Located on the shore of Lake Ontario in Burlington, the hotel was erected on the former homestead of , and was the largest resort in Canada. The hotel was expropriated and used as a military hospital in 1917, demolished and rebuilt in the 1930s, and then demolished in 1964. Before pioneer settlement in the 19th century, the area was covered by the primeval forest that stretched between the provincial capital of York and the town of Hamilton, and was home to various First Nations peoples. With the completion of the local survey after the War of 1812, the land was opened for settlement. Early farmers prospered in the Burlington area because the area had fertile soil and moderate temperatures. Produce from the farms was shipped out via the bustling docks of the lakeside villages of Port Nelson and Wellington Square, as well as Brown's Wharf in the nearby village of Port Flamborough which was to become. Lumber taken from the surrounding forests also competed for space on the busy docks. However, in the latter half of the 19th century, increased wheat production from Western Canada convinced local farmers to switch to fruit and vegetable production. In 1874, Wellington Square and Port Nelson were incorporated into the Village of Burlington. However, the arrival of large steamships on the Great Lakes made the small docks of the local ports obsolete, and the increased use of railway to ship goods marked the end of the commercial wharves. Farming still thrived though, and the resultant growth resulted in continued prosperity. By 1906, the town boasted its own newspaper—the Burlington Gazette—as well as a town library and a local rail line that connected Burlington to nearby. During the , 300 local men volunteered for duty in the —38 did not return. In 1915, Burlington was incorporated into a town. As more settlers arrived and cleared the land, cash crops replaced subsistence farming. Gradually, and became the dominant form of agriculture, and in the early 20th century the area was declared the Garden of Canada. The first grown in Canada were cultivated in the Grindstone Creek watershed in the city's south-west part. The farming tradition has passed down through the generations. Today over forty percent of the Grindstone Creek watershed is still devoted to farms, and. Following the , cheap electricity from nearby Niagara Falls and better transportation access due to the new 1939 encouraged both light industry and families to move to Burlington. The population skyrocketed as new homes were built, encouraging developers to build even more new homes. On 1 January 1958, Burlington officially annexed most of the Township of Nelson, as well as Aldershot, formerly a part of East Flamborough Township. By 1967, the last cash crop farm within the city had been replaced by the. By 1974, with a population exceeding 100,000, Burlington was incorporated as a city. The extremely high rate of growth continued, and between 2001 and 2006, the population of Burlington grew by 9%, compared to Canada's overall growth rate of 5. By 2006, the population topped 160,000. Continued high rates of growth are forecast as farmland north of Dundas Street former Highway 5 and south of Highway 407 is developed into more suburban housing. Burlington is at the southwestern end of Lake Ontario, just to the north east of Hamilton and the , roughly in the geographic centre of the urban corridor known as the Golden Horseshoe. Burlington has a land area of 187 km 2 72 sq mi. The main urban area is south of the Parkway Belt and Hwy. The land north of this, and north Aldershot is used primarily for agriculture, rural residential and conservation purposes. The Niagara Escarpment, Lake Ontario and the sloping plain between the escarpment and the lake make up the land area of Burlington. The city is no longer a port; sailing vessels in the area are used for recreational purposes and moor at a 215 slip marina in LaSalle Park. Burlington's climate is Dfa with warm, humid summers and cold, somewhat drier winters. The climate is moderated by its proximity to Lake Ontario. Monthly mean temperatures range from 22. The average annual precipitation is 878 millimetres 34. Although it shares the temperate climate found in Southern Ontario, its proximity to Lake Ontario moderates winter temperatures and it also benefits from a sheltering effect of the Niagara Escarpment, allowing the most northerly tracts of to thrive on the Escarpment that runs through western sections of city. Several species of flora and fauna usually found only in more southern climes have their only Canadian presence here including , green dragon , tuckahoe , American columbo , wall-rue , plus the Louisiana waterthrush, the hooded warbler, the southern flying squirrel and the rare eastern pipistrelle. A canal bisecting the sandbar allows ships access to , which lies behind the sandbar. The part of the , and the Canal Lift Bridge allow access over the canal. Climate data for 1981—2010 Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C °F 15. ±% 1901 1,119 — 1911 1,831 +63. As of the 2006 census, 48% of residents were male and 52% female. Minors individuals under the age of 18 made up 24. This older population was also reflected in Burlington's average age of 40. Ethnic origins Ethnic origin Population Percent 59,330 36. The top eight ethnic origins from the 2006 census are listed in the accompanying table. Percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents were able to choose more than one ethnicity. Language According to the 2011 Census, English is the mother tongue for 80. Religion In the 2001 Canadian census, 78% of Burlington residents identified themselves as. Of these, approximately 41% claimed adherence to one of the mainstream churches or were , 32% were , and the remaining 27% belonged to other denominations such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Mormons , the Ukrainian Catholic Church, and various denominations. Of the remaining 22% of the population that did not identify themselves as Christian, 16. Burlington's economic strength is the diversity of its economic base, mainly achieved because of its geography, proximity to large industries in southern Ontario Canada's largest consumer market , its location within the GTHA and proximity to Hamilton, and its transportation infrastructure. This diversity has allowed for sustained growth with regards to the economy. The city has a robust economy with potential for growth — it is at the hub of the Golden Horseshoe, is largely driven by both the automotive and manufacturing sectors. No single employer or job sector dominates Burlington's economy. The top five private sector employers in Burlington are Fearmans Pork Inc, , , and EMC2. Other notable business include The EBF Group, ARGO Land Development, and The Sunshine Doughnut Company. The largest public sector employers in the city are the City of Burlington, the , the and. The and are popular malls within the city. The many summer festivals in the city, include , and the Festival which also attract many visitors. Television stations Burlington is primarily served by media based in Toronto other than those noted below , as it is geographically in the GTHA. Radio One radio station, 107. Burlington's Catholic elementary and schools are part of the. French public elementary and secondary schools are part of the and French catholic and schools are part of the CSDCCS. Several private schools are also available in the city. Elementary schools There are 29 public elementary schools and 14 Roman Catholic elementary schools in Burlington. High schools There are seven public high schools and three Catholic high schools in Burlington. Major transportation corridors through the city include the , , , and Dundas Street former. Rail cargo transportation is provided by both and. On 26 February 2012, a Via Rail train traveling from to derailed in Burlington, with three fatalities. The federal and provincial of Burlington, which covers a large portion of the city of Burlington. The riding of Halton covers the northeast parts of the city Author:. Local government The city is divided into six wards, each represented by a city councillor. The mayor, who chairs the city council, is. The park is newly renovated, with an observatory, outdoor pond, water jet play area and restaurant. Many annual free festivals take place in Spencer Smith Park, including Canada's Largest Ribfest and the , Canada Day, Children's Festival and Lakeside Festival of Lights. There is also the semi-annual prix fixe Taste of Burlington dining event. Thousands of people from Burlington and beyond flocked to the pier to enjoy sunshine and scenic views. The pier extends 137 metres over Lake Ontario and provides views of the lake and Burlington's shoreline. The is adjacent to Spencer Smith Park, and contains diverse permanent and changing exhibits. The Gallery houses a prominent collection of Canadian ceramics. The Gallery's exhibition spaces, which feature new exhibitions every eight to ten weeks, are fully accessible and are free to visitors. The model for the statue was a local Sea Cadet wearing Mike Vencel's naval service uniform. On the black granite base, the names of and ships sunk during WWII are engraved. On the granite wall, the names of all Royal Canadian Navy ships and Canadian Merchant Marine vessels which saw service in WWII are engraved. A monument commemorating the Korean War was erected in the summer of 2014 to mark the 61st anniversary of the armistice to end the war. Burlington is home to the , which has the world's largest lilac collection. Ontario's botanical garden and National Historic Site of Canada features over 2,700 acres 11 km 2 of gardens and nature sanctuaries, including four outdoor display gardens, the Mediterranean Garden under glass, three on-site restaurants, the Gardens' Gift Shop, and festivals. Several conservation areas are minutes away and feature year round activities. Bronte Creek Provincial Park, along the city's eastern boundary, features a campground and recreational activities and events year-round. The local sections of the and the , which is a UNESCO designated World Biosphere Reserve, provide excellent hiking opportunities. Kerncliff Park, in an abandoned quarry on the boundary with , is a naturalized area on the lip of the Niagara Escarpment. The Bruce Trail runs through the park, at many points running along the edge of the cliffs, providing a clear overlook of Burlington, the , Hamilton, and. On a clear day, one can see the in , approximately 50 kilometres 31 mi from the park. The and are also popular attractions. Joseph Brant Museum has ongoing exhibits on the history of Burlington, the Eileen Collard Costume Collection, Captain Joseph Brant and the gallery. Ireland House at Oakridge Farm is a history museum depicting family life from the 1850s to the 1920s. Burlington offers four indoor and two outdoor pools, four splash pads, nine ice pads, four community centres and nine golf courses. The Appleby Ice Centre is a 4-pad arena, used year-round for skating and ice hockey. The opened in 2011. This 940-seat facility is on Locust Street in the downtown core. It contains two theatres for theatrical and musical performances. The mall has been recently renovated as an outdoor box store centre. Leases retail space to many upscale and destination stores including , , , , and Pink by. Expanded in 2009 with the opening of additional stores including , , , , and. The , nicknamed The Redcoats due to the colour of its uniforms, are regular participants in major international parades. One such occasion was during the 2008 , where the band represented Canada for the fourth time in the band's history. The band is led by Rob Bennett, managing director, along with Sir William Hughes, musical director. The Junior Redcoats are the younger version of the Teen Tour Band. The band includes children between the ages of 9 to 12. The Junior Redcoats' major performances are most commonly at the Burlington Santa Claus Parade, the Waterdown Santa Claus Parade, Hamilton Place along with the Teen Tour Band and the Sound of Music Parade. Bill Rolfe directs the Junior Redcoats. The Burlington Concert Band has been in operation since 1908. The band, composed of local volunteer musicians, plays a wide variety of musical styles and repertoire. It primarily performs to raise money for charitable causes. The Burlington Concert Band is a participating member of Performing Arts Burlington as well as the Canadian Band Association. The band maintains an open membership policy, allowing anyone who feels they can handle the music competently to join without an audition. Its primary venue has been the Burlington Performing Arts Center since it opened in 2011. Zoltan Kalman directs the Burlington Concert Band that is led by an elected board headed by Steven Hewis. The Royal Canadian Air Cadets is only one of the three branches of the Canadian Cadet Movement. The CCM is a partnership between the Department of National Defence, and each of the three cadet leagues: The , The Army Cadet League of Canada, and the Navy League. The CCM is the largest federally funded youth program in Canada, and is open to youth ages 12—18 who are interested in leadership, citizenship, physical fitness, the , and personal discipline. The Army Cadet Corps is 2379 Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Army Cadet Corps. Burlington Area Scout traces its organization back to 1910 when the town's population was about 1,000. The first local was Archie McGibbon, who remained in his position for more than a year, after which there was a succession of leaders including Hughes Cleaver and William Gilbert. The original enrolment of 25 boys was considered excellent for the small population of Burlington. In approximately 1918, Rev. Tebbs took over the troop. It was in the 1920s when Scoutmaster Tebbs and the local troop met in Burlington. The founder was motoring to Toronto and broke his trip for a short while when he saw the lined up at Gore Park on the waterfront. For many years, Rev. Tebbs led the boys as they marched out of town, hauling the trek cart to a distant camping location. It wasn't until 1958 that the Scouts' combined group committees were able to buy the 90-acre 360,000 m 2 camping grounds in North Burlington at Camp Manitou. There are 17 active groups within the Area, providing to over 700 members. The Area stretches outside the city limits of Burlington and encompasses the additional communities of , Kilbride, and. They are the reigning Canadian Senior champions, and were the first and only Canadian team to win a world championship. An ill-fated proposal existed to move the to Burlington as part of a stadium construction plan in conjunction with a bid for the. International competition Also, Burlington, Ontario founded the. But, other cities from places such as , Japan, the Netherlands, and the U. The games celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2009 and this competition ceased in 2010 due to limited participation in recent years. Pearson, Aldershot and M. Catharines but resides in Burlington. Competed at 1992 Olympics Barcelona and 1996 Olympics Atlanta. Gold medallist, 1500 m, at 1999 Pan Am Games Winnipeg. Inducted into in 2003. Played NCAA football for the University of Toledo Rockets 1977—1980. Francis Xavier School for grades, 6, 7 and 8; and Aldershot High School for grade 9. Place Names of Ontario. Toronto-Buffalo-London: University of Toronto Press. Archived from on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2009. Canadian Climate Normals 1981—2010. Retrieved 27 March 2018. Burlington ON Canada: Community Development Halton: 14. Archived from PDF on 22 May 2006. Archived from PDF on 24 February 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2010. The City of Burlington. Retrieved 27 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018 — via www. Archived from on 1 September 2006. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
