St. Thomas, Ontario

Infobox Settlement
official_name = St. Thomas, Ontario
other_name =
native_name =
nickname =
motto = Strength through progress

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image_caption = Circus mural with Jumbo on the northwest corner of the Manitoba St. and Talbot St. intersection.


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Canada
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Ontario
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Elgin County
subdivision_type3 = Urban area
subdivision_name3 =
subdivision_type4 =
subdivision_name4 =
government_type =
leader_title =Mayor
leader_name =Cliff Barwick
leader_title1 = Governing Body
leader_name1 =St. Thomas City Council
leader_title2 =MPs
leader_name2 =Joe Preston (CPC)
leader_title3 =MPPs
leader_name3 =Stephen J. Peters (OLP)
leader_title4 =
leader_name4 =
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1810
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1852 (Villige)
established_title3 =
established_date3 = 1861 (town)
1881 (city)
area_magnitude =
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area_total_km2 = 35.48
area_land_km2 =
area_water_km2 =
area_total_sq_mi = 15.1
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area_urban_km2 =
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population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes = [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/standard/popdwell/Table-CSD-N.cfm?T=2&SR=4893&S=20 Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada and Census Subdivisions (Municipalities), 2001 and 1996 Censuses - 100% Data ] ]
population_note = Census division population: 81,553
settlement_type =
population_total = 36110
population_density_km2 = 1017.7
population_density_sq_mi = 2669.8
population_metro =457720
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timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd=42 |latm=47 |lats=58 |latNS=N
longd=81 |longm=12 |longs=52 |longEW=W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 230
elevation_ft = 755
postal_code_type = Postal code span
postal_code =N5P, N5R
area_code =
website = [http://www.city.st-thomas.on.ca/ City of St. Thomas]
footnotes =

St. Thomas is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat for Elgin County and gaining its city charter on March 4, 1881.

History

The city, located at the intersection of two historical roads, was first settled in 1810. It was named the seat of the new Elgin County in 1844 and was incorporated as a village in 1852, as a town in 1861, and as a city in 1881.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century several railways were constructed through the city, and St. Thomas became an important railway junction. A total of 26 railways have passed through the city since the first railway was completed in 1856. It has earned the title of the "Railway Capital of Canada." In the 1950s and 1960s, with the decline of the railway as a mode of transportation, other industry began to locate in the city, principally primary and secondary automotive manufacturing.

Jumbo (the elephant) died here on September 15, 1885, when a train crashed into him. There is a life-sized commemorative statue that was erected in 1985, on the centennial of Jumbo's demise.

The city was named after Thomas Talbot who helped promote the development of this region during the early 19th century.

Government

Cliff Barwick is the current mayor of St. Thomas. The City Council consists of the mayor and seven Aldermen, all elected at large.

St. Thomas Transit, which includes both conventional bus service and paratransit, is owned by the city and staffed and operated by Aboutown Transportation.

Demographics

*Caucasian: 95.5%
*Aboriginal: 1.2%
*Visible minorities: 3.3%

*Protestant: 52.1%
*Catholic: 21%
*No affiliation: 22.1%
*Other: 4.8%

Education

Fanshawe College has a campus in St. Thomas. Catholic schools are controlled by the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB) and public schools are controlled by the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB). There are two independent Christian schools, [http://www.stthomaschristian.org St Thomas Community Christian School] and [http://path2faith.com/fcas76.php Faith Christian Academy] .

*"Abbreviations: C.I. = Collegiate Institute; C.S. = Catholic School; H.S. = High School; P.S. = Public School; S.S. = Secondary School"

Media

St. Thomas has several media outlets based in the city. The "St. Thomas Times-Journal" is the city's newspaper, owned by Bowes Publishers. Rogers Cable has a local cable television channel. A low-power FM radio station — VF8016, 90.1 MHz — broadcasts religious activities from Faith Baptist Church of St. Thomas.

CFHK-FM, branded as "103.1 Fresh FM", is also licensed to St. Thomas, although its programming largely targets the larger London market.

Although the city does not have its own television station, Industry Canada has allocated channel 33 for future use in St. Thomas.

Recently, Rogers Communications open a station on Talbot Street in the downtown area. The station is STTV, and is located on dial position 13.

Parks

There are two major parks in the city: Pinafore Park in the south, beside Pinafore Lake; and Waterworks Park in the north, which is straddled by Kettle Creek and the Waterworks Reservoir nearby.

The Trans Canada Trail goes through St. Thomas, with a pavilion located in Jonas Street Park.

Notable residents

* Dave Hudson, former professional ice hockey player (New York Islanders, Kansas City Scouts, Colorado Rockies)
* DJ Kennington, NASCAR Nationwide Series driver
* Rachel McAdams, actress ("The Hot Chick, Mean Girls, The Notebook, Wedding Crashers, Red Eye, The Family Stone, Marriage")
* Stephen Ouimette, actor, director widely known for his work at the Stratford Festival of Canada
* Stephen J. Peters, politician, MPP for Elgin—Middlesex—London, former Minister of Labour (Ontario) and Minister of Agriculture and Food (Ontario)
* Janet and Greta Podleski, bestselling cookbook authors (Looneyspoons, Crazy Plates, Eat, Shrink & Be Merry!), Food Network hosts and Reader's Digest columnists
* Helen Shaver, actress, director, producer ("The Amityville Horror, The Color of Money, Judging Amy")
* David Shaw, former professional ice hockey player (Stratford Cullitons, Kitchener Rangers, Québec Nordiques, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota North Stars, Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Vipers)
* Joe Thornton, professional ice hockey player (San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, St. Thomas Stars)
* Aaron Walpole, the third-place finisher in the third season of Canadian Idol
* Kari-Lynn Winters, children's book author, dramatist, literacy educator

External links

* [http://www.city.st-thomas.on.ca/ City of St. Thomas official website]
* [http://www.railwaycapital.ca/ St. Thomas, Ontario, the Railway Capital of Canada]
* [http://www.ecrm5700.org/ Elgin County Railway Museum]
* [http://www.elgintheatreguild.ca/ Elgin Theatre Guild]
* [http://weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/on-98_metric_e.html St. Thomas Weather]
* [http://specials.bowesonline.com/5/history-0/ History of St. Thomas]

geocompass
hub = St. Thomas
type= ex
NN = London
NNv = Highbury Avenue and Wellington Road
NW = Strathroy
NWv = Highway 4 and Highway 402
NE = Belmont
NEv = Highway 3
WW = Sarnia
WWv = Highway 4 and Highway 402
EE = Aylmer
EEv = Highway 3
SS = Port Stanley
SSv = Highway 4
SE = Port Bruce
SEv = Highway 3 and Elgin County Road 73
SW = Chatham
SWv = Highway 4 and Highway 401