- Essex, Ontario
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This article is about the town of Essex. For the county, see Essex County, Ontario.
Essex — Town — 
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Coordinates: 42°05′N 82°54′W / 42.083°N 82.9°WCoordinates: 42°05′N 82°54′W / 42.083°N 82.9°W Country 
CanadaProvince 
OntarioCounty Essex Formed 1999 Government - Mayor Ron McDermott - Member of Parliament Jeff Watson (CONS) - Provincial Representative Taras Natyshak (NDP) Area[1] - Land 277.95 km2 (107.3 sq mi) Population (2006)[1] - Total 20,032 - Density 72.1/km2 (186.7/sq mi) Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) Postal Code N8M Area code(s) 519 and 226 Website www.townofessex.on.ca Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott. It is also the county seat for Essex County.
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History
The current Town of Essex was created on 1 April 1999 by the amalgamation of the communities of Essex, Harrow, Colchester North, and Colchester South. Each community has a distinct history prior to amalgamation. Colchester South is notable for lying further south than the northern border of California.
Essex
The Talbot Trail was heavily attributed with causing Essex to grow significantly in the last half of the 19th century. The community achieved town status in 1890.
Essex has experienced two major explosions. The first, on 10 August 1907, was caused by leaking nitroglycerine in a rail car which was being shunted together at the Essex Train Station. Two men were killed and much of the town was wrecked. The second explosion occurred on 14 February 1980 when a tow truck was bringing a gas tank truck which backed over a natural gas line. The ensuing explosion caused considerable damage but there was only one fatality. The person who died was the brother of the gas tank truck driver.
Harrow
Communities
The town comprises the communities of Ambassador Beach, Barretville, Belcreft Beach, Colchester, Edgars, Essex Centre, Gesto, Harrow, Klie's Beach, Leslies Corner, Levergood Beach, Lypps Beach, Marshfield, McGregor, New Canaan, Oxley, Paquette Corners, Seymour Beach and Vereker.
Governance
Essex is divided into four wards which correspond to the four major communities involved in the 1999 amalgamation. During municipal elections, residents vote for a mayor and councillor(s) in their geographical ward. The members of each council elect a deputy-mayor from their own ranks after each municipal election.
- Ward 1 - Essex Centre (2 councillors)
- Ward 2 - Colchester North (1 councillor)
- Ward 3 - Colchester South (2 councillors)
- Ward 4 - Harrow Centre (1 councillor)
Current town council:
- Mayor - Ron McDermott
- Deputy Mayor - Richard Meloche (Ward 2)
- Ward 1 Councillor - Morley Bowman
- Ward 1 Councillor - Randy Voakes
- Ward 3 Councillor - John Scott
- Ward 3 Councillor - Bill Baker
- Ward 4 Councillor - Sherry Bondy
Demographics
Census Population 1901 1,391 1911 1,353 1921 1,588 1931 1,954 1941 1,935 1951 2,741 1961 3,428 1971 4,002 1981 6,295 1991 6,759 2001 20,085 2006 20,032 According to the Canada 2006 Census:
- Population: 20,032
- % Change (1996–2001): -0.3
- Dwellings: 8,377
- Area (km².): 277.95
- Density (persons per km².): 72.1
Sports and recreation
The town of Essex is the proud home of the winningest Junior C franchise in the province, the Essex 73's. The club has won a League Record 16 Great Lake Titles along with a Ontario Record 6 Provincial Titles. The club played 36 seasons in the historic Essex Memorial Arena, and now currently plays in the new Essex Centre Sports Complex. Essex has two minor hockey associations: The Essex Minor Hockey Association based in Essex Centre and the Harrow-Colchester South Minor Hockey Association based in Harrow. The town is now the proud home of Sun County Triple A.
The Essex Ravens football club play in the Ontario Varsity Football League and play their games at Raider Field at Essex District High School. They are the reigning Varsity Division Champions, having defeated the Cumberland Panthers 39-32 in the 2010 championship game.
Essex has two major annual festivals. The Essex Fun Fest runs in the second week of July and the Harrow Fair occurs each labour day weekend. The Harrow Fair is the oldest community fair in Ontario.
Education
Two public secondary schools of the Greater Essex County District School Board are situated in Essex. Essex District High School serves Essex Centre, Colchester North and areas of Tecumseh, Ontario, Lakeshore, Ontario, and Kingsville, Ontario. Harrow District High School serves Harrow Centre and Colchester South. Public school students from certain areas of Essex may attend General Amherst High School in Amherstburg, Ontario or Kingsville District High School in Kingsville, Ontario. While there is no separate secondary school within the boundaries of Essex, students in the town may attend the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board's St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic High School in LaSalle, Ontario or Cardinal Carter Catholic High School in Leamington, Ontario.
Elementary schools of the Greater Essex County District School Board include Essex Public School, Colchester North Public School, and Harrow Senior Public School. Separate elementary schools of the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board include Holy Name Catholic Elementary School and St. Anthony Catholic Elementary School.
Wildlife
Essex is known regionwide for its large crow population. It is speculated that the town was founded adjacent to a massive crow rookery that, despite efforts to destroy or relocate the nesting ground, thrives to this day. Strangely, the crows boundaries seem tightly closed around the town; though the birds will occasionally venture into surrounding areas.
References
External links
Tecumseh Lakeshore Amherstburg 
Kingsville 
Essex 
Lake Erie Categories:
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