Ancaster (Ontario)
| Ancaster | |||
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| Location in Ontario | |||
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| State : |
 Canada
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| Province : | Ontario | ||
| Coordinates : | 43 ° 13 ′ N , 80 ° 0 ′ W | ||
| Residents : | 27,485 (as of 2001) | ||
| Time zone : | Eastern Time ( UTC − 5 ) | ||
Ancaster was a small town in the Canadian province of Ontario . It was incorporated into the neighboring city of Hamilton in 2001 .
Geographical, economic and population
Ancaster is located in the westernmost part of the Golden Horseshoe metropolitan area in southern Ontario, southwest of Hamilton. The residents of Ancaster typically live and work in Hamilton, Brantford, Burlington , Oakville, Mississauga or Toronto and only come to Ancaster for their free time, which is therefore a pure dormitory town .
The parish had a population of approximately 29,000 at the 2001 census . The development of the historic city center Old Ancaster is limited. The growth of the place takes place mainly on the east side of Highway 403.
history
Ancaster was surveyed as a town in the 1790s, with it being incorporated into the Nassau District , Home District , York County (West Riding) and Halton County, among others . Ultimately, in 1851, it was added to Wentworth County and its successors, to which it still belongs today. It was one of the three potential capitals of Upper Canada because it was close to the water and had a good defensive position, but it was too close to the US border.
The first settlers cleared the forests and planted grain for a living. For a century, Ancaster was important only for its watermill and police station. The mill was destroyed and rebuilt several times. Nowadays it is called Ancaster Old Mill and is used as a restaurant mainly for wedding parties. The 1812 barracks are preserved on Wilson Street as a reminder of the British-American War of 1812-1814.
A well-known attraction in Ancaster is the Hermitage . This historic home belonged to a Reverend George Sheed in 1830. Since then, the owners have changed frequently until it burned down to the ground in 1934. The remains of the old house and the surrounding buildings can still be seen today. According to legend, the house is haunted. There are special ghost tours that run throughout the summer, during which the tourist guides tell haunted stories about the landscape and the surrounding district.
government
When Ancaster became part of the Hamilton-Wentworth Local Authority in 1974, the town of Ancaster and Ancaster County were merged (including other hamlets such as Jerseyville, Lynden and Alberton). The new city had two members in the regional council, which had a total of about 20 members.
2001 Ancaster was incorporated into the neighboring city of Hamilton. The incorporation was fought vigorously but unsuccessfully by the residents and the neighboring communities (e.g. Dundas and Flamborough). This happened particularly after the election promise of the Provincial MP Toni Skarica, who belonged to the ruling Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Skarica resigned under protest, but the incorporation was not revoked.
education
Ancaster has been part of the Wentworth County Board of Education since it was established and has been on the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board since it was established in 1998. Until 2005, the Ancaster High and Vocational School was the only local public secondary school. It has not been a vocational school since 2005 and has been called Ancaster High School since then .
Higher education is only possible at Redeemer University College , a Christian institute closely associated with the Christian Reformed Church . The college was founded in 1980 and began its first courses in Hamilton two years later. In 1986 a campus was established in Ancaster where the first graduate course graduated. The college worked closely with McMaster University in Hamilton, which provided lecturers and offered several joint courses. It has had its current name since 2000 and its graduates can obtain the title of Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Sciences, i.e. the usual college degrees, instead of a Bachelor of Christian Studies.
The Mount Mary Immaculate Academy , which is located on the main street of Ancaster was in the 50s and 60s years Ukrainian-Catholic boarding and day school for girls who attended high school. It later became a religious retreat.
Sport and nature
The Hamilton Golf and Country Club was founded in 1894 and was located next to the Hamilton Jockey Club (now Center Mall), in 1916 it moved to Ancaster. In 2003 and 2006, PGA Tour games were hosted.
The Hamilton Conservation Authority (sometimes in conjunction with the City of Hamilton) operates several facilities in Ancaster. The Fieldcote Memorial Park and Museum displays art and local history (including local involvement in the Underground Railroad to rescue escaped slaves from the Southern United States) and has gardens and walking trails.
The Bruce Trail , a half mile (800 km) hiking trail in southern Ontario that runs from Queenston to Tobermory , passes through Ancaster. It offers sporting activities for hikers, cyclists , riders , snowshoeers and cross-country skiers in all four seasons .
Events
- Ancaster Fair (September): A fun fair in Ancaster.
- Ancaster Depression Glass Show & Sale (September): Open house at the local glass factory
- Heritage Days (June)
- Soccer Day (August): Football festival of the local football club