Orillia
The human history of the area extends back several thousand years: in the "Narrows", a small waterway that connects Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe, there is marine archaeological evidence of ancient fishing weirs used by Huron and Iroquois people to trap fish over 4,000 years ago.Also, there are several archaeological sites in the surrounding area that provide evidence of trading, fishing, and hunting camps that were visited for hundreds of years by Indigenous people.A monument to Samuel de Champlain can also be found in Couchiching Beach Park and is a National Historic Site of Canada.The settlement had a church, a post office, four stores, three taverns, a tannery, two blacksmiths, four shoemakers, a tailor, and two furniture makers.[8] Transportation links with Toronto and Georgian Bay stimulated Orillia's development as a commercial centre and summer resort.[13] William E. Bell's 1989 novel Five Days of the Ghost was also set in Orillia, with many readers recognizing popular local spots, including the Guardian Angels Catholic Church, the Samuel de Champlain statue in Couchiching Beach Park as well as Chiefs Island in the middle of Lake Couchiching.Further backing the theory of a Spanish origin are the names of surrounding communities and landmarks, which include Oro for gold, Mariposa for butterfly, and Mono for monkey.[28] Initial interest in Orillia came from fur traders who used the gathering place at the Narrows to do business with the many tribes that came there each spring and fall.Subsequently, Orillia's economics has ranged from farming (even downtown) to machinery, to automobiles and even one of the first "campers" (a pop-up tent in a car).The Huronia Regional Centre, formerly an asylum that later became an institution to house disabled people, was one of the area's largest employers for many decades until the de-institutionalization movement of the 1980s and 1990s.The city council has actively restricted the construction of large buildings downtown and seeks to maintain a certain "small town" look with regard to signs and decorations.The museum occupies all four floors of the historic Sir Sam Steele Building, a landmark destination for both residents and visitors.The museum also features a designated education space and hosts activities including art-making and interpretive programming for children, artists, artisans, historians, etc.The city's waterfront has an extensive lakeshore boardwalk, a large park with two beaches, several playgrounds, an outdoor theatre, a touring ferry, and a children's train.The Port of Orillia holds an annual "Christmas in June", which includes a boat decorating contest and turkey buffet.[30] The day begins with a traditional pancake breakfast served by the Mayor and Council, and ends with a large fireworks display at dusk.The Leacock Medal Gala and Award ceremony is held each June at nearby Geneva Park, with tickets for sale to the public.[35] Students from this elementary school attend École secondaire catholique Nouvelle-Alliance, which is operated by the same board and is located in Barrie.All of these routes run on loops which depart and end at the downtown bus terminal at the intersection of West and Mississaga Streets, in front of the Orillia Public Library and Opera House.[42] In August 2019, Simcoe County LINX began a bus route that connects Orillia with Barrie on weekdays, excluding statutory holidays.[43] Ontario Northland provides intercity bus service, connecting Orillia to Toronto, Barrie, North Bay and Sudbury, among other destinations.The building houses the assorted bureaus and divisions that make up the general headquarters, as well as the Provincial Police Academy, and The OPP Museum.
Orillia, WashingtonHMCS OrilliaCountryProvinceOntarioTime zoneArea codeBarrieSimcoe CountyLake CouchichingLake SimcoeHuroniaCentral OntarioArchaeologistsIroquoisAboriginal peoplesCasino RamaTrent-Severn WaterwayBig Chute Marine RailwayNorth AmericaGeorgian BayLake HuronPeterborough Lift LockKirkfield Lift LockLake OntarioGreat LakesSt. LawrenceAtlantic OceanSamuel de ChamplainVernon Marcharchaeologicalfishing weirsIndigenous peopleOjibweWilliam YellowheadHuronsOjibwaysFrenchBritishEcole Samuel de ChamplainNational Historic Site of Canadapost officetavernstanneryblacksmithsshoemakerstailorBancroftTorontoCanadaStephen LeacockSunshine Sketches of a Little TownNational Historic Sites of CanadaWilliam E. Bell'sdaylight saving timeUpper CanadaLieutenant-GovernorPeregrine MaitlandPeninsular WarNapoleonic WarsDuke of WellingtonSpanishMariposabutterflymonkeyclerical error2021 Census of PopulationStatistics CanadaPanethnicEuropeanIndigenousSouth AsianSoutheast AsianEast AsianAfricanMiddle EasternLatin AmericanOrillia City CouncilreserveChippewas of Rama First Nationpetrochemical industryParker HannifinOntario Provincial PoliceHuronia Regional Centreart galleriesMuskokaAlgonquin Provincial ParkTrent–Severn WaterwayMariposa Folk FestivalStephen Leacock Memorial Medal for HumourRoyal Canadian LegionWebersOntario Highway 11Lake St. George Golf ClubConseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-SudSimcoe County District School BoardTwin Lakes Secondary SchoolOrillia Secondary SchoolPark Street Collegiate InstituteSimcoe Muskoka Catholic District School BoardGeorgian CollegeLakehead Universityhigh school diplomasWorld War IOrillia TransitOrillia Public LibraryOpera HouseSimcoe County LINXOntario NorthlandNorth BaySudburyprecipitationEnvironment CanadaCICX-FMcountry musicCISO-FMCBC RadioCBC Radio 2CBL-FMCBC Radio OneCBLA-FMvirtual channelRogers CableCKVR-DTCIII-DT-7Global