| The History of Collingwood |
| Incorporated as a town in 1858, nine years before
Confederation, Collingwood celebrated its 140th anniversary in 1998.
The Town of Collingwood was named after Admiral Collingwood, Lord Nelson's
second in command at the battle of Trafalgar. |
| During the mid to late 1800's, Collingwood was the rail
head of Ontario and its harbour was the trans-shipment point for goods
destined to Western Canada. Shipping produced a need for ship
repairs, so it wasn't long before an organized ship building business was
created. On May 24, 1883, the Collingwood Shipyards, then known as
Collingwood Dry Dock Shipbuilding and Foundry Company Limited, opened with
a special ceremony. It didn't take the Shipyards long to become one
of the principal industries in the town, employing at some periods until
its closure in 1986 as much as 10% of the total labour force. |
| Despite the success of the Shipyards, industrial growth was
slow. However, the creation of government incentive programs and a
fully serviced industrial park made it possible for Collingwood to attract
eleven new manufacturing firms to town by 1971. Eight additional manufacturing
companies had located in the town by 1983, making Collingwood the largest
industrial employer in the region. |
Today, Collingwood still maintains a strong industrial
base. Pilkington Glass of Canada, Alcoa Wheel Products, Goodyear
Canada Inc., Backyard Products Ltd.,
Nacan Products,
Sensor Technologies and Kaufman
of Collingwood
are the community's largest employers. Collingwood is also home to the
internationally famous Blue
Mountain Pottery
and Canadian Mist Whiskey, the largest selling Canadian Whiskey in the
United States. |
| Collingwood has recently
focused on establishing itself as
a four-season tourist area. Nestled on the shores of Georgian Bay
and located in close proximity to the Blue Mountains, the Town has become
the major recreation area for the southern part of the province.
Businesses in Collingwood benefit from the large influx of sun-seekers,
fishermen, cottagers and skiers. The small town atmosphere is
maintained while residents enjoy many amenities that would not be
available in other small towns, such as a large selection of well-known
department and grocery stores. Efforts in the private sector to
expand the marina potential, to introduce time-sharing and to expand the
vacation home component within the town have provided a welcoming
environment to the many individuals who enjoy escaping to the Town's
natural setting and relaxed pace. |
| Collingwood continues to be a stable, progressive
community. In recent years, strong municipal leadership has led to
extensive upgrades to the water filtration plant, and the sewage treatment
plant, acquisition of the CN spit land and the development of a water lien
and fibre optic line to New Tecumseh. The Barrie-Collingwood Railway
(BCRY) is a short-line railway operation involving a partnership between
the City of Barrie, Town of Collingwood, current Shippers, CP Rail and the
railway operator - Cando Contracting Ltd. The BCRY mandate is to
provide rail service to all industries in and around Barrie and
Collingwood. Collingwood is also well know for its many special
events and festivals including The Collingwood Elvis Festival, Collingwood
Horse Show and The Triathlon. The Collingwood Economic Development
Department, the Collingwood Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Collingwood
Business Improvement Association, all work tirelessly to promote the
community. They ensure that business people have access to support
services as well as to seminars and counseling programs that address
specific needs. Members of the local workforce have opportunities to
retrain and upgrade, to experience on-the-job training and take part in
work placement programs. Collingwood is home of the Georgian
Triangle Enterprise Centre, one of the first entrepreneurial development
centres in Canada. |
| Collingwood is well equipped to tend to the needs of its
citizens and tourists to the community. Whether your interest lies
in starting a business in the community or participating in the dynamic
recreational culture, Collingwood has something for everyone. |
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