Grimsby, Ontario facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grimsby
Town (lower-tier)
Town of Grimsby
Coat of arms
Grimsby Location in Regional Municipality of Niagara Show map of Regional Municipality of Niagara Grimsby Location in Southern Ontario Show map of Southern Ontario
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Regional Municipality	Niagara
Settled	1790
Government
• Type	Town
Area
• Land	68.71 km2 (26.53 sq mi)
Population  (2021)
• Total	28,883
• Density	420.4/km2 (1,089/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Forward Sortation Area	L3M
Area code(s)	905/289/365
Highways	Queen Elizabeth Way
Website	www.grimsby.ca

Grimsby is a town in Ontario, Canada, located on the shores of Lake Ontario. It's part of the Niagara Region. Grimsby is found at the eastern end of the Hamilton area. The town gets its name from an old fishing town in England called Grimsby. Most people in Grimsby live between Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment, which is a big cliff. A part of the Bruce Trail, a long hiking path, runs along this escarpment.

Grimsby has grown a lot in the last 20 years. This is because it's located between the cities of Hamilton and St. Catharines. The town's growth is naturally limited by Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment. While some old fruit farms have been replaced by houses, most of these changes happened between the 1950s and 1980s.

The town has many green spaces and parks. Some popular spots in Grimsby include the Grimsby Museum, the Grimsby Public Library, and the Grimsby Public Art Gallery. You can also find the West Niagara YMCA and the Peach King Centre, which is a hockey arena. The Grimsby Peach Kings hockey team plays there.

Grimsby's History: From Settlement to Town

Nelles Manor, completed in 1798

Grimsby was first settled in 1790 by a group of people called United Empire Loyalists. These were people who stayed loyal to Britain during the American Revolution. The area was first known as Township Number 6, then 'The Forty'.

One of the town's founders was Robert Nelles. He was a politician and a soldier during the War of 1812. His home on Main Street West was used for important meetings during the war. In 1816, the settlement was officially named Grimsby. This name was chosen to remember the seaport town of Grimsby in England.

Grimsby officially became a village in 1876 and then a town in 1922. Over the years, it changed a lot. It started as a small farming village. Then it became a place where farm machines, hospital furniture, and metal products were made. Later, it became important for growing fruit in the Niagara area. Grimsby also had a successful fishing industry until the 1960s.

In 1970, the Town of Grimsby joined with the Township of North Grimsby. This happened when the Regional Municipality of Niagara was formed. Today, Grimsby is known as the starting point for exploring the Niagara wine region. It has many wineries and distilleries.

Grimsby Park: A Place for Summer Fun

Two of the remaining cottages in the Grimsby Park area

In 1859, a special summer camp was started in Grimsby Park. It was a place where people could gather for learning and fun, similar to a Chautauqua event. J.B. Bowslaugh donated the land for this camp. People built colourful cottages there, and some families spent their whole summers enjoying the area. There were also two hotels and a temple.

In 1884, over 50,000 people visited the park! But by 1900, fewer people were coming. In 1909, the company running Grimsby Park went out of business. The property was then sold and turned into an amusement park. The temple and hotels were later destroyed in the 1920s.

In 1910, the new owner, Harry Wylie, added fun rides like carousels, a movie theater, and a roller coaster. Another company bought the park in 1916. However, the park slowly declined in the 1920s. Many wooden buildings were destroyed by fires. The amusement park closed by 1950. The land was then sold to builders who built more cottages. Many of the original colourful cottages have been lost over time due to fires or being torn down.

In 2011, a small Tornado hit Grimsby.

Grimsby is also the hometown of Del Lord, a famous Hollywood director. He directed many short comedies for The Three Stooges. Later, he directed nearly 200 feature films.

Getting Around Grimsby: Transportation Options

Grimsby is crossed by the Queen Elizabeth Way, a major highway. This highway has three exits in Grimsby. These exits connect to Casablanca Boulevard, Christie Street, Ontario Street, Maple Avenue, and Bartlett Avenue.

The Grimsby train station is located near Ontario Street. It serves the Maple Leaf train, which is run by Via Rail and Amtrak. There are also plans for a GO Transit train station to open in Grimsby. GO Transit is a public transportation service in Ontario. The best spot for this new station is near Casablanca Boulevard.

In August 2020, Niagara Region Transit started a new service. It offers on-demand local and regional bus rides for Grimsby and nearby towns.

For small planes, there's the Grimsby Regional Airport. It's a private airport located about 6 kilometers southwest of the town center.

Learning in Grimsby: Schools

Grimsby has several schools for students of all ages.

High Schools

• West Niagara Secondary School (part of the DSBN)
• Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School (part of the NCDSB)

Elementary Schools

• Central French Immersion Public School
• Grand Ave. Public School
• Lakeview Public School
• Nelles Public School
• Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
• Park Public School
• Smith Public School
• St. Joseph Catholic School

Grimsby Public Library and Art Gallery

Grimsby Public Library and Art Gallery

The very first library in Grimsby opened in 1871. It was in the home of a town council member, Sam Mabey, and had about 1,000 books. Later, the town council asked the Andrew Carnegie Foundation for money to build a new library. The foundation gave $8,000 for the new building.

In 1975, the library was made bigger with a new addition. This new part included the Grimsby Public Art Gallery in its basement. A few years later, a sculpture called 'Double is One' by Klosso Eloul was placed outside.

In 2004, a brand new building was built next to the original one. This new building now holds both the library and the art gallery. The original building is now home to the Grimsby Archives, where historical records are kept.

Grimsby Beach: Gingerbread Houses

Grimsby Beach is famous for its unique "Gingerbread Houses." These houses are painted by their owners in bright colors and have fancy decorations. They make the area very eye-catching and fun to see!

Grimsby's Population: How Many People Live Here?

In 2021, the population of Grimsby was 28,883 people. This was an increase from 27,314 people in 2016. The town covers a land area of about 68.71 square kilometers. This means that in 2021, there were about 420 people living in each square kilometer.

Notable People from Grimsby

Many interesting people have come from Grimsby. You can find a list of them in the main category linked above.

Grimsby's Weather: Climate Overview

Grimsby experiences all four seasons. In spring, temperatures are usually between 12°C and 15°C. Summers are warmer, ranging from 21°C to 33°C. Fall brings cooler weather, typically 10°C to 17°C. Winters are cold, with temperatures from 4°C down to -16°C. Grimsby gets about 190 cm of snow each year.