Whitby

Whitby is a charming town that sits on the shore of Lake Ontario, sandwiched between Pickering and Oshawa. Whitby could easily be mistaken for a suburb of each of these larger communities, and yet it is not. Whitby remains a town quite distinct from its neighbours.

Its chief asset was a fine natural harbour on Lake Ontario which served as a shipping route for grain from the northern farmlands. Today, Whitby's harbour is purely for fun, it features a yacht club, marina, and boat-launching facility. A sports complex called Iroquois Park Recreation Complex was established near the harbour.

During the Second World War, Whitby was the location of Camp X, a secret spy training facility on the shore of Lake Ontario, established by Sir William Stephenson, the "Man Called Intrepid." Although the buildings have since been demolished, a monument was unveiled on the site of Camp X in 1984 by Ontario's Lieutenant-Governor John Black Aird.

This is an athletic community; in 1958 Whitby gained international recognition when the Whitby Dunlops defeated Russia to win the World Amateur Hockey Championship for Canada. Famed jockey Sandy Hawley and swimmer Anne Ottenbrite, who won gold, silver, and bronze medals in the 1984 Summer Olympics, grew up in Whitby as did NHL hockey players Joe Nieuwendyk, Gary Roberts, and Keith Primeau who represented Canada on its 1998 Winter Olympic Hockey Team in Nagano, Japan. Other NHL players from Whitby include Adam Foote, Wayne Primeau, and Jamie Allison. NHL coach, Mike Keenan, is another Whitby boy.

In 1968, the Town of Whitby amalgamated with Whitby Township to form a new town combining urban and rural lifestyles, including the hamlets of Ashburn, Brooklin, Myrtle, and Myrtle Station. Since 1974, Whitby has been the headquarters for the Region of Durham, which replaced the old County of Ontario.

The Waterfront Trail was unveiled in 1995, as part of a 300 kilometre trail from Burlington to Trenton developed by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust. The 5.7 kilometre trail follows Victoria Street, along the lakeshore from Whitby Harbour to Intrepid Park at the Oshawa border.

About Whitby

Population 110,000

Age Established in 1855

Location 15 miles east of Toronto on Hwy. 401

Highways 401, 2 (Dundas St.), 12, and 7

Airport Oshawa Airport and Pearson International Airport in Toronto

Public Transit GO Transit, Whitby Transit

Education The Durham District School Board operates 19 elementary and 4 secondary schools; the Durham Catholic District School Board operates 8 elementary and 2 secondary schools; Post Secondary schools include The University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Durham College with easy access to academic institutions in Toronto.

Emergency Services Full municipal fire protection, six fire halls, 911 area coverage served by Durham Regional Police and Ontario Provincial Police

Tourist/Cultural and Recreation Facilities Iroquois Park Sports Centre, a multi-million dollar recreational complex with seven ice surfaces, indoor pools, tennis courts, and playing fields; seven golf courses; 100 parks; three libraries; seniors? centre and bowling green; marina; yacht club; Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village; Station Gallery; Hunter Farms; Camp X; Captain Rowe House; Whitby Shores Waterfront Trail; live theatre; conservation areas; and many other attractions