Picton is an unincorporated community located in Prince Edward County in southeastern Ontario, roughly east of Toronto. It is the county's largest community and former seat located at the southwestern end of Picton Bay, a branch of the Bay of Quinte, which is along the northern shoreline of Lake Ontario. The town is named for Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton, who served in the British Army during the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal. He also saw action at the Battle of Waterloo, where he was killed. It was formerly incorporated as a town. Picton is home to the Picton Pirates of the Provincial Junior Hockey League Tod Division.

History

General overview

thumb|A street in Picton decorated in honour of Sir Rodmond Roblin, Premier of Manitoba, 1900-1915

thumb|St. Mary Magdalene Church, c. 1825, Picton, Ontario

thumb|Macaulay House - Picton, ON, built in 1830

thumb|Picton, Ontario - Ontario Court of Justice, built in 1832

thumb|Picton, Ontario - Barker House, c.1812

Picton, originally named Hallowell, was first settled in the 1780s by Loyalists from the Thirteen Colonies. now serves many diverse functions but the unique appearance of the base makes it a significant, if obscure, historical landmark. Due to its distinctive appearance, the dilapidated airport has been used as a filming location for several productions. External scenes for the made-for-TV film Haven, starring Natasha Richardson, Colm Feore and Martin Landau were filmed there. It also served as a backdrop for the 1993 CBC production Dieppe and was the filming location of Bomber Boys. It also served as the home of the Driver Rehabilitation Centre for the reality television program Canada's Worst Driver in 2005. Many businesses use the facilities, including a hammock outlet, an auction house and, since the late-1970s, the local Air Cadet squadron, 851 RC(Air)CS, Prince Edward. The airstrip is also the host to various motorsports events, such as those held by the St. Lawrence Auto Club, which regularly runs Solo II racing events in the summer months.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Picton Airport is a general aviation airport used primarily for recreational flying. It is also used regularly in the summer season for Canadian Air Cadet flight training using Schweizer SGS 2-33A glider sailplanes and Bellanca Scout 8GCBC aircraft. Highway 33, also known as the Loyalist Parkway, passes through the centre of Picton and serves as its main link to the larger Ontario highway system. It is the main artery from the Glenora Ferry terminal (approximately from Picton) in the east to Carrying Place and the Murray Canal (approximately from Picton) as you exit the county in the northwest. Proceeding north-northeast from Picton is County Highway 49 which eventually connects to Highway 401 between Greater Napanee and Shannonville, after passing through a portion of Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. Highway 33 also connects to Highway 62, which provides a link to the city of Belleville, approximately to the northwest. The city of Kingston, the eastern terminus of Highway 33, is located approximately by road east of Picton if you use the year-round Glenora Ferry to exit the county travelling east. At one time, Prince Edward County was served by an extensive rail system. However, the railway no longer exists. The former rail beds have been converted into recreational trails which wind around the outskirts of Picton and throughout the county and are used for various purposes year-round. Picton has extensive small-craft docking facilities and boat launch ramps. There are no facilities for heavy shipping at the tip of the bay, so large commercial vessels are generally not seen in the portion of Picton Bay near the town. However, east of town, on the northern shore of the bay, is the ESSROC cement plant which has industrial docking facilities.

Utilities

In the past, electrical services had been managed by the local utilities commission. In recent years, this was eliminated and electrical power is now managed by the central Hydro One, a former Government of Ontario Crown corporation.

Economy

thumb|left|Regent Theatre, 224 Picton Main Street, Picton, ON K0K 2T0

Other industry

Just north of Picton are two heavy industrial firms: a cement plant owned by HeidelbergCement and operated by Lehigh Cement Company; and Picton Terminals, owned by ABNA Investments Ltd., a company held by the Doornekamp Family and based in Odessa, Ontario. Picton Terminals is an inland deep water cargo port offering loading, unloading, and storage services for shipping throughout the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes region.

Health care

Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital provides emergency services and has 18 beds for inpatient care. It also offers radiology, physiotherapy, and limited surgical services (endoscopy only at present), and houses a pharmacy.

Education

The public school system is served by the Hastings & Prince Edward District School Board. The separate school system is served by the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board.

  • Elementary schools: St. Gregory Catholic School
  • Secondary school: Prince Edward Collegiate Institute
  • Private school: Sonrise Christian Academy

The Pinecrest Memorial Elementary School closed in 2017 and the Queen Elizabeth Public School in 2018.

Media

Print

  • The Picton Gazette, Canada's oldest weekly newspaper.

Radio

  • FM 99.3-CJPE ("County FM")

See also List of radio stations in Ontario.

Theatre

  • Regent Theatre

Notable residents

  • Reema Abdo, who won a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics in swimming.
  • Cameron Ansell, voice actor
  • Jack Gibson, ice hockey left winger
  • Lyle Vanclief, former minister of agriculture and agri-food (1997–2003)
  • Jess Jones, ice hockey forward

See also

  • List of townships in Ontario

References

  • Official website of Prince Edward County