Beckwith | |
|---|---|
| Township of Beckwith | |
 Franktown | |
 Beckwith within Lanark County | |
  Beckwith | |
| Coordinates:45°05′N76°04′W / 45.083°N 76.067°W /45.083; -76.067 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| County | Lanark |
| Settled | 1817 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Reeve | Richard Kidd |
| • Governing Body | Beckwith Township Council |
| • MP | Scott Reid (CPC) |
| • MPP | John Jordan (OPC) |
| Area | |
• Total | 239.31 km2 (92.40 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 9,021 |
| • Density | 37.7/km2 (98/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| Area codes | 613, 343 |
| Website | www |
Beckwith is atownship in easternOntario, Canada. It is located inLanark County on theMississippi River. It is located within Canada'sNational Capital Region.
The township, named after SirThomas Sydney Beckwith, was surveyed in 1816 and settlement began the year after.[2]
Beckwith was originally covered in deciduous forest,[3] much of which has been cleared for agriculture. Common trees includesugar maple,beech,oak andash.[4] Trees likehickory andbutternut are less common. Wetter areas haveelm,silver maple andwhite cedar.Hemlock was much more common in the past, but logging fortanbark, used intanning, has much depleted this species.[5] The enormous Goodwood Swamp is one of the most important natural areas in the township.[6] There are several different access points to see this vast wetland by car and on foot.[7] TheJock River, a popular canoe route, originates here, near Franktown.
The wetlands on the north-western shore ofMississippi Lake are also provincially significant. Within the town of Carleton Place, along the rapids of Mississippi River, there is a large and regionally significanthackberry forest.[8]
The area has two main physiographic types: clay deposits overlimestone, and exposed areas of limestone plain. These clay deposits were left behind by theChamplain Sea which flooded the Beckwith area about ten thousand years ago at the end of thelast ice age.[9][10] In the extreme northwestern corner there is an outcrop ofCanadian Shield. Along the edge of this shield outcrop one can trace the old shoreline of the Champlain Sea.[11]
AnEnvironment and Climate Change Canadaweather radar station for Ottawa andeastern Ontario, part of theCanadian weather radar network, is located at Franktown.[12]
The township comprises the communities of Black's Corners, Franktown, Gillies Corners, Prospect, and the western half of Ashton (with the eastern half being within the City of Ottawa), as well as the lakeside communities of Gardiner Shore, Lake Park, Petrie Shore, Rathwell's Shore, Scotch Corners and Tennyson.
Black's Corners, a hamlet south ofCarleton Place, is the location for the town hall of Beckwith. This site was chosen in 1857 as a compromise between Franktown and Carleton Place where the township council had met on an alternating basis previously.[13] Currently, there are two marinas, an auto shop, and previously a gas station.
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Beckwith had a population of9,021 living in3,371 of its3,523 total private dwellings, a change of18% from its 2016 population of7,644. With a land area of 239.31 km2 (92.40 sq mi), it had a population density of37.7/km2 (97.6/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
| 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,021 (+18.0% from 2016) | 7,644 (+9.4% from 2011) | 6,986 (+9.4% from 2006) |
| Land area | 239.31 km2 (92.40 sq mi) | 240.47 km2 (92.85 sq mi) | 240.51 km2 (92.86 sq mi) |
| Population density | 37.7/km2 (98/sq mi) | 31.8/km2 (82/sq mi) | 29.0/km2 (75/sq mi) |
| Median age | 44.4 (M: 44.0, F: 44.8) | 44.4 (M: 43.9, F: 44.9) | |
| Private dwellings | 3,523 (total) 3,371 (occupied) | 2,860 (total) | 2,817 (total) |
| Median household income | $126,000 | $102,707 |
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| Source: Statistics Canada[1][17][18][19][20] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Franktown promotes itself as the "Lilac Capital of Ontario". It is home to Lilac Lane, which features a beautiful park containing many lilac bushes that have grown there naturally over time, and where alilac festival is held the last Saturday of May. Within the park facility there is also a baseball diamond.
Also located within Franktown are the Calvary Christian Academy, a private school, and the "Franktown General Store", which features agas bar, general merchandise, take-out foods, as well as dry-cleaning services.
On the ninth Line Road, east of Blacks Corners, Beckwith Park is being developed. It includes an indoor hockey rink and soccer pitch and outdoor artificial turf for football, soccer and rugby. The park includebush with walking trails and a pond. The extensive grass area includes twelve soccer pitches, a baseball and a softball field, a coverall building and open space to hold civic events like Beckwith Heritage Days. TheUniversity of OttawaGee-Gees football team played one season there while their new stadium was under construction.
Places adjacent to Beckwith, Ontario | |
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Lanark County, Ontario, Canada | |
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| Towns | |
| Townships | |
| Unincorporated communities | |
1 Separated municipality but remains a census subdivision of the county | |
