Westport, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Westport is a village in Eastern
Ontario
, Canada
. It lies at the west end of Upper Rideau Lake, at the head of the navigable Rideau Canal
system, between Kingston
and Ottawa
.
The village of Westport was incorporated as an independent municipality in 1904. Surrounded by the Township of Rideau Lakes, within Leeds and Grenville County, Westport is one of Ontario's smallest municipalities. An idyllic village
with a population of about 700 (2001), it is a notable destination for residents of nearby cottages and passing travellers in the summer time, due to specialty shops and being the sole sizable town in the area.
to a Mr. Hunter, but he never settled in the area and was eventually purchased by Reuben Sherwood in 1817. Some of this land was later purchased by the Stoddard and Manhard families. The small community was known as Head of the Lake. In 1828, Stoddard built a saw mill and in 1829 the Manhards built a saw mill and grist mill. It became known at that time as Manhard's Mills. It was two local merchants, Aaron Chambers and Lewis Cameron, who in 1841, named the village Westport, the name reflecting its location at the west end of Upper Rideau Lake. The village of Westport was incorporated in 1904 when it separated from North Crosby Township.
Like much of the surrounding area, Westport received a large number of Irish immigrants in the 1840s through the 1860s, following the Great Famine. St. Edward's Catholic Church at the corner of Concession and Bedford, built in 1859, was an early cultural centre for the largely Catholic Irish immigrants.
Westport remained a thriving commercial centre through the 19th century and into the 20th century. The building of the Rideau Canal allowed goods to be shipped north to Ottawa and south to Kingston. In 1882, an entrepreneur named R.G. Harvey proposed an ambitious project to build a railway
from Brockville to Sault Ste. Marie
. The project ran out of money after the section from Brockville
to Westport had been completed in 1888. The Brockville-Westport line moved goods, mail and people to and from the St. Lawrence River and Westport. Many cheese factories were located between Brockville and Westport. The train was therefore known as the "cheese run." The rail line also brought tourists north to Westport starting a tradition of Westport as a tourist destination. The last train travelled the B&W line in 1952.
of fish resources at The Westport Pond. This anger has led to incidents of verbal and physical assault and intimidation of anglers visiting Westport.
The incident involved fishing for commercial purposes by out-of-town anglers at night in a prohibited area. The area in question is a provincial fish sanctuary, and well posted as such. Though there was no evidence of 'assault' by local residents, the incident became a cause célèbre in the Toronto news media - presumably as a result of allegations of racism, never substantiated.
station and also has its own volunteer fire department
. The Review Mirror
, the community newspaper, is published on Thursdays. With a subscription base of only 700, it is one of Ontario's smallest weeklies. The Village of Westport also boasts a number of shops, pubs and eateries. These include The Village Green, The Pinecone, Lake Effects], Bateman House Furniture, Lyons Goodfellow Furniture, The Cove Country Inn, The Tangled Garden Cafe, Steve's Rideau Restaurant, an LCBO outlet, an Esso
gas station, The Lower Mountain Mercantile, Cedar Bridge Ice Cream and Candy, Tim-Br Mart (lumber
), Noco Convenience Store, an IDA pharmacy with a gift shop
and Sears outlet, Church Street Bakery and Westport Bakery.
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 320 (total dwellings: 363)
Mother tongue:
on a man-made island has dock space for up to 30 vessels. The harbour also has a picnic area, barbecues, and sewage pumpout facilities.
Fishing
in the area is particularly good because of the fish-rearing ponds set up by the Government of Ontario
in 1957. Yellow perch
, smallmouth bass
, pickerel
, and Northern pike
populate the waters.
Foley Mountain Conservation Area, the highest conservation area in the Rideau Valley
, is a picturesque park overlooking Westport. It features a variety of wildlife in 308 hectares (2.4 km²) of woods and fields. The area also has a sandy beach with changing facilities. The 300 km Rideau Trail
, linking Kingston and Ottawa, passes through the conservation area.
Events in Westport include:
It is also the home of the provincially renowned, travelling rock and roll band Bullmoose.
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...
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....
, 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...
. It lies at the west end of Upper Rideau Lake, at the head of the navigable Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
system, between 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...
and 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...
.
The village of Westport was incorporated as an independent municipality in 1904. Surrounded by the Township of Rideau Lakes, within Leeds and Grenville County, Westport is one of Ontario's smallest municipalities. An idyllic village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
with a population of about 700 (2001), it is a notable destination for residents of nearby cottages and passing travellers in the summer time, due to specialty shops and being the sole sizable town in the area.
History
The first settlers to the Westport area arrived in the period between 1810 and 1820. The land on which Westport now sits was originally granted by the CrownThe Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
to a Mr. Hunter, but he never settled in the area and was eventually purchased by Reuben Sherwood in 1817. Some of this land was later purchased by the Stoddard and Manhard families. The small community was known as Head of the Lake. In 1828, Stoddard built a saw mill and in 1829 the Manhards built a saw mill and grist mill. It became known at that time as Manhard's Mills. It was two local merchants, Aaron Chambers and Lewis Cameron, who in 1841, named the village Westport, the name reflecting its location at the west end of Upper Rideau Lake. The village of Westport was incorporated in 1904 when it separated from North Crosby Township.
Like much of the surrounding area, Westport received a large number of Irish immigrants in the 1840s through the 1860s, following the Great Famine. St. Edward's Catholic Church at the corner of Concession and Bedford, built in 1859, was an early cultural centre for the largely Catholic Irish immigrants.
Westport remained a thriving commercial centre through the 19th century and into the 20th century. The building of the Rideau Canal allowed goods to be shipped north to Ottawa and south to Kingston. In 1882, an entrepreneur named R.G. Harvey proposed an ambitious project to build a railway
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
from Brockville to Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
. The project ran out of money after the section from Brockville
Brockville, Ontario
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...
to Westport had been completed in 1888. The Brockville-Westport line moved goods, mail and people to and from the St. Lawrence River and Westport. Many cheese factories were located between Brockville and Westport. The train was therefore known as the "cheese run." The rail line also brought tourists north to Westport starting a tradition of Westport as a tourist destination. The last train travelled the B&W line in 1952.
Recent events
Recently, residents of Westport have been growing more disgruntled about the alleged poachingPoaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
of fish resources at The Westport Pond. This anger has led to incidents of verbal and physical assault and intimidation of anglers visiting Westport.
The incident involved fishing for commercial purposes by out-of-town anglers at night in a prohibited area. The area in question is a provincial fish sanctuary, and well posted as such. Though there was no evidence of 'assault' by local residents, the incident became a cause célèbre in the Toronto news media - presumably as a result of allegations of racism, never substantiated.
Services
Westport was served by an Ontario Provincial PoliceOntario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
station and also has its own volunteer fire department
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
. The Review Mirror
Review Mirror (Westport, Ontario)
The Review-Mirror is a local weekly community newspaper based in Westport, Ontario, Canada. The community newspaper also serves North Leeds, Rideau Valley and Rideau Lakes which was established around 1895.-External links:...
, the community newspaper, is published on Thursdays. With a subscription base of only 700, it is one of Ontario's smallest weeklies. The Village of Westport also boasts a number of shops, pubs and eateries. These include The Village Green, The Pinecone, Lake Effects], Bateman House Furniture, Lyons Goodfellow Furniture, The Cove Country Inn, The Tangled Garden Cafe, Steve's Rideau Restaurant, an LCBO outlet, an Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
gas station, The Lower Mountain Mercantile, Cedar Bridge Ice Cream and Candy, Tim-Br Mart (lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
), Noco Convenience Store, an IDA pharmacy with a gift shop
Gift shop
A gift shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collections and other souvenirs....
and Sears outlet, Church Street Bakery and Westport Bakery.
Demographics
Population trend:- Population in 2006: 645 (2001 to 2006 population change: -0.3 %)
- Population in 2001: 647
- Population in 1996: 683
- Population in 1991: 664
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 320 (total dwellings: 363)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 96.9 %
- French as first language: 3.1 %
- English and French as first language: 0 %
- Other as first language: 0 %
Tourism and attractions
A public wharfWharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
on a man-made island has dock space for up to 30 vessels. The harbour also has a picnic area, barbecues, and sewage pumpout facilities.
Fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
in the area is particularly good because of the fish-rearing ponds set up by the Government of Ontario
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
in 1957. Yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
, smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, pickerel
Pickerel
Pickerel may refer to:*Esox, the genus of fish commonly known as the pickerels which includes pike and muskellunge as well as other pickerel*American pickerel*Chain pickerel*Walleye, or Yellow Pickerel * Pickerel Frog...
, and Northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
populate the waters.
Foley Mountain Conservation Area, the highest conservation area in the Rideau Valley
Rideau Valley
The Rideau Valley is a watershed in Eastern Ontario, Canada, which is drained by the Rideau River. The valley includes towns such as Kemptville, Portland, Perth, Smiths Falls, Merrickville and Manotick....
, is a picturesque park overlooking Westport. It features a variety of wildlife in 308 hectares (2.4 km²) of woods and fields. The area also has a sandy beach with changing facilities. The 300 km Rideau Trail
Rideau Trail
The Rideau Trail is a hiking trail in Ontario, Canada, linking Ottawa and Kingston. Crossing both public and private lands, the trail was created and opened in 1971. It is named for the Rideau Canal which also connects Ottawa and Kingston, although the two only occasionally connect. The trail...
, linking Kingston and Ottawa, passes through the conservation area.
Events in Westport include:
- the Annual Dandelions Studio Tour, held on the long weekend in May
- the Annual Westport Antique Show and Sale, held on the first weekend in June
- the Annual Westport Music Festival in the middle of August
- the Annual Rideau Valley Art Festival, held at the end of August
- the very popular Fall Colours Studio Tour, held annually on Thanksgiving weekend in October.
- the Santa Claus Parade, held at the end of November
It is also the home of the provincially renowned, travelling rock and roll band Bullmoose.