OAKVILLE (Ontario)

KEEPING THE SMALL TOWN ATMOSPHERE

Oakville is a town located in the southern portion of the Ontario province. It is part of the province's Halton region and is part of the Greater Toronto municipal area. The town has an area of 139 square kilometers and is made up of more than 182,000 people in 2011. It has a growing immigrant population but has been able to prove that it can provide the services of a large city to locals and tourists without having to lose its small town atmosphere. The town is just a 30-minute drive from Toronto. It is also an hour's drive from the Niagara Falls and the United States Border.

HOW IT BEGAN

Oakville’s first industries included wheat farming, shipbuilding and timber shipment. Because of the economic recession in the year 1950, these industries were discontinued. From then on, basket making became the town’s primary industry. With the opening of the Shell Canada oil refineries, Procor Factory, Ford Motor Company headquarters and “Cities Service of Canada, the town of Oakville became industrialized. In 1962, many of Oakville’s neighboring villages such as Sheridan, Bronte and Palermo were merged with it and became the new Oakville town.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT...

╣Erchless Estate. This museum is an ideal destination for those who want to know more about the history of Oakville. It archives the life of the Erchless family in the 19th century. The Erchless family is believed to be the founders of Oakville.

╣Oakville Galleries. This is a contemporary art museum that holds more than 1000 works of art, most of them made by people who live and who have lived in Oakville. This non-profit museum is funded by the government of Oakville. It is open to the public and it operates in two venues namely the Centennial Square that you can find in the downtown area and Gairloch Gardens located somewhere in East Oakville.

╣Oakville Center for the Performing Arts. Several shows related to arts and music, films and literature are conducted here. Performances are made by both local and international artists. It is often the venue for the Oakville Ballet Company and the Oakville Symphony Orchestra.

╣the parks bordering the Lake Ontario. If you want a relaxing experience in Oakville, these are the places you should go to. You may want to try visiting those located between Reynolds Road and Navy Street to get a better view of the town of Oakville. In this area you will find several century-old homes that may be of interest to you. In these parks you may meet locals of Oakland and other fellow tourists who just might make your stay in the town more enjoyable.

╣the Bonte Creek Provincial Park. It is located at the Burloak Road is the one closest to Toronto. It has a large pool ideal for families with kids. It also has campground areas, trails for hiking and a barn that has been converted into a play structure.

╣pier and lighthouse guarding the harbor of Oakville. While you walk down the Navy Street going to the lake, you will see this structure. Here you will find several other tourists staying in the town especially if you visit during the night.

╣Lakeshore Road. If you have a car with you, you will enjoy looking at the interesting architecture along the road. Here you will find several mansions and homes with remarkable and interesting architecture.

╣Glen Abbey Golf Course, if you are a sports enthusiast. It is the most known golf course in the town. It is great for golf lovers who want to try golfing in Oakville. If you are not a golf enthusiast, Glen Abbey has several dining places and hiking trails. A walk over the Upper-middle bridge of the Sixteen Mile Creek Valley will give you a better view of the town.

╣the downtown area especially along the Lakeshore Road. There you will find several high-end boutiques, places to dine and specialty stores. If you want to look for a unique looking souvenir to bring home, this is the place to search for it.

╣Oakville's exciting night life. Although it has little nightlife considering its size, you will still find pubs, clubs and disco bars in downtown Oakville. You may visit “The King’s Arms”, which is open until the wee hours of the morning. It offers live music with acoustic sets. Another bar is “The Fire Hall” located at the center of the Oakville’s Bronte Area. It offers good food, good music and an excellent outdoor patio.

╣the Oakville Place. This is a shopping mall located at the Trafalgar Road and Elizabeth Way. Shops in this mall include The Body Shop, Mexx, Roots, H&M, Sears, The Bay and Purdy’s Chocolates. Oakville Place also has movie cinemas and an array of restaurants.

╣Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival. This is an annual event which began in 1992. The event is free to the public and is funded by the government of Oakville.

╣various festivals in Oakville. These include the “Waterfront Festival”, “For the Love of Arts Festival” and “Midnight Madness”. These festivals attract thousands of local and international tourists every year.

TOURISTS SHOULD KNOW

There are various shopping destinations in the town's sophisticated downtown area. The Waterfront Village of Bronte and the Kerr Village comes complete with everything a shopper could ever look for. With more than 50 stores in Hopedale Mall, you will find yourself amazed with local brands as well as international brands available. Located in Rebecca Street and Third Line, some of the shops in Hopedale Mall include Zellers, Dominion Foods, Shoppers Drug Mart, Blacks Photography and Hopedale Hardware.

There are also several dining districts in Oakville. They offer a wide assortment of cafes and restaurants serving a variety of international cuisines such as Italian, Mexican, Greek, Indian, French, Thai, Southwestern and Pacific Rim. Tourists enjoy staying in Oakville because of all the choices laid out for them. Not only will you be able to taste your own cuisine in Oakville, you will also get the chance to enjoy other cuisines and try different flavors.