Flamborough, Ontario
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Flamborough (sometimes both officially and informally spelled Flamboro) is a former town near and current community in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
For most of its existence before amalgamation with Hamilton in 2001, Flamborough was in fact a trio of sparsely settled townships. The largest suburban community is the former Town of Waterdown containing perhaps one third of its thirty thousand or so inhabitants. Other Flamborough communities, in approximate order of population, include: Greensville, Carlisle, Freelton, Rockton, Lynden, Clappison's Corners, Millgrove, Christie's Corners, Sheffield, Copetown, Kirkwall, Valens, Mountsberg and Westover.
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History
Neutral and Six Nations Indians were the first inhabitants of the area. A First Nations gravesite is found ont the border of the former Beverly and West Flamborough Townships. On September 24, 1669, French explorers La Salle and Joliet met near Tinawatawa, now Westover. When New France was conquered by the British in 1763, the territory became part of the British Empire.
After the American Revolution and the creation of Upper Canada in the late 1700s, area land was surveyed and organized as East Flamborough, West Flamborough and Beverly Townships. Governor's Road (also known as King's Highway 99 and later Regional Roads 399 and 299) was built on the border with neighbouring Ancaster Township in 1794-95, linking York (later Toronto) and London.
The three townships were founding constituents of Wentworth County in 1816. The Town of Waterdown was created from that part of East Flamborugh above the Niagara Escarpment and within approximately a kilometre of King's Highway No. 5 (Dundas Street). The Town of Dundas was created from parts of West Flamborough and Ancaster Townships.
Lionel Beaumaurice "Leo" Clarke was born near Waterdown in 1892, although his family left for Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1903. During the First World War, he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and fought in France. On September 9, 1916, during the Battle of Somme, Corporal L.B. Clarke single handledly repulse a German attack. Unfortunately, he was killed in combat on October 19, 1916 before he could receive his Victoria Cross.
Government
In 1974, the municipal federation of Hamilton-Wentworth Region was created with six constitutent municipalities. The Town of Flamborough was created as one of these by amalgamating East Flamborough, West Flamborough, Beverly and Waterdown. At the same time, a small portion of West Flamborough near the community of Clyde was ceded to North Dumfries Township in Waterloo Region and a a more populous but smaller portion of East Flamborough near the community of Aldershot was ceded to Burlington in Halton Region.
Although the exisitence of Hamilton-Wentworth was supposed to preserve the rural and semi-urban character of Flamborough from encroachment by its larger urban neighbour, the reprieve did not last long. In 2001, the provincial government disbanded Hamilton-Wentworth and its constituent municipalities and replaced them with a new single tier municipality called the City of Hamilton after its largest member.
The amalgamation was bitterly and unsuccessfully protested by Flamborough residents and those of adjacent communities, particularly since the Progressive Conservative MPP Toni Skarica government had promised in the last election that the amalgamation would not occur. Skarica resigned in protest, but the amalgamation was not rescinded.
Geography and natural attractions
Flamborough is located on top of the Niagara Escarpment and thus the Bruce Trail passes through as well. Although relatively flat in the south, a slow but steady incline is observable until reaching the Wellington County line which is the approximate height of land dividing two watersheds. The Beverly Swamp, located in the western part of the former Beverly Township, is another key geographic feature.
Notable natural attractions operated by the Hamilton Region Conservation Authority (http://www.hamrca.on.ca) include:
- Westfield Heritage Centre (http://www.westfieldheritage.ca/), a living history museum containing pioneer era buildings moved from other locations in Wentworth County
- Valens Conservation Area (http://www.conservationhamilton.ca/parks/visit/valens.asp), offering camping and boating at its reservoir)
- Christie Lake (http://www.conservationhamilton.ca/parks/visit/christie.asp), swimming and stocked fishing at its reservoir
- Spencer Gorge and Webster's Falls Conservation Area (http://www.conservationhamilton.ca/parks/visit/spencer.asp), spectacular view of the falls and city below while hiking on the Bruce Trail.
Economy and commercial attractions
After early white settlers had cleared the land of forests, they began subsistence and then export farming. Disregarding the swamp and some excessively rocky areas, the land is devoted chiefly to agriculture. Most arable land is devoted to raising corn or strawberries.
In recent decades, Flamborough has become home to commuters and hobby farmers in the Golden Horseshoe. It has easy access to secondary highways, but the community has resisted the creation of a full interchange on the Queen Elizabeth Way to Waterdown Road.
Notable attractions operated as commercial enterprises include:
- Flamborough Downs (http://www.flamborodowns.com/), featuring harness racing, car racing and gambling
- African Lion Safari (http://www.lionsafari.com/), with land mammals and birds of prey in an open air zoo
- Rockton Fair (http://www.infoflam.on.ca/community_events.htm), an agricultural exhibition held every October
External links
- Free Flamborough site (http://www.freeflamborough.org/info_b.html)