90-556: Ridgetown is a community located in south-east Chatham-Kent, Ontario , Canada . It is home to the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. It has a 2021 population of 2,797 and is one of many small farming communities in Chatham-Kent. The town motto is, "Agriculture at its best”. Named for the ridge where the town is located. The ridge divides the north and south watersheds of the area. Post office dates from 1853. Ridgetown
180-535: A 22,000-square-foot fitness room, multiple gymnasiums, and a rock-climbing wall. On June 25, 1988, No. 4 Wireless School Association erected a bronze plaque as a war memorial the Royal Canadian Air Force No. 4 Wireless School, which was located on the campus (1941-1945); the plaque honours the memory of their comrades who died in the armed service of Canada during World War II. Most students reside on campus in co-ed residences, including in
270-594: A dedicated building. In more recent years, the program has continued at the Honey Bee Research Centre located in the Arboretum, continuing research on honeybee health, providing apiculture and beekeeping courses and offering "many other educational experiences" including informative videos for beekeepers. The Macdonald Institute was established in 1903 to house women's home economics programs, nature studies, and some domestic art and science. It
360-612: A distinct county in its own right. In 1998, the County of Kent and the city of Chatham were amalgamated by the Province of Ontario to form the Municipality of Chatham–Kent. Most services were also combined. Since then, bus service has begun to serve all of Chatham-Kent. Starting in 2007, routes were set up to include the former towns of Wallaceburg and Dresden . Before 1998, each town had their own fire department. It then became
450-403: A living history museum that gets many visitors. The name of Ridgetown came from it being situated on a gravel ridge, a remnant of the glacier age. The families Marsh, Mitton, Watson, Scane and Colby were the first settlers. William "Daddy" Marsh, who was known for making up far-fetched stories, once said that at York (now Toronto) where they were from, he climbed up a tall tree, saw the ridge and
540-666: A low cost, two-year program ($ 20.00 per year) and "the lowest possible rate" for room and board. The Ontario Legislature amalgamated the three colleges into the single body of the University of Guelph on May 8, 1964. The University of Guelph Act also brought about the Board of Governors to oversee administrative operations and financial management, and the Senate to address academic concerns. The non-denominational graduate and undergraduate institution was, and remains known especially for
630-444: A mother tongue and 1,500 have French as their home language. Essex County also has a relatively large francophone population, especially in the municipality of Lakeshore . Together, Chatham–Kent and Essex Counties make up one of the concentrations of Franco-Ontarians in the province of Ontario. Both elementary and secondary francophone schools exist across the municipality. A French socio-cultural organization, La Girouette , which
720-522: A number of regular contributing columnists. The Chatham-Kent Sports Network is an online source covering local sports news, scores, and highlights from each of Chatham-Kent's communities. CKSN also follows Chatham-Kent athletes who have progressed to the Junior, College, International, or Professional ranks. There are two anglophone school boards and one francophone school board in Chatham–Kent. These are
810-533: A partnership with Research In Motion (RIM). Ground is being broken through the Center for Mobile Education and Research, the chair for Women in Science and Engineering and the financial and educational support RIM extends to the University of Guelph. The university receives research funding from Huawei but has not disclosed the details of the funding. A collaborative effort between the University of Waterloo ,
900-670: A population of 104,316 in the 2021 census. The area of Chatham-Kent is part of the traditional territory of the Odawa , Potawatomi , Ojibwe and Wyandot First Nations of Canada. After the Treaty of Paris in 1763 ceded control of the area from the French to the British, it became part of the Territory of Quebec. The title to the Chatham-Kent area was surrendered to the British as part of
990-704: A retail centre for the municipality and surrounding area. This includes the large big-box stores in Super Centre on St. Clair Street and arguably the north end of Communication Road in Blenheim. The long, white sandy beaches, fishing, hiking trails and conservation areas make Erieau a popular vacation spot. There are two Provincial Parks in Chatham-Kent: Rondeau Provincial Park and Wheatley Provincial Park , There are also numerous local conservation areas. Downtown Chatham
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#17327728217511080-536: A significant degree of research and offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. According to the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research , the university's Hospitality and Tourism Management program has Canada's highest research index. The faculty at the University of Guelph hold 23 Canada Research Chair positions in the research areas of natural sciences, engineering, health sciences and social sciences. Academic achievements include
1170-468: A significant portion of the city's political power. Nearby Dresden and Buxton were also home to thousands of land-owning black residents. However, after the abolition of slavery in the United States, many black families left the area. Today the city of Chatham is just 3.3% black, with Chatham-Kent as a whole being 2.1% black. Few of the black-owned institutions are still in operation. In 1846,
1260-465: A student referendum in 2010, students choose to contribute $ 45 million to the innovation of the W.F Mitchell Athletic Centre. One of the major focuses on the new building was being able to accommodate the growth in Guelph's population since the 1950s. The new 170,000-square-foot Athletic Centre serves as an all purpose building, supporting students, athletes, and the public in a variety of new spaces such as
1350-532: A study in 2012 by The Impact Group, the University of Guelph was at that time Canada's most inventive university in terms of invention disclosures per full-time faculty member, and the number of inventions per million dollars of research funding. Forbes ranked this university as number 61 on its list of Canada's Best Employers 2019. The magazine stated, "Guelph is considered one of Canada’s top universities for its rigorous academic offerings combined with experiential learning and research training". Additionally,
1440-520: A tavern and a library where one could read books and newspapers. By 1869, the population was 3,000 in this industrial area with several mills, foundries, and breweries; a great deal of wood was being produced. A steamboat offered transportation to Windsor and Detroit. There was one bank office. Between 1906 and 1909, the city was home to the Chatham Motor Car Company , and from 1919 to 1921, Denby Motor Truck Company of Canada. It
1530-486: A thriving manufacturing industry, mainly serving the automotive market, which employ hundreds of local and area people. Martinrea, KSR International, Waltron Trailers, Trak Tool Machines, and Challenger Pallet are the larger plants. Tens of smaller service businesses thrive in the area, including many long-established and unique stores in the downtown area. Though no longer headquartered in Ridgetown, L.H Gray & Son
1620-515: A wide area of eastern Chatham-Kent, with many students being bussed in from the countryside. Naahii Ridge Public School is also operated by the LKDSB. St. Michael is under the jurisdiction of the St. Clair Catholic District School Board . The former Ridgetown College opened in 1922 as Western Ontario Experimental Farm as a research facility, was renamed in 1951 as Western Ontario Agricultural School and
1710-905: Is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario , Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College (1874), the MacDonald Institute (1903), and the Ontario Veterinary College (1922), and has since grown to an institution of almost 30,000 students (including those at the Humber campus, Ridgetown campus, off-campus degree enrolments, diploma enrolments and part-time students) and employs 830 full-time faculty (academic staff) as of fall 2019. It offers 94 undergraduate degrees, 48 graduate programs, and 6 associate degrees in many different disciplines. The university conducts
1800-557: Is a member of the Tri-University History group, which combines the history departments of the three universities at the graduate level. Graduate students are registered at one of the three universities according to their supervisor, but can take courses at any of the campuses. The University of Guelph specializes in Scottish History, as well as local and rural history . Several buildings constructed during
1890-612: Is a museum of the Dawn Settlement, established in 1841 by Josiah Henson near Dresden as refuge for the many slaves who escaped to Canada from the United States. John Brown , the abolitionist, planned his raid on the Harpers Ferry Arsenal in Chatham and recruited local men to participate in the raid. He held in Chatham a Convention of Colored Men on May 8–10, 1858. The small village of North Buxton , part of
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#17327728217511980-476: Is also an apprenticeship program for Dairy Herdsperson (new for 2017). The University of Guelph-Humber is a satellite campus created by a partnership in 2002 between the University of Guelph and Humber College . Located on Humber's North Campus in Toronto , it offers seven four-year academic programs that grant an honours degree from the University of Guelph and a college diploma from Humber College. In
2070-562: Is also home to many historic buildings which are part of an annual ghost tour offered each year at Halloween. The participants go on a guided walk of downtown while the guide informs them of various ghost stories tied to the local buildings in which they pass. Chatham-Kent was a major part of the Underground Railroad and as such hosts the Buxton Homecoming each September. This celebrates the area's black culture and
2160-416: Is an environmental teaching and research centre. The Animal Cancer Centre is Canada's first institute for comparative cancer investigation. It includes a linear accelerator offering animal radiation treatment available. Originally built in the 1940s and expanded in the 1950s, the W.F. Mitchell Athletic Centre was upgraded and expanded to keep up with university and community's needs in the fall of 2016. After
2250-441: Is anticipated faculty will enter over 500,000 barcode analyses per year. The university's School of Engineering had an approximately $ 50 million expansion between 2009 and 2011 in the form of new construction and renovations. This is in response to new mechanical, biomedical and computer engineering programs, increased enrolment in undergraduate and graduate programs and expanded research in sustainability-related areas. Alexander Hall
2340-547: Is based in Chatham, promotes French-Canadian culture and language in the area. Knowledge of official language statistics: A breakdown of the total labour force in Chatham-Kent shows the leading industries ( NAICS ) are manufacturing, health care, and retail: At the outskirts of Chatham is the headquarters for Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited (a division of DuPont ), a major agricultural seed breeding and biotechnology company. GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc.'s Commercial Alcohols division, Canada's largest ethanol plant and one of
2430-415: Is cosponsored by University of Guelph. The art centre is a public gallery and sculpture park which houses a collection of 4000 works, mainly Canadian c. 1700 to the present. The collection consists of mixed media, multimedia and installations, painting, photography, prints and drawings, sculpture, costumes, glass, metalwork, silverwork and goldwork, textiles and tapestries. Athletics facilities The 2016,
2520-412: Is home to RM Auctions , a vintage automobile auction house, and RM Restorations, a vintage automobile restoration company. The nickname "The Classic Car Capital of Canada" comes from the abundance of classic car events in the community. Chatham is home to a major corporate office of Enbridge Gas Inc., a natural gas utility and Enbridge company. Other energy related companies include wind farms near
2610-640: Is home to the annual "Retrofest" organized by the Historic Downtown Chatham BIA, in partnership with the Kent Historic Auto Club. Hundreds of classic car enthusiasts travel to downtown Chatham to showcase their classic cars and vintage vehicles. Downtown Chatham is also home to the Chatham Capitol Theatre, a theatre that, when it opened in 1930, was the largest in the region. The theatre is run by
2700-442: Is mild, being moderated by Lake Erie which is seven kilometres to the south. Summer days can be hot and humid. In winter, Ridgetown is not in the snowbelt which begins near London, Ontario , hence snow accumulation is generally less in comparison. In 2007, plans to install a line of electricity-generating wind turbines several kilometres to the south of town, along Highway 3 between Morpeth and Blenheim, were in development. This
2790-480: Is well-known internationally for its expertise in agricultural research and innovation. It hosts major projects in the area of global food security and sustainable development including Food from Thought , Arrell Food Institute , Guelph Institute of Environmental Research and the R2B2 ( Regional and Rural Broadband ) project. The University of Guelph, along with University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University
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2880-731: Is well-populated with trees which line the main walkways, many of which are paved with red clay brick. The campus includes an arboretum. Campus safety is provided by the University of Guelph Campus Community Police, First Response Team and Fire Safety officers. The Ontario Agricultural College had a network of campuses and research stations throughout Ontario which were operated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs . At one time, courses were offered in English in Guelph, Kemptville and Ridgetown, and in French at Campus d'Alfred near Ottawa. From 1889 to 1961, this college published
2970-420: The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Chatham-Kent had a population of 103,988 living in 44,028 of its 46,752 total private dwellings, a change of 2.3% from its 2016 population of 101,647 . With a land area of 2,451.9 km (946.7 sq mi), it had a population density of 42.4/km (109.8/sq mi) in 2021. 2006 census For all groups that comprise at least 1% of
3060-553: The African Canadian Heritage Tour , also played an important role in the Underground Railroad . By the 1850s, the city of Chatham was referred to as the " black mecca of Canada". A museum in the city, the Black Mecca Museum, still bears this name. Chatham was home to a number of black churches and business, with Black Canadians making up one-third of the city's population and controlling
3150-1022: The American Revolution and the Gnadenhutten massacre , a group of Christian Munsee settled in what is now the Moraviantown reserve. In the War of 1812 , the Battle of the Thames took place between Moraviantown and Thamesville on October 5, 1813. During the 19th century, the area was the northern terminus of the Underground Railroad . As a result, Chatham-Kent is now part of the African-Canadian Heritage Tour. Josiah Henson Museum for African-Canadian History, formally known as Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site
3240-739: The Chatham Voice, Wallaceburg Courier Press , the Blenheim News Tribune , Chatham-Kent This Week , Ridgetown Independent News , Tilbury Times , and the Wheatley Journal . The Chatham Daily News , Chatham-Kent This Week , and Wallaceburg Courier Press are all owned by Postmedia . The Chatham Daily News , Chatham-Kent This Week , Wallaceburg Courier Press , Chatham Voice and CKReview are daily online news media in Chatham-Kent with coverage of local news, sports, entertainment, and cultural events as well as
3330-531: The Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) to ensure a future for RDHS. As a result, vocal community groups have banded together to fight for and ensure the viability of the high school. If the high school were to close, students would have to be bussed to Chatham city schools. In 2006, RDHS became involved with a trial of video schooling - tying three area high schools together with one teacher. RDHS made history in 2005 when
3420-901: The Lambton Kent District School Board (headquartered in both Chatham and Sarnia), the St. Clair Catholic District School Board (headquartered in Wallaceburg) and the Conseil scolaire catholique Providence (CSC Providence). The LKDSB is a public school board, and consists of 13 secondary and 53 elementary schools. Chatham-Kent Secondary School is the largest public high school in Lambton-Kent. The St. Clair Catholic board consists of two secondary schools (one in Chatham and one in Sarnia) and 26 elementary schools. There are also independent schools, such as Wallaceburg Christian School and Chatham Christian Schools—an elementary and secondary school in
3510-688: The Ontario Agriculture College ; The landmark building was designed by architect Harry Reginald Coales as a lecture hall or theatre to honour students who had enlisted and died in the First World War . Two bronze tablets in the Memorial Chapel remember the alumni who died in the First World War and in the Second World War . Johnston Hall, a signature symbol of the university, was built in 1931, taking
3600-593: The 1790 McKee's Purchase, (named for Alexander McKee ) to provide land for settlers. McKee's Purchase was designated an Event of National Historic Significance in Canada in 1931. A historical plaque for the purchase is located in Blenheim Park in Blenheim. Indigenous persons remain resident in the area today at the Delaware Nation at Moraviantown and Walpole Island First Nation . European settlement of
3690-495: The 2007/2008 academic year. It is the largest integrated science teaching and research facility in North America. This facility houses 150 faculty and 4500 students, and centralizes physical, biological and computational sciences. A new and improved building consisted of Pathobiology and Animal Health Laboratory was opened in 2010. Its goal is to strengthen Canada's ability to prevent diseases and solve health issues at
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3780-532: The 2017/2018 school year, the Library received over 1.4 million visitors. Students have access to millions of library resources through the automated library system that partners with 14 other academic libraries in Ontario. Guelph students, faculty and staff also have access to electronic resources from any location at any time. The MacDonald Stewart Art Centre, which includes the University of Guelph collection
3870-481: The Chatham-Kent Community as well as Sarnia/Lambton and Windsor/Essex. The ESC LHIN is located in the town of Chatham. Chatham-Kent is also served by stations coming from Windsor, London, Detroit , Toledo , and Cleveland . The Chatham Daily News is the only daily newspaper in Chatham-Kent. There are several weeklies located in Chatham and the various communities in the municipality, including
3960-501: The Chatham-Kent Fire Department upon amalgamation. The county also had separate police departments until 1998. The city of Chatham , as well as the towns of Wallaceburg, Dresden, and Tilbury , each had their own departments. The Chatham-Kent Police Service was formed on September 1, 1998. Many residents opposed amalgamation, as 18 city councillors boycotted the official vote, and the final decision to amalgamate
4050-619: The College of Social and Applied Human Sciences (CSAHS) in 1998. Finally, the College of Management and Economics (CME) would be established from the segregation of offered business, management and economic degrees and courses in 2006. The university is named after the city. Guelph comes from the Italian Guelfo and the Bavarian-Germanic Welf also known as Guelf. It is a reference to the reigning British monarch at
4140-757: The Drama Club entered the Sears Drama Festival with the play "The Empty Chair" written by Tim Kelly. The Drama Club worked from the summer of 2004 until performance night in February 2005 at the Chatham Cultural Centre. Out of 12 high schools from across the district, Ridgetown moved on to the Regional level for the first time in nearly 20 years. The elementary schools (St. Michael Catholic School, Naahii Ridge Public School) serve
4230-546: The East Residence (610 residents), East Townhouses (645), Johnston Hall (315), Lambton Hall (400), Lennox/Addington Hall (520), Maids Hall (50, also known as Artz Haüs), Mills Hall (160), Watson Hall (67, female only), West Residences (110 students living among the Family Housing community), and South Residence (1,800 residents evenly distributed across Mountain, Prairie and Maritime Halls). Also on campus are
4320-482: The East Village Townhouses that were opened during the fall of 2001. The townhouses consist of 164 four-, five- and six-bedroom self-contained units. These primarily house upper-year students and international students. West Residences, consisting of the 78 College Avenue and 252 Stone Road (also referred to as Wellington Woods) locations, is home to 110 upper-year students. These students live among
4410-510: The Family Housing residents in either two bedroom townhouses, or one to two bedroom apartments (only available at the College Avenue location). West Residences promote diverse programs and includes many opportunities for community involvement. South Residence, the largest residence on campus, is home to 1800 students and over 50 Residence Life staff members. It is split into three self-contained halls with independent fire alarm grids. It
4500-618: The Indian reserve of Moravian 47 is an enclave within the city and is part of the Chatham–Kent census agglomeration and census division. Chatham-Kent has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ), with cold, snowy winters and warm to hot, humid summers. A typical summer will feature heat waves with temperatures exceeding 30 °C (86 °F) often. Winters are cold, and feature occasional cold snaps bringing temperatures below −15 °C (5 °F), but also commonly include mild stretches of weather above freezing. In
4590-628: The Municipality of Chatham-Kent and hosts shows and entertainers. Chatham was home to the Wheels Inn, a family resort for four decades until its closure in 2010. In 2011, the Chatham-Kent John D. Bradley Convention Centre was constructed on the site of the Wheels Inn. In July 2019, a new Cascades casino was opened in Chatham, close to the Convention Centre on Richmond Street. The Thames Art Gallery and ARTspace, located in
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#17327728217514680-528: The OAC Review, a magazine published by and for students, with topics on everything from political and social events to photographs from around campus. In 2014, the University of Guelph announced that academic programmes at the Alfred and Kemptville campuses would close after the existing students completed their studies. In early 2017, the University of Guelph web site clearly indicated that this institution
4770-411: The University of Guelph opened an over $ 60M new Athletic Centre. The centre includes: a 25,000 square foot fitness centre, a suspended running track, varsity basketball and volleyball courts, a climbing wall and numerous multi-purpose rooms for fitness and recreation activities. It also includes a 2,200 seat events centre, social spaces, concession areas, a merchandise store and new locker rooms. In 2018,
4860-628: The University of Guelph ranked No. 1 in Canada and No. 5 in the world according to the QS World University Ranking. In the Canadian University Report by The Globe and Mail , Guelph was ranked in the top 3 in 15 of 19 categories among medium-sized universities. This included the top spot in course registration, academic counselling, student residences, information technology, campus atmosphere, environmental commitment and work-play balance. According to
4950-498: The University of Guelph was ranked 16th among the top 50 research universities in Canada. In 2012, the Higher Education Strategy Associates ranked the university fifth nationally in social sciences and humanities. The University of Guelph has achieved a five-star rating from Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), publishers of the annual World University Rankings. In 2020, the Ontario Veterinary College at
5040-763: The University of Guelph's Sustainability MBA program was ranked as the best sustainability MBA in Canada and ninth in the world during the 16th annual Better World MBA Rankings in 2018 by the Toronto-based Corporate Knights. The CSA supports current research and innovation for instruments used in space, primarily the APXS found on the Mars rovers and Mars Science laboratory. Other initiatives include development of air filters for crewed spacecraft and research on changes in skin sensitivity and balance experienced by astronauts in space. The university holds
5130-409: The agricultural and veterinary programs that shaped it. Wellington College was established shortly after the University of Guelph Act, and five years later, was split three ways into the College of Arts (COA), which exists in the present day, the College of Physical Science and the College of Social Science. The Macdonald Institute would also be renamed the College of Family and Consumer Studies during
5220-468: The community, including asthma , chronic allergies , sinus problems , many types of cancer, diabetes , inflammatory bowel disease , alcoholism, and obesity . In October 2008, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance was named one of " Canada's Top 100 Employers " by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean's newsmagazine. Chatham-Kent features one of the 14 provincial Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN). The Erie St. Clair (ESC) LHIN services
5310-400: The establishment of the OAC, including President's Residence, Raithby House, and Day Hall, are still part of the main campus. From the turn of the century to the movement of the OVC, many more buildings were added to the campus: MacDonald Hall (1903), Massey Hall (1901), the Bullring (1901), Mills Hall (1921), and Food Science. The War Memorial Hall was erected in 1924 of stone-cut limestone by
5400-494: The fall of 2015, there were 4,174 full-time and 503 part-time undergraduate degree students enrolled at the Guelph-Humber campus. The University of Guelph offers more than 80 degree programs, more than 100 graduate and post-doctoral study programs, and over 60 open learning/distance education opportunities. The University of Guelph consists of seven faculties (or colleges, as they are known at Guelph): Other areas of academic specialization include the: The University of Guelph
5490-415: The first scientific validation of water on Mars , Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on board the Curiosity rover , and the Barcode of Life project for species identification. The University of Guelph traces its origins back to when the Ontario government bought 200 hectares (500 acres) of farmland from Frederick William Stone and opened the Ontario School of Agriculture on May 1, 1874, which
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#17327728217515580-535: The former City of Chatham. Other population centres in the municipality include Wallaceburg , Blenheim and Tilbury , Ridgetown and Dresden . The Lower Thames River runs through Chatham–Kent to Lake St. Clair in the west, while the Sydenham River flows through Wallaceburg and Dresden. The municipality has approximately 88 kilometres of shoreline along lake Erie and 24 kilometres along lake St. Clair. The Indian reserve of Bkejwanong (commonly referred to as Walpole Island) borders on Chatham–Kent, whereas
5670-409: The former city of Chatham area began with a naval dockyard in 1792, at the fork of the Thames River with McGregor's Creek. The town was named after William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham . It was built as a naval dockyard, a characteristic shared by Chatham, Kent , England. In England, the name Chatham came from the British root ceto and the Old English ham thus meaning a forest settlement. Following
5760-410: The historic downtown, feature exhibitions showcasing local artists from the Chatham-Kent area, while also housing other Canadian and international works. Chatham-Kent is served by the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance. The Public General Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital in Chatham were moved to a single campus in 2004, while the former Sydenham District Hospital remains in Wallaceburg. The eastern portion of
5850-418: The human/animal interface. Supporting the growing role of veterinarians in research and educational initiatives related to public health, this four-storey building includes a lecture theatre, seminar rooms, a teaching lab, and research and laboratory facilities. The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario is the world's first centre for high-volume DNA barcoding –the rapid identification of millions of species. It
5940-486: The inception of the Ontario Agricultural College and include the President's house and Raithby House, which were constructed with local limestone. The campus also has a number of notable midcentury modernist buildings, mostly in the Brutalist style, which were constructed in the 1960s as part of the school's expansion plan. Complexes such as the MacKinnon arts building and the McLaughlin library, overseen by architect Josep Lluis Sert , serve as major meeting places. The campus
6030-421: The last steam train through Ridgetown was in 2005. The railways formed an important part of Ridgetown's heritage, because there had been competition between Ridgetown and Morpeth (now a small hamlet on Highway 3 - Talbot Trail) to get them. Ridgetown 'won' and expanded, to the everlasting cost of Morpeth which had to that point been advantageously situated on the major east-west highway in the area. The climate
6120-435: The municipality is served by the Four Counties Health Services in Newbury in nearby Middlesex County . Research published in 2002 by the Heart and Stroke Foundation cited Chatham-Kent as a hotspot for heart disease in Ontario. Further research is underway to determine the reasons for this and other hotspots. The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit launched a campaign in fall 2007 to tackle other ailments prevalent throughout
6210-609: The place of the torn-down Moreton Lodge ( c. 1874 ) and becoming the home for the OAC Administration. The Johnston Clock tower overlooks Winegard Walk and is visible from much of the campus. The building also overlooks Johnston Green, a popular location for recreational sporting activities and outdoor concerts. Rozanski Hall (2003) is in the heart of the campus. Equipped with electronic white boards, laptop sound, picture and wireless internet and high luminance video/data projectors, Rozanski Hall accommodates over 1,500 students in several lecture halls. The Science Complex opened for
6300-576: The plentiful land and said that was the place to be. Today, with 2,797 residents (2021 Canadian Census), Ridgetown proudly shares the outlying areas that produce major crops such as soybeans, corn, wheat, grains, and field vegetables. The water supply is drawn from a number of deep wells around the town and is not connected to a piped system from a lake or river. The railway tracks of the Canada Southern/Michigan Central/New York Central and Detroit River and Lake Erie/Pere Marquette/C&O railways used to run through Ridgetown, though these are both gone now –
6390-584: The population. Note that a person can report more than one ethnic origin. Although most of the population of Chatham-Kent is English-speaking, a few of its communities and Catholic parishes were settled by francophone (French-speaking) farmers in the mid-nineteenth century. These include Pain Court, Tilbury and Grande Pointe, where French is still spoken by a significant percentage of the population. These communities are designated French language service areas under Ontario's French Language Services Act . Approximately 8,500 residents of Chatham-Kent have French as
6480-529: The roots laid by early black settlers in the Buxton area. The Municipality of Chatham-Kent currently consists of the following communities, listed by the Townships of the former Kent County (pre-1998 amalgamation): At 2,458 square kilometres (949 sq mi), Chatham-Kent is the 9th largest municipality by area in Canada and the largest in southwestern Ontario. Over 44,000 of the 107,000 residents live in
6570-534: The same building. The French Catholic board, headquartered in Windsor , has its Chatham-Kent regional office in Pain Court and consists of four elementary schools and one high school. Chatham–Kent is the home of two colleges – St. Clair College and University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, popularly known as Ridgetown College . University of Guelph The University of Guelph (abbreviated U of G )
6660-577: The shores of Lake Erie . The Canadian Federal government is one of the largest employers in the Chatham-Kent area with over 450 employees in several departments in the area. The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Disability Unit is housed in the Judy Lamarsh (see Notable Residents) Building in downtown Chatham. This federal office is the single largest disability processing centre in Canada, processing 50% of all CPP Disability benefits. The office also processes Old Age Security benefit claims. Chatham serves as
6750-564: The southern coast of Kent County. Before 1998, Kent County consisted of the townships of Camden , Chatham , Dover , Harwich , Howard , Orford , Raleigh , Romney , Tilbury East and Zone . In some of Canada's earliest post-Confederation censuses, some residences in Kent County were incorrectly reported as being in Bothwell "County" , which was a separate electoral district comprising parts of Kent and Lambton counties but not
6840-494: The split. After this split, the University of Guelph started reorganizing into its present-day form, starting from the establishment of the College of Biological Sciences (CBS) in 1971. The College of Physical Science would be married to the OAC's School of Engineering in 1989, creating the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS). The College of Social Science and the College of Family and Consumer Studies were joined to create
6930-453: The time Guelph was founded, King George IV , whose family was from the House of Hanover , a younger branch of the House of Welf was sometimes spelled as Gwelf. The main university campus spans 412 hectares (1,017 acres), including the 165-hectare (408-acre) University of Guelph Arboretum and a 12-hectare (30-acre) research park. Earliest examples of the campus' architecture date back to
7020-406: The town of Chatham had a population of about 1,500, with part of the town being called Chatham North. There were four churches, a theatre, a weekly newspaper and a cricket club. The road between London and Amherstburg was open, and transportation by stagecoach was available. A fast boat also provided transportation to Detroit and Buffalo. Chatham had many tradesman, a foundry, two banks, three schools,
7110-949: The world's largest, opened in Chatham in 1996. The plant produces ethanol for industrial, medical, and beverage uses. There are a number of vineyards in the municipality. Chatham's roots in the automotive sector go back to Gray-Dort Motors Ltd. , one of Canada's earliest automobile manufacturers. In the 21st century, auto industry plants in the municipality include Autoliv Canada in Tilbury (airbags), Mahle in Tilbury (emissions controls and plastics), in Ridgetown (automotive electronic pedal assembly and sensors), Dana Canada in Chatham (heat shields for thermal and acoustic management of exhaust manifolds, catalytic converters, and turbochargers), and Vitesco Technologies (Powertrain Canada ULC) in Chatham (design, development, and testing of Actuators for clean, efficient vehicles). Chatham-Kent also
7200-562: Was also where the Hyslop and Ronald steam fire engine manufacturer was located; the factory would be taken over by Chatham Motor Car. In addition, it hosted meat packer O'Keefe and Drew . The Hawaiian pizza is claimed to have been invented in Chatham in 1962 at the Satellite Restaurant by Sam Panopoulos . In the U.S., former Ohio Governor Jim Rhodes proposed building a bridge across Lake Erie linking Cleveland to
7290-504: Was built in 1968 by Australian architect John Andrews , a Brutalist architect who has designed several Canadian university residences, as well as Toronto's iconic CN Tower. With 14 different campus living environments, it has one of the largest university housing systems in Canada. The six-storey McLaughlin Library provides students with more than 400 computers in the library and access to books, periodicals, films, audiovisual and archival materials, government documents and maps. During
7380-511: Was created in 1998 by the amalgamation of Blenheim, Bothwell, Camden, the City of Chatham, the Township of Chatham, Dover, Dresden, Erie Beach, Erieau, Harwich, Highgate, Howard, Orford, Raleigh, Ridgetown, Romney, Thamesville, Tilbury East, Tilbury, Wallaceburg, Wheatley and Zone. The Chatham-Kent census division , which includes the independent Delaware Nation at Moraviantown First Nation, had
7470-716: Was established by the Ontario Department of Agriculture as a teaching school although courses had begun as early as 1936. It was renamed again as Ridgetown College of Agriculture and Technology in 1968. It has been part of the University of Guelph since 1997 and is now University of Guelph , Ridgetown Campus . It is a venue for OAC- the Ontario Agricultural College . About 600 students presently attend 2 and 3-year courses on agriculture, veterinary technology, graphical information systems, horticulture and environmental management. Ridgetown has
7560-607: Was founded in Ridgetown in 1969. The following year, its brand Gray Ridge Eggs was created. 42°26′26″N 81°53′3″W / 42.44056°N 81.88417°W / 42.44056; -81.88417 Chatham-Kent, Ontario Chatham-Kent ( 2021 population : 103,988) is a single-tier municipality in Southwestern Ontario , Canada. It is mostly rural, and its population centres are Chatham, Wallaceburg , Tilbury , Blenheim , Ridgetown , Wheatley and Dresden . The current Municipality of Chatham-Kent
7650-573: Was imposed on the County by a provincial commissioner. In a study on amalgamations in Ontario from 2003, 48% of respondents in Chatham-Kent felt the value they received as taxpayers became worse after amalgamation, and 64% of respondents still did not think of the community as "the Municipality of Chatham-Kent." Chatham-Kent has many historic festivals throughout the year, such as the Battle of Longwoods reenactment, which takes place on Labour Day weekend at Fairfield Museum on Longwoods Road. Chatham Kent
7740-539: Was incorporated as a village in 1875 with just over 2,000 citizens. In 1975, with well over 3,220 residents, Ridgetown celebrated its centennial. Residents celebrated by dressing in 1875 costumes, conducting beard-growing contests, barbecues, and other activities. The Rotary Club of Ridgetown bought the Galbraith house and formed the Ridgetown Historical Society. The Ridge House Museum is now
7830-599: Was named after its financier, Sir William Macdonald , who worked to promote domestic sciences in rural Canada, and founded Macdonald College and McGill University College of British Columbia . The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), founded in Mimico in 1862, was moved to Guelph in 1922. Economist John Kenneth Galbraith was an undergraduate at the college (graduating in 1931). In 1919 the Ontario Agricultural College aimed at recruiting "farm boys" with
7920-585: Was no longer offering programs at either location. The OAC does operate in Guelph and at the campus in Ridgetown, Ontario at the former Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology, on over 180 hectares (450 acres). It does not offer degree programs in this location. Instead, the focus is on technology transfer, with two and three year diploma programs. Specialties are agriculture, veterinary technology, environmental management and horticulture. This location also offers one-year certificate programs in performance horse handling and veterinary office administration. There
8010-474: Was one of four wind turbine projects approved for Chatham-Kent in 2007. Ridgetown is located in the middle of a low morainic ridge. Originally under water, in the melting of the last ice age, the "Ridgetown island" appeared. The ridge is approximately 13,000 years old. Ridgetown has 3 schools. The high school in Ridgetown, Ridgetown District High School (RDHS), has just under 300 students in grades 7-12. In recent years, declining enrolment made it difficult for
8100-428: Was renamed the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) in 1880. The Experimental Farm has been part of the original project along with the museum of agriculture and horticulture. Its first building was Moreton Lodge, located where Johnston Hall now stands, which included classrooms, residences, a library, and a dining room. In 1874, the school started an apiculture department, teaching students about bees and beekeeping, in
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