New Glasgow Am Baile Beag[1] (Scottish Gaelic) | |
|---|---|
 The George Street Bridge joins the two halves of New Glasgow separated by the East River | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Nickname: "NG"[2] | |
| Motto: Let New Glasgow Flourish[3] | |
  New Glasgow Location of New Glasgow in | |
| Coordinates:45°35′33″N62°38′44″W / 45.59256°N 62.645458°W /45.59256; -62.645458 (New Glasgow, Nova Scotia) | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Nova Scotia |
| County | Pictou |
| Founded | 1776 |
| Incorporated | May 6, 1875 |
| Government | |
| • Type | New Glasgow Council |
| • Mayor | Nancy Dicks |
| • MLA | Pat Dunn(PC) |
| • MP | Sean Fraser(L) |
| Area (2016)[4] | |
| • Land | 9.96 km2 (3.85 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 39.52 km2 (15.26 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 2,066.66 km2 (797.94 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Population (2016)[4] | |
• Town | 9,075 |
| • Density | 911.6/km2 (2,361/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 20,609 |
| • Urban density | 521.5/km2 (1,351/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 35,809 |
| • Metro density | 17.3/km2 (45/sq mi) |
| • Change 2011–16 |  5.1% |
| • Census Ranking | 445 of 5,162 |
| Demonym | New Glaswegian[5] |
| Time zone | UTC– 04:00 (AST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC– 03:00 (ADT) |
| Postal code(s) | |
| Area code |
|
| Dwellings | 4,343 |
| Median Income* | $39,979CDN |
| Website | www |
| |
New Glasgow is a town inPictou County, in the province ofNova Scotia, Canada. It is situated on the banks of the East River of Pictou, which flows intoPictou Harbour, a sub-basin of theNorthumberland Strait.
The town's population was 9,075 in the 2016 census. New Glasgow is at the centre of the province's fourth largest urban area; the population of the New Glasgowcensus agglomeration in the 2016 census was 34,487. The New Glasgow census agglomeration includes the smaller adjacent towns ofStellarton,Westville, andTrenton as well as adjacent rural areas of the county.[6]
Scottish immigrants, including those on the shipHector in 1773, settled the area of the East River of Pictou during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
DeaconThomas Fraser first settled the area at the head of navigation on the East River of Pictou in 1784. The settlement was officially named "New Glasgow", afterGlasgow inScotland, in 1809, the same year its first trading post was developed.
The discovery of largecoal deposits in the East River valley during the early 19th century saw New Glasgow, at the head of navigation, quickly develop into a manufacturing and port community.
In 1829, a horse-drawntramway was built usingstandard gauge rails from the settlement of Albion Mines (nowStellarton) to a wharf near New Glasgow. This was the first use of standard gauge rails in what would become Canada. On September 19, 1839, theAlbion Railway was opened from Albion Mines to New Glasgow, hauling coal wagons behind steam locomotives such as theSamson along the west bank of the East River of Pictou. This was the second steam-powered railway in what would become Canada, and the first to useiron rails. The railway was extended north to a coal loading pier at Dunbar's Point on May 14, 1840.
In 1840,George MacKenzie started the town's first shipbuilding company, which eventually built or owned 34 vessels; hundreds of ships would later be built along the East River in New Glasgow. In 1861 the clipper shipSebastopol was built.[7]
In June 1867, theNova Scotia Railway opened its "Eastern Line" fromTruro through New Glasgow to its terminus at the passenger and cargo wharf inPictou Landing. In 1882 the "Eastern Extension" of theIntercolonial Railway was opened from New Glasgow toMulgrave on theStrait of Canso, placing New Glasgow on the mainline betweenCape Breton Island and the North American rail network.
Economic development in New Glasgow was driven by the steel industry in neighbouringTrenton (site of the first steel manufacturing in Canada), shipbuilding and shipping inPictou andPictou Landing, and coal mining inStellarton andWestville.
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AfterWorld War I, the famous New York sculptorJ. Massey Rhind was commissioned to make the Nova Scotia Highlander soldier cenotaph. In 1946, New Glasgow was the setting for an important civil rights case whenViola Desmond challenged racial segregation of New Glasgow'sRoseland Theatre. New Glasgow became a service centre for the county during the late 20th century as shopping centres, retail and residential development was spurred by the construction ofHighway 104.
Talk of amalgamating the six municipal units in Pictou County has increased in recent years. Among the reasons for this, small towns adjacent to New Glasgow are having a hard time coping financially on their own due to the declining economy. Also, Pictou County has the most politicians per capita in Canada.[8] With the Government of Nova Scotia having already amalgamated Halifax County, Cape Breton County, and Queens County into regional municipalities, Pictou County residents feel it is only a matter of time before that concept is introduced in Pictou County. The two most often suggested scenarios involve amalgamating the entire county (six municipalities) into a single regional municipality, or amalgamating the upper East River towns (New Glasgow,Stellarton,Trenton,Westville) into a single larger town. After several months of public backlash a vote was held and the public spoke against amalgamation, effectively killing any possibility of a future merger.[9]
New Glasgow is located on Nova Scotia's north shore, 165 km (103 mi) northeast ofHalifax, 110 km (68 mi) west of theCanso Causeway toCape Breton and 20 km (12 mi) south of thePrince Edward Island ferry atCaribou. The town can be easily accessed from several exits off theTrans Canada Highway. It is in theAtlantic Time Zone, four hours behind UTC.
New Glasgow is divided by the East River (north – south), a tidal estuary with brackish (salt and fresh) water. The three lane George Street bridge is the only vehicle crossing within town limits and is considered the main entrance into the downtown core on the east side of the river. The closest bridges out of town are theTrenton Connector to the north, the Trans Canada Highway to the south and Bridge Avenue (Stellarton) also to the south.
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies New Glasgow's climate ashumid continental (Dfb),[10] with rainy and snowy cold winters and warm humid summers. The highest temperature ever recorded in New Glasgow was 36.0 °C (97 °F) on 10 August 2001.[11] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −39.4 °C (−39 °F) on 2 February 1961.[12]
| Climate data forLyons Brook, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1945–present[a] | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.0 (62.6) | 17.5 (63.5) | 28.0 (82.4) | 29.0 (84.2) | 33.0 (91.4) | 34.0 (93.2) | 34.4 (93.9) | 36.0 (96.8) | 34.5 (94.1) | 27.8 (82.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 18.0 (64.4) | 36.0 (96.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) | −1.1 (30.0) | 2.9 (37.2) | 8.6 (47.5) | 15.6 (60.1) | 20.9 (69.6) | 24.8 (76.6) | 24.5 (76.1) | 20.0 (68.0) | 13.7 (56.7) | 7.4 (45.3) | 1.5 (34.7) | 11.4 (52.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −6.2 (20.8) | −5.9 (21.4) | −1.7 (28.9) | 4.2 (39.6) | 10.2 (50.4) | 15.3 (59.5) | 19.3 (66.7) | 19.1 (66.4) | 14.8 (58.6) | 9.2 (48.6) | 3.7 (38.7) | −2.5 (27.5) | 6.6 (43.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −11.0 (12.2) | −10.7 (12.7) | −6.2 (20.8) | −0.3 (31.5) | 4.7 (40.5) | 9.7 (49.5) | 13.8 (56.8) | 13.6 (56.5) | 9.6 (49.3) | 4.7 (40.5) | 0.0 (32.0) | −6.5 (20.3) | 1.8 (35.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −32.8 (−27.0) | −39.4 (−38.9) | −29.4 (−20.9) | −13.9 (7.0) | −6.7 (19.9) | −3.9 (25.0) | 1.7 (35.1) | 1.1 (34.0) | −5.6 (21.9) | −7.8 (18.0) | −14.0 (6.8) | −30.0 (−22.0) | −39.4 (−38.9) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 109.7 (4.32) | 94.7 (3.73) | 100.3 (3.95) | 93.7 (3.69) | 83.9 (3.30) | 89.7 (3.53) | 76.6 (3.02) | 81.4 (3.20) | 117.6 (4.63) | 128.6 (5.06) | 135.1 (5.32) | 121.1 (4.77) | 1,232.2 (48.51) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 40.2 (1.58) | 31.6 (1.24) | 50.4 (1.98) | 74.3 (2.93) | 82.7 (3.26) | 89.7 (3.53) | 76.6 (3.02) | 81.4 (3.20) | 117.6 (4.63) | 128.1 (5.04) | 117.5 (4.63) | 63.2 (2.49) | 953.3 (37.53) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 69.6 (27.4) | 63.1 (24.8) | 49.9 (19.6) | 19.3 (7.6) | 1.2 (0.5) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.4 (0.2) | 17.6 (6.9) | 57.9 (22.8) | 279.0 (109.8) |
| Source:Environment Canada[11][13][14][15] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1871 | 1,676 | — |
| 1881 | 2,595 | +54.8% |
| 1891 | 3,776 | +45.5% |
| 1901 | 4,447 | +17.8% |
| 1911 | 6,383 | +43.5% |
| 1921 | 8,974 | +40.6% |
| 1931 | 8,858 | −1.3% |
| 1941 | 9,210 | +4.0% |
| 1951 | 10,433 | +13.3% |
| 1956 | 9,998 | −4.2% |
| 1961 | 9,782 | −2.2% |
| 1971 | 10,849 | +10.9% |
| 1981 | 10,464 | −3.5% |
| 1991 | 9,905 | −5.3% |
| 2001 | 9,432 | −4.8% |
| 2011 | 9,562 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 9,075 | −5.1% |
| 2021 | 9,471 | +4.4% |
| [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] | ||
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, New Glasgow had a population of9,471 living in4,445 of its4,782 total private dwellings, a change of4.4% from its 2016 population of9,075. With a land area of 9.96 km2 (3.85 sq mi), it had a population density of950.9/km2 (2,462.8/sq mi) in 2021.[23]
Mother tongue language (2006)[24]
| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 8,980 | 97.66% |
| Other languages | 120 | 1.31% |
| French only | 95 | 1.03% |
| Both English and French | 0 | 0.00% |
The southeastern part of the town is located on the east bank of the East River, immediately north of the unincorporated community ofPlymouth and west of the unincorporated community of Priestville. It is largely commercial and centred upon East River Road (signed asRoute 348).
TheAberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow business park, New Glasgow Police headquarters,North Nova Education Centre and the Aberdeen Shopping Centre are situated here as well as a residential area.
Located on the east bank of the East River and centred on the George Street Bridge, the downtown core has a central business district along Provost Street and Archimedes Street. Banks, insurance companies, law firms, accounting firms, engineering companies, restaurants and independent retailers are located in historic buildings along these streets.
Formerly industrial, the downtown area along the river has undergone a waterfront revitalization in recent decades as factories and foundries closed and were replaced by a performing arts centre, office buildings and a marina. Currently, only one foundry and several warehouses and a cement plant remain along the rail corridor in this area.
The east end is the area east of downtown and is bordered on the east by the unincorporated communities ofFrasers Mountain andLinacy. It is largely residential.
The northeastern part of the town stretches along the east bank of the East River from the downtown to the border withTrenton.
The west side of the town is located on the west bank of the East River, consists of a residential area north of George Street through to the unincorporated community ofAbercrombie.
The area of the West Side southwest of George Street along Westville Road is a commercial area and includes the Highland Square Mall as well as a district ofbig box stores. This part of the town borders the town ofStellarton to the south and the Town of Westville to the southwest. Westville Road leads to the town ofWestville, about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) beyond Exit 23 at the Trans Canada Highway.
Major employers in the area include theAberdeen Hospital, aMichelin tire plant in nearbyGranton and the headquarters ofSobeys, a national grocery chain, in nearbyStellarton. However, New Glasgow and Pictou County have suffered the closure of many large employers, includingConvergys (~200 jobs),[25] theNorthern Pulp Nova Scotia pulp mill in nearbyAbercrombie (~300 jobs).
New Glasgow's historic downtown core is home to several shops and services. Including restaurants, pubs, cabarets, clothing stores, gift shops, furniture department stores, a marina on the riverfront, government offices and banks. A major revitalization plan was recently announced for the downtown core. A large sum of the funds will be provided by the federal government. Among the projects are a walking bridge that will connect the riverfront marina with the Samson Trail on the west side, improvements to the historic town hall, an updated and possibly expanded library, and beautification of public spaces and storefronts.[26] New Glasgow is the commercial hub of northeastern Nova Scotia.
The Westville Road/Highland Square Mall area has seen significant commercial growth in recent years. A newWalmart opened next to Highland Square in early 2007, replacing the smaller location in the mall.Canadian Tire relocated to Walmart's old location in the spring of 2008, making it the second-largest Canadian Tire store in Nova Scotia.[27]Winners opened in Spring 2009, in Canadian Tire's former location.[28]Future Shop has built a new store next to the new Canadian Tire, which opened in Spring 2009 but has since closed.[29]SportChek opened a new store inside the mall in Fall 2009.[30]
About a minute away from the Westville Road commercial district, on the opposite side of the Trans Canada Highway inStellarton, a new business park is currently being developed. TheHoliday Inn Express Hotel Stellarton – New Glasgow was the first confirmed business for the park.[31] It officially opened on July 25, 2008.
The New Glasgow Farmers Market[32] expanded into an additional, heated facility in November 2015 with the financial assistance of ACOA,[33] The Market is now open every Saturday from 9am until 1pm and boasts more than 70 vendors and more than 1,800 weekly visitors during the peak season from May until October. On July 1, 2017, the New Glasgow Farmers Market will unveil a new community garden project titled The Giving Garden.[34] The project was completed by Market volunteers with the financial grants from the province's Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage through the 150 Forward Fund and a Wellness grant from the Pictou County Health Authority.[35]
Museums in New Glasgow include theCarmichael Stewart House Heritage Museum, local Military Museum, and local Sports Hall of Fame.
Glasgow Square Theatre, located on the downtown riverfront, is a 285-seat auditorium that hosts year-round concerts, plays, and other community functions. The theatre can be transformed into an outdoor amphitheatre, one of the few theatres in Canada (if not the only) that can do that. During the summer it hosts celebrations for Canada Day on June 30, the New Glasgow Riverfront Jubilee during the first weekend in August, and the Race on the River Dragon Boat Festival in mid-August.[36]
The New Glasgow Jubilee features local and national musical acts.
The Race on the River features teams representing local companies and organizations paddling along the East River to raise money for local charities.
New Glasgow's oldest summer event, The Festival of the Tartans, is a celebration of the town's Scottish roots.[37]
In December 1906, theNew Glasgow Cubs challenged theMontreal Wanderers for theStanley Cup. The Cubs were defeated in the two game total goals contest, losing 10–3 on December 27 and 7–2 on December 29.[38]
New Glasgow'sJohn Brother MacDonald Stadium (formerly New Glasgow Stadium) used to be home to thePictou County Crushers of theMaritime Junior Hockey League and the Weeks Major Midgets of theNova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League. The team now plays at the Pictou County Wellness Centre.
The Crushers were based inHalifax and known as Team Pepsi until 2004 when the Weeks Hockey Organization bought the club and moved it to New Glasgow. After struggling to attract fans in Halifax's crowded hockey market, the team is now one of the league's top draws.
New Glasgow hosted the 2005 MJAHL All Star game and the 2006 MJAHL Entry Draft. It was announced on December 29, 2006, that New Glasgow would host the 2008Fred Page Cup, where the Crushers defeated the defending FPC winners fromPembroke, Ontario in the championship game.
The town hosted theTelus Cup (then Air Canada Cup), in 1997 and the 2001 World Under 17 Hockey Championships (co-hosted withTruro).
In 2007, New Glasgow hosted its first Major Junior hockey game (St. John's Fog Devils vsP.E.I. Rocket).
On February 9, 2008, New Glasgow was one of six communities across Canada selected to be showcased onCBC Sports' day-longHockey Day in Canada[39] The New Glasgow segments featured hometown NHL player Jon Sim and the town's annual Westside winter carnival.
The Johnny Miles Marathon is a set of road races held each year on the third Sunday of June. It was founded in 1975 by local physician Dr. Johnny Miles Williston. Williston named the race afterJohnny Miles, the legendary Nova Scotia marathoner for whom he was named.[40] Williston served as co-director of the race until 2000. He died in December 2005. The "Johnny Walk," which is part of the event activities, is named for both Johnny Miles and Johnny Miles Williston.
On June 20, 2010, the 35th Annual Johnny Miles Marathon and Running Event was held in New Glasgow with a record participation of over 2000 runners.[41] In 2012 the event was named as Run Nova Scotia's event of the year.[42] The popular event sold out in both 2012 and 2013.[43]The event weekend features multiple races including a5K,10K,half-marathon andmarathon. There is also a 5K kids race and a walking event called the "Johnny Walk." David MacLennan ofScotsburn, Nova Scotia holds the record for the most wins at the marathon distance, winning his 9th Johnny Miles Marathon in 2012.[44]
There are five schools in New Glasgow; including three primary-to-six elementary schools, a junior high school and a high school. The junior high school is made up of grades seven to nine.North Nova Education Centre, which opened its doors in 2003, is made up of grades nine to twelve, and has students from four ‘feeder’ schools,East Pictou Middle School,Trenton Middle School,New Glasgow Junior High School andThorburn Consolidated.
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