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A Gem Not Far From a Crowded City

Is your dream house unaffordable? Try looking for it in Fergus.  

Fergus is the largest community in Centre Wellington, a township within Wellington County in Ontario and it is just a bit over one hour drive from Mississauga and Toronto. It lies on the Grand River about 18 km NNW of Guelph. The population of this community at the time of the 2016 Census was 20,767, but the community is growing as new homes are being built for sale.

Fergus became an independent town until 1999 when the Township was formed by amalgamating Fergus, the Village of Elora, Ontario and the Townships of Nichol, Pilkington, West Garafraxa and a part of Eramosa.

Fergus is has a number of natural settings such as the Elora Gorge and Conservation Area, and Belwood Lake. It is a mostly residential community filled with streets lined with trees, many stone buildings, modern schools, and many parklands suitable for recreation and picnics. It is laid out on a rectangular grid, with the Grand River flowing through the downtown heritage centre, its limestone riverbanks surrounding it that will leave you in awe.

Centre Wellington is mainly agricultural but is also the home to many industries, manufacturers, retailers, health care services and trades. The local economy benefits greatly from tourism as one of its source of revenue. According to Statistics Canada, in 2011 alone, 6.4% of the workforce of Centre Wellington was involved in agriculture and other resource-based industries/utilities, 24.8% in manufacturing and construction, 19.8% in health and education and 13.2% in wholesale and retail trade. Opportunity for work in the area is competitive as well with the top three categories for employment in the order of importance are as follows, to wit: 

  1. Manufacturing 
  2. Healthcare and 
  3. Agriculture

The major employers in the township include Jefferson Elora Corp., Nexans Canada, Polycorp Ltd., Groves Memorial Hospital, Wellington Terrace and PR Donnelly. The average real estate value, for a single detached home in 2014 was $342,817 in Centre Wellington and the newer homes are valued in 2019 around $500,000 more or less.


FEATURED HOME IN FERGUS

This is a 2-years old 3-bedrooms 3-washrooms Detached home 
with a big fenced backyard and can accommodate 4 cars in the driveway.
It has open concept design with modern kitchen and appliances.
See MLS X4345744 for more details or call 416-414-2732


Several movies and TV shows were filmed in this area such as, parts of the Grand River in Elora and Fergus were the site for some of the scenes filmed for the 1994 movie Trapped in Paradise;  as were some scenes for the 2011 TV movie Salem Falls.  In 2010, parts of the movie If a Tree Falls were filmed here as were parts of the NBC mini series Heroes Reborn in 2015

According to Statistics Canada, in 2016 the population of this area is 20,767, a 12% increase from 1996 but it is growing fast with the constructions of several new homes.  The land area of Fergus is 17.66 square kilometres with approximately 8,250 residential houses.


Schools

  • St. Joseph's Catholic Elementary School (JK-8) 
  • J. D. Hogarth Public School (K-8) 
  • John Black Public School 
  • James McQueen Public School (K-6) 
  • Victoria Terrace Public School (K-6)
  • Centre Wellington District High School (C.W.D.H.S.) is located in the newer suburbs on the south-east edge of the town. It is home to the Falcons and has a student population of roughly 1500.
  • Emmanuel Christian High School (E.C.H.S) is a private Canadian Reformed Christian school located on the east side of Fergus and has a student population of roughly 200

Hospital

Fergus is home to Groves Memorial Community Hospital, a health care centre located on Union Street East in Fergus. Dr. Abraham Groves (1847-1935) was a pioneer of many forms of healthcare in Fergus, and was recognized for his skill and ability as a surgeon. He opened his own hospital, the Royal Alexandria in 1902 and included a nursing school. Before Dr. Groves died in 1935, he gave the hospital to the community. It was then rebuilt as Grove's Memorial Community Hospital.

Attractions in Fergus
  1. Fergus is best known for the annual Scottish Festival and Highland Games, held in August. The games represent the largest gathering of clans in the world outside Scotland and Cape Breton Island. The organizers summarize the event as follows: "Celtic Music, crafts for the kids, heavy events championships, bagpipes, drums, author appearances, bands, Highland dancing, story telling, singing, clan information and heritage, beer tents, artisans and vendors .... Pipe Band Competitions, Military Tattoo, Highland Dancers.
  2. Fergus is also home to the Fergus Highland Rugby Football Club. The club plays in the Ontario Rugby Union, and has two Men's teams, two Women's teams and a strong and growing junior program. 
  3. Fergus Curling Club, Ontario's oldest continuously running Curling Club, was founded in 1834 by settlers from Scotland.
  4. St Andrew Street runs parallel to the Grand River (on its north side) and is the heart of downtown. In addition to stores and restaurants, the Fergus Grand Theatre is located here, on the south side of the street. Originally a cinema that opened in 1928, the venue now hosts live entertainment and stage plays. On the south side of the river is Queen Street where the Fergus Market on the River (no longer a farmers' market) houses shops located in restored historic warehouses.
  5. The Wellington County Museum and Archives and the Wellington County library are in nearby Aboyne, halfway between Fergus and Elora. The museum is located in a two-storey Italianate-style stone building on a former working farm.  The building was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995.
  6. The Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex completed renovations in the fall of 2006. It now includes a 25-metre indoor swimming pool and a second ice rink to complement the previously existing ice facilities. The facility is now home of the Fergus Force Jr. A Hockey Club (www.fergusforce.com) starting in September, 2017.
  7. Nearby attractions include the Elora Gorge, Elora Quarry Conservation Area, the Elora Cataract Trailway for hiking, the County Museum and Elora Gorge Falls in addition to Grand River Raceway.[34] Users of the TripAdvisor web site recommend the nearby Belwood Lake Conservation Area, the Fergus Grand Theatre for live performances, Grand River Troutfitters and the Wellington Artist's Gallery and Art Centre. Restaurants that are highly rated by users include Brewhouse On The Grand, Fergus Tandoori Grill, Ikiru Sushi, My Kitchen by Gancena and the Bentley House Fine Teas & Tea Room.

Notable Fergusites

  • Arthur Black, writer/radio host (CBC Radio)
  • Lori Bowden, professional triathlete, Ironman Triathlon World Champion
  • Ed Chadwick, former National Hockey League goalie who played most notably with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
  • J.M. Frey, science fiction/fantasy author and fanthropologist
  • Ryan Laird, country musician.
  • Bucko McDonald, former Member of Parliament and NHL defenceman who won three Stanley Cups.
  • Brock McGinn, OHL player of the Guelph Storm who currently plays for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League.
  • Jamie McGinn, current member of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
  • Tye McGinn, OHL Player of the Ottawa 67's, Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL, and current member of the Tampa Bay Lightning's AHL affiliate the Syracuse Crunch.
  • Craig Norris, lead singer of The Kramdens, host of The Morning Edition on CBLA-FM-2.
  • Ariel Waller, actress (Life with Derek).
  • Robert Black, Canadian Senator
  • Pat Mattaini Mestern (Author)
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Location: Courtney St, Centre Wellington, ON N0B, Canada

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