Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
| Bridgewater | |||
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| Location in Nova Scotia | |||
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| State : |
 Canada
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| Province : | Nova Scotia | ||
| County: | Lunenburg County | ||
| Coordinates : | 44 ° 23 ′ N , 64 ° 31 ′ W | ||
| Height : | 22 m | ||
| Area : | 13.61 km² | ||
| Residents : | 8241 (as of 2011) | ||
| Population density : | 605.5 inhabitants / km² | ||
| Time zone : | Atlantic Time ( UTC − 4 ) | ||
| Postal code : | B4V | ||
| Foundation : | 1812 | ||
| Mayor : | Carroll Publicover | ||
| Website : | www.bridgewater.ca | ||
Bridgewater is a town in Lunenburg County , Nova Scotia , Canada located on the banks of the LaHave River . It is the largest city on the south coast of Nova Scotia. While most of the south coast's economy lives from tourism, Bridgewater is a commercial and industrial center. One of the main employers is a tire factory owned by Michelin .
While the majority of Nova Scotia's smaller towns and cities are struggling with declining economies and population numbers, the city of Bridgewater is one of the few vibrant cities that is attracting new residents. The population grew from 6,700 in 1991 to 7,944 in 2006 and to 8,241 in 2011.
history
The first European settlers came from the nearby settlements of Lunenburg and LaHave in 1812 . The city was founded in 1899 shortly after a fire destroyed the city center. Forestry and a large sawmill were the main employers for a long time in the 20th century. A period of decline followed when the sawmill closed until Michelin opened a plant that could work for 1,000 people in the early 1970s.
Since the 1990s, the city has been looking for solutions to the problems of many municipalities in the maritime provinces of Canada: economic decline and emigration of the young population. Michelin remained the city's largest employer, which helped halt the economic decline, but keeping the younger segment of the population who moved to go to university has not been successful. To compensate for this move, the city markets itself as a retirement home, not only for the elderly, but also for residents of nearby Halifax .
sons and daughters of the town
- Donald Sutherland (born 1935), actor
- Allan Blakeney (1925–2011), politician
- Glen Murray (born 1972), ice hockey player and official; grew up in Bridgewater
Web links
- Official website of the City of Bridgewater
- Map of Bridgewater
- Bridgewater ( English, French ) In: The Canadian Encyclopedia .