Smithville, Ontario

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Smithville is a community in the township of West Lincoln. It is located on Highway 20 between Hamilton and Niagara Falls in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada.

Annual events

Although the town is small, it is known for the annual festival called PoultryFest Niagara. The festival is held annually on the third Satruday in June, and residents from various areas of the region visit to see the town's display of agricultural pride.

Smithville continues to hold an agricultural fair on the Labour Day weekend every year. There are lots of agricultural competitions, demolition derbies and entertainment for all ages.

Education

Smithville has six schools, including four elementary and two secondary.

The elementary schools are College Street, St. Martin's, John Calvin, and Covenant Christian Schools.

South Lincoln High School is a public school, while Smithville District Christian High School is a private school.

Government

In some ways Smithville acts as the "administrative centre" of the Township of West Lincoln. The council chambers and the largest branch of the municipal library are located in town, as well as the major fire station. The public works yard is also centralized in a Smithville location.

Smithville falls into two municipal wards. The area north of Townline Road is part of Ward 3, the former Township of South Grimsby. Development south of Townline is part of Ward 2, the former Township of Gainsborough.

The Mayor of West Lincoln serves as the local representative on regional council.

Federally and provincially, Smithville is located in the riding of Niagara West-Glanbrook.

Population

As of the 2011 Census, Statistics Canada reports a population of 4,491. This represents a 9% increase from 2006.

Recreation

Parks in Smithville include the Smithville Conservation Area, and the Smithville Fairgrounds and West Lincoln Arena.

The "Murgatroyd Parkette" is at the corner of Griffin and St. Catharines Street. It has trees and benches, and features the town clock (from the original post offices) mounted on a pedestal.

The Smithville Branch of the West Lincoln Public Library is located on Canborough St. and open six days a week.

Transportation

The major artery in Smithville, and West Lincoln as a whole, continues to be Highway 20. Highway 20 runs along West Street, Griffin Street North and St. Catharines Street through the town.

The major arteries include the aforementioned Griffin (downtown), St. Catharines (Highway 20 east of Griffin), and West (Highway west of Griffin) streets. Canborough Street and Station Street, the southern and northern extensions of Griffin Street, are designated as part of Regional Road 14. Townline Road is the major artery in the southern portion of town, and is also known as Smithville Road west of town. It is also designated as part of 14, up to the intersection with Canborough.

Smithville is located on Canadian Pacific's Hamilton Subdivision, and was formerly the location of a junction with the railroad's Dunnville spur. The latter was abandoned in 2003, and the tracks lifted. The former railroad station is a local landmark, and serves as the headquarters of the West Lincoln Historical Society.

Smithville is also along the Twenty Mile Creek, a waterway which was important to its early settlement and development.

External links

• Smithville at Geographical Names of Canada

Coordinates: 43°5′50″N 79°32′47″W / 43.09722°N 79.54639°W / 43.09722; -79.54639