East Gwillimbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
East Gwillimbury
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| Town of East Gwillimbury | ||
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| Motto(s):
Our Town, Our Future
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Location of East Gwillimbury York Region.
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 East Gwillimbury
Location in Southern Ontario
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| Country |  Canada |
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| Province |  Ontario |
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| Regional Municipality | York Region | |
| Township of East Gwillimbury | 1850 | |
| Town of East Gwillimbury | 1971 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Municipality | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 244.91 km2 (94.56 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 34,637 | |
| • Density | 141.4/km2 (366/sq mi) | |
| • Growth | +44.4% (2,016–2,021) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| Forward sortation area |
L9N
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| Area code(s) | 905 | |
| Website | www.eastgwillimbury.ca | |
East Gwillimbury is a town in southern Ontario, Canada. It is located on the East Holland River and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. The town was formed by combining several smaller villages and communities.
The main areas in East Gwillimbury are the villages of Holland Landing, Queensville, Sharon, and Mount Albert. The town's main offices, called the Civic Centre, are in Sharon.
East Gwillimbury got its name from the family of Elizabeth Simcoe. She was the wife of Sir John Graves Simcoe, who was the first Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
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Discover East Gwillimbury's Population
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In 2021, the population of East Gwillimbury was 34,637 people. This was a big jump from its population of 23,991 in 2016. The town is growing quickly!
East Gwillimbury covers an area of about 244.91 square kilometers. This means that in 2021, there were about 141 people living in each square kilometer.
Explore Local Attractions
East Gwillimbury has some interesting places to visit.
Sharon Temple National Historic Site
The Sharon Temple is in the village of Sharon. It is a special historic site in Canada. The site has eight old buildings and about 6,000 artifacts.
The "Children of Peace," a Quaker group led by David Willson, built the Temple between 1825 and 1831. It brings many visitors to East Gwillimbury each year.
Stardust Drive-In Theatre
The Stardust Drive-In Theatre is on Mount Albert Road. It opened in the 1950s and was first called North York Drive-In. It is one of the few drive-in movie theaters still open in Canada.
Education Opportunities
Schools in East Gwillimbury are managed by two main school boards. These are the York Region District School Board (public schools) and the York Catholic District School Board (Catholic schools).
Elementary Schools
- The public school board runs:
* Holland Landing Public School * Park Avenue Public School * Phoebe Gilman Public School * Sharon Public School * Queensville Public School * Mt. Albert Public School * Robert Munsch Public School (opened in 2014)
- The Catholic school board runs:
* Good Shepherd Catholic School * Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Elementary School
Secondary Schools
There are no high schools directly in East Gwillimbury.
- Students from Holland Landing usually go to Dr. John M. Denison Secondary School in Newmarket.
- Students from Sharon, Queensville, and Mount Albert often attend Huron Heights Secondary School in Newmarket or Stouffville District Secondary School.
- Catholic elementary students may go to Sacred Heart Catholic High School.
There are plans to bring a college or university campus to the Queensville area in the future.
Getting Around East Gwillimbury
East Gwillimbury has good transportation options for its residents.
Public Transit
- York Region Transit provides local bus services. These buses connect Sharon, Holland Landing, and Mount Albert.
- GO Transit offers train and bus services to Toronto. You can catch these at the East Gwillimbury GO Station on the Barrie line.
Highways
Ontario Highway 404 goes through East Gwillimbury. It has three exits in the town:
- Green Lane (north of Newmarket)
- Queensville Sideroad
- Woodbine Avenue (at the north end of town)
East Gwillimbury's History
East Gwillimbury's story began in the late 1700s. John Graves Simcoe, the Lieutenant-Governor, ordered the building of Yonge Street. This road went from Lake Ontario to what is now Holland Landing.
The areas to the north and east were named East Gwillimbury and North Gwillimbury. This was done to honor Simcoe's wife, Elizabeth Gwillim.
Becoming a Town
- In 1850, the Township of East Gwillimbury was officially formed.
- Then, in 1971, it became the Town of East Gwillimbury.
Early Communities
As the area grew, several communities developed. These included:
- Brown Hill
- Franklin
- Holland Landing
- Holt (once called Eastville)
- Mount Albert
- Queensville (also known as The Four Corners)
- Ravenshoe
- River Drive
- Sharon (once called Hope)
Sadly, in 1913, all the town's records were lost in a fire at the clerk's office in Queensville.
Famous People from East Gwillimbury
Many notable people have connections to East Gwillimbury:
- William S. Beaton, a former mayor of Sudbury
- Sam Bennett, an NHL hockey player
- John Candy, a famous actor and comedian
- Ebenezer Doan, the master builder of the Sharon Temple
- Samuel Lount, who helped organize the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion
- Curtis Joseph, a retired NHL goalie
- Guy Paul Morin
- Brett Rheeder, a mountain biker
- David Willson, who founded the Children of Peace group
