Dryden, Ontario
Template:Lead too short Template:Infobox settlement Dryden is the second-largest city in the Kenora District of northwestern Ontario, Canada, located on Wabigoon Lake. It is the least populous community in Ontario incorporated as a city.<ref>Statistics Canada Population and Dwelling counts, census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses, sorted by province, then sorted by type. Dryden has the smallest population for any city (CY). Retrieved 5 September 2007.</ref> The City of Dryden had a population of 7,388 and its population centre (urban area) had a population of 5,355 in 2021.<ref name=SCref21/><ref name="sc2021-PC"/>
Dryden was incorporated as a town in 1910 and as a city in 1998. The main industries in Dryden include manufacturing (particularly pulp and paper), renewable energy (including bioenergy and solar energy), and service. Dryden is located on Ontario's Highway 17, which forms part of the Trans-Canada Highway. It is situated halfway between the larger cities of Winnipeg and Thunder Bay.
History
[edit]
Before settlement by Europeans, the Dryden area was inhabited by the Anishinaabe. They used the shore by the Wabigoon River as a camping site, calling it Paawidigong ("the place of rapids" in Ojibwe).<ref name="history">Template:Cite web</ref> The settlement was founded as an agricultural community by John Dryden, Ontario's Minister of Agriculture in 1895. While his train was stopped at what was then known as Barclay Tank to re-water, he noticed clover growing and decided to found an experimental farm the following year. The farm's success brought settlers from southern Ontario and the community came to be known as New Prospect. In 1886, gold was discovered near the area, also attracting people. In 1897, the community was renamed to Dryden to honour the minister of agriculture. It incorporated as a town in 1910 and as a city in 1998 after merging with the neighbouring township of Barclay.<ref name="history"/><ref name="cityhistory">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
One of the earliest industries in the area was pulp and paper. A paper mill was built in the town in 1910 because of the abundance of wood suitable for kraft pulping as well as energy from the Wabigoon River. The town came into national consciousness because of mercury contamination. In the 1970s, it became known that the Dryden pulp and paper operations discharged ten tons of mercury directly into the Wabigoon River over a span of eight years. The mercury caused persistent environmental damage, poisoned river systems and lakes, and led to members of the Grassy Narrows community suffering severe mercury poisoning known as Minamata disease.<ref name="cityhistory" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The town was also the site of the March 10, 1989 crash of Air Ontario Flight 1363 from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg, which killed 24 people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Geography
[edit]
Dryden is located on the Wabigoon River and Wabigoon Lake in northwestern Ontario. It borders Thunder Lake and Aaron Provincial Park on the east, and the smaller Milanese's Lakes are also located within the city. Dryden is located 340 kilometres (210 miles) northwest of Thunder Bay. Nearby communities include Wabigoon, Vermilion Bay, Kenora, and Sioux Lookout. Dryden is also near the Eagle Lake First Nation.<ref name="officialmap">Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Along with most of the rest of Ontario west of 90° West, Dryden is in the Central Time Zone and observes daylight saving time.<ref name="officialmap" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Climate
[edit]Dryden experiences a humid continental climate (Dfb) with short, warm summers, and long, cold winters. The highest temperature ever recorded in Dryden was Template:Convert on 11 July 1936. The coldest temperature ever recorded was Template:Convert on 11 February 1914.<ref name="Dryden"/> Compared to the rest of the province, the annual temperature range is wider and precipitation is more concentrated in the summer.<ref name="ubc9">Template:Cite web</ref>
Demographics
[edit]In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Dryden had a population of Template:Val living in Template:Val of its Template:Val total private dwellings, a change of Template:Percentage from its 2016 population of Template:Val. With a land area of Template:Convert, it had a population density of Template:Pop density in 2021.<ref name=SCref21/>
The population centre, or urban area, of Dryden had a population of 5,355 in the 2021 census, a 4.3 percent decrease from 2016. The median value of dwellings in the urban area is CA$200,000, significantly lower than the national median of $472,000. The median household income (after-tax) in Dryden is $67,000, almost on par with the national average at $73,000.<ref name="sc2021-PC"/>
The city's population peaked at 8,198 measured in the 2001 Canadian Census and is slowly declining due to lack of support for an aging population and high taxes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 21% of the population was 65 years and over as of the 2016 census compared to 16.7% in the entirely of Ontario. The median age of 46.2 was nearly 5 years older than the provincial median of 41.3.<ref name="census2016">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2016, approximately 1,465 residents (19.3%) considered themselves to have an Aboriginal identity. 220 residents (2.9%) belonged to a visible minority group (i.e. people who are not Aboriginal and "non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour"). The largest group was Filipino, representing about 80 residents (1% of the population).<ref name="census2016"/>
In the 2011 National Household Survey, 4,970 residents (66.8% of the respondents) stated that they were Christian, while 2,455 (33.0%) did not affiliate with any religion. 0.1% identified as Buddhist, while a further 0.1% practised traditional Aboriginal spirituality.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Canada census
Template:Historical populations
Economy
[edit]Arts and culture
[edit]Template:More citations needed
Dryden is home to the Template:Convert tall "Max the Moose" statue on the Trans-Canada Highway, which has been described as the "mascot" of the city. It was built in 1962, out of a metal frame and concrete plaster.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Several annual music concerts are held featuring local musicians. "Come Together" is an annual December 27 or 28th concert, and "Kickin' Country" is a mid April country show. Both featuring local acts. The "Blue Moon Festival" is a daylong event that is held on or near a blue moon calendar event in the summer months.
Dryden is home to a variety of arts groups. "Theatre 17" is a community theatre group under the direction of Ted Mitchell that stages theatrical productions, including Blithe Spirit. The DRAC (Dryden Regional Arts Council) is an artists group that organizes yearly art tours, art shows and also operates a retail store known as Naked North Art Gallery. The Dryden Community Band is a group of musicians who perform under conductor Ryan Graham.
Government
[edit]Dryden is currently part of the provincial electoral district of Kenora—Rainy River. Kenora—Rainy River's Member of Provincial Parliament has been Greg Rickford, a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, since 2018. He was preceded by Sarah Campbell and Howard Hampton, both of the New Democratic Party.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Federally, the city is part of the Kenora riding, which has been represented by Eric Melillo, a Conservative, since 2019.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> He was preceded by the Liberal Bob Nault and the aforementioned Greg Rickford.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite map</ref>
The city council is composed of six councillors and a mayor. As with the rest of Ontario, municipal elections occur every 4 years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Currently, Dryden's mayor is Greg Wilson, elected 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Previous mayors of Dryden have included Craig Nuttall (elected in 2010 and 2014), Anne Krassilowsky (elected in 2002 and 2006), and Roger Valley in the 1990s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Infrastructure and services
[edit]Template:More citations needed section The city is served by Dryden Regional Airport. Currently, Bearskin Airlines operates services from Dryden to various other airports in the area, including Thunder Bay International Airport and Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport. The Dryden Water Aerodrome is located within the city limits, on Wabigoon Lake.
Dryden is located on Ontario Highway 17, part of the Trans-Canada Highway, between Winnipeg and Thunder Bay. Several secondary highways pass through or near the city:
- Highway 502, with northern terminus just west of Dryden and southern terminous at Highway 11 near Fort Frances
- Highway 594, with eastern terminus at Dryden, connecting to Eagle River and Highway 17
- Highway 601, providing access to Dryden Regional Airport
- Highway 665, with southern terminus just north of Dryden, linking to Richan
The Dryden Regional Health Centre is a small hospital in Dryden, founded in 1952. It employs 300 staff and volunteers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Dryden Fire Service, a volunteer fire department, operates out of two fire stations and responds to about 250 incidents annually. It was established in 1908 with Alex Kennedy as Fire Chief.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They also raise public awareness about fire safety.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The service comprises five full-time staff and around forty volunteers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The City of Dryden also operates a landfill and recycling facility.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
[edit]Dryden is within the jurisdiction of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board. It is home to Dryden High School, a secondary school, as well as New Prospect Public School and Open Roads Public School, both elementary schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
St. Joseph's School, a catholic school of the Northwest Catholic District School Board, is also in Dryden.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> École catholique de l'Enfant-Jésus of the Conseil scolaire de district catholique des Aurores boréales is a public Catholic francophone school in Dryden.<ref name=Schoollist20241223>Template:Cite web</ref> In regards to secular French public education, Dryden is in the Conseil scolaire de district du Grand Nord de l'Ontario (CSPGNO).<ref>Template:Cite web - Look at the map and note where Dryden would be corresponds to CSPGNO.</ref>
Along with several other Northwest Ontarian communities, Dryden is home to a campus of Confederation College, whose main campus is in Thunder Bay.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Media
[edit]Dryden is currently served by several radio stations, including:
- 92.7 FM - CKDR, adult contemporary<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 100.9 FM - CBQH, CBC Radio One, repeats CBQT-FM Thunder Bay<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 102.7 FM - CKSB-6, Ici Radio-Canada Première, repeats CKSB-10-FM Winnipeg<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- 104.5 FM - CKQV-1, classic hits, repeats CKQV-FM Vermilion Bay, brands itself as Q104<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Dryden previously had a community newspaper, The Dryden Observer, originally known as the Wabigoon Star, but it stopped publishing in 2019. The mayor of Dryden noted that the newspaper had provided a local sense of identity.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> CKQV operates an online local news source called DrydenNow, and CKDR also has a news division.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable people
[edit]- Lynn Beyak (born 1949), former Canadian Senator
- Molly Bolin (born 1957), former professional basketball player
- Wayne Muloin (born 1941), former professional ice hockey player
- Patricia O'Callaghan (born 1970), opera singer
- Dennis Owchar (born 1953), former professional ice hockey player
- Chris Pronger (born 1974), former professional ice hockey player, 2000 Hart Trophy and Norris Trophy winner, 2006-2007 Stanley Cup champion, 2015 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and brother of Sean Pronger
- Sean Pronger (born 1972), former professional ice hockey player and brother of Chris Pronger
- Roger Valley (born 1957), former mayor of Dryden and former member of the House of Commons of Canada