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Grand River, Ontario

Dunnville is a picturesque community of 12,000 people located along the Grand River on Highway #3, between the Niagara and Hamilton regions, and less than an hour away from the U. S. border. It is located near the mouth of the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, near the historic Talbot Trail.

Originally built as the entrance to the Welland "feeder" canal, the town once boasted several water-powered mills and a once-bustling canal port. The feeder canal closed in the late 1880s and the last mill was destroyed and replaced with a condominium complex about 10 years ago.

There is an impassable dam at Dunnville which regulates the level of the Grand River at Port Maitland which, in the 19th century, also helped regulate the level of the Welland Canal (from 1829 until 1887 when the (3rd) canal began to intake its water directly from lake Erie).

Only a few kilometres from Lake Erie, Dunnville has many private vacation properties.

A friendly welcome awaits you in the relaxed down-home atmosphere of the downtown Dunnville business section. Spacious streets feature rustic coachlight lanterns, with hanging baskets of flowers, welcoming you to browse through the unique shops and restaurants.

There are many events and natural attractions. In June the annual Mudcat Festival is held to celebrate one of the Grand River s most well-known inhabitants. The festival includes a parade, strongman contests, midway, fireworks and more. Another popular event is the Dunnville Agricultural Fair, held in late August which includes heavy, light and miniature horse shows; sheep and goat shows and much more.

Dunnville has tennis, golf, lawn bowling and swimming facilities and many Bed & Breakfasts to stay in while enjoying these activities. The community s camping experience is also second to none. Tuesday and Saturday are Farmers Market days.

The former World War II RCAF Training Base, the Dunnville Airport, offers a unique window on history with its massive hangars and runways now used for recreational flying and skydiving. The airport is also home to Haldimand County s newest museum, the No. 6 RCAF Dunnville Museum.

The Grand River and nearby Lake Erie offer a host of aquatic activities from swimming, sailing, wind-surfing, canoeing and feature prime locations for fishing.

Hike through Byng Island Conservation Area or Rock Point Provincial Park or enjoy a stroll along Port Maitland s beautiful, brand-new pier. In the fall, Rock Point hosts thousands of Monarch butterflies heading south. Dunnville is also the site of one of the largest expanses of provincially significant wetlands in Ontario and is perfect for bird watching and nature photography.

Smucker Foods of Canada Co. which operates the Bick's Pickle Plant is Dunnville's largest factory, provides employment for a small percentage of the town's population, mainly students.

[edit] Notable residents

• James N. Allan, politician
• Ryan Barnes, NHL player
• Peter DeBoer, NHL coach, Florida Panthers
• André Fauteux, sculptor
• Jim Gregory, NHL Hall of Famer, former Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager
• Nathan Horton, NHL player, Florida Panthers
• Mr. Justice T. David Marshall, MD, LLb, Superior Court Justince of Ontario.
• Shelley Marshall, comedian
• Matt Roik, NLL player

[edit] Schools

• Dunnville Secondary School - Panthers
• St. Michael's Catholic School - Golden Hawks
• Dunnville Christian School
• Fairview Avenue Public School - Falcons
• Dunnville Central Public School
• Thompson Creek Elementary School - Timberwolves
• Grandview Public School - Gators
• Anna Melick Public School - Mustangs
• Faith Jubilee Academy

[edit] Service clubs

Optimist Club, Dunnville, ON

• Lions Club
• Optimist Club
• Rotary International Club
• Royal Canadian Legion Branch 142
• 611 Harvard Royal Canadian Air Cadets
• Kinsmen
• 2nd Dunnville Scouting

[edit] External links

• Dunnville Community Theatre

Coordinates: 42°54′24″N 79°37′01″W / 42.906788, -79.616806

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