Port Hope, Ontario

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Port Hope is a municipality in Ontario, Canada, about 100 km east of Toronto. It is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario (+43° 56' 54.96", -78° 17' 36.96"), at the west end of Northumberland County, and had a 2001 census population of 15,605. Port Hope's nearest neighbour (7 km to the east) is the Town of Cobourg, Ontario, whose 2001 census population was 17,172. In 2001, the original town amalgamated with Hope Township to form the Municipality of Port Hope. The municipality's population in 2006 was 16,500.

"Ganaraska" was the name attributed to the area by the natives of the region and is the name of the river that flows through the town. The name originates from "Ganaraske", the name for the Iroquois village which was located at the current townsite. In 1793 United Empire Loyalists became the first permanent settlers in Port Hope, which was then known as Smith's Creek after a former fur trader. After being renamed, briefly, Toronto, it was renamed again in 1817 after Colonel Henry Hope, lieutenant governor of Quebec, and in 1834 Port Hope was incorporated as a town. Relatively slow growth since 1880 has resulted in much of its original architecture not being demolished in the name of progress.

Port Hope is celebrated as having the best preserved 19th century streetscape in Ontario. The town's local chapter of the Architectural Concervancy of Ontario and the Heritage Port Hope Advisory Committee are very active and advise on the restoration and preservation of architecturally or historically significant buildings. With over 250 heritage designated buildings throughout the municipality, Port Hope has a higher per capita rate of preservation than any other town or city in Canada. Downtown businesses are regulated by the municipality to maintain the town's unique character.

The Capitol Theatre is Canada's last functioning atmospheric theatre. The theatre's main auditorium is styled after an outdoor medieval courtyard where rolling clouds are projected onto the ceiling. The town recently spent in excess of 3 million dollars renovating and upgrading the theatre in 2004/2005.

Port Hope is home to various industries. Downtown Port Hope is well-known as a shopping destination for antiques and other specialty items. The town's role in elder care (in the form of adult-lifestyle centred housing, retirement and nursing homes) may increase if it continues to grow as a retirement community.

Port Hope currently contains some historic low-level radioactive wastes, mostly dating from the days of the Eldorado radium plant for glow-in-the-dark paint for second world war aircraft instruments; Port Hope then boasted a welcome sign calling it "The Town That Radiates Friendliness." These historic wastes are scheduled to be moved to a permanent storage site over the next few years. Port Hope's Eldorado plant also produced some uranium used in the Manhattan Project which led to the creation of nuclear weapons, but did not produce the uranium used in the nuclear bombs dropped on Japan in WWII. It continues to produce uranium fuel for nuclear power plants, now under the ownership of Cameco.

The Ganaraska River (affectionately known as "The Ganny"), is well-known to area anglers for annual salmon and trout runs, and has been responsible for many historic floods, the most recent having been in 1980.

Port Hope hosts many attractions and events throughout the year, including:

Ganaraska Forest Centre
Ganaraska Trail
Canadian Firefighters Museum
Port Hope Yacht Club
Vintage Film Festival
"Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny" (a "race" commemorating the flood of 1980)
Port Hope Festival Theatre
Port Hope & District Agricultural Fall Fair
The All Canadian Jazz Festival
Port Hope Olde Tyme Christmas (includes Festival of Trees, Candlelight Walk and Carol Singing, Candlelight Christmas in Memorial Park and the Santa Claus Parade)
Various artisan, house and garden tours

[edit] Education

St. Mary's Elementery School, Catholic JK-3
St. Anthony's Elementery School, Catholic 4-8
Beatrice Strong Public School, Public JK-6
Central Public School, Public JK-6 (proposed to be closed)
Howard Jordan Public School, Public JK-6 (proposed addition)
George Hamilton Public School, Public JK-6
North Hope Central School, Public JK-6
Dr M. S. Hawkins Senior Public School, Public Gr 7-8 (same building as Port Hope HIgh School)
Port Hope High School, Public Gr 9-12
Port Hope High School Student to Work Transition Program (SWOT Campus), Public Grade 9-12
Trinity College School, Private Gr 7-12

[edit] Major industries

Collins & Aikman
Cameco Corporation, which recently (2006) bought out another local industry Zircatec.
ESCO Limited
Viceroy Homes
St Elizabeth Health Care
Northumberland Package Handling
Sterling Truss Company