment of around 800. There have been cutbacks to post secondary education in recent decades that have negatively effected the growth of the College.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, in the Thousand Islands
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands is the name of an archipelago of islands that straddle the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the...
region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville
Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario
The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville are located Ontario, Canada. The population, as of the 2006 census, was 99,206. The United Counties have a land area of . Leeds and Grenville are located in the subregion of Southern Ontario named Eastern Ontario, and front on the St. Lawrence River and...
, Brockville is politically independent
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.
Known as the "City of the 1000 Islands", Brockville is located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, directly opposite Morristown, New York
Morristown (village), New York
Morristown is a village along the Saint Lawrence River in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 456 at the 2000 census...
, about half-way between Cornwall
Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada and the seat of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario. Cornwall is Ontario's easternmost city, located on the St...
in the east and Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
in the west, and roughly a 40-minute drive to the national capital of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. It is one of Ontario's oldest urban centres, and is named after the British general Sir Isaac Brock
Isaac Brock
Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...
.
History
Indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
lived along both sides of the St. Lawrence River for thousands of years. The first people known to have encountered the Europeans in the area were the St. Lawrence Iroquoians
St. Lawrence Iroquoians
The St. Lawrence Iroquoians were a prehistoric First Nations/Native American indigenous people who lived from the 14th century until about 1580 CE along the shores of the St. Lawrence River in present-day Quebec and Ontario, Canada, and New York State, United States. They spoke Laurentian...
, a group distinct from and preceding Iroquois nations of the Haudenosaunee. While the explorer Cartier
Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier was a French explorer of Breton origin who claimed what is now Canada for France. He was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas", after the Iroquois names for the two big...
recorded about 200 words in their Laurentian language
Laurentian language
Laurentian, or St. Lawrence Iroquoian, was an Iroquoian language spoken until the late 16th century along the shores of the Saint Lawrence River in present-day Quebec and Ontario, Canada. It is believed to have disappeared with the extinction of the St...
, the people disappeared from the area by the late 16th century. The Iroquois by then used the St. Lawrence Valley as a hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
ground.
This area of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
was first settled by English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
speakers in 1785, when thousands of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
refugees arrived from the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The colonists were later called United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
for their political position supporting continued relationship with King George III. The struggle between Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
and the 13 American colonies took place in the years 1776 to 1783 and seriously divided loyalties among people in some colonies, such as New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. In many areas, traders and merchants in the coastal cities or the northern border had stronger business ties and alliances with the British than did frontiersmen of the interior. During the 6-year war, which ended with the capitulation of the British forces in 1782, many of those colonists who remained loyal to the crown were frequently subject to harsh reprisals and unfair dispossession of property by their countrymen. Many "Loyalists" chose to flee north to the then-British colony of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Great Britain opened this western region of Canada by allocating land to the mostly English-speaking Loyalists and helping them with some supplies as they founded new settlements.
The St. Lawrence River, which separates between Brockville and Morristown, New York, was named by French explorers in the 18th century to commemorate the martyred Roman Christian, Saint Laurentis. The small inlet on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River had been a natural resting point for French voyageurs
Voyageurs
The Voyageurs were the persons who engaged in the transportation of furs by canoe during the fur trade era. Voyageur is a French word which literally translates to "traveler"...
in the past. In 1785 the first U.E. Loyalist to take up land here on the site of Brockville was William Buell Sr. (1751–1832), an ensign disbanded from the King's Rangers
King's Rangers
The King's Rangers was a British provincial military unit raised for service during the American Revolutionary War.After Colonel Robert Rogers left the Queen's Rangers he went to Nova Scotia where he raised this unit in 1777. Rogers was famous for his service during the French and Indian War...
, from the state of New York. Residents commonly called the first settlement "Buell's Bay". Around 1810 government officials of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
designated the village as Elizabethtown. About 1812, leading residents of the small village decided to suggest a name which differed from the surrounding township of Elizabethtown.
This was during the ensuing second war with Canada's American neighbours, known as the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. The commanding ranking British General in Upper Canada and temporary administrator of the province was Major-General Isaac Brock
Isaac Brock
Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...
. He was celebrated as the "Hero and Saviour" of Upper Canada because of his recent success in securing the surrender of Fort Detroit
Fort Shelby (Michigan)
Fort Shelby was a military fort in Detroit, Michigan that played a significant role in the War of 1812. It was built by the British in 1779 as Fort Lernoult, and was ceded to the United States by the Jay Treaty in 1796. It was renamed Fort Detroit by Secretary of War Henry Dearborn in 1805...
. Perhaps to curry favour with Gen Brock, certain leading citizens in the village, including Charles Jones, proposed the name of Brockville. They began using this new name in their correspondence and dealings with Isaac Brock. Gen. Brock was soon involved in other battles on the Niagara Peninsula
Niagara Peninsula
The Niagara Peninsula is the portion of Southern Ontario, Canada lying between the south shore of Lake Ontario and the north shore of Lake Erie. It stretches from the Niagara River in the east to Hamilton, Ontario in the west. The population of the peninsula is roughly 1,000,000 people...
, and on October 13, 1812, he was fatally shot while leading troops up the heights near the village of Queenston, then being held by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
.
The general had been aware of the honour being offered by the residents of Elizabethtown, but had no chance to give it his official blessing before his death. Provincial officials accepted the new name, which was soon commonly used by residents and visitors. In 1830 the growing population of Brockville had managed to exceed the 1000 mark. This entitled it to be represented by its own elected member in the House of Assembly
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
. Henry Jones
Henry Jones (Upper Canada politician)
Henry Jones was a merchant and political figure in Upper Canada. He represented Brockville in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada from 1830 to 1834 as a Conservative....
, the village postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
, was elected in October 1830 to the 11th Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of the Province.
Brockville became Ontario's first incorporated
Incorporated town
-Canada:Incorporated towns are a form of local government in Canada, which is a responsibility of provincial rather than federal government.-United States:...
self-governing town on January 28, 1832, two years before the town of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. By means of the Brockville Police Act, passed by the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
, Brockville was given the right to govern its own affairs, pass laws and raise taxes. The first elections for the new Board of Police were held on April 2, 1832, to choose four members to the Board. These four in turn chose a fifth member, Daniel Jones, who was also chosen as the first Police Board president, or Mayor of Brockville. In March 1836 he became the first native Upper Canadian to receive a royal knighthood from King William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
, and became "Sir Daniel Jones".
In the 19th century, the town became a local centre of industry, including shipbuilding, saddleries, tanneries
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
, tinsmith
Tinsmith
A tinsmith, or tinner or tinker or tinplate worker, is a person who makes and repairs things made of light-coloured metal, particularly tinware...
s, a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
, a brewery, and several hotels. By 1854, a patent medicine
Patent medicine
Patent medicine refers to medical compounds of questionable effectiveness sold under a variety of names and labels. The term "patent medicine" is somewhat of a misnomer because, in most cases, although many of the products were trademarked, they were never patented...
industry had sprung up in Brockville and in bordering Morristown
Morristown (village), New York
Morristown is a village along the Saint Lawrence River in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 456 at the 2000 census...
, NY featuring products such as "Dr Morse's Indian Root Pills", "Dr. McKenzie's Worm Tablets" and later, "Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People
Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People
Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People was a late 19th to early 20th century patent medicine containing iron oxide and magnesium sulfate. It was produced by Dr. Williams Medicine Company, the trading arm of G. T. Fulford & Company. It was claimed to cure chorea, referenced frequently in...
".
In 1855, Brockville was chosen as a divisional point
Divisional point
In Canada, a divisional point is a railway depot that includes more than just a basic siding or station.- Overview :In the coal and steam era, a divisional point would include such amenities as a substantial passenger station, freight and baggage sheds, a roundhouse, water tank, coaling and sanding...
on the line of the new Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
, which was built and opened from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. This contributed to its growth, as it could offer jobs in railway maintenance and related fields. At the same time, the north-south line of the Brockville and Ottawa Railway was built as a transportation link to join the St. Lawrence River ship route with the timber trade of the Ottawa Valley
Ottawa Valley
The Ottawa Valley is the valley along the boundary between Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec along the Ottawa River. The valley is the transition between the Saint Lawrence Lowlands and the Canadian Shield...
. A well-engineered tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
for this railway was dug and blasted underneath the middle of Brockville. The Brockville Tunnel
Brockville Tunnel
The Brockville Railway Tunnel is Canada's first railway tunnel. It is located beneath the city of Brockville, Ontario and passes under the City Hall....
was the first railway tunnel of its kind created and opened in Canada, It is now an historic site for visitors to enter and experience.
Brockville and many other towns in Canada West became involved in the threatened Fenian
Fenian
The Fenians , both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood , were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish Republic in the 19th and early 20th century. The name "Fenians" was first applied by John O'Mahony to the members of the Irish republican...
invasion following the close of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
in 1865. In June 1866, the Irish-American "Brotherhood of Fenians" invaded Canada. They launched raids across the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
into Canada West and from Vermont into Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
. Canadian Premier John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
called on the volunteer militia companies in every town to protect Canada. The Brockville Infantry Company and Brockville Rifle Company (now The Brockville Rifles
The Brockville Rifles
The Brockville Rifles is a Primary Reserve Infantry Regiment of the Canadian Forces. It is fifteenth in the order of precedence.The motto of the regiment is Semper Paratus meaning 'Always Ready'.-History:...
) were mobilized to protect Brockville. These unsuccessful Fenian Raids
Fenian raids
Between 1866 and 1871, the Fenian raids of the Fenian Brotherhood who were based in the United States; on British army forts, customs posts and other targets in Canada, were fought to bring pressure on Britain to withdraw from Ireland. They divided many Catholic Irish-Canadians, many of whom were...
were a catalyst that contributed to the creation of the new Dominion of Canada in 1867.
In 1962 Brockville was granted official status as a city. Its coat of arms features a beehive
Beehive
A beehive is a structure in which bees live and raise their young.Beehive may also refer to:Buildings and locations:* Bee Hive, Alabama, a neighborhood in Alabama* Beehive , a wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings...
surrounded by a golden chain and bears the motto Industria, Intelligentia, Prosperitas. This is an official heraldic design. Brockville is one of the few cities that has a recognized heraldic flag.
Transportation and Communications
Brockville is midway between TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
(330 kilometres (205.1 mi) northeast of Toronto and 210 kilometres (130.5 mi) southwest of Montreal) and less than one hour from Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. Highway 401
Highway 401 (Ontario)
King's Highway 401, also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway and colloquially as the four-oh-one, is a 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario stretching from Windsor to the Quebec border...
runs through Brockville, with exits at Leeds & Grenville County Road 29 and North Augusta Road. There are several daily Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
connections to Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa along the Corridor.
The town has a municipal airport (Brockville-Thousand Islands Regional Tackaberry Airport
Brockville-Thousand Islands Regional Tackaberry Airport
Brockville-Thousand Islands Regional Tackaberry Airport , also known as Brockville Municipal Airport, is a registered aerodrome located in Elizabethtown-Kitley Township, northwest of the city of Brockville, Ontario, Canada....
) in the neighbouring Elizabethtown-Kitley Township
Elizabethtown-Kitley, Ontario
Elizabethtown-Kitley is a township in eastern Ontario, Canada, in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.-Communities:The township comprises the communities of Addison, Bellamys, Bellamys Mills, Bells Crossing, Bethel, Butternut Bay, Crystal, Eloida, Fairfield, Fairfield East, Forthton,...
. The Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport or Macdonald-Cartier International Airport , in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada is named after Sirs John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne Cartier...
is approximately 100 km away.
The Thousand Islands Bridge
Thousand Islands Bridge
The Thousand Islands Bridge is an international bridge system over the Saint Lawrence River connecting northern New York in the United States with southeastern Ontario in Canada. Constructed in 1937, with additions in 1959, the bridges span the United States-Canada border in the middle of the...
and the Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge, both of which cross the St. Lawrence River into New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, are located 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) south-west and 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) north-east from Brockville, respectively.
Brockville Transit
Brockville Transit
Brockville Transit is a small public transit system which covers the urban area of Brockville, Ontario, Canada.Transit services currently operate between Monday and Saturday, with no Sunday or holiday service. All three conventional bus routes travel between the Court House in downtown and the box...
is the city-operated public transit system which covers the urban area, providing three regular scheduled bus routes and paratransit services, from Monday to Saturday.
Brockville has high band/high speed telecommunication capability provided by both Bell Canada and AT&T fibre lines.
Citywide Wi-Fi is also available by various carriers, including Starbucks (Bell Wi-Fi).
Economy
Brockville is home to several large industrial manufacturers. 3M3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
operates two factories in Brockville, manufacturing tape and occupational health and safety products. Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
operations in the city manufacture dryer sheets and cleaning products, employing 600. Other industries include ceiling fan
Ceiling fan
A ceiling fan is a fan, usually electrically powered, suspended from the ceiling of a room, that uses hub-mounted rotating paddles to circulate air....
manufacturer Canarm, pharmaceutical manufacturer Trillium Canada, and the oil-blending plant of Shell Canada
Shell Canada
Shell Canada Limited is the subsidiary of Dutch-based Royal Dutch Shell and one of Canada's largest integrated oil companies. Exploration and production of oil, natural gas and sulphur is a major part of its business, as well as the marketing of gasoline and related products through the company's...
. Canadian retailer Giant Tiger
Giant Tiger
Giant Tiger Stores Limited is Canada’s third-largest chain of discount stores . Following the 2006 acquisition of Zellers and its parent, the Hudson's Bay Company, by American entrepreneur Jerry Zucker, Giant Tiger became the largest Canadian-owned discount retailer...
has also opened a distribution centre for frozen products in Brockville. Abbott Laboratories has a manufacturing plant in Brockville, making infant formula and adult nutritionals for the domestic and overseas markets, although it is closing down in 2012, a loss of 150 jobs. Many area residents are employed at the Invista
INVISTA
Invista, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, is the world's largest integrated fiber, resin and intermediates company. DuPont originally formed the company as a subsidiary in 2003 from its textile fibers division and named it DuPont Textiles and Interiors while a permanent identity was established...
Canada facility (formerly DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
Canada Ltd.) located in Maitland, just east of Brockville. Transcom WorldWide
Transcom WorldWide
Transcom WorldWide S.A. a global outsourced service provider entirely focused on customers, the service they experience and the revenue they generate. Transcom's customer management and credit management services are designed to strengthen clients’ customer relationships and secure their revenue...
(formerly NuComm International
NuComm International
NuComm International was a Canadian-based provider of customer relationship and call center services.It is officially now part of Transcom WorldWide S.A...
) also operates a large call centre employing roughly 200 people.
Brockville is also the main administrative, health-care and commercial center for Leeds—Grenville
Leeds—Grenville
Leeds—Grenville is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.It consists of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.-History:...
county. Major public-sector employers include the Upper Canada District School Board
Upper Canada District School Board
The Upper Canada District School Board is one of the largest public school boards in Ontario in terms of geographical area. It encompasses the counties in the easternmost portion of the province, including the cities of Brockville, Clarence-Rockland, Carleton Place, Cornwall, and Akwesasne.The...
, which has its headquarters in Brockville; and the Brockville Mental Health Center, locally referred to as the "psych", short for Psychiatric Hospital.
Tourism
The community is dominated by the St. Lawrence River and is known as The City of the Thousand IslandsThousand Islands
The Thousand Islands is the name of an archipelago of islands that straddle the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the...
. St. Lawrence River tour boats offers scenic trips on the river. The Brockville area is the launching point for some of the best fresh-water wreck diving
Wreck diving
Wreck diving is a type of recreational diving where shipwrecks are explored. Although most wreck dive sites are at shipwrecks, there is an increasing trend to scuttle retired ships to create artificial reef sites...
in the world. Numerous sunken ships have been discovered below the waters of the St. Lawrence and a number of dive operators with fully equipped boats are ready to take divers to these sites.
A revitalized downtown area, waterfront open to the public with parks and walking trails, and numerous shopping locations are found throughout the city. The city's architecture consists of many stately mansions and elaborate fountains, carefully preserved as reminders of Canadian history. The historic Fulford Place
Fulford Place
Fulford Place is the turn-of-the-century mansion home of Senator George Taylor Fulford, a Canadian businessman and politician. The home is now a historic house museum reflecting Edwardian period decorations, and is operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust. It was designated a National Historic Site...
house museum is located in the east end of Brockville at 287 King St. E. This was the palatial home of Senator George Taylor Fulford
George Taylor Fulford
George Taylor Fulford was a Canadian businessman and politician.- Life and Family :Born in Brockville, Upper Canada , to a family of United Empire Loyalist stock, he was the youngest son of Hiram Fulford and Martha Harris.In 1880, Fulford married Mary Wilder White , a socialite from Wisconsin, and...
, whose success in marketing "Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People
Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People
Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People was a late 19th to early 20th century patent medicine containing iron oxide and magnesium sulfate. It was produced by Dr. Williams Medicine Company, the trading arm of G. T. Fulford & Company. It was claimed to cure chorea, referenced frequently in...
" around the world made him one of the area's richest industrialists before his death in 1905. The house owned and operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust
Ontario Heritage Trust
The Ontario Heritage Trust is a non-profit agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, responsible for protecting, preserving and promoting the built, natural and cultural heritage of Canada's most populous province. It was initially known as the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board...
is open for public tours on a seasonal schedule.
The Brockville Museum, situated in the historic downtown core, features exhibits and artifacts related to Brockville's rich Loyalist history and the city's development as a waterfront community.
The Maritime Discovery Centre, a $12-million dollar (estimated) tourism and waterfront education attraction is currently approved by the city. It will be part of developer Simon Fuller's $60-million Tall Ships Landing condominium project located on Broad Street.
Brockville has been awarded one of Canada's safest communities by the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
.
Brockville boating
Brockville also offers excellent boating resources, with a large, deep-water municipal marina, a yacht club and several commercial marinas. Just upstream on the mighty St. Lawrence River is the Brockville Islands group, which contain some city island parks, and an island park belonging to the St. Lawrence Islands National ParkSt. Lawrence Islands National Park
St. Lawrence Islands National Park is located in the Thousand Islands Region of the Saint Lawrence River. The islands are actually the worn-down tops of ancient mountains...
system.
Brockville is at the downstream end of the world-famous Thousand Islands
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands is the name of an archipelago of islands that straddle the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the...
, which extend as far as Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
(at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River at Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
), 80 km away.
The next closest commercial boating facilities are each about a half-day boat-trip away (at displacement speeds), downstream at Prescott, Ontario
Prescott, Ontario
Prescott is a town of approximately 4,180 people on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada. The Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, 5 km east of Prescott in Johnstown, connects it with Ogdensburg, New York...
and upstream at Rockport, Ontario. So, many boaters come to Brockville during their boating vacations, to re-fuel, have repairs done, and re-provision, before casting off again for home.
Culture
The Brockville Concert Band arises from a long tradition of community and military bands in Brockville. Civic bands provided entertainment at public venues such as community picnics and outdoor skating rinks. The Brockville Rifles Reserve Band entertained "on the green" in the 1930s and 40s.
Military band members returning from the Second World War formed the Brockville Civic Band. Re-organized as the Brockville Concert Band in 1974, it inherited a musical tradition (and actual sheet music) from civic and military bands dating back to the turn of the 20th century. The Brockville Concert Band plays a series of summer concerts every second Tuesday in Hardy Park in Brockville within view of the beautiful St. Lawrence River. The band also plays for various civic functions and entertains at charitable fundraising events. Since 1995, the band's musical director and conductor has been trumpeter and music teacher Lance Besharah.
St. Lawrence College in Brockville is home to the Music Theatre - Performance Program which trains students to enter the professional world of musical theatre. SLC Stage produces three professional quality musicals each season at the Brockville Arts Centre. The Brockville Arts Centre is a 710-seat, newly refurbished theatre venue with a full season of entertainment offerings.
Several festivals occur each year, including Riverfest, a four-day entertainment event which occurs in July.
Radio
- FM 94.5 - CIIB-FM, Information RadioInformation Radio990 6RPH Information Radio broadcasts on 990 kHz AM and is wonded and operated by the Foundation for Information Radio of Western Australia Inc. It aims to provide equity through access to printed information for Western Australians with a print disability. It is a member of RPH Australia...
- FM 99.9 - CKJJ-2CKJJ-FMCKJJ-FM is a Christian music radio station, broadcasting at 102.3 FM in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The station began broadcasting in 2003 and is owned by United Christian Broadcasters Canada.-Transmitters:...
, Christian musicChristian musicChristian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world.... - FM 102.1 - CBOF-7CBOF-FMCBOF-FM is a French-language Canadian radio station located in Ottawa, Ontario.Owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation , it broadcasts on 90.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 84,000 watts using an omnidirectional antenna.The station has an ad-free news/talk format and...
, Première Chaîne - FM 103.7 - CJPTCJPT-FMCJPT-FM is a radio station, airing at 103.7 FM in Brockville, Ontario, Canada. The station, owned by Bell Media, airs an adult hits format branded as Bob FM.-History:...
("Bob FMBob FMBob FM is the on-air brand of a number of FM radio stations in Canada and the United States. The Bob FM format features a mix of classic 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles....
"), classic hitsClassic hitsClassic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format... - FM 104.9 - CFJRCFJR-FMCFJR-FM is a Canadian radio station airing at 104.9 FM in Brockville, Ontario. The station owned by Bell Media, airs an adult contemporary format branded as 104.9 JR FM.-History:The station originally launched in 1926 as CFLC at AM 1010 kHz...
("JRfm"), soft adult contemporary - FM 106.5 - CBOBCBO-FMCBO-FM is a Canadian radio station. It is the CBC Radio One station in Ottawa, airing at 91.5 FM, and serves much of Eastern Ontario through a network of relay transmitters.-History:...
, CBC Radio OneCBC Radio OneCBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
Sports
Several local clubs, organizations and high schools have achieved success on provincial, national, and international levels, such as the Brockville Rowing Club, one of the oldest and most successful rowing clubs in Canada. The Rowing Club has captured the Royal Canadian Henley Championships several times. The club has also sent crews to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England where they have won several Henley Women's Regatta titles. This success often comes by competition against clubs from much larger Canadian centers such as Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Close to 50 Brockville Area Youth are offered an opportunity to participate in a national level rowing program annually. The club has also sent athletes to cities across Europe and Asia to compete at international regattas as part of the Canadian National Team.
Thousand Islands Secondary School is home to a strong high school track & field and cross-country running program. The Pirates have captured numerous Canadian championships and have won 5 straight overall provincial (OFSAA) Ontario championships in track & field and cross country running in an association of over 1000 schools since 2004. With over 15 former students currently on NCAA athletic track & field scholarships in the United States, TISS has been awarded over $1,000,000 in student athletic scholarships. The TISS team travels all over North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
including Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, consistently winning major international championships. The accomplishments of the school have inspired the community to construct a $1.5 million athletic centre at the school.
The Brockville Braves are a Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey team from Brockville, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Junior A Hockey League.
History
Founded in 1963, the Braves are the second oldest team that has never ceased operation in CJHL history—second only to Pembroke. In the 1979, the teams was the focus of national attention when they were left homeless due to their arena collapsing. This did not stop the Braves though, playing their home games out of Cardinal and Rockland, Ontario, the Braves did not miss a beat.
It took until 1986 for the Brockville Braves to win a CJHL championships. They clinched the Bogart Cup on a late April night, defeating their arch-nemesis Pembroke Lumber Kings 8-7 in the finals. Braves' goalie Jacques Breault was the hero, as with 22 seconds to go in the game, turned away a penalty shot by the league's all-time leading scorers Luc Chabot. Although losing to Orillia, Ontario in the Ontario playdowns, the team was a memorable one. Notable members of this team were all-time Braves leading scorer Larry Mitchell, Breault, Paul Duford, Tim Dubas, Dan Nummikoski, Steve Rachwal, Chad Badawey and Rob White.
Since that championship, the team has experienced more bad times than good. The late 80's and early 90's were not good to the Braves, who failed to make the playoffs multiple times.
In 1997, times began to change for the better again. The Braves were given the duty of hosting the Fred Page Cup, the Eastern Canadian Junior "A" championship. This allowed for their team to compete in the event and give them the experience they needed for the next season. The Braves regained their league title in 1998, bringing the club around full circle. The team will host the 2010 Fred Page Cup.
3 star graduates Bryan Murray (Barry's Bay, Ontario) Mike Daoust (Brockville, Ontario) and Guy Come (Iroquois Falls, Ontario)of the Brockville Braves won the 2001 NCAA National Championship with the Plattsburgh Cardinals vs the RIT Tigers.
Brockville Bunnies Youth Baseball Program is also an elite level program that operates out of this small city, with provincial championships and several pro and Olympic graduates. The Brockville youth basketball teams, the Brockville Blues and the Brockville Blazers, provide basketball coaching and training for boys and girls across the area. The Blues and Blazers have repeatedly placed in the Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) championships. A female basketball player, Stacey Dales
Stacey Dales
Stacey Dales, is a former Canadian basketball player and a current host on the NFL Network.-Basketball:...
(a graduate of Thousand Islands Secondary School), has gone on to play for the Oklahoma University Sooners, coming in a close second for the NCAA title in her graduating year. She also has the highest Canadian woman's draft pick for the WNBA, where she has played for the Washington Mystics
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
and Chicago Sky
Chicago Sky
The Chicago Sky is a professional basketball team based in Rosemont, Illinois, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2006 WNBA season began. The team is owned by Michael J. Alter and Margaret Stender...
. She currently works for ESPN. Upper Canada Swim Club is another local youth organization that operate at a high level of competition.
There are several golf courses in the Brockville area for a variety of skill levels. Sunnidel Golf is a par three course designed for an easy going round. The Brockville Highlands is a full length 18 hole course. The course has a small membership and is open to patrons willing to pay green fees. The Brockville Country Club poses greater difficulty to the average golfer. The membership comprises an older demographic and is semi-private. The course is open to green fees however certain playing restrictions are imposed.
The Brockville Ontario Speedway
Brockville Ontario Speedway
The Brockville Ontario Speedway is a 3/8 mile dirt track in the community of Forthton, Ontario, Canada. It is located on County Road 29 about northwest of Brockville. Commonly known as "The BOS", the track has been running a weekly racing schedule for most summers since 1969. The BOS has also ran...
(The BOS) is a clay oval track located just north of the city on Highway 29 in Forthton. The track races every Saturday night from May to September. Classes that race every week include Rookies, Street Stock, Sportsman, Modified and Vintage.
Education
There are four high schools located in and around the City of Brockville. Brockville Collegiate InstituteBrockville Collegiate Institute
Brockville Collegiate Institute is a public high school located in Brockville, Ontario.BCI houses approximately seven hundred students and follows the Ontario High School Curriculum. The school has consistently ranked among the best in provincial testing. The vast majority of graduates pursue...
, with an enrollment of approximately 560, is a predominantly university preparatory school with a strong rowing and football program. The BCI Stage Crew is a team of students who are particularly proficient in many aspects of technical theatre. Due to the auditorium at BCI, the BCI Stage Crew has a long tradition of experienced Technical Directors and Crew members alike, some who have gone on to work professionally in the theatre and concert show business circuits.
Thousand Islands Secondary School
Thousand Islands Secondary School
Thousand Islands Secondary School is a public high school in the city of Brockville, Ontario and the largest high school managed by the Upper Canada District School Board...
, with an enrollment of 1000+, is both a university and college preparatory school with tech facilities and athletics programs, most notably the track and field, girls basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, boys soccer, and cross country running teams. St. Mary Catholic High School, with around 600 students, also had athletic success with their girls basketball programs, winning the all Ontarios, back to back, in the late 90s.
Ecole Academie Catholique Ange Gabriel is a school (Grades JK-11) located in the northern end of the city. It is the regional francophone school, and it is the newest built school in the city.
Public elementary schools in the city include Commonwealth Public School, Prince of Wales Public School, Westminster Public School, Toniata Public School and Vanier Public School. The Catholic elementary schools are St. Francis Xavier, St. John Bosco and James L. Jordan. There is also a French Catholic elementary and high school, the Académie Catholique Ange-Gabriel.
St. Lawrence College
St. Lawrence College, Ontario
St. Lawrence College is a College of Applied Arts and Technology with three campuses in Eastern Ontario, namely Brockville , Cornwall and Kingston .-History:...
(Brockville Campus) has been graduating post secondary students since the 1960s and has an enrollment of around 800. There have been cutbacks to post secondary education in recent decades that have negatively effected the growth of the College.
Notable residents
- Brad AbrahamBrad AbrahamBrad Abraham is a screenwriter, author and journalist.His work includes Stonehenge Apocalypse Robocop: Prime Directives I Love Mummy and the National Film Board of Canada produced Hoverboy. He was also an uncredited writer on the remake of the 70s slasher classic Black...
- screenwriter Stonehenge ApocalypseStonehenge ApocalypseStonehenge Apocalypse is a 2010 made-for-TV American science fiction movie starring Misha Collins, Torri Higginson and Peter Wingfield. The movie follows a series of deaths, natural disasters, and strange energy readings that seem to be mysteriously connected to Stonehenge.-Plot:Jacob Glaser,...
Robocop: Prime DirectivesRoboCop: Prime DirectivesRoboCop: Prime Directives is a TV miniseries released in 2001. It is based on the 1987 cyberpunk/science fiction film RoboCop directed by Paul Verhoeven. The series consisted of four feature length movies: Dark Justice, Meltdown, Resurrection, and Crash and Burn...
graduated from Brockville Collegiate InstituteBrockville Collegiate InstituteBrockville Collegiate Institute is a public high school located in Brockville, Ontario.BCI houses approximately seven hundred students and follows the Ontario High School Curriculum. The school has consistently ranked among the best in provincial testing. The vast majority of graduates pursue...
. - Larry Ashley - late trainer of the Vancouver Canucks was born and raised in Brockville and is a member of the Brockville Sports Hall of Fame.
- George ChaffeyGeorge ChaffeyGeorge Chaffey was a Canadian–born engineer who with his brother William developed large parts of Southern California, including what became the community of Etiwanda and cities of Ontario, and Upland...
- civil engineer and urban planner, founder of the U.S. city of Ontario, CaliforniaOntario, CaliforniaOntario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
, currently a sister city of Brockville. - William ChaffeyWilliam ChaffeyWilliam Benjamin Chaffey was a Canadian engineer and irrigation planner who with his older brother George Chaffey developed what became the cities of Etiwanda, Ontario, and Upland in California, United States of America; and the city of Mildura, Victoria, Australia, as well as the town of Renmark,...
- civil engineer and urban planner. Brother of George Chaffey. - Brian ChapmanBrian ChapmanBrian Chapman is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted 74th overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. He played three games for the Whalers in the NHL during the 1990-91 season.-External links:...
- former AHL All Star was born and raised in Brockville. - Stacey DalesStacey DalesStacey Dales, is a former Canadian basketball player and a current host on the NFL Network.-Basketball:...
- former WNBA AllStar and current ESPN broadcaster. - Burke DalesBurke DalesBurke Dales is a professional Canadian football punter for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
- current CFL punter, with the 2008 Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders. - Todd GillTodd GillTodd Gill is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL between 1985 and 2003. He played the majority of his career for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and has also played for the San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago...
- born and raised east of Brockville in Cardinal, Ontario, now resides in Brockville and owns and runs the CJHL Brockville BravesBrockville BravesThe Brockville Braves are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Brockville, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Junior A Hockey League...
. - Currie GrahamCurrie GrahamCurrie Graham is a Canadian stage, film and television actor. He studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City....
- actor. - Michael HealeyMichael HealeyMichael Healey is a Canadian playwright and actor. He graduated from the acting programme at Toronto's Ryerson Theatre School in 1985. His acting credits include the plays of Jason Sherman and George F...
- playwright that attended B.C.I. until the end of the school year of 1981. - Walter William LaChanceWalter William LaChanceWalter William LaChance was a Canadian architect best known for his designs of rural schools, although he also designed numerous buildings of other types. His commissions were concentrated in Cleveland, Ohio, Hamilton, Ontario, Welland, Ontario, and various communities in Saskatchewan...
- architect and author in the early 20th century - Randy LadouceurRandy LadouceurRandall Ladouceur . Ladouceur is a current assistant coach of the Montreal Canadiens. He is a former assistant coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs and former assistant coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs...
- former NHL player (primarily with the Hartford Whalers) and coach was born and raised in Brockville. - Hank LammensHank LammensHank Jacob Lammens is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was drafted 160th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft and played 27 regular season games for the Ottawa Senators during the 1993–94 NHL season...
- former New York Islanders draft pick and one-time Ottawa Senators player (St. Lawrence University alum). - Cyril LeederCyril LeederCyril Leeder is the president of the Ottawa Senators professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League and its corporation, the Senators Sports & Entertainment Corporation...
- current Ottawa Senators president - Alyn McCauleyAlyn McCauleyAlyn Daniel McCauley is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for ten years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, and the Los Angeles Kings...
- former Toronto Maple Leaf was born and raised in Brockville and still returns to the region during the summer months. - Matthew McMahonMatthew McMahonMatthew McMahon is a Canadian professional golfer. He competed collegiately for DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois from 2004-2008.-Professional career:...
- professional golfer. - James MotlukJames MotlukJames Motluk is a Canadian filmmaker of Ukrainian descent. After studying philosophy at Trent University he travelled to Toronto where he struggled to break into the film industry working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as an assistant director on a television show called Seeing Things...
- noted documentary filmmaker who graduated from Thousand Islands Secondary SchoolThousand Islands Secondary SchoolThousand Islands Secondary School is a public high school in the city of Brockville, Ontario and the largest high school managed by the Upper Canada District School Board...
in 1981. - Portia PerezPortia PerezJenna Grattan is a Canadian professional wrestler best known under the stage name Portia Perez. Perez currently teams with Nicole Matthews as The Canadian NINJAs.-Professional wrestling career:...
- women's professional wrestler. - Nathan PhillipsNathan PhillipsNathan Phillips is the name of:*Nathan Phillips , Canadian politician*Nathan Phillips Square, the plaza in front of Toronto, Ontario's City Hall named in honour of the above*Nathan Phillips , Australian actor...
- former mayor of Toronto. - Dan QuinnDan QuinnDaniel Peter Quinn is a Canadian professional golfer and former professional ice hockey player. Quinn played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
- raised in Brockville and returned to play slo pitchSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
during the summers of his early career. - Randy SextonRandy SextonRandy Sexton is a Canadian ice hockey executive, businessman and former athlete. He is currently assistant director of amateur scouting for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . He most recently was the general manager of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. He was one of the...
- former general manager of the Ottawa SenatorsOttawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(St. Lawrence University alum). - Frances Ford SeymourFrances Ford SeymourFrances Ford Seymour was a socialite, the second wife of actor Henry Fonda and the mother of actors Jane Fonda and Peter Fonda.-Early life:...
- born in Brockville, late mother of Jane FondaJane FondaJane Fonda is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an...
and Peter FondaPeter FondaPeter Henry Fonda is an American actor. He is the son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda...
, late wife of Henry FondaHenry FondaHenry Jaynes Fonda was an American film and stage actor.Fonda made his mark early as a Broadway actor. He also appeared in 1938 in plays performed in White Plains, New York, with Joan Tompkins...
. Socialite.