Learn About The History Of Orleans Ontario
Orleans Ontario is a place saturated with history. Located near the Ottawa River in the eastern region of the city of Ottawa, it is filled with prehistoric sites, grand museums and art galleries, beaches and parks and gardens to explore. A tour of the city reveals its culture, the foods and cuisines from all over the world and the friendly people living within the borders of this small town. Orleans town is under three municipal wards; Orleans, Innes, and Cumberland.
From 1922 to 1974, Orleans was a community police village named after the postmaster Theodore Besserer. It was a Franco Ontarian Village, heavily under the Catholic Church's rule. It was between the boundaries of Gloucester and Cumberland towns in the late 1960's. Orleans was a part of the municipality of Gloucester as Ottawa was within the Greenbelt and had not attained amalgamation. In the early years, it was known as St. Joseph d'Orleans, named so after the French-speaking Roman Catholic Church. The main road of the then Orleans town, Jeanne D'Arc Boulevard, was named after the martyr Joan of Arc for her heroic deeds that led the French army to acquire victory in Orleans, France.
Urbanization For the longest time in its history, Orleans was very rural with the people living there mainly being of the francophone population. Urbanization in the town started in the 1960's when Queenswood Height was constructed. Since then, the area has been growing substantially into a suburb with the building of homes as well as business offices. Orleans is still populated with a sizable amount of French-speaking citizens, but in the recent years, that is quickly changing. In this period as well, the city of Ottawa was growing in development with an increase in housing project developments. It was gaining more and more amalgamation and pulling Orleans into itself.
The Place d'Orleans has been pivotal in the growth of the town. Place d'Orleans is a shopping center that hosts over one hundred and seventy-five stores. First built in 1979, the shopping center has undergone renovations from 1984 to 1990 making it able to reach its current size and stature. Currently, Orleans is known for its unique architectural buildings that amaze many.
The population of Orleans has been growing steadily over the years. In 1971, when a census was carried out, the population was totaling to 6000 citizens. In 2011 when the town was still part of Gloucester and Cumberland, approximately 60000 of the residents of Orleans resided Cumberland area of Orleans with roughly 40000 citizens living in the Gloucester area of Orleans. As at 2016, the population of Orleans is estimated to be almost at 130000 citizens. The population growth can be attributed to the steady rise of development in the area, and also when Orleans became part of Ottawa. The availability of tourist attraction sites in Orleans makes it economically sustainable to live.
Recreational areas Orleans prides itself in having great amenities that promote both local and international tourism. The Elizabeth Manley Skating rink is one such facility that has put Orleans on the map. The arena is named after Elizabeth Manley who was a figure skater who used to train there. Manley won the Silver Medal in the women's figure skating tournament held in 1988 in the winter Olympics. Orleans also enjoys beaches like the one on Petri Island, along the Ottawa River. Historical sites like Parliament Hill and the Laurier House National Historic Site cement its history in place. Parks like the Major's Hill give Orleans scenic views of nature.
The growth of the town of Orleans is something to behold, and more is expected with the increase in technology and the growth of the world's population. Its heritage francophone is still in place even to this day showing that the people of Orleans Ontario know their roots.