Kincardine, Ontario
Encyclopedia
The Municipality of Kincardine is located on the shores of Lake Huron
in the County of Bruce
in the province of Ontario
, Canada
. It has a population of 12,000, and covers an area of 580 square kilometres. The municipality, located at the mouth of the Penetangore River
, was created in 1999 by the amalgamation of the Town of Kincardine, the Township of Kincardine, and the Township of Bruce. It was formerly known as Penetangore.
. In Ojibwa, Penetangore means "river with sand on one side".This is referring to the sand bar at the mouth of the river. Settlers , Allan Cameron and William Withers
landed will on this ship at the site of the modern-day town, in that part of Canada West known only as the Queen's Bush
, and founded a community called Penetangore. Near where they landed the built a log cabin in which Cameron ran a hotel. Withers built a dam and a saw mill which was opened the following year (1849).By the winter of 1848/49 seven families inhabited the settlement.
On January 1, 1850 the Queen's Bush was divided into counties, and the counties were divided into townships. Penetangore now found itself located within the Township of Kincardine in the County of Bruce
. Both the township and the county were named after James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine
.
Francis 'Paddy' Walker, who arrived in Kincardine (Then Penetangore) driving from Goderich on the ice along the Lake Shore, in a horse drawn cutter in the spring of 1850. He brought with him his wife, Jane and their seven sons. The Walker House Hotel
was built that same year, overlooking the Penetangore River.
The sand flats later became the harbour and the center of intense commercial and industry activity.
An outstanding example of the pioneer entrepreneurs who helped create strong communities, Mr. Walker also operated a schooner Mud Turtle, and was a contractor on the Durham Road as it was cut eastward through the bush from Kincardine
In the summer of 1851, the Durham Road finally reached its terminus at Penetangore, and allowed access to the settlement by land. The road would be considered nearly impassable by today's standards, but at the time represented a significant improvement in communication and trade. A post office
was established at Penetangore in the same year.
In the early years of Bruce County, Kincardine was the only township with any appreciable settlement, and served as the seat of local government for the entire county. Tensions eventually rose to the point where this arrangement could no longer be maintained, and on January 1, 1854 several new municipalities were formed, leaving only Kinloss Township and Bruce Township in union with Kincardine. Kinloss subsequently separated in 1855, and Bruce in 1856.
Over this time, the name Penetangore had gradually fallen out of favour, and was officially discontinued (except with regard to the river) when the Village of Kincardine was incorporated on January 1, 1858.
Kincardine’s first school was opened in the summer of 1851. The building was situated on the flats near the mouth of the river. This was the school until 1855 when a permanent building was secured.
During the years 1856 to 1866, a long, convoluted political battle was fought over the location of the county seat. Kincardine and Walkerton were the main contenders, and the latter finally emerged victorious. Kincardine would continue to dominate the county economically, but had clearly lost much of its early political primacy
To help govern the growing town a Town Hall was erected in December of 1872 at the cost of $8000. On the first floor of the building it had municipal rooms, a caretaker’s apartment and a fire hall, while the basement was a detention room and had several storage areas. The 2nd floor was an auditorium for town speeches and community plays.
In 1874 James Watson and Andrew Malcolm
Opened Watson and Malcolm a furniture company. After the death of it’s founders the company was renamed as Andrew Malcolm Furniture Company.
With a new town council a law passed in 1874 stated that Kincardine was to be enforced by on constable. The first constable was Mr. William Purves. His office was in his home which was identified by a large sign over his front door which read “POLICE”
On December 29 1874 the last nail was hit on the new 67 miles of rail of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway Company. The railway brought many new settlers into Kincardine which kick started a huge industrial expansion for the small village.
The Village of Tiverton, located on the boundary between Kincardine Township and Bruce Township, was incorporated in 1879.
To protect ships using the busy harbour, the Kincardine lighthouse was built in 1881.[2]
At some point during the late 1800s or early 1900s, the Village of Kincardine became the Town of Kincardine.
In 1902 F.E. Coombe and James Watson formed a partnership and began the operating the Coombe and Watson Furniture Company. In 1929 the company was renamed Coombe Furniture Co. Ltd. Coombe Furniture is recognized worldwide. When the Queen visited Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island her suite was furnished with Coombe furniture, The company closed in 1973 when people started buying cheaper that didn’t last a lifetime instead of the pricey, life-lasting Coombe furniture.
From 1907 – 1908 the Kincardine Public Library was built on Queen street.
Kincardine and District General Hospital was first proposed in November, 1908 by Madame Josephine Gualco, a wealthy, widely-travelled European lady who, between her many trips to Europe, made her home in Kincardine. She had purchased the Grant property on Queen Street North and proposed to donate it along with $2,500 annually for the creation of a hospital to serve Kincardine and surrounding district. The Hospital was incorporated by on December 17, 1908 under the Ontario Companies Act
For a small growing town communication is a huge asset. However the telephone had not reached Kincardine. Since Bell was not interested in supplying rural service the people in the surrounding townships began to organize their own company. On July 11 1912 the Bruce Municipal Telephone Company was born. The company is now called “Bruce Telecom”.
A small nuclear power plant was constructed at Douglas Point
in Bruce Township in 1958, and the eight additional reactors of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station
were built between 1977 and 1987. As a result, a wave of highly educated people moved to Kincardine for work, and were commensurately paid. This significantly changed the demographics of the town, and its entire economy.
As a result of the purchase/lease of the site by British Energy and the subsequent assumption of the lease by a wholly Canadian consortium following the Enron scandal
, Bruce Power has resumed operation of Bruce A, a 4 unit station. Units 3 and 4 are in commercial operation and units 1 and 2 are undergoing a massive refurbishment requiring a retube of the fuel channels in the reactor and a replacement of the steam generators. Bruce Power has also applied to the Ontario Government following the Energy Minister's release of the forecast of needed new generation with a request to be allowed to build new Nuclear facilities.
The Bruce site also contains Ontario Power Generation
's (OPG) Western Waste Management Facility for the storage of low and intermediate-level radioactive waste from the Bruce, Pickering and Darlington nuclear power stations, and the used nuclear fuel from the Bruce station. OPG has proposed the construction and operation of a deep geologic repository for the long-term management of the low and intermediate level waste on lands adjacent to the Western Waste Management Facility. Pending approvals and licensing by regulatory agencies, the DGR will commence construction in 2013 and operation in 2018.
The Town of Kincardine, the Township of Kincardine, and the Township of Bruce were then amalgamated to form the Township of Kincardine-Bruce-Tiverton on January 1, 1999, with boundaries identical to those of the municipality that had existed in 1855. After the first election of the new municipal council, a plebiscite was conducted, and the name changed to the Municipality of Kincardine. In an interesting twist, one of the defeated options on the plebiscite was the name Penetangore.
elected at large, two councillors elected from Ward 1 (the former Town of Kincardine), one from Ward 2 (the former Township of Kincardine), one from Ward 3 (the former Township of Bruce), and three elected at large.
The council currently consists of:
The municipal government is responsible for public works, firefighting, parks, recreation, tourism, and economic development. Policing is handled by the South Bruce detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police
.
Population trend:
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents (2006): 4586 (total dwellings: 5447)
Mother tongue:
is the school board for the Kincardine area. Kincardine District Secondary School
is the local high school for most students in the area. Approximately 800 students are attending in the 2007/2008 year. There are 5 local elementary schools, Elgin Market Public School, Huron Heights Public School, St. Anthony's Catholic School, Kincardine Township-Tiverton Public School (located in Kincardine Township), and Ripley Huron Community School (located in Ripley).
, Kincardine/Shepherd's Landing
or the Ellis Field located in Kincardine Township. The town of Kincardine also has a excellent harbour for tourist who want to travel by their boats.
. There is also a thriving tourist industry, emphasizing sandy beaches, beautiful sunsets and Scottish cultural tradition.
of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre is the hospital for the community.
is the local hockey team. They compete in the Western Junior C hockey league. In the 2006-2007 and the 2007-2008 seasons the Bulldogs finished 1st in the WJCHL.
All the other hockey teams in town go under the name of "The Kincardine Kinucks".
Kincardine also has a rugby team, created several years ago. They are known as the Barbarians or "Barbs" and serve as the rugby team for Kincardine and surrounding areas.
The Kinetic Knights FIRST Robotics Team (Kincardine & District Secondary School) competes in the FIRST Robotics Competition. The team placed 2nd in the world in their 2011 season.
weekend. Also every night in the summer (except for Saturdays) the Phantom Piper (a bag piper) plays his bagpipes on top of the light house at sunset. This story behind the Phantom Piper is a Kincardine Legend. Read more about the Phantom Piper HERE. To continue the Scottish culture in Kincardine, every year Kincardine holds the Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games.
Showcasing Kincardine's artistic side, Kincardine is also home to Bluewater Summer Playhouse (Drama Festival) and The Kincardine Summer Music Festival. Kincardine also takes part in Doors Open Kincardine showcasing Kincardine's heritage homes and buildings. Every Monday Starting on the May long weekend until the labour day weekend Kincardine has a "Market in the Square" a sort of flea market in the local park located beside the downtown.
Restaurant and the Harbour Street Brasserie. Perhaps the most famous landmark on Harbour Street is the Walker House
, the oldest building in Kincardine, which is now a museum. Kincardine is known for its beautiful and clean beaches, including Tiny Tot beach, Station Beach (Reunion Park), and Boiler Beach. Very popular among youth and adults alike are the two piers attached to the marina. Arguably one of the best spots to watch the internationally famous sunsets, the South Pier is also a very popular "cliff-jump" style swimming location for all.
and the Kincardine Independent. Kincardine also has its own radio station. myFM 95.5 Kincardine.
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
in the County of Bruce
Bruce County, Ontario
Bruce County is a county in western Ontario, Canada, and includes the Bruce Peninsula. As of 2006, the population was 65,349. The area was . The county seat is Walkerton, Ontario. It is located at ....
in the province of 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 has a population of 12,000, and covers an area of 580 square kilometres. The municipality, located at the mouth of the Penetangore River
Penetangore River
The Penetangore River is a river in Bruce County, Ontario which empties into Lake Huron at the town of Kincardine, Ontario. A boardwalk, a harbour, and the Kincardine lighthouse are located on the bank of this river near its mouth....
, was created in 1999 by the amalgamation of the Town of Kincardine, the Township of Kincardine, and the Township of Bruce. It was formerly known as Penetangore.
Communities
In addition to the town centre of the Town of Kincardine, The Municipality of Kincardine contains the following small communities:- Armow
- Baie du Dore
- BervieBervie, OntarioBervie is an unincorporated place and community in the municipality of Kincardine, Bruce County in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located on Ontario Highway 9, and is on the Penetangore River, which flows to Lake Huron at the town centre of Kincardine....
- Glammis
- InverhuronInverhuron, OntarioInverhuron is a community located within the Municipality of Kincardine in the Canadian province of Ontario. The community includes approximately 200 permanent residents and 400 seasonal cottagers....
- Millarton
- North Bruce
- TivertonTiverton, OntarioTiverton is a community located in Ontario, Canada. It is near the shore of Lake Huron on Highway 21 between Port Elgin, Ontario and Kincardine, Ontario.Tiverton is incorporated in the Municipality of Kincardine.- History :...
- Underwood
Kincardine
On March 5, 1848, Captain Alexander M. MacGregor sailed his little schooner "THE FLY" into the mouth of the Penetangore RiverPenetangore River
The Penetangore River is a river in Bruce County, Ontario which empties into Lake Huron at the town of Kincardine, Ontario. A boardwalk, a harbour, and the Kincardine lighthouse are located on the bank of this river near its mouth....
. In Ojibwa, Penetangore means "river with sand on one side".This is referring to the sand bar at the mouth of the river. Settlers , Allan Cameron and William Withers
Allan Cameron and William Withers
Allan Cameron and William Withers were the Co-founders of Penetangore , Ontario. - Allan Cameron :...
landed will on this ship at the site of the modern-day town, in that part of Canada West known only as the Queen's Bush
Queen's Bush
The Queen's Bush was the vast unsettled area between Waterloo County, Ontario and Lake Huron during the early 19th century.On January 1, 1850 the Queen's Bush was divided into counties, and the counties were divided into townships....
, and founded a community called Penetangore. Near where they landed the built a log cabin in which Cameron ran a hotel. Withers built a dam and a saw mill which was opened the following year (1849).By the winter of 1848/49 seven families inhabited the settlement.
On January 1, 1850 the Queen's Bush was divided into counties, and the counties were divided into townships. Penetangore now found itself located within the Township of Kincardine in the County of Bruce
Bruce County, Ontario
Bruce County is a county in western Ontario, Canada, and includes the Bruce Peninsula. As of 2006, the population was 65,349. The area was . The county seat is Walkerton, Ontario. It is located at ....
. Both the township and the county were named after James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine
James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin
Sir James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, KT, GCB, PC , was a British colonial administrator and diplomat...
.
Francis 'Paddy' Walker, who arrived in Kincardine (Then Penetangore) driving from Goderich on the ice along the Lake Shore, in a horse drawn cutter in the spring of 1850. He brought with him his wife, Jane and their seven sons. The Walker House Hotel
Paddy Walker House
The Paddy Walker House is Kincardine's oldest Building and the oldest Standing Hotel in Bruce County. - History :...
was built that same year, overlooking the Penetangore River.
The sand flats later became the harbour and the center of intense commercial and industry activity.
An outstanding example of the pioneer entrepreneurs who helped create strong communities, Mr. Walker also operated a schooner Mud Turtle, and was a contractor on the Durham Road as it was cut eastward through the bush from Kincardine
In the summer of 1851, the Durham Road finally reached its terminus at Penetangore, and allowed access to the settlement by land. The road would be considered nearly impassable by today's standards, but at the time represented a significant improvement in communication and trade. A post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established at Penetangore in the same year.
In the early years of Bruce County, Kincardine was the only township with any appreciable settlement, and served as the seat of local government for the entire county. Tensions eventually rose to the point where this arrangement could no longer be maintained, and on January 1, 1854 several new municipalities were formed, leaving only Kinloss Township and Bruce Township in union with Kincardine. Kinloss subsequently separated in 1855, and Bruce in 1856.
Over this time, the name Penetangore had gradually fallen out of favour, and was officially discontinued (except with regard to the river) when the Village of Kincardine was incorporated on January 1, 1858.
Kincardine’s first school was opened in the summer of 1851. The building was situated on the flats near the mouth of the river. This was the school until 1855 when a permanent building was secured.
During the years 1856 to 1866, a long, convoluted political battle was fought over the location of the county seat. Kincardine and Walkerton were the main contenders, and the latter finally emerged victorious. Kincardine would continue to dominate the county economically, but had clearly lost much of its early political primacy
To help govern the growing town a Town Hall was erected in December of 1872 at the cost of $8000. On the first floor of the building it had municipal rooms, a caretaker’s apartment and a fire hall, while the basement was a detention room and had several storage areas. The 2nd floor was an auditorium for town speeches and community plays.
In 1874 James Watson and Andrew Malcolm
Andrew Malcolm
Andrew Malcolm was a Scottish-born manufacturer and political figure in Ontario, Canada. He represented Bruce Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1898 to 1902 as a Liberal member....
Opened Watson and Malcolm a furniture company. After the death of it’s founders the company was renamed as Andrew Malcolm Furniture Company.
With a new town council a law passed in 1874 stated that Kincardine was to be enforced by on constable. The first constable was Mr. William Purves. His office was in his home which was identified by a large sign over his front door which read “POLICE”
- As the town constable who would have many responsibilities includeing; tavern inspector, strett inspector, caretaker of the town hall, ringer of the town bell (at the town hall) which rang 5 times a day
On December 29 1874 the last nail was hit on the new 67 miles of rail of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway Company. The railway brought many new settlers into Kincardine which kick started a huge industrial expansion for the small village.
The Village of Tiverton, located on the boundary between Kincardine Township and Bruce Township, was incorporated in 1879.
To protect ships using the busy harbour, the Kincardine lighthouse was built in 1881.[2]
At some point during the late 1800s or early 1900s, the Village of Kincardine became the Town of Kincardine.
In 1902 F.E. Coombe and James Watson formed a partnership and began the operating the Coombe and Watson Furniture Company. In 1929 the company was renamed Coombe Furniture Co. Ltd. Coombe Furniture is recognized worldwide. When the Queen visited Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island her suite was furnished with Coombe furniture, The company closed in 1973 when people started buying cheaper that didn’t last a lifetime instead of the pricey, life-lasting Coombe furniture.
From 1907 – 1908 the Kincardine Public Library was built on Queen street.
Kincardine and District General Hospital was first proposed in November, 1908 by Madame Josephine Gualco, a wealthy, widely-travelled European lady who, between her many trips to Europe, made her home in Kincardine. She had purchased the Grant property on Queen Street North and proposed to donate it along with $2,500 annually for the creation of a hospital to serve Kincardine and surrounding district. The Hospital was incorporated by on December 17, 1908 under the Ontario Companies Act
For a small growing town communication is a huge asset. However the telephone had not reached Kincardine. Since Bell was not interested in supplying rural service the people in the surrounding townships began to organize their own company. On July 11 1912 the Bruce Municipal Telephone Company was born. The company is now called “Bruce Telecom”.
Arrival of nuclear power
Douglas Point
The Douglas Point Nuclear Generating Station was Canada’s first full-scale nuclear power plant and the second CANDU Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor....
in Bruce Township in 1958, and the eight additional reactors of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station
Bruce Nuclear Generating Station
Bruce Nuclear Generating Station is a Canadian nuclear power station located on the eastern shore of Lake Huron, in the communities of Inverhuron and Tiverton, Ontario. It occupies 932 ha of land. The facility derives its name from Bruce County in which it is located, in the former Bruce Township...
were built between 1977 and 1987. As a result, a wave of highly educated people moved to Kincardine for work, and were commensurately paid. This significantly changed the demographics of the town, and its entire economy.
As a result of the purchase/lease of the site by British Energy and the subsequent assumption of the lease by a wholly Canadian consortium following the Enron scandal
Enron scandal
The Enron scandal, revealed in October 2001, eventually led to the bankruptcy of the Enron Corporation, an American energy company based in Houston, Texas, and the dissolution of Arthur Andersen, which was one of the five largest audit and accountancy partnerships in the world...
, Bruce Power has resumed operation of Bruce A, a 4 unit station. Units 3 and 4 are in commercial operation and units 1 and 2 are undergoing a massive refurbishment requiring a retube of the fuel channels in the reactor and a replacement of the steam generators. Bruce Power has also applied to the Ontario Government following the Energy Minister's release of the forecast of needed new generation with a request to be allowed to build new Nuclear facilities.
The Bruce site also contains Ontario Power Generation
Ontario Power Generation
Ontario Power Generation is a public company wholly owned by the Government of Ontario. OPG is responsible for approximately 70% of the electricity generation in the Province of Ontario, Canada. Sources of electricity include nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, wind, and fossil fuel...
's (OPG) Western Waste Management Facility for the storage of low and intermediate-level radioactive waste from the Bruce, Pickering and Darlington nuclear power stations, and the used nuclear fuel from the Bruce station. OPG has proposed the construction and operation of a deep geologic repository for the long-term management of the low and intermediate level waste on lands adjacent to the Western Waste Management Facility. Pending approvals and licensing by regulatory agencies, the DGR will commence construction in 2013 and operation in 2018.
Amalgamation
In 1998, the Village of Tiverton lost its separate incorporation, and became part of the Township of Bruce.The Town of Kincardine, the Township of Kincardine, and the Township of Bruce were then amalgamated to form the Township of Kincardine-Bruce-Tiverton on January 1, 1999, with boundaries identical to those of the municipality that had existed in 1855. After the first election of the new municipal council, a plebiscite was conducted, and the name changed to the Municipality of Kincardine. In an interesting twist, one of the defeated options on the plebiscite was the name Penetangore.
Government
The municipal government is overseen by a council of nine. The council consists of a mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
elected at large, two councillors elected from Ward 1 (the former Town of Kincardine), one from Ward 2 (the former Township of Kincardine), one from Ward 3 (the former Township of Bruce), and three elected at large.
The council currently consists of:
- Larry Kraemer, mayor
- Anne Eadie, deputy mayor
- Jaqueline Faubert, councillor for Ward 1
- Mike Leggett, councillor for Ward 1
- Candy Hewitt, councillor for Ward 2
- Randy Roppel, councillor for Ward 3
- Kenneth Craig, councillor at large
- Maureen Couture, councillor at large
- Ron Coristine, councillor at large
The municipal government is responsible for public works, firefighting, parks, recreation, tourism, and economic development. Policing is handled by the South Bruce detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario 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...
.
Demographics
The demonym of a citzen of Kincardine is a Kincardinite.Population trend:
- Population in 2006: 11,173 (2001 to 2006 population change: 1.3 %)
- Population in 2001: 11,029 (1996 to 2001 population change: -7.3%)
- Population total in 1996: 11,908 (1991 to 1996 population change: -1.9%)
- Bruce (township): 1510
- Kincardine (town): 6620
- Kincardine (township): 2954
- Tiverton (village): 824
- Population in 1991: 12,134
- Bruce (township): 1654
- Kincardine (town): 6601
- Kincardine (township): 3065
- Tiverton (village): 814
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents (2006): 4586 (total dwellings: 5447)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 90.9 %
- French as first language: 1.7 %
- English and French as first language: 0.2 %
- Other as first language: 7.2 %
Education
The Bluewater District School BoardBluewater District School Board
The Bluewater District School Board is a school board in the Canadian province of Ontario, with jurisdiction for the operation of schools in Bruce and Grey counties....
is the school board for the Kincardine area. Kincardine District Secondary School
Kincardine District Secondary School
Kincardine & District Secondary School is a public high school in the town of Kincardine, Ontario, Canada. It is one of 11 high schools in the Bluewater District School Board...
is the local high school for most students in the area. Approximately 800 students are attending in the 2007/2008 year. There are 5 local elementary schools, Elgin Market Public School, Huron Heights Public School, St. Anthony's Catholic School, Kincardine Township-Tiverton Public School (located in Kincardine Township), and Ripley Huron Community School (located in Ripley).
Transportation
Kincardine is centrally located along highway 21 and at the west end of highway 9. There are two taxi companies in Kincardine. Kincardine Taxi and Fred's Cabs. Airplanes can land at the Municipal AirportKincardine Airport
Kincardine Airport is located north-northeast of Kincardine, Ontario, Canada.-External links:* *...
, Kincardine/Shepherd's Landing
Kincardine/Shepherd's Landing Airport
Kincardine/Shepherd's Landing Airport is located southwest of Kincardine, Ontario, Canada. It is a small airport in Bruce Beach owned and operated by Garry Shepherd. Approx. 5 airplanes are based there,and there is one hangar. The airport has one runway; grass. It is for small planes only....
or the Ellis Field located in Kincardine Township. The town of Kincardine also has a excellent harbour for tourist who want to travel by their boats.
Industry
The economy of Kincardine is dominated by the Bruce Nuclear Power Development which is currently operated by Bruce Power, a private company under lease from Ontario Power GenerationOntario Power Generation
Ontario Power Generation is a public company wholly owned by the Government of Ontario. OPG is responsible for approximately 70% of the electricity generation in the Province of Ontario, Canada. Sources of electricity include nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, wind, and fossil fuel...
. There is also a thriving tourist industry, emphasizing sandy beaches, beautiful sunsets and Scottish cultural tradition.
Healthcare
The Kincardine and District General HospitalKincardine and District General Hospital
Kincardine and District General Hospital is a hospital in Kincardine, Ontario. It is part of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre.- History :When the hospital first opened it held 11 beds. Many additions have occurred over the years, including in 1923, 1956, 1968, and 1982...
of the South Bruce Grey Health Centre is the hospital for the community.
Recreation
Kincardine is home to many parks and trails that run throughout the town of Kincardine. Sports are a huge part of the community mostly focusing around hockey in the winter and soccer in the summer. The local community centre, The Davidson Centre is the central location for most recreation activities as it has a park, skate park, soccer fields, track (indoor & outdoor), swimming pool, gym, basketball court and hockey rink.Sports Teams
The Kincardine BulldogsKincardine Bulldogs
The Kincardine Bulldogs are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Kincardine, Ontario. They play in the Western Junior C Hockey League.-History:...
is the local hockey team. They compete in the Western Junior C hockey league. In the 2006-2007 and the 2007-2008 seasons the Bulldogs finished 1st in the WJCHL.
All the other hockey teams in town go under the name of "The Kincardine Kinucks".
Kincardine also has a rugby team, created several years ago. They are known as the Barbarians or "Barbs" and serve as the rugby team for Kincardine and surrounding areas.
The Kinetic Knights FIRST Robotics Team (Kincardine & District Secondary School) competes in the FIRST Robotics Competition. The team placed 2nd in the world in their 2011 season.
Culture & Events
Kincardine (especially the Town of Kincardine) has a strong Scottish culture. The Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band Parades happens every Saturday night during the summer months ending Labour DayLabour Day
Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for...
weekend. Also every night in the summer (except for Saturdays) the Phantom Piper (a bag piper) plays his bagpipes on top of the light house at sunset. This story behind the Phantom Piper is a Kincardine Legend. Read more about the Phantom Piper HERE. To continue the Scottish culture in Kincardine, every year Kincardine holds the Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games.
Showcasing Kincardine's artistic side, Kincardine is also home to Bluewater Summer Playhouse (Drama Festival) and The Kincardine Summer Music Festival. Kincardine also takes part in Doors Open Kincardine showcasing Kincardine's heritage homes and buildings. Every Monday Starting on the May long weekend until the labour day weekend Kincardine has a "Market in the Square" a sort of flea market in the local park located beside the downtown.
Attractions
Known as the most historic street in Kincardine, Harbour Street gets its name from the harbour located to one side. The town's old lighthouse and museum are located on it, as well as The Erie BelleErie Belle
The Erie Belle was a Great Lakes steam ship which exploded in 1883 along the eastern shore of Lake Huron. Built in 1864 as the Hector, she initially served the east coast of the USA during the Civil War era...
Restaurant and the Harbour Street Brasserie. Perhaps the most famous landmark on Harbour Street is the Walker House
Paddy Walker House
The Paddy Walker House is Kincardine's oldest Building and the oldest Standing Hotel in Bruce County. - History :...
, the oldest building in Kincardine, which is now a museum. Kincardine is known for its beautiful and clean beaches, including Tiny Tot beach, Station Beach (Reunion Park), and Boiler Beach. Very popular among youth and adults alike are the two piers attached to the marina. Arguably one of the best spots to watch the internationally famous sunsets, the South Pier is also a very popular "cliff-jump" style swimming location for all.
Media
Kincardine has two newspaper companies. The Kincardine NewsKincardine News
The Kincardine News is the premier news publication for the Municipality of Kincardine, Ontario, including the communities of Kincardine, Tiverton, Inverhuron, Bervie, Glammis and Armow, as well as serving the neighbouring Huron-Kinloss communities of Ripley and Point Clark.Kincardine News is a...
and the Kincardine Independent. Kincardine also has its own radio station. myFM 95.5 Kincardine.
Notable Residents
- Hockey player Paul HendersonPaul HendersonPaul Henderson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A left winger, Henderson played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames...
was born in a sleigh near this town. - NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
goaltender Pat RigginPat RigginPatrick Michael Riggin is a retired former National Hockey League goaltender who played for the Atlanta Flames, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as the Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association...
is a native of Kincardine. - Supermodel Jessica StamJessica StamJessica Stam is a Canadian model. She is considered to be part of the crop of models described as "doll faces" alongside Gemma Ward, Sasha Pivovarova, Vlada Roslyakova, Lily Cole, Caroline Trentini, Devon Aoki, and Heather Marks...
was raised on a farm in the Kincardine area. - Decorated Canadian Forces sniper Master Corporal Graham RagsdaleGraham RagsdaleMaster Corporal Graham Ragsdale of the Canadian Forces was the commander of the Third Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry sniper team attached to the 101st Airborne of the U.S. Army during Operation Anaconda in the Shah-i-kot Valley, Paktia Province, Afghanistan in March, 2002...
was raised in Kincardine. - NHL goaltender Jordan WillisJordan WillisJordan Willis is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in one National Hockey League game for the Dallas Stars during the 1995–96 NHL season. He also played for the Nottingham Panthers between 1999 and 2000....
- Musical Jazz Ensemble Knights of JazzKnights of JazzThe Knights of Jazz was a musical Jazz ensemble composed of students from Kincardine District Secondary School in Kincardine, Ontario of the Bluewater District School Board. Under the leadership of Ian Burbidge, the Knights of Jazz operated from the early 1970s to the year 2000.The Knights of...
- 3 time winner of the World Bass Section Championships and former North American Solo Tenor Drumming Champion and owner of TyFry™, Tyler Fry
- Champion Bass Drummer, Jazz musician & Engineer, Craig Colquhoun
- OHLOntario Hockey LeagueThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
– Right Wing, Garrett Meurs - Kendra Fisher, Canada's Olympic Women's Hockey Player
- Woodworker, NCAA winner, Arthur Turland