76-505: Leamington Transit is the current mode of public transportation in Leamington, Ontario Canada. It consists of a micro coach that services the town of Leamington making regular routes Monday to Saturday, 7:00 am – 7:00 pm. The route begins at Seacliff Drive, then loops south along Cherry Lane and Robson Road before serving the city's waterfront. It then runs along Erie Street, the city's central artery, to serve various shopping plazas and
152-584: A 54-year-old law in Canada bans the use of tomato paste in tomato juice, thus requiring fresh tomatoes, they arranged a deal whereby Highbury Canco took over the plant in 2014. It produces tomato juice and other products for Heinz. Around 250 workers still process canned products at the over 100-year-old factory. Leamington has also been known for its greenhouses . It now has the largest concentration of commercial greenhouses in all of North America, with 1,969 acres (797 ha) of greenhouse vegetable production in
228-561: A Bottle , Ubisoft Leamington , Unit 2, Electric Square, Full Fat , Kwalee , Pixel Toys, Playground Games , Red Chain Games, Stickman Studios, Supersonic Software and Midoki. Codemasters are based at Southam near Leamington and were the initial impetus behind the cluster, providing many of the staff for the companies in Leamington. In 2013, Sega 's mobile platform studio Hardlight Studio set up in Leamington, and Exient opened
304-460: A centre for retail, and digital industries, which has gained it the moniker "silicon spa". In 2023 The Sunday Times named Leamington as the best place to live in the Midlands . In the 2021 census Leamington had a population of 50,923. Leamington is adjoined with the neighbouring towns of Warwick and Whitnash , and the village of Cubbington ; together these form a conurbation known as
380-487: A change of 7.6% from its 2016 population of 27,595 . With a land area of 261.24 km (100.87 sq mi), it had a population density of 113.6/km (294.3/sq mi) in 2021. The majority of people from Leamington speak English. According to the 2016 census, 24,070 speak English only, 12,100 male and 11,970 female, 1,655 people speak both English and French, 735 male and 920 female, and 1,330 people speak neither English nor French. Residents of Leamington include
456-473: A co-educational school for pupils aged 3 to 18, and The Kingsley School , a school for girls. Myton School in Warwick, although located just outside Leamington, includes parts of Leamington as being within its priority area . As well as these schools, Leamington children can attend Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School for Girls , a state run selective school, Warwick School , an independent school for boys,
532-464: A day, making it the largest of its kind in the UK. It is expected to create up to 1,500 jobs. There are a number of schools either located within Leamington, or which include Leamington in their priority (catchment) area. Those within Leamington include the state secondary schools of North Leamington School , Campion School , Trinity Catholic School , and the independent schools of Arnold Lodge School ,
608-604: A group of Black parishioners on a visit to Seacliff Park were ordered to leave Leamington by several town administrators. David Suzuki attests that he was told, upon arrival in Leamington in 1946, that “no colored person has ever stayed here beyond sunset.” Leamington was also one of the few Canadian municipalities included in the Negro Motorist Green Book , the American publication listing safe businesses for travelling black people. On 1 January 1999,
684-624: A large marina , as many people engage in sailing and other water sports. The marina also features a promenade that extends from the Marina to the Historical Leamington Dock, a port for ferry services to Pelee Island using the Jiiman and Pelee Islander II . The town's water tower, visible for kilometres in the flat southern Ontario landscape, is in the shape and colour of a giant tomato . The former tourist information booth in
760-569: A leisure centre including swimming pool Newbold Comyn Leisure Centre , rugby grounds Leamington Rugby Union Football Club , Leamington Rugby Club – Youth Section and Old Leamingtonians Rugby Football Club , Leamington Cricket, Khalsa Leamington Hockey Club, Leamington Cycling club, Leamington Athletics club, Spa Striders Running Club, Royal Leamington Spa Canoe Club, Leamington Chess Club , formed in 1851, and municipal tennis courts. The Royal Leamington Spa Bowling Club in Victoria Park hosts
836-546: A member of the syndicate. In 1814, the Royal Pump Rooms and Baths were opened on the site, designed by C.S. Smith, who also designed The Regent Hotel and the Upper Assembly Rooms in the town. Spa water can still be sampled outside the building. Leamington became a popular spa resort attracting the wealthy and famous, with numerous Georgian townhouses to accommodate visitors. Construction of what
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#1732779845368912-415: A more accessible community was the opening of an electric railway service to Windsor, Ontario via Kingsville, Ontario and Essex, Ontario in 1908. This connection brought Leamington closer together with its county and allowed for more business to occur in Leamington's uptown district. This was a major feat for a fledgling town with a population of only 2,512 residents in 1910. The electric railway system
988-687: A much smaller scale. Karobes Limited , with its headquarters in Queensway, was one of Britain's major suppliers of accessories for cars between World War II and the 1970s. Commercial parks for service providers and light industry and offices are primarily located to the south of the town: Althorpe Street Industrial Estate, Queensway Trading Estate, Shires Gate Trading Estate and Sydenham Industrial Estate. In June 2014, Detroit Electric announced that they would be building their SP.01 all-electric roadster in Leamington Spa. Leamington Spa and
1064-585: A police station, the complex houses a magistrates' court , and the Crown Court , County Court , and other agencies such as the Probation Service and Victim Support . It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 4 March 2011. An oak tree just to the northeast of the town centre is marked by a plaque stating that it commemorates the Midland Oak , a tree that grew near the spot and
1140-409: A popular place of residence for retired people and for members of the middle class , many of whom relocated from Coventry and Birmingham . Its well off residents led to the development of Leamington as a popular place for shopping. In 1832 the town's main hospital, Warneford Hospital , opened, named after philanthropist Samuel Wilson Warneford . At first a semi-private affair it was taken over by
1216-402: A population census, in 1876 the population of Leamington included 660 individuals. In 1925 it had grown to 4,351. The first bus driver of a Leamington bus was Driver Oswell Robson, one of the most prominent family names in late 19th century Leamington. This bus serviced the town making frequent stops at homes and the uptown business district. A major development that occurred that made Leamington
1292-521: A population of Lebanese, Portuguese and Italian. Mennonite settlers, whose ancestors immigrated from Russia, have also added to the population. According to the 2016 census, the average age of people living in Leamington is 41.3 years - for men the age was 39.7 and for women the age was 42.9 years of age. According to a 2006 survey, 7,485 are immigrants or migrants, and 19,365 people are natives of Canada. The majority of migrants come from Mexico and Jamaica, and are employed as seasonal farm workers through
1368-596: A satellite studio. Former companies were Blitz Games Studios , FreeStyleGames , Bigbig Studios and Titus Software UK Limited . Local hospitals include the Leamington Spa Hospital and the Warwickshire Nuffield Hospital . On 13 July 2021 a coronavirus "mega lab" was opened in the town. Named after English chemist Rosalind Franklin , the laboratory is intended to be capable of processing hundreds of thousands of samples
1444-770: A small mosque and a Hindu temple. In 2009, the Sikh community built the Gurdwara Sahib Leamington and Warwick in Warwick which also serves Leamington. There are also Christadelphian and Jehovah's Witnesses meeting halls in the town. Eden Court in Lillington is a residential tower block and one of several tall landmarks. In December 2010, the Warwickshire Justice Centre was completed in Newbold Terrace. As well as
1520-488: Is a civil parish in the Warwick District , an administrative division of the county of Warwickshire , it thus falls under the jurisdiction of Warwickshire County Council , based in Warwick as the upper-tier authority. Between 1875 and 1974 Leamington was a municipal borough . As part of the 1974 local government reform it was merged with Warwick , Kenilworth and Whitnash , and surrounding rural areas into
1596-626: Is a municipality in Essex County, Ontario , Canada. With a population of 29,680 in the Canada 2021 Census , it forms the second largest urban centre in Windsor-Essex County after Windsor, Ontario . It includes Point Pelee National Park , the southernmost point of mainland Canada. Known since the 20th century as the "Tomato Capital of Canada", it is the location of a tomato processing plant owned by Highbury-Canco; founded in 1908,
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#17327798453681672-649: Is a private elementary school located in Leamington. Leamington has two main school boards, the Greater Essex County District School Board and the Windsor-Essex Catholic School Board. Queen of Peace Catholic Elementary School faced closure in February 2016, but was since converted to Cardinal Carter Catholic Middle School. Mill Street Public School was permanently closed at the conclusion of
1748-600: Is a tributary of the River Avon , which it joins just to the west of Leamington. The ancient town of Warwick lies adjoined directly to the west of Leamington, on the opposite bank of the Avon, with parts of Warwick (Myton and Heathcote) extending to the southwest and south of Leamington. Also contiguous with Leamington, directly to the south, with no natural border, is the smaller town of Whitnash . Whitnash and Warwick are themselves contiguous with new housing developments within
1824-722: Is administered by the Greater Essex County District School Board , along with the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board which oversees English-language Catholic education. French-language public and Catholic education are overseen by the Conseil scolaire Viamonde and the Conseil scolaire catholique Providence , respectively. The scope of all of these organizations includes both the County and
1900-669: Is also home to two national educational charities – The Smallpeice Trust and The Arkwright Scholarships Trust . They specialise in making young people aware of how STEM fields studied in school can lead to fulfilling and exciting careers in science and engineering sectors of industry. Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum is located in the Royal Pump Rooms, on the Parade. It holds a collection of over 12,000 objects, including fine and decorative arts, as well as items relating to local and social history. It provides exhibitions in
1976-727: Is now the Parade began in sections from 1808, the Regent Hotel in 1818, a town hall in 1830. and the Jephson Gardens in 1834. In 1838 Queen Victoria granted the town a 'Royal' prefix , and 'Leamington Priors' was renamed 'Royal Leamington Spa'. Queen Victoria had visited the town as a Princess in 1830 and as Queen in 1858. In 1840 the Victoria Bridge was opened, connecting the old and new towns, replacing an old, narrow, and inconvenient bridge. Nine years earlier,
2052-408: Is on a flyway of migrating birds and one of the largest annual migrations of monarch butterflies . Tourism contributes significantly to the economy , and the city has many attractions. Its attractions include cycle paths along the lake and the nearby Point Pelee National Park. It is a major site for migrating birds, especially in the autumn. As such, it plays host to many birdwatchers from Canada,
2128-587: Is provided by local bands in a variety of venues. In December 2005 the band Nizlopi from Leamington, reached Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart with "JCB" . The Woodbine Street Recording Studios has been used by several well-known music acts such as Paul Weller , Ocean Colour Scene , Felt , The Specials , and local band The Shapes , whose single "Batman in the Launderette" charted first in 1979. Classical music concerts are organised throughout
2204-645: The 2005 general election , where James Plaskitt won with a majority of just 266 votes. In the 2010 general election the seat returned to the Conservative Party, with Chris White winning the seat by 3,513 votes. White remained the MP until the 2017 general election , when the seat was won by Matt Western of the Labour Party with a narrow majority, he retained his seat at the 2019 general election with his majority reduced from 1,206 to 789, and again at
2280-580: The 2024 election with a greatly increased majority of 12,412. Buildings in the town include a variety of Georgian and early Victorian architecture , and listed buildings such as the Grade II listed Lansdowne Crescent in neo-classical style, designed by William Thomas between 1835 and 1838. Amongst the Anglican churches in Leamington is the Gothic parish church All Saints' Church , and St John
2356-566: The Georgian centre of New Town with the Leam flowing between the two. By 1810, the town's existing bath houses could not cope with the increasing visitor numbers, and a syndicate was formed to build a new bath house north of the River Leam. A new saline spring was found on land close to the river, belonging to Bertie Greatheed , a wealthy plantation owner and landowner from Guy's Cliffe , and
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2432-700: The National Health Service after the Second World War, before succumbing to budget cuts and closing in 1993. Leamington is closely associated with the founding of lawn tennis . The first tennis club in the world was formed in 1872 by Major Henry Gem and Augurio Pereira who had started playing tennis in the garden of Pereira. It was located just behind the former Manor House Hotel and the modern rules of lawn tennis were drawn up in 1874 in Leamington Tennis Club. During
2508-705: The Second World War , Leamington was bombed a number of times during The Blitz ; although this caused substantial damage it caused relatively few casualties. The town was also home to the Free Czechoslovak Army; a memorial in the Jephson Gardens commemorates the bravery of Czechoslovak parachutists from Warwickshire. Leamington is divided by the River Leam running east to west, which is susceptible to flooding in extreme weather, with especially heavy floods in 1998 and 2007 . The Leam
2584-537: The Spa Centre and the amateur The Loft , with outdoor summer productions in Jephson Gardens. Leamington also has two cinemas: the Spa Centre and a multiplex. There are a number of sports clubs and leisure facilities in Leamington Spa, including the oldest purpose built Real Tennis court in the world at Leamington Tennis Court Club, the football club Leamington F.C. , a disc golf course Quarry Park ,
2660-697: The Temporary foreign worker program in Canada . According to the census, Leamington had the highest percentage of Latin Americans in Canada, with 4.9%. Transportation around the city is offered by the Leamington Transit bus system. The city has a small private airport located four kilometres (2.5 mi) to the east of town. The town is also connected to the provincial highway network by Highway 3 (to Windsor ), and Highway 77 (to Highway 401 ). A rail line that Heinz built from its plant to
2736-467: The parliamentary constituency of Warwick and Leamington . From the 1997 general election until the 2010 general election the constituency was represented in parliament by James Plaskitt of the Labour Party ; until then this had been a Conservative safe seat , counting former British prime minister Anthony Eden among its Members of Parliament (MPs). The seat became highly marginal at
2812-501: The weather band . Royal Leamington Spa Royal Leamington Spa , commonly known as Leamington Spa or simply Leamington ( / ˈ l ɛ m ɪ ŋ t ən / ), is a spa town and civil parish in Warwickshire , England. Originally a small village called Leamington Priors , it grew into a spa town in the 18th century following the popularisation of its water which was reputed to have medicinal qualities. In
2888-419: The "Royal Leamington Spa Built-up area" which in 2011 had a population of 95,172. Leamington lies around 9 miles (14 km) south of Coventry , 20 miles (32 km) south-east of Birmingham , and 81 miles (130 km) north-west of London . Leamington was originally a small village known as Leamington Priors . Its name came from Anglo-Saxon Leman-tūn or Lemen-tūn = "farm on the River Leam ". It
2964-652: The 19th century, the town experienced one of the most rapid expansions in England. It is named after the River Leam , which flows through the town. The town contains especially fine ensembles of Regency architecture , particularly in parts of the Parade , Clarendon Square and Lansdowne Circus. The town also contains several large public parks, such as Jephson Gardens , the Royal Pump Room Gardens and Victoria Park . Although originally founded around its spa industry, Leamington today has developed into
3040-545: The 2016–2017 school year. Leamington has three secondary schools: Leamington District Secondary School (public), Cardinal Carter Catholic High School , and U.M.E.I. (United Mennonite Education Institute). Leamington has several parks including Seacliff Park, the Marina Park, Mersea Park and Garrison Gardens, Henry Park, and Chestnut Park. As noted, Point Pelee National Park contains the southernmost point on mainland Canada and draws thousands of visitors annually. It
3116-527: The Baptist's Church . St Mark's Church on Rugby Road was designed by George Gilbert Scott Jr. in 1879. It is a Gothic revival design, in red brick with stone dressings. It was endowed by the Carus-Wilson family, in memory of Frances Carus-Wilson (d.1872), wife of Sir Trevor Wheler . There is a Roman Catholic church, St Peter's Church , two United Reformed churches ( one being in Lillington ),
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3192-589: The City of Windsor. Prior to 1998, the Essex County Board of Education operated Anglophone secular public schools. Leamington has five public elementary schools, Margaret D. Bennie, Queen Elizabeth, Gore Hill, Mount Carmel - Blytheswood Public School and East Mersea. Leamington has two Catholic elementary schools: Cardinal Carter Middle School and Saint Louis. Leamington also has one French speaking Catholic School, St. Michel. South Shore Christian School
3268-591: The County Fair Mall. It then turns along Oak Street and loops along several residential blocks in northeastern Leamington. The bus then runs along Talbot Street through downtown and past the hospital. After serving the Kinsman Recreation Complex, it rejoins Erie Street. The evolution of transportation in Leamington was rapid as the town moved from a colonial town to a more sophisticated town with an uptown business district. According to
3344-547: The King's High School for Girls , Warwick's twin school and Princethorpe College , a mixed independent school in the nearby village of Princethorpe . Leamington is the location of the first of Warwickshire College 's six sites, and additionally another site is located just outside the town. The closest higher education institutions are the University of Warwick , in southwestern Coventry, and Coventry University . Leamington
3420-626: The Leamington Shopping Park (formerly The Shires Retail Park ), even though it sits within the boundaries of Warwick . It opened in 1989. Tourism was initially driven by the spring waters. The arrival of the Warwick and Napton Canal (later amalgamated into the Grand Union Canal ) officially opened in 1799 as the primary means of cargo transport and led to growth in other industries until rail gradually took over in
3496-463: The United States, and around the world. The region is also known for the migration of monarch butterflies, which congregate in the fall at Point Pelee before making their way across Lake Erie on their route to winter quarters in central Mexico. Another important natural area near Leamington is the wetland at Hillman Marsh, located six kilometres (3.7 mi) east of the town. Leamington has
3572-471: The Warwick District, which has its offices in Leamington. Since the 2023 elections , Warwick District Council has been run by a coalition of the Labour Party and Green Party , it was previously run by a Conservative -led minority administration. In 2002 Leamington Spa became a civil parish and gained a new Town (parish) Council , as the most local tier of government. Leamington is part of
3648-489: The annual National Lawn Bowls Championships . The town has several parks and gardens, including the Jephson Gardens , close to the Royal Pump Rooms and next to the River Leam. These were seriously damaged in the floods of 1998, but have been restored and improved with funding from the National Lottery . The other side of the River Leam, on Priory Terrace features the "Elephant Walk" 19th-century slipway down to
3724-478: The centre of town is shaped like a large fibreglass tomato. Leamington's weekly newspaper is the Southpoint Sun-Journal . The weekly newspaper that was Leamington Post ceased operations in 2012 after 138 years in publication. Leamington is home to two regional commercial radio stations. Leamington is also served by Weatheradio Canada station VAZ533, transmitting at 162.475 MHz in
3800-415: The city with both English and French labels, mostly to the United States. Ketchup and baby food are the main products. In November 2013 Heinz announced that it would close the Leamington plant in 2014, meaning job losses for 740 employees at the plant and hundreds more support workers. Regional and local businessmen worked to save the plant. A campaign was conducted on Facebook to raise support and funds. As
3876-617: The east, and Sydenham the east. The rapidly expanding Heathcote (or "Warwick Gates") district to the southwest, though often referred to as part of Leamington, actually lies mainly within the boundaries of Warwick, with parts in Whitnash and the parish of Bishop's Tachbrook. The main road running through the town centre is the Parade (called Lillington Lane until 1860). This shopping street contains high street chains and The Royal Priors shopping mall. Leamington Spa falls under three tiers of local government, county, district and parish: it
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#17327798453683952-525: The first railway line into Leamington; a branch line from Coventry in 1844, followed by a branch to Rugby in 1851. In 1852 the Great Western Railway 's main line between Birmingham, Oxford and London opened through Leamington, upon which the first railway station at the current location was opened. As the popularity of spa resorts declined towards the end of the 19th century, the focus of Leamington's economy shifted towards becoming
4028-793: The former Aphria site under the name Tilray. Erie Shores Healthcare serves the city of Leamington, as well as Essex and Chatham Kent. Opened in 1950, Leamington District Memorial Hospital succeeded two smaller healthcare facilities: Hopewell Hospital (c. 1933) and Cottage Hospital (c. 1920). In mid-December 2016, the hospital formally submitted notice to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, it wished to change its name to Erie Shores Healthcare, and subsequently has been approved. Other major healthcare needs can be undertaken in nearby Windsor, Ontario . English-language public education for kindergarten through secondary school grades in Essex County
4104-483: The general area. Major products of the greenhouse industry, in addition to tomatoes, are peppers , cannabis, cucumbers , roses , and other flowers . Hydroponic farming has been very successfully adopted by many greenhouse operators in Leamington. Historically, tobacco was an important crop in the area. Tobacco production declined in the 1960s and today is virtually nonexistent. Migrant workers, mostly Mexican and Caribbean seasonal labourers , annually arrive in
4180-521: The harbour has been converted to a bicycle path going from the middle of town to the Marina. Two ferries , (MV Jiiman and MV Pelee Islander II ) owned by the Owen Sound Transportation Company , run on a regularly scheduled seasonal basis from Leamington to Pelee Island with continuing service on to Sandusky, Ohio. The H. J. Heinz company established a factory in 1908 in Leamington. The Heinz products are shipped from
4256-412: The marina. Leamington lies on the 42nd Parallel, the same latitude as Chicago , Boston , the northern border of California , Rome , and Zaragoza . It is located on the north shore of Lake Erie , which acts to moderate its climate. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Leamington had a population of 29,680 living in 10,547 of its 11,219 total private dwellings,
4332-497: The mid 19th century, The canal supplied coal to the gasworks on Tachbrook Road, providing gas to light the town from 1835. Pig iron , coke and limestone were delivered by canal, allowing a number of foundries to be established in Leamington, specialising in cast iron stoves . Today the Eagle Foundry, dating from at least 1851, continues to manufacture Rangemaster Aga stoves. The Imperial Foundry, dating from around 1925,
4408-514: The opening of Portobello Bridge , a three-arch bridge over the River Avon, reconnected the town to neighbouring Warwick—an earlier bridge nearby having been condemned and demolished in 1830. The growth of Leamington was rapid; at the time of the first national census in 1801, Leamington had a population of just 315, by 1851 this had grown to 15,724, and by 1901, the population had reached 26,888. The London and North Western Railway opened
4484-425: The parish of Bishop's Tachbrook . The village of Cubbington is adjoined to the north-east. Just outside the town lie the villages of Old Milverton to the north and Radford Semele 2.5 miles (4 km) to the east. Leamington has several suburbs; the town has encompassed the former village of Lillington , directly to the north of the town centre. Other suburbs include Milverton to the northwest, Campion Hills to
4560-501: The plant was owned until 2014 by the H. J. Heinz Company . Due to its location in the southernmost part of Canada, Leamington uses the motto "Sun Parlour of Canada". Besides the town of Leamington itself, the municipality of Leamington comprises a number of villages and hamlets, including Albuna, Blytheswood, Cherry Lane Estates, Elmdale, Goldsmith, Marentette Beach, Mount Carmel, Oakland, Seacliffe, Wigle, Windfall, Chalmers, Erie Curve, Hillman, Point Pelee and Sturgeon Woods. Leamington
4636-521: The region to work in Leamington's greenhouses and farms. Several Mexican and Jamaican shops and a Mexican consulate have opened to serve the migrants. Leamington became a production site of Aphria , one of Canada's largest medicinal and recreational marijuana greenhouse operators. A merger in December 2020 with Nanaimo, British Columbia -based Tilray , led to the closure of Tilray's production site in Leamington and operations were consolidated at
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#17327798453684712-496: The river located near the suspension bridge in Jephson Gardens. It was specifically constructed so that circus elephants in winter quarters in Leamington could be watered. Other parks are the Mill Gardens on the opposite bank of the river to Jephson Gardens, Victoria Park , the Royal Pump Room Gardens , The Dell and Newbold Comyn which includes the nature reserves Welches Meadow and Leam Valley. The Leamington Observer
4788-533: The seven wells were drilled for; only the original spring at the site of the Aylesford Well, adjacent to the Parish Church, occurred naturally. The old village of Leamington Priors was on the southern bank of the River Leam, and early development was based around this. During the early 19th century, developers began concentrating the town's expansion on the land north of the river. This resulted in
4864-457: The street-cars and then when their shift ended, would have to return home. As the population of the town grew, by 1950 there were 7,525 residents in the Town of Leamington itself, transportation began to evolve. The street cars were eventually removed as funding was eventually poured into creating more paved roads for the ongoing increase in individual automobile use. As the C.A. Bailey bus company
4940-461: The surrounding area, known as Silicon Spa, is a significant global centre for the video game industry , with a higher than average proportion of digital media companies involved in games development, digital design and publishing, and over a thousand employed directly in game development. Companies based in or around the town include Third Kind Games, Super Spline Studios, Lab42, Sumo Leamington, Caperfly, Widgit Software, DNA Interactive, Fish in
5016-583: The town was amalgamated with the surrounding Township of Mersea to form an expanded Town of Leamington. Similar municipal restructuring took place throughout Essex County. In the early hours of June 6, 2010 , an F1 tornado ripped through portions of southern Essex County, stretching from Harrow, through Kingsville, to southern Leamington before dissipating near Point Pelee National Park , creating considerable damage, but no loss of life or any direct injuries. The tornado passed through Leamington, damaging various important landmarks and facilities in town, including
5092-411: The town's waters in the 19th century led to the town's initial growth, making tourism Leamington's primary industry in the 19th century. In the 1950s, a lights festival held in Jephson Gardens drew large crowds. In the town centre there are a variety of shops from high street chains to independent retailers, plus an indoor shopping centre, The Royal Priors . There is an out of town retail park called
5168-399: The visual arts and about the history of the town, supported by workshops, talks and other events. There are several local community centres. Since 1978, the annual free festival and celebration of alternative culture called the Peace Festival has been held in the Pump Room Gardens, however the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and not been held since 2019. Live music
5244-430: The year in the Leamington and Warwick area, including the International String Quartet series at the Royal Pump Rooms. The Assembly , is a 1,000 capacity music venue attracting national and international artists, and was awarded 'Live Music Venue of the Year' at the 2010 Music Week Awards. and the Leamington Spa Competitive Festival for Music Dance and Drama is staged annually. Two theatres are located in Leamington:
5320-497: Was already making frequent school bus stops, they began to follow the lead of other towns and institute their own bus specific for town transit- also known as Leamington Transit. The official title of Leamington Transit did not come into use until the bus company C.A. Bailey, named after Clarence A. Bailey, became a company in 1946 with its running of the Mac Leamington High School Bus. Leamington, Ontario Leamington ( / ˈ l iː m ɪ ŋ t ə n / LEEM -ing-tən )
5396-433: Was connected directly to the business district and besides its major use in public transportation; it was used for mass transportation as a troop carrier for World War I . The electric railway also served as transportation as workers would need to commute to their jobs. For example, many Mennonite individuals who worked at the H.J. Heinz Company would have to commute from the Town of Kingsville to Leamington using
5472-592: Was first known for its lumber products rather than tomatoes. There was extensive lumbering in western Ontario, as across the river in Michigan and also upper Michigan. There were several docks, and fish were plentiful in Lake Erie , so much so that sturgeon could be speared from the shore and fish was the cheapest food available. Leamington was a " sundown town ," a place where Black people would face violence or harassment if they were in public after dark. In 1930,
5548-666: Was first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Lamintone . For 400 years, the settlement was under the control of Kenilworth Priory , from which the older suffix derived. Leamington began to develop as a town at the start of the 19th century, due to the rediscovery of spa waters, which had been known in Roman times, and their rediscovery in 1784 by William Abbotts and Benjamin Satchwell led to their commercialisation, with invalids beginning to resort here in 1786. Six of
5624-554: Was incorporated as a village in 1874, but by 1869, the European-Canadian settlement already had a population of 350. The community was named after Royal Leamington Spa in England , after having originally been called "Gainesville" or "Gainesborough" for local mill owner William Gaines, and before that, Wilkinson Corners. It has had a post office since June 1854. It was a crossroads hamlet with about 300 residents and
5700-515: Was reputed to be at the centre of England . At the 2011 census , there were 49,491 residents in Leamington in 22,098 households, and the median age of Leamington residents was 34. In terms of ethnicity: In terms of religion, 51.5% of Leamington residents identified as Christian , 32.1% said they had no religion , 7.5% did not state any religion, 5.1% were Sikh , 1.5% were Hindu , 1.3% were Muslim , 0.4% were Buddhists , 0.3% were Jewish and 0.5% were from another religion. The popularity of
5776-468: Was subsequently taken over by Ford , casting engine blocks until its closure in 2008. The prominent car parts manufacturer Automotive Products based in the south of the town grew from a small garage to occupy a large site. Throughout the 20th century, while tourism took a downturn, Automotive Products expanded and built a factory in the South of the town in 1928 that is still operative in 2009, although on
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