Tillsonburg is a town in Oxford County, Ontario, Canada.
Tillsonburg is a town of 14,822 located about 50 kilometres southeast of London, on Highway 3 at the junction of Highway 19 the closest route to Highway 401 at Ingersoll, Ontario. Although the town population is listed as 14,822, the town is a regional hub for business, industry, health care, education, agriculture, government and emergency services which serves a catchment/trade area of nearly 225,000 people.
History
The area was settled in 1825 by George Tillson and other immigrants from Massachusetts. A forge and sawmill were erected, roads built which led to the establishment of this small community called Dereham Forge. In 1836 the village was renamed Tillsonburg in honour of its founder. It was also in this year that the main street, Broadway, was laid out to its full 100-foot (30 m) width. Because the village was predominantly a logging and wood product centre, the street was constructed wide enough to accommodate turning of three team logging wagons. This width now is unique to Ontario and a tremendous asset toward handling pressures of modern day traffic, by providing the benefits of angle parking. As a logging village, what is now called Broadway, as well as Highway 19, was originally called Plank Line.
The mid 1800s proved to be the first step in the industrialization of this municipality. A water system was devised to not only supply pure water for domestic use, but also to provide water power to such industries as a sawmill, planing mill, grist mill, spinning mill, pottery and a tannery. Many of these new establishments were either owned, started, or financed by George Tillson.
1872 witnessed the incorporation of the village as the Town of Tillsonburg, with E.D. Tillson elected as its first Mayor. The Town of Tillsonburg reached a population of 2,000 in 1885, experienced its first church dedication, and had its first telephone installation established. Electric power was first utilized in 1912 and automobiles began to appear on the market.
In 1915, a Public Library was built with funds provided by the Carnegie Foundation, and the town's Memorial Hospital came into existence in 1925.
In the 20s, major enterprises included milk production, manufacture of shoes, tractors, textiles and an increased production of tobacco. The Tillsonburg Livingston's Basketball Team (representative of Tillsonburg's largest industry) won the Canadian Championships in 1952 and represented Canada in the Olympics at Helsinki, Finland. CKOT Radio began broadcasting operations in 1955 and the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Marketing Board opened its new auction exchange 3 years later. The Town's Centennial Year (1972) saw the opening of the new $1,000,000 Community Recreation Complex by the Governor-General of Canada, as well as the opening of the Tillsonburg Museum in the old community centre on the shores of Lake Lisgar. A new 8,000-square-foot (740 m 2 ) Library was completed in 1975, and a second indoor skating rink was built in 1977, funded completely by donations from industry, commerce, service clubs, citizens and Wintario. In 1979, the hospital built a $7,000,000 addition for offices, improved x-ray and emergency departments, and an expanded Intensive Care Unit. A fire hall was constructed in 1979, replacing the old building which was demolished to make way for a downtown mall.
The controversial Tillsonburg Town Centre Mall opened in 1980, where the former Town Hall once stood. The mall, a joint effort of the Town and Trottier Investments, was built primarily to meet competition from out-of-town malls and keep more of the shopping dollar in town.
In 1983, two important buildings - Annandale House (built by the founding Tillson family) and the Hale Street railway station became public buildings. The former would be restored as a house museum, while the latter would become The Station Arts Centre.
A major residential development geared for seniors - Hickory Hills - was announced in 1985. The development significantly added to the Town's population as well as increased the pool of volunteers for local non-profit agencies.
In 1991, a Food Bank had to be established for the community's needy and continues to be operated on a volunteer basis.
Throughout the early 1990s, volunteers were also busy on the Lake Lisgar Renaissance Project, which sought to revitalize the Lake, and make the park around the Lake more attractive with the construction of a gazebo, water fountain and walkways into the Lake.
That same period saw the closing of two major entertainment outlets: the Skylark Drive-In and the Strand movie theatre, victims of the video store arrival. The original angled marquee architecture of the Strand Theatre is still intact but the building is again unoccupied after brief stints as businesses. To the relief of many, big screen movies came back in Tillsonburg in 1996 with the opening of Broadway Cinemas.
In 1994, the downtown area was significantly enhanced with the construction of the Rotary Club Clock Tower, which incorporated a clock from the town's former Post Office, and a bell from the demolished Town Hall. Soon, it became a community tradition (sponsored by the Rotary Club) for local residents to gather at the Clock Tower to ring in the New Year with fireworks, hot apple cider and the dropping of a ball.
In 1998, The Livingston Centre opened. Named after notable resident Gerry Livingston, the centre provides a wide range of human services in one location. Organizations include:
- Community Living Tillsonburg (Ontario Early Years Centre, Tillsonburg Children's Centre, A Child First-Child Care Supports of Oxford, Family Supports)
- Multi-Service Centre (Adult Basic Literacy; Employment Programs for Youth & Adults; Home Support Programs - personal support & homemaking, assisted living, meals on wheels, transportation, foot & hand care, Home at Last)
- Service Canada (Government of Canada services and benefits, including: passport applications, Employment Insurance programs, Income Security Program applications, Record of Employment website, student services, agricultural services)
- Fanshawe College Tillsonburg (academic assessment, continuing education, corporate training services, post secondary, job finding club)
- Tillson Avenue Education Centre-Thames Valley District School Board (adult credit courses, self study courses, literacy & upgrading for credit and employment, English as a Second Language, Driver's Education)
- and several associated organizations (Addiction Services of Thames Valley, Community Options for Justice, Credit Counseling Oxford - Family Services Thames Valley, Elgin-Oxford Legal Clinic, Family Service of Thames Valley, Ministry of Children & Youth Services - probation & parole, Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care - OHIP eligibility and entitlement, Ontario Works - Oxford County Social Services, Pediatrician, Veterans Affairs Canada, Women's Emergency Centre).
Further development of residential senior's focused development began in 2001 with the Baldwin Place subdivision located on the western periphery of the town. This development which is currently in Phase 8 will have approximately 300 homes when completed.
The Tillsonburg Community Centre was refurbished in 2004 with renovations and enlargement of the main ice surface to NHL size. The project's scope of work included keeping the whale-back roof as a key architectural feature as well as to increase seating and provide for new recreation and health club facilities.
A major fundraising campaign was undertaken to fund the equipment for a dialysis unit at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital. This became operational during 2006.
Recent residential development includes the re-urbanization of the former railway lands on Bridge Street East which is the site of Tillson Landing condominium, the first such highrise construction in more than a decade. Tillson Landing was completed in January 2006.
Another major subdivision containing nearly 400 homes, The Oaks, is currently under construction. This subdivision is located in the south-west area of town on the east side of Quarterline Road between Concession and Baldwin Streets. Additional new subdivision development is concentrated in the west quadrant of town including Park Place, Southridge Heights (Morning Glory), and Brookside Phase 3.
Government
Tillsonburg is one of eight municipalities that make up the County of Oxford. The Mayor also represents the Town as a County Councillor. The County administers social programs, ambulance and paramedic services, planning, water and wastewater services, garbage and landfill operations and the County road system.
Tillsonburg is governed by an elected Mayor, Deputy Mayor and five Councillors. Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month in the Council Chambers in the Corporate Municipal Office. They oversee staff and set policy for t
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