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Bracebridge
Town (lower-tier)
Town of Bracebridge
View of the road into central Bracebridge.
Motto: The Heart of Muskoka
Bracebridge
Coordinates: 45°02′N 79°18′W / 45.033°N 79.300°W / 45.033; -79.300
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
District	Muskoka
Incorporated	1875 (village)
Incorporated	1889 (town)
Government
• Mayor	Rick Maloney
• Governing Body	Bracebridge Town Council
• Federal riding	Parry Sound-Muskoka
• Prov. riding	Parry Sound—Muskoka
Area
• Land	628.22 km (242.56 sq mi)
Population
• Total	17,305
• Density	28.1/km (73/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Forward sortation area	P1L
Area code	705 & 249
Highways	Highway 11  Highway 118
Website	www.bracebridge.ca

Bracebridge is a town and the seat of the District Municipality of Muskoka in Ontario, Canada.

The town was built around a waterfall on the Muskoka River in the centre of town and is known for its other nearby waterfalls (Wilson's Falls, High Falls, etc.). It was first incorporated in 1875.

The town is the seat of the district government and a centre of tourism for the Muskoka area and has several historical sites, such as the Clock Tower, Woodchester Villa, and the Silver Bridge, which joins Manitoba Street with Ecclestone Drive. The Silver Bridge was repaired in 2002.

History

The character of the town of Bracebridge is shaped by its proximity to Lake Muskoka to which it is connected by 10 km (6.2 mi) of the Muskoka River, and by the promise of abundant water power afforded by the great waterfall at the foot of the downtown. Early growth of the town occurred in proximity to the falls which powered the first factory. The arrival of the Grand Trunk Railway cemented the town's role as a transportation hub for the area.

Modern settlement of the town began in the 1860s, beginning at first with a few log huts. The Muskoka colonization road had been completed to the first falls on the north branch of the Muskoka River by 1862. Entrepreneurs began to take advantage of the area's water power. With the advent of steamship service on Lake Muskoka a few years later, Bracebridge prospered as the main distribution centre for the region.

By 1869, Bracebridge was a village with a population of 160 in the Township of Macaulay, Victoria County. (In 1868 Macauley and six additional townships had been detached from the County and transferred to the new District of Muskoka, but were not withdrawn for municipal purposes until 1877.) The village was established on the Muskoka River. There were stages in winter and boats in summer from Barrie to Washago. The average price of wild land was $2 to $5 an acre while improved land was $10 per acre.

By 1870 the village had a population of about 400, growing to reach a total of about 2,000 by the turn of the 20th century. The village was incorporated in 1875 and became a town under an Act of Parliament in 1889. In 1894 Bracebridge became the first town in Ontario to have its own hydro generating station. In 1971 Macaulay Township was merged into Bracebridge.

The municipal boundaries of Bracebridge also encompass the smaller communities of Clear Lake, Falkenburg (ghost town), Falkenburg Station, Fraserburg, Germania, Lakewood, Matthiasville, Monsell (ghost town), Purbrook, Rocksborough, Springdale Park, Stoneleigh, Uffington and Vankoughnet.

Transportation

Bracebridge is immediately adjacent to Highway 11, a major provincial highway that connects the community to Greater Toronto in under 2 hours, as well as to markets in Northern Ontario. Muskoka Airport, which serves general aviation and scheduled flights from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, is located 5 km south of Bracebridge.

While rail service to Bracebridge has been discontinued, the community is serviced by coach bus line Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services that departs from the Bracebridge Quality Inn and takes passengers south to Toronto and north to North Bay. In 2016, the municipality launched Bracebridge Transit, a one-hour single-route schedule that gets residents around the urban core. Bracebridge Mobility also offers door-to-door service to individuals who are unable to access the regular transit service due to mobility issues. The site of the Bracebridge station, with the waiting station, remains.

Climate

Education

Bracebridge is served by several elementary schools and two high schools: Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School, and Saint Dominic Catholic Secondary School. Public education is administered by the Trillium Lakelands District School Board, and Catholic education is administered by the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board.

Georgian College operates a satellite campus in the town with programming that supports the local labour market. Nipissing University operated in Bracebridge for over 21 years but chose to consolidate its operations in 2016 resulting in the closure of the local campus. The facility was purchased in 2018 by a private institude.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Bracebridge had a population of 17,305 living in 7,233 of its 9,053 total private dwellings, a change of 8.1% from its 2016 population of 16,010. With a land area of 615.2 km (237.5 sq mi), it had a population density of 28.1/km (72.9/sq mi) in 2021.

Sports

The Town of Bracebridge built a Sportsplex in 2006 which contains a rock climbing wall, indoor track, eight-lane swimming pool and fitness studio. The town partnered with the Muskoka Limberettes Gymnastics Club to create a gymnastics facility in the same building. The Sportsplex is part of the same complex including the Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School and Rene M. Caisse Memorial Theatre.

Bracebridge also opened a new 3.75 Million dollar softball venue called Peake Fields at Verena Acres. This facility supports a Men's League, Women's League, and Minor Ball, as well as slow pitch. The Men's fastball League has been running for some 35 years, and has produced 4 Ontario Intermediate Fastball Championships, and 3 Canadian Championships, with all local players.

Plans are currently in place for a new Arena/Fieldhouse/Library complex that is now currently under construction with an expected opening of the facility in March 2023

Attractions and venues

Bracebridge is the home of Santa's Village, a Christmas theme park, established in 1955. It was inspired by the town's location at 45 degrees latitude, halfway between the equator and the North Pole. In 2016, Bracebridge held its first annual Fire and Ice Festival.

Media

Newspapers

Local newspapers include Bracebridge Examiner, District Weekender, Muskoka Sun and Muskoka Advance.

The first newspaper in Bracebridge was the Northern Advocate begun in 1870 by Thomas McMurray. It was joined in 1872 by the Free Grant Gazette owned by E.F. Stephenson. The Advocate ceased publication in 1874 and was bought out by Stephenson. Competition resumed, however, in 1878 when Mr Gaffe and Mr Oaten founded the Muskoka Herald.

Radio

Other radio stations from Barrie, Orillia, Huntsville including the surrounding areas can also be heard in the Bracebridge and Gravenhurst areas. (See also: Central Ontario Radio)

Notable residents

• Irvin "Ace" Bailey, Hockey Hall of Famer
• Patrick Boyer (born 1945), politician - born in Bracebridge
• Frank Carson, former NHL player
• William Joseph James "Doc" Carson, former NHL player, 1929 Stanley Cup
• Roger Crozier, former NHL player
• Gary Denniss, writer, teacher, historian, columnist, preacher
• Marty Gervais, writer, journalist, historian
• Mary Harron, director of American Psycho
• Kris King, former NHL player
• Deric Ruttan, Canadian country music singer/songwriter
• Liisa Savijarvi, downhill skier who competed at the 1984 Olympics
• Zander Sherman, writer
• Graydon Smith, Politician, former mayor of Bracebridge

See also

• List of townships in Ontario

References

1. ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census: Bracebridge, Town". Statistics Canada. 8 February 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
2. ^ Hopkins, J. Castell (1896). Encyclopedic Canada or The Progress of a Nation. Toronto: Bradley-Garretson Company Ltd. pp. 346–350.
3. "Founding of Bracebridge, The". Ontario Heritage Trust. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
4. The province of Ontario gazetteer and directory. H. McEvoy Editor and Compiler, Toronto : Robertson & Cook, Publishers, 1869
5. "Muskoka, Ontario". Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020. Environment Canada. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
6. "Muskoka A, Ontario". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. 25 September 2013. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
7. "Muskoka A, Ontario". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 2020-07-18. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
8. "Schools". Trillium Lakelands District School Board. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
9. "Our Schools". Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
10. ^ "Corrections and updates". Statistics Canada. 2012-09-19. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
11. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
12. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
13. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2017-03-16.
14. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
15. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
16. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
17. "A Trip Around Lake Muskoka With Norman Bethune - And A Cure For Cancer", by Martin Avery, 2013, ISBN 978-1-304-60093-6
18. Hartill, Mary-beth (27 October 2005). "New Arena Complex Moving Ahead In Bracebridge". MuskokaRegion.com. Bracebridge. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
19. Muskoka Information Radio
20. CIIG-FM at The History of Canadian Broadcasting by the Canadian Communications Foundation

External links

• Media related to Bracebridge, Ontario at Wikimedia Commons
• Bracebridge, Ontario travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Official website

v t e Places adjacent to Bracebridge, Ontario
Muskoka Lakes Huntsville Lake of Bays Bracebridge Minden Hills Gravenhurst Kawartha Lakes

• Bracebridge, Ontario
• 1875 establishments in Ontario
• Lower-tier municipalities in Ontario
• Towns in Ontario