Kanata, Ontario

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Image:March Road Kanata facing north 2004.jpg

Kanata is a suburban area in the western part of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located just to the west of the Greenbelt and is one of the largest of several communities that surround central Ottawa. As a planned community, it is notable for being an important hi tech centre.

1 History
2 Location
3 Main neighborhoods
4 Politics
5 Notable buildings and institutions
6 Sports
7 Arts
8 Schools
- 8.1 Primary schools
- 8.2 Secondary schools
9 Demographics
- 9.1 Population history
10 Mayors
11 External links

[edit] History

The area that is today Kanata was originally part of the Township of March, and was first settled by Europeans in the early nineteenth century. One site dating from this era is Pinhey's Point.

It remained mainly agricultural until the 1960s when it became the site of heavy development. Modern Kanata is largely the creation of Bill Teron, a developer and urban planner who purchased 4000 acres (16 km²) of rural land and set about building a model community. Unlike other suburbs, Kanata was designed to have a mix of densities and commercial and residential properties. It contained large amounts of open space, and was be surrounded by a greenbelt. A reflection of the garden city movement. The area was divided into a series of communities, each intended to have their own commercial centres and unique cultures. These include Beaverbrook, Glen Cairn, Bridlewood, Katimavik-Hazeldean, Morgan's Grant, and Kanata Lakes.

The community grew rapidly. Kanata was incorporated as a city in 1978 out of the Township of March, and portions of the Township of Goulbourn and the Township of Nepean (subsequently the City of Nepean). It remained a city until 2001, when it was merged with Ottawa. Prior to amalgamation in 2001, the population of Kanata was 59,700.

The city became an important hi-tech centre. DEC was one of the pioneer technology companies in Kanata. The DEC campus has been successively Digital, Compaq, and is now HP. It remains home to many of the major high-tech employers of Ottawa, such as Mitel, March Networks, Ubiquity Software, Alcatel, Dell Canada, HP, Norpak, Nortel, MDS Nordion, Breconridge, and Cisco Systems, Inc., . The high-tech industry clusters along March Road, in the Kanata North Business Park and Kanata Research Park, and along Eagleson Road, in the Kanata South Business Park. Kanata is also one of the wealthiest parts of Ottawa.

[edit] Location

Kanata is located about 22 km (14 miles) west-southwest of downtown Ottawa along Highway 417. Latitude of 45 degrees 18" North and a longitude of 75 degrees 55" West, and an area of 139 square kilometers. It is part of the Ottawa Valley. It is separated from Nepean by the Greenbelt, with the community of Bells Corners within the belt. Northern Kanata lies just to the west of the Ottawa River.

Just to the west of Kanata is Stittsville, Ontario, formerly a small town but now a large suburb in its own right. As the green space between Kanata and Stittsville is developed the two communities are becoming more integrated.

[edit] Main neighborhoods

Glen Cairn: Located south of Hazeldean Road, east of Terry Fox Drive, west of Eagleson Road and north of Fernbank Road.

Katimavik: Located south of Highway 417, west of Eagleson Road, north of Hazeldean Road and east of Terry Fox Drive

Bridlewood: Located east of Eagleson Road, south of the Trans-Canada bicycle trail and east towards the limits of the old city of Kanata. The south section ends at Hope Side Road, but there are several developments under way near that road.

Beaverbrook: Located north of Highway 417, east of Terry Fox and west of March Road. The first and oldest neighborhoods in Kanata, Beaverbrook is known for its fine hedged houses and excellent community facilities. Beaverbrook is also home to Canadian Billionare Terry Mathews.

Morgan's Grant: Located north of the Kanata North Buisness Park on both sides of March Road and north of Terry Fox Drive. Extensive developments is underway towards the north.

Kanata Lakes: Located north of Highway 417 is Kanata Lakes. It has a main street (Kanata Ave.) which runs all the way past Glen Cairn. It has 4 major side roads, being: Knudson, Walden, Golburn Forced road, and Campeau drive. Walden village has a booming real-estate market, most homes over 3000 sqf. averaging for little over $600,000 canadian. Walden village is also known to have some of the nicest homes in all of Kanata.

[edit] Politics

Kanata is in the federal and provincial riding of Carleton—Mississippi Mills. Kanata is the largest centre in the riding, with more than half the population being in Kanata. Both federally and provincially the riding is quite Conservative. Norm Sterling has represented the area for decades in the Ontario legislature. In 2000 the then riding of Lanark—Carleton was one of only two in Ontario to elect a Canadian Alliance Member of Parliament. While the area went Liberal for some of the 1990s it was easily won by Gordon O'Connor in both 2004 and 2006. O'Connor is the current Minister of Defence in Stephen Harper's government.

On the municipal level, the area has been more centrist. From 1994 to 2000, the area was represented on regional council by Alex Munter, then a member of the New Democratic Party. In 2000 Munter was elected as the representative to the new Ottawa City Council. Munter retired in 2003 and was replaced by Peggy Feltmate, also seen as being one of the more left wing members of council. Redistricting prior to the 2006 Ottawa election has seen Kanata divided into two wards, Kanata North and Kanata South. On November 13, 2006, Kanata native Alex Munter lost to Larry O'Brien in his bid to be mayor of Ottawa; Feltmate won in the riding of Kanata South; and Marianne Wilkinson was elected Councillor of Kanata North.

[edit] Notable buildings and institutions

Image:Scotiabankplaceottawa.JPG

Scotiabank Place, home arena of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and many large concerts. It has also been known as The Palladium (1996), and The Corel Centre (1996-2006). For several years before the merger, the Ottawa Senators did not play in Ottawa, but rather in the City of Kanata.
The Kanata Recreation Complex
The Kanata Leisure Centre, which houses a wave pool
The Brookstreet Resort
The Kanata Centrum power centre; together with adjacent developments, Ottawa's 3rd largest shopping centre.
The Royal Canadian Legion's new national headquarters (recently opened), located on Castlefrank, beside the Kanata Leisure Centre and the new Valour Bridge.
Ron Maslin Playhouse, home to Kanata Theatre
Bell Sensplex, housing 4 ice rinks 1 olympic sized and a fully liscensed restaurant upstairs.
AMC Kanata 24 Theatres, the largest movie theatre in Ottawa.

[edit] Sports

Kanata is home to a professional sports team, the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League. It has several sports associations with regular activities, the most visible being the large golf clubs (one of them right in the middle of the town), the sailing club and the bicycle club.