 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Fort Erie, Ontario" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(April 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Fort Erie | |
|---|---|
| Town of Fort Erie | |
.jpg) Fort Erie | |
  Fort Erie  Fort Erie | |
| Coordinates:42°55′N79°01′W / 42.917°N 79.017°W /42.917; -79.017 | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Ontario |
| Regional Municipality | Niagara |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Wayne H. Redekop |
| • Governing body | Fort Erie Town Council |
| • MP | Tony Baldinelli |
| • MPP | Wayne Gates |
| Area | |
| • Land | 166.27 km2 (64.20 sq mi) |
| Population (2016)[1] | |
• Total | 30,710 |
| • Density | 184.7/km2 (478/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Forward Sortation Area | |
| Area code(s) | 905, 289, 365, and 742 |
| Highways |  Queen Elizabeth Way Highway 3 |
| Website | www.forterie.ca |
Fort Erie is atown in theNiagara Region ofOntario, Canada. The town is located at the south eastern corner of the region, on theNiagara River, directly across theCanada–United States border fromBuffalo, New York, and is the site ofOld Fort Erie which played a prominent role in theWar of 1812.
Fort Erie is one of Niagara's fastest growing communities, and has experienced a high level of residential and commercial development in the past few years. Garrison Road (Niagara Regional Road 3) is the town's commercial corridor, stretching east to west through Fort Erie.
Fort Erie is also home to other commercial core areas (Bridgeburg,Ridgeway,Stevensville andCrystal Beach) as a result of the 1970 amalgamation of Bertie Township and the village of Crystal Beach with Fort Erie.
Crystal Beach Park occupied waterfront land atCrystal Beach, Ontario, from 1888 until the park's closure in 1989. The beach is part of Fort Erie.[2]
During theAmerican Revolution Fort Erie was used as a supply depot for British troops. After the war the territory of what is now the Town of Fort Erie was settled by soldiers demobilised fromButler's Rangers, and the area was named Bertie Township in 1784.
The original fort, built in 1764, was located on theNiagara River's edge below the present fort. It served as a supply depot and a port for ships transporting merchandise, troops and passengers via Lake Erie to the UpperGreat Lakes.[3] The fort was damaged by winter storms and in 1803, plans were made for a new fort on the higher ground behind the original. It was larger and made of flintstone but was not quite finished at the start of theWar of 1812.[3]
During the war, the Americans attacked Fort Erie twice in 1812, captured and abandoned it in 1813, and thenrecaptured it in 1814. The Americans held it for a time, breaking a prolonged Britishsiege. Later they destroyed Fort Erie and returned to Buffalo in the winter of 1814.
The Fort Erie area became a major terminus for slaves using theUnderground Railroad (between 1840 and 1860); many had crossed into Canada from Buffalo, New York. Bertie Hall (which was used for a time in the 20th century as a Doll House Museum) may have been a stopping point on the Underground Railroad.[4][5] The area of Ridgemount was one of the three main areas in Fort Erie settled by African-Americans, earning it the name "Little Africa".[6] Along with Little Africa, the other two areas of settlement were Bertie Hill and Snake Hill (Erie Beach).
In 1866, during theFenian raids, between 1,000 and 1,500Fenians crossed the Niagara River, occupied the town and demanded food and horses. The only payment they were able to offer was Fenian bonds; these were not acceptable to the citizens. The Fenians then cut thetelegraph wires and tore up some railway tracks. Afterwards, they marched toChippewa and the next day to Ridgeway where they fought theBattle of Ridgeway, a series of skirmishes with the Canadianmilitia.[7] The Fenians then returned to Fort Erie and fought theBattle of Fort Erie, defeating the Canadian militia. Fearing British reinforcements, they then decided to retreat to the U.S.[8][9]
In 1869 the population was 1,000 and Fort Erie was served by theGrand Trunk and the Erie & Niagara railways. The Grand Trunk Railway built theInternational Railway Bridge in 1873, bringing about a new town, originally named Victoria and subsequently renamed to Bridgeburg, north of the original settlement of Fort Erie. By 1876, Ridgeway had an estimated population of 800, the village of Fort Erie has an estimated population of 1,200, and Victoria boasted three railway stations.[10] By 1887, Stevensville had an estimated population of "nearly 600", Victoria of "nearly 700", Ridgeway of "about 600", and Fort Erie of "about 4,000".[11]
In 1888, the amusement park atCrystal Beach opened. From 1910, the steamshipCanadiana (and until 1929, the steamship SSAmericana) brought patrons from Buffalo until 1956. The park continued to operate until it closed in 1989. A gated community was built in this area.[12][13]
In 1904, a group of speculators bought land at Erie Beach, planning to build an amusement park and other amenities, and sell lots around the park to vacationers from Buffalo. Erie Beach featured a hotel, a casino, a race track, regularferry service from Buffalo and train service from the ferry dock in Fort Erie, and what was billed as the world's largest outdoor swimming pool. Erie Beach and Crystal Beach were in competition to provide bigger thrills to patrons, until Erie Beach went bankrupt during the Depression and closed down on Labour Day weekend, 1930.[14]
TheNiagara Movement meeting was held at the Erie Beach Hotel[15] in 1905. The movement later led to the founding of theNAACP.
ThePoint Abino Light Tower was built by the Canadian government in 1918. The lighthouse has been automated in 1989. Since its decommissioning in 1995, the Point Abino Lighthouse was designated as aNational Historic Site. The lighthouse is now owned by the Town of Fort Erie and is available for weekend tours in the summer.
On August 7, 1927, thePeace Bridge was opened between Fort Erie and Buffalo.
On January 1, 1932, Bridgeburg and Fort Erie amalgamated into a single town.
The ruins of Fort Erie remained until they were rebuilt through a depression era "work program" project, as a tourist attraction. Work started in 1937, and the fort was opened to the public in 1939.
In 1970, the provincial government consolidated the various villages in what had been Bertie Township, including the then town of Fort Erie, into the present Town of Fort Erie.
Fort Erie is optimally flat, but there are low sand hills, varying in height from 2 to 15 metres (6.6 to 49.2 ft), along the shore ofLake Erie, and a limestone ridge extends from Point Abino to near Miller's Creek, giving Ridgeway its name. The soil is shallow, with a claysubsoil.
The town's beaches on Lake Erie, most notably Erie Beach,Crystal Beach andBay Beach are considered the best in the area and draw many weekend visitors from theToronto andBuffalo, New York areas. While summers are enjoyable, winters can occasionally be fierce, with many snowstorms, whiteouts and winds coming off Lake Erie.
In addition to the primary urban core of Fort Erie, the town also contains the neighbourhoods of Black Creek, Bridgeburg/NorthEnd/Victoria, Crescent Park, Crystal Beach, Kraft, Point Abino, Ridgeway, Snyder, andStevensville. Smaller and historical neighbourhoods include Amigari Downs, Bay Beach, Buffalo Heights, Douglastown, Edgewood Park, Erie Beach, Garrison Village, Mulgrave, Oakhill Forest, Ridgemount, Ridgewood, Rose Hill Estates, Thunder Bay, Walden, Wavecrest and Waverly Beach.
Fort Erie Secondary School and Ridgeway-Crystal Beach High School were two public high schools serving Fort Erie and area communities until September 2017. The two former schools were closed and merged into Greater Fort Erie Secondary School, located on Garrison Road.[16]
| Climate data for Fort Erie (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1966–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.5 (59.9) | 19.5 (67.1) | 27.0 (80.6) | 32.0 (89.6) | 32.0 (89.6) | 34.0 (93.2) | 34.5 (94.1) | 35.5 (95.9) | 32.5 (90.5) | 29.5 (85.1) | 25.0 (77.0) | 18.0 (64.4) | 35.5 (95.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.1 (32.2) | 1.2 (34.2) | 5.0 (41.0) | 11.7 (53.1) | 18.9 (66.0) | 23.7 (74.7) | 26.0 (78.8) | 25.9 (78.6) | 22.4 (72.3) | 15.5 (59.9) | 9.1 (48.4) | 2.9 (37.2) | 13.6 (56.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.8 (25.2) | −3.3 (26.1) | 0.5 (32.9) | 6.5 (43.7) | 13.2 (55.8) | 18.6 (65.5) | 21.1 (70.0) | 20.8 (69.4) | 17.1 (62.8) | 10.8 (51.4) | 5.3 (41.5) | −0.6 (30.9) | 8.8 (47.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −7.5 (18.5) | −7.5 (18.5) | −4.1 (24.6) | 1.3 (34.3) | 7.8 (46.0) | 13.4 (56.1) | 16.2 (61.2) | 15.9 (60.6) | 12.2 (54.0) | 6.5 (43.7) | 1.3 (34.3) | −4.1 (24.6) | 4.3 (39.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −28.5 (−19.3) | −31 (−24) | −25.5 (−13.9) | −12 (10) | −4.5 (23.9) | 1.0 (33.8) | 5.5 (41.9) | 1.5 (34.7) | −1 (30) | −6.1 (21.0) | −15.5 (4.1) | −24.5 (−12.1) | −31 (−24) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 91.2 (3.59) | 56.6 (2.23) | 75.2 (2.96) | 81.6 (3.21) | 90.7 (3.57) | 71.1 (2.80) | 89.4 (3.52) | 88.7 (3.49) | 113.9 (4.48) | 96.2 (3.79) | 102.7 (4.04) | 98.9 (3.89) | 1,056.3 (41.59) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 42.3 (1.67) | 28.2 (1.11) | 42.3 (1.67) | 77.3 (3.04) | 90.7 (3.57) | 71.1 (2.80) | 89.4 (3.52) | 88.7 (3.49) | 113.9 (4.48) | 94.2 (3.71) | 86.5 (3.41) | 45.3 (1.78) | 869.8 (34.24) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 48.9 (19.3) | 28.4 (11.2) | 32.9 (13.0) | 4.4 (1.7) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 2.0 (0.8) | 16.2 (6.4) | 53.6 (21.1) | 186.4 (73.4) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 18.3 | 12.4 | 12.8 | 13.5 | 13.8 | 10.8 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 11.3 | 12.5 | 15.2 | 16.3 | 157.9 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm) | 7.0 | 5.2 | 7.9 | 12.7 | 13.8 | 10.8 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 11.3 | 12.5 | 12.8 | 8.4 | 123.7 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm) | 12.3 | 8.1 | 6.2 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.12 | 3.5 | 8.8 | 40.5 |
| Source:Environment Canada[17] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1871 | 835 | — |
| 1901 | 890 | +6.6% |
| 1911 | 1,146 | +28.8% |
| 1921 | 1,546 | +34.9% |
| 1931 | 2,383 | +54.1% |
| 1941 | 6,566 | +175.5% |
| 1951 | 7,572 | +15.3% |
| 1961 | 9,027 | +19.2% |
| 1971 | 23,113 | +156.0% |
| 1981 | 24,096 | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 26,006 | +7.9% |
| 2001 | 28,143 | +8.2% |
| 2006 | 29,925 | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 29,960 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 30,710 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 32,901 | +7.1% |
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Fort Erie had a population of32,901 living in14,081 of its15,875 total private dwellings, a change of7.1% from its 2016 population of30,710. With a land area of 166.24 km2 (64.19 sq mi), it had a population density of197.9/km2 (512.6/sq mi) in 2021.[18]
The median household income in 2015 for Fort Erie was $60,800, which was below the Ontario provincial average of $74,287.[19]
| Canada 2006 Census | Population | % of Total Population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible minority group Source:[20] | South Asian | 225 | 0.8% |
| Chinese | 365 | 1.2% | |
| Black | 300 | 1% | |
| Filipino | 50 | 0.2% | |
| Latin American | 410 | 1.4% | |
| Arab | 40 | 0.1% | |
| Southeast Asian | 45 | 0.2% | |
| West Asian | 30 | 0.1% | |
| Korean | 85 | 0.3% | |
| Japanese | 20 | 0.1% | |
| Other visible minority | 35 | 0.1% | |
| Mixed visible minority | 20 | 0.1% | |
| Total visible minority population | 1,620 | 5.5% | |
| Aboriginal group Source:[21] | First Nations | 750 | 2.5% |
| Métis | 150 | 0.5% | |
| Inuit | 0 | 0% | |
| Total Aboriginal population | 900 | 3.2% | |
| White | 26,985 | 91.3% | |
| Total population | 29,545 | 100% | |
The Town Council consists of the Mayor and 6 ward councillors.
Town Council and municipal services are based at Town Hall at 1 Municipal Drive since 1996. The previous location at 200 Jarvis Street was used after the first town hall was vacated in 1985 and was home to Bridgeburg Town Hall. The first town hall is now a parking lot, with the World War 1 memorial moved to Mathers Park, and the second town hall is replaced by the Fort Erie Courthouse.
Fort Erie has a single member on Niagara Regional Council.
Fort Erie is the eastern terminus of theFriendship Trail, and the southern terminus of theNiagara River Recreation Pathway. Both trails are part of theTrans-Canada Trail system.
Mather Arch Park, located just to the south of the Peace Bridge, is on land donated by American citizenAlonzo C. Mather in tribute to the peace and friendship between Canada and the United States. The park contains Mather Arch, which was built largely due to donations by Mather, originally dedicated by the Niagara Parks Commission in 1939, and restored in 2000 as a millennium project. There is also a memorial statue to those from Fort Erie who died inWorld War I,World War II, and theKorean War.[23]
| Team | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Erie Meteors | Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League | Ice hockey | Fort Erie Leisureplex | 1957 | 0 (1 in previous leagues) |
| Fort Erie Cannons | Niagara District Baseball Association | Baseball | Oakes Park | 2005 | 2 |
Fort Erie has been the Niagara terminus of theQueen Elizabeth Way since 1937. Road traffic continues to Buffalo, New York across thePeace Bridge, which was built in 1927.
Fort Erie was the eastern terminus of King's Highway 3A from 1927 to 1929, andOntario Highway 3 from 1929 until 1998, when the portion of Highway 3 within Fort Erie was downloaded to theRegional Municipality of Niagara and redesignated as Niagara Regional Road 3. Within Fort Erie, Highway 3 is named Garrison Road, and is the major east–west connection through the town. Dominion Road was designated as King's Highway 3C from 1934 until 1970, when it was downloaded to the newly formed Regional Municipality of Niagara and redesignated as Niagara Regional Road 1.
Fort Erie is the southern terminus of theNiagara Parkway, which extends fromFort Erie toFort George.
Public transit was provided byFort Erie Transit, which operated buses in town and connected to other Niagara municipalities.[24]
Niagara Region Transit operates a service fromNiagara Falls into Fort Erie, connecting with the Fort Erie Leisureplex on Garrison Road.[25]
Private intercity coach services are primarily operated byCoach Canada/Megabus, with service to St. Catharines and Toronto. The terminus is located at Robo Mart, 21 Princess Street at Waterloo Street.
TheInternational Railway Bridge was built in 1873, and connects Fort Erie to Buffalo, New York across theNiagara River.
There is currently no passenger rail service to Fort Erie. The nearest passenger rail stations are inBuffalo, New York andNiagara Falls, Ontario.
Fort Erie is at the outlet of Lake Erie into the Niagara River. The lake and river serve as a playground for numerous personalyachts, sailboats, power boats and watercraft. There is amarina at the site of a former shipyard at Miller's Creek on the Niagara River, and a boat launch ramp in Crystal Beach.
Prior to the completion of the two bridges, passengers and freight were carried across the river by ferry.
From 1829, when theWelland Canal first opened, to 1833, when the cut was completed toPort Colborne, ship traffic between Lake Erie andLake Ontario would transit the upper Niagara River.
In order to reduce large-scale ice blockage in the Niagara River, with resultant flooding, ice damage to docks and other waterfront structures, and blockage of the water intakes for the hydro-electric power plants at Niagara Falls, theNew York Power Authority andOntario Power Generation have jointly operated the Lake Erie-Niagara River Ice Boom since 1964. The boom is installed on December 16, or when the water temperature reaches 4 °C (39 °F), whichever happens first. The boom is opened on April 1 unless there is more than 650 square kilometres (250 sq mi) of ice remaining in Eastern Lake Erie. When in place, the boom stretches 2,680 metres (8,790 ft) from the outer breakwall at Buffalo Harbor almost to the Canadian shore near the ruins of the pier at Erie Beach in Fort Erie. Originally, the boom was made of wooden timbers, but these have been replaced by steel pontoons.[26]
Places adjacent to Fort Erie, Ontario | |
|---|---|
Great Lakes megalopolis as defined by theRPA | ||
|---|---|---|
Includes all metropolitan areas that have a population of 150,000 or greater according to the most recent national census. | ||
| Great Lakes region cities |  | |
| Surrounding cities |
| |
| Cities of states south of region | ||
| Other metro-regions | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
