Mount Pearl
Encyclopedia
Mount Pearl is the second largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador
, Canada
. The city is located southwest of St. John's
, on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula
on the island of Newfoundland. Mount Pearl is part of the St. John's metropolitan area
, the 20th Largest metropolitan area in Canada.
to be granted city status. Today it is the second largest city within the province, with a population in 2006 of 24,671
in southeast Newfoundland, and on the Atlantic Ocean. The city is bounded on the north, south and east by the city of St. John's
and on the west by the town of Paradise
, which has led to the limited availability of undeveloped land and is causing the city to be a more dense urban centre by increasing its density.
Southlands, a neighbourhood in St. John's
was a large part of Mount Pearl's future growth plans for filling in the area between its boundary and Cochrane Pond Provincial Park. The annexation of Southlands in 1992 by St. John's was authorized by the Liberal government of Clyde Wells
.
The city is located within Newfoundland's census Division No. 1
.
According to the 2006 Statistics Canada
Census:
, who was uncontested for the job on September 29, became mayor in 2007 after then mayor Steve Kent
was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, 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...
. The city is located southwest of St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland.The peninsula is home to 257,223 people, which is approximately 51% of Newfoundland's population in 2009, and is the location of the provincial capital, St. John's. It is connected to the...
on the island of Newfoundland. Mount Pearl is part of the St. John's metropolitan area
St. John's Metropolitan Area
The St. John's Metropolitan Area is the most populous census metropolitan area in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. With a population of 181,113 in the 2006 Canadian Census, the CMA is the second largest in Atlantic Canada and the 20th largest CMA in Canada.The St. John’s CMA had...
, the 20th Largest metropolitan area in Canada.
History
Mount Pearl dates back to 1829, when Commander James Pearl and his wife, Lady Anne Pearl, arrived in Newfoundland with a crown grant of one thousand acres (4 km²) of land, a reward for Commander Pearl’s 27 years of distinguished service in the Royal Navy. In 1830, Commander Pearl built a house upon the most elevated section of his estate and named it Mount Cochrane in honour of then-governor Sir Thomas Cochrane. After the governor left Newfoundland, Pearl renamed the site Mount Pearl. Pearl was made a Knight of the Royal Guelphic Order of Hanover and received the honour of Knight Bachelor from Queen Victoria. He died suddenly at his Mount Pearl estate on January 13, 1840, at the age of 50 years. In 1844, Sir James Pearl’s wife, Lady Anne, moved to London, England. John Lester, who had come from Devonshire, England to work for James Pearl, continued working the Pearl Estate, leasing it from Lady Anne Pearl for another 14 years. In her Last Will and Testament, she left John Lester 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of land called “Anna Vale”, (present day Glendale) which he later sold. The Pearl estate eventually came into the hands of Andrew Glendenning who worked it as successful farmland well into the 1920s. John Lester purchased other land (124 acres opposite the Pearl Estate on Brookfield Road) from Edward Dunscomb and later inherited another 50 acres (202,343 m²) on Old Placentia Road (present day Admiralty Wood) from Pearl’s sister, Eunice Blamey. John Lester died in 1893 leaving his estate called “FairMead” to sons Ashton and James. Fairmead is the site of Lester’s Market today.Development
In the 1930s and 1940s, Mount Pearl became the meeting place of affluent members of society and lovers of horseracing. A large open air gallery, with benches for spectators to view surrounding lands was erected on “The Mount” in the 1940s. Horseracing continued to be prominent and Mount Pearl began to develop into something of a summer resort for St. John’s residents. Increased population during summer months led to increased population year round and eventual residential and industrial development.Incorporation
With the population growing quickly, there was increased demand for municipal government. As a result, Mount Pearl held its first election in 1955 which resulted in Hayward Burrage becoming the first mayor of the Town of Mount Pearl. The town was incorporated on January 11, 1955 and had population of 1,979. On July 21, 1988, the Town of Mount Pearl became the third community in Newfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
to be granted city status. Today it is the second largest city within the province, with a population in 2006 of 24,671
Geography
Mount Pearl is located on the northeast coast of the Avalon PeninsulaAvalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland.The peninsula is home to 257,223 people, which is approximately 51% of Newfoundland's population in 2009, and is the location of the provincial capital, St. John's. It is connected to the...
in southeast Newfoundland, and on the Atlantic Ocean. The city is bounded on the north, south and east by the city of St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
and on the west by the town of Paradise
Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador
Paradise is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The town is a part of the St. John's Metropolitan Area. The town borders the City of St. John's, the City of Mount Pearl, the Town of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, and the town of Conception Bay South...
, which has led to the limited availability of undeveloped land and is causing the city to be a more dense urban centre by increasing its density.
Southlands, a neighbourhood in St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
was a large part of Mount Pearl's future growth plans for filling in the area between its boundary and Cochrane Pond Provincial Park. The annexation of Southlands in 1992 by St. John's was authorized by the Liberal government of Clyde Wells
Clyde Wells
Clyde Kirby Wells, QC was the fifth Premier of Newfoundland and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador from 1999 to March 2009...
.
Climate
Demographics
| Census | Population |
|---|---|
| 1961 | 2,785 |
| 1971 | 7,211 |
| 1981 | 11,543 |
| 1991 | 23,689 |
| 2001 | 24,964 |
| 2006 | 24,671 |
The city is located within Newfoundland's census Division No. 1
Division No. 1, Newfoundland and Labrador
Division No. 1, Newfoundland and Labrador is a census division covering the entire Avalon Peninsula including the Isthmus of Avalon of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador...
.
According to the 2006 Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
Census:
- Population: 24,671
- % Change (2001-2006): -1.2
- Dwellings: 9,660
- Area (km²): 15.76
- Density (persons per km²): 1,566.9
Municipal
The city is represented by a mayor, deputy mayor and five councillors. Elections in Mount Pearl are held every four years on the last Tuesday in September, the last election was held on September 29, 2009. The current mayor is Randy SimmsRandy Simms
Randy Simms is the current mayor of Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador. Simms is also host of Open Line, a call-in radio talk show that airs weekday mornings on the VOCM/CFCB radio network, and a political commentator for The Telegram and CBC News....
, who was uncontested for the job on September 29, became mayor in 2007 after then mayor Steve Kent
Steve Kent
Stephen Kent, MHA is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador. He is the Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for the District of Mount Pearl North....
was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...
.