Leamington is a municipality in
Essex CountyEssex County is a county and census division located in Southwestern Ontario and covers an area at the southernmost tip of Canada. The administrative seat is Essex...
,
southern OntarioSouthern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
, Canada, and has a population of 31,113. It includes Point Pelee, the southernmost point of mainland Canada. It has a large
H. J. Heinz CompanyThe H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
factory and is known as the "
TomatoThe word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
Capital of Canada", with 4 km² of this crop in the vicinity. It also lays claim to being the "Sun Parlour" of Canada due to its southern location.
History
Leamington was incorporated as a village in 1876. It was a crossroads hamlet with about 300 residents and was known for its lumber products rather than its tomatoes. There were several docks, and fish were plentiful in Lake Erie, so much so that sturgeon could be speared from the shore and fish was the cheapest food available. Leamington once had many tobacco farms but now they are virtually nonexistent. In 1908 the H. J. Heinz company came to Leamington, bringing many jobs to the area and contributing to Leamington's growth.
In the early hours of Sunday, June 6, 2010, an
F2The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
tornado ripped through portions of southern Essex County, stretching from Harrow, through Kingsville, to southern Leamington before dissipating near
Point Pelee National Park-See also:*National Parks of Canada*List of National Parks of Canada*Long Point-External links:**...
, creating considerable damage, but no loss of life.
Climate
Leamington enjoys the second warmest climate in Canada, after the
Lower MainlandThe Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding and including Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As of 2007, 2,524,113 people live in the region; sixteen of the province's thirty most populous municipalities are located there.While the term Lower Mainland has been...
of
British ColumbiaBritish 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...
. Leamington lies on the 42nd Parallel, the same latitude as Chicago,
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, the northern border of
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and
ZaragozaZaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
.
Leamington is situated on the north shore of
Lake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
and is home to
Point Pelee National Park-See also:*National Parks of Canada*List of National Parks of Canada*Long Point-External links:**...
, a major site for
migrating birdsBird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
especially in the autumn. As such, it plays host to many
birdwatcherBirdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
s from
CanadaCanada 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...
, the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and from all around the world. The region is also known for the migration of Monarch butterflies, which congregate in the fall at Point Pelee before making their way across Lake Erie on their route to winter quarters in central Mexico.
Another important natural area near Leamington is the wetland at Hillman Marsh, located six kilometres east of the town.
Demographics
| Census |
Population |
| 1871 |
200 |
| 1881 |
1,411 |
| 1891 |
1,910 |
| 1901 |
2,451 |
| 1911 |
2,652 |
| 1921 |
3,675 |
| 1931 |
4,902 |
| 1941 |
5,799 |
| 1951 |
6,950 |
| 1961 |
9,030 |
| 1971 |
10,435 |
| 1981 |
12,528 |
| 1991 |
14,182 |
| 2001 |
27,138 |
| 2006 |
31,113 |
According to the
Canada 2006 CensusThe Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
there were 31,113 people living in Leamington, Leamington was also rated the 80th largest urban area in Canada by population, according to the census.
Language
The majority of people from Leamington speak English. According to the census, 16,915 speak English only, 8460 male and 8460 female. 470 people speak French, 10,840 speak other languages such as German, Spanish and Arabic, and 45 speak English and French. Residents of Leamington include a population of Lebanese, Portuguese and Italian. Mennonite settlers have also increased the size of the population.
Age
According to the census, the median age of people living in Leamington is 37.1 years - for men the age was 36 and for women the age was 38.4 years of age.
Immigration
According to a 2006 survey 19,365 people are not immigrants while 7,485 are immigrants. The majority of immigrants come from Mexico and Jamaica and are seasonal laborers. According to the census, Leamington had the highest percentage of Latin Americans in Canada, with 4.9%.
Tourism
Leamington has been known for its tourism and attractions and is known as the tomato capital of Canada.
Leamington's attractions include bicycle paths and nearby
Point Pelee National Park-See also:*National Parks of Canada*List of National Parks of Canada*Long Point-External links:**...
. Leamington also has a large and modern
marinaA marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
. The town's water tower, visible for miles in the flat southern Ontario landscape, is also in the shape and colour of a giant tomato. Celebrating its position as an agricultural powerhouse and its heritage as the H. J. Heinz Company's center for processing "red goods," the city hosts a "Tomato Festival" each August, as a kickoff of the tomato-harvesting season. Car shows, beauty pageants, parades, and a fair are featured at the festival.
Leamington's position on the north shore of Lake Erie makes it an important recreational centre.
The tourist information booth in the centre of town is a large
fiberglassGlass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
tomatoThe word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
.
Parks
Leamington has several parks including Seacliff Park, The Marina Park, Mersea Park and Garrison Gardens.
Transportation
Leamington has a variety of transportation. It has a bicycle path going from the middle of town to the Marina, previously the rail line for Heinz. Leamington has two ferrys, the (M/V Jiimaan and M/V Pelee Islander) owned by the
Owen Sound Transportation CompanyThis is an historical account of the Owen Sound Transportation Company, Limited , the forerunner of the enterprise that currently operates the vehicle and passenger ferry - M.S. Chi-Cheemaun - between Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula, and South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island. For updated...
run on a regularly scheduled seasonal basis from Leamington to Pelee Island. Transportation around Leamington is offered by the
Leamington TransitLeamington Transit is the current mode of public transportation in Leamington, Ontario Canada. It consists of a micro coach that services the town of Leamington making regular routes Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm...
bus system. Leamington has a small
private airportLeamington Airport, , is located east of the town Leamington, Ontario, Canada.-External links:* on COPA's Places to Fly airport directory...
located four kilometres to the east of town. The town is also connected to the provincial highway network by
Highway 3King's Highway 3, commonly referred to as Highway 3 and historically as the Talbot Trail, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which travels parallel to the shore of Lake Erie. It has three segments, the first of which runs from the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor...
(to
WindsorWindsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
), and
Highway 77King's Highway 77, also known as Highway 77, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. One of three highways within Essex County, Highway 77 serves to interconnect Highway 3 near Leamington with Highway 401 near Tilbury. Prior to 1998, the highway extended...
(to
Highway 401King'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...
).
Economy
Known as the tomato capital of Canada, Leamington became the home of the H. J. Heinz factory in 1908. The Heinz products are shipped from Leamington, with English and French labels, mostly to the United States. Ketchup and baby food are the main products.
Along with the H. J. Heinz Company factory, Leamington has also been known for its
greenhouseA greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s, and now has the largest number of commercial greenhouses in all of
North AmericaNorth 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...
. Major products of the greenhouse industry, in addition to tomatoes, are
peppersCapsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its species are native to the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years, but they are now also cultivated worldwide, used as spices, vegetables, and medicines - and have become are a key element in...
, cucumbers,
roseA rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
s, and other
flowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s. Hydroponic farming has been very successfully adopted by many greenhouse operators in Leamington. Historically, tobacco was an important crop in the area, but
tobaccoTobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
production declined in the 1960s and today is virtually nonexistent. Leamington's agribusiness success comes from a fortuitous combination of excellent soil, knowledgeable and energetic owners, and a favorable climate.
Migrant workers, mostly
MexicanMexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
and
CaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
seasonal labourers, annually arrive in the region to work in Leamington's greenhouses and farms. Because of the influx of legal seasonal workers, Leamington has opened up several Mexican and
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n shops, and even has a Mexican Consulate.
Leamington is home to a small community hospital, Leamington District Memorial Hospital (LDMH), at 194 Talbot Road West.
Sports
- Leamington Flyers
The Leamington Flyers are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Leamington, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.-History:...
play in the Western Division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey LeagueThe Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Canadian junior ice hockey league based in Southern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association, Ontario Hockey Federation, and Hockey Canada...
at Heinz ArenaHeinz Arena is located in Leamington, Ontario. It is a small community rink that is the home of the Jr. B Leamington Flyers. The Arena is part of the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex. The Arena is named after Heinz since Heinz donated that land for an Arena to be built on...
- Wheatley-Southpoint Sharks
The Wheatley Sharks are a Canadian junior hockey team based in Wheatley, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.-Season-by-season record:-Coaching staff:...
play in the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey LeagueThe Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League is a Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The Champion of the Great Lakes will compete for the All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schmalz Cup....
- Southpoint Capitals play in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association
The Ontario Minor Hockey Association is a major ice hockey governing body at the minor level. The OMHA is empowered by the Ontario Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada. The OMHA oversees minor hockey from Initiation to Juvenile throughout the majority of southern Ontario...
(OMHA)
- Leamington Minor Soccer Association has over 800 players every year
- Leamington S.C. United Soccer Club formed in Dec. 2008 has become a major sports club, with 10 competitive traveling teams from under-11 to Senior Mens
- Sun County Crows play in the Zone 7 of the Ontario Lacrosse Association
Ontario Lacrosse Association is a sanctioned sports body in Ontario, Canada. Empowered by the Canadian Lacrosse Association, the OLA controls and regulates Minor level, Junior level and Senior level Lacrosse...
at Heinz ArenaHeinz Arena is located in Leamington, Ontario. It is a small community rink that is the home of the Jr. B Leamington Flyers. The Arena is part of the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex. The Arena is named after Heinz since Heinz donated that land for an Arena to be built on...
www.crowslacrosse.ca
Media
Leamington's weekly newspaper is the
Leamington Post (formerly called the
Post and News). Leamington is home to two regional commercial radio stations.
Mix 96.7CHYR-FM is a Canadian radio station, which airs at 96.7 FM in Leamington, Ontario. The station airs a hot adult contemporary format branded as Mix 96.7.-History:...
FM was originally known as CJSP and was on 710 on the AM dial, having signed on the air on February 17, 1955. In 2008, a second radio station with the call-sign of
CJSPCJSP-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 92.7 MHz in Leamington, Ontario. Owned by Blackburn Radio, who currently owns CHYR-FM in Leamington....
signed on at 92.7 FM as a country music station. A community television station,
CFTVCFTV is a low-power community television station in Leamington, Ontario, Canada, which began broadcasting in early 2006. The station was licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in 2003....
channel 34, launched in 2006.
CFTV-TVCFTV is a low-power community television station in Leamington, Ontario, Canada, which began broadcasting in early 2006. The station was licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in 2003....
is on channel 100 on
CogecoCogeco Inc. is a Canadian media and communications company. The name is an acronym for Compagnie Générale de Communication .-History:...
digital cable (having been moved from channel 79 to 100).
Leamington In media
- Aspects of the fictional town of Port Ticonderoga in The Blind Assassin
The Blind Assassin is an award-winning, bestselling novel by the Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It was first published by McClelland and Stewart in 2000. Set in Canada, it is narrated from the present day, referring back to events that span the twentieth century.The work was awarded the Man...
by Margaret AtwoodMargaret Eleanor Atwood, is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. She is among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history; she is a winner of the Arthur C...
(including street names, demographics and a store name) appear to have been derived from Leamington. Atwood is a part-time resident of Pelee Island, which is accessed by ferry from Leamington.
- The fictional town of the Sun Parlour in the book Lives of the Saints
Lives of the Saints is a novel by Nino Ricci. The author's first book, it forms the first part of a trilogy. The other two novels are In a Glass House and Where She Has Gone...
by Nino RicciNino Ricci is a Canadian novelist who lives in Toronto, Ontario. He was born in Leamington, Ontario to Italian immigrants, Virginio and Amelia Ricci, from the province of Isernia, Molise....
is based on Leamington.
- The book Splat! By Eric Walters
Eric Robert Walters is a Canadian author of children's literature. His novels have been enthusiastically received by children and young adults and critically acclaimed by teachers, reviewers and parents.-Background:...
takes place in Leamington at the tomato festival.
- Stompin' Tom Connors
Charles Thomas "Stompin' Tom" Connors, OC is one of Canada's most prolific and well-known country and folk singers.He lives in Wellington County, Ontario.- Early life :...
mentions Leamington in his tune The Ketchup Song
- David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
referred to Leamington as the tomato capital of Canada in a monologue in July 2009.
Elementary
Leamington has six public elementary schools, Margaret D. Bennie, Mill Street, Queen Elizabeth, Gore Hill, Mount Carmel - Blytheswood Public School and East Mersea. Leamington has two Catholic elementary schools: Queen of Peace and Saint Louis. Leamington also has one french speaking Catholic School, St. Michel. South Shore Christian School is a private elementary school located in Leamington.
Leamington has two main school boards the Greater Essex County District School Board and the Windsor-Essex Catholic School Board.
Secondary
Leamington has three secondary schools: Leamington District Secondary School (LDSS);
Cardinal Carter Catholic High School (Leamington)Cardinal Carter Catholic Secondary School is a high school in Leamington, Ontario under the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board. It was once attached to the elementary school, Queen of Peace, but moved next door in the early 1990S into a new building....
, and U.M.E.I (United Mennonite Education Institute).
Notable people from Leamington
- Major league pitcher Bob Hooper
Robert Nelson Hooper was a Canadian-born pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1950-55. A native of Leamington, Ontario, Hooper attended Montclair State University in New Jersey and served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II prior to his major-league career...
and infielder Danny KlassenDaniel Victor Klassen is an infielder who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers....
.
- NHL players Brad Selwood
Bradley Wayne Selwood is the former General Manager and head coach of the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League....
, Pat RibblePatrick Wayne Ribble is a retired Canadian ice hockey player.A defenceman, Ribble was selected in 1974 by both the Atlanta Flames of the National Hockey League and the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association. He also played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington...
, Randy ManeryRandy Neal Manery is a retired a Canadian ice hockey defenceman.Manery started his National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings in 1970. He would also play for the Atlanta Flames and Los Angeles Kings...
, Darren McCartyDarren McCarty is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward, best known for his years playing with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
, Kirk BowmanRobert Kirk Bowman is a retired professional ice hockey winger. He currently does periodic work on behalf of the Blackhawk Alumni Association.-External links:* * *...
- Environmentalist David Suzuki
David Suzuki, CC, OBC is a Canadian academic, science broadcaster and environmental activist. Suzuki earned a Ph.D in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, and was a professor in the genetics department of the University of British Columbia from 1963 until his retirement in 2001...
- Authors Bill Sherk
Bill Sherk is a Canadian writer and journalist and is an authority on old cars. Affectionately known as "The old car detective", he predominantly writes books and articles on old cars and the stories behind them and their owners...
, Nino RicciNino Ricci is a Canadian novelist who lives in Toronto, Ontario. He was born in Leamington, Ontario to Italian immigrants, Virginio and Amelia Ricci, from the province of Isernia, Molise....
, Jean Brown, Lynsay SandsLynsay Sands is an award winning Canadian author of over 30 books. She is noted for the humor she injects into her stories. While she writes both historical and paranormal novels, she is best known for her Argeneau series about a modern family of vampires.- Biography :Sands grew up in Southern...
, Vesna Bailey
- Sandra Campbell, Miss Dominion of Canada
Miss Dominion of Canada was a beauty pageant held in Niagara Falls for many years, primarily at the Sheraton Brock Hotel, on July 1, Canada's Dominion Day , beginning in 1959...
1974, represented Canada in Miss UniverseMiss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
and Miss WorldThe Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951...
beauty pageants.
- Musician Jody Raffoul
Jody Raffoul is a Canadian singer/songwriter in the Detroit/Windsor Ontario metro area.From Leamington, Ontario, Raffoul has opened for artists such as Collective Soul, Kid Rock, Nickelback, Joe Cocker, Blues Traveler, Richard Marx, Counting Crows, The Allman Brothers Band, Uncle Kracker, John...
- Wally Tatomir
Wally Tatomir is the equipment manager for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He holds four patents on ice hockey equipment.-Hockey career:...
the equipment manager for the Carolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
of the NHL
- CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3 is a radio station that consists of two parts devoted to Canadian arts and music: a radio service which is available on Sirius Satellite Radio and streaming audio, and several daily and weekly podcasts from the CBC Radio 3 website...
personality Lana GayLana Gay is a Canadian radio personality and music journalist. Currently heard on CBC Radio 3, she was also formerly a host on CFNY-FM in Toronto. On CFNY, she was known on-air only as "Lana", and did not use her surname....
- Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
Defensive Back Corey PetryschukCorey Petryschuk is a former American football player who played for the Milwaukee Iron of the Arena Football League. He was signed by the Milwaukee Iron as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at University of Windsor from 2005 and later for Wilfrid Laurier University in 2006...
- Actor Jeff Hammond
Jeffrey Robert Hammond is a Canadian actor and director. He has acted in Breakout Kings and Black Friday. Jeff also acted and directed segments for the project The Girls on Film.-Filmography:-External links:*...
External links
- http://www.leamington.ca/residents/transportation.asp
- http://www.leamingtonpostandshopper.com/