Beautiful Orillia Ontario Birthplace to Gordon Lightfoot

Orillia, Ontario, Canada is located in southern Ontario on two connected lakes named Couchiching and Simcoe. In 1867 (same birth year as Canada) the Village of Orillia was founded becoming a town in 1875 and a city in 1969. In the 1600’s Samuel d’Champlain visited Orillia and at Lake Couchiching Park you will find a bronze sculpture monument in his honor.

In 1902 Orillia had the first municipal hydro electric transmission plant in America.

In 1936, the town of Orillia printed its own money.

Orillia means border, shore or bank in Spanish getting it’s name, which was suggested by lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, Sir Peregrine Maitland, who had served in Spain.

Couchiching in Ojibwe means "Inlet", Lake Couchiching means "Lake of Many Winds".

Orillia Asylum originally was called Orillia Asylum for Idiots. They did however change the name to Ontario Hospital School and in 1974 was renamed Huronia Regional Centre. In 1960 there were approximately 2,800 developmentally challenged residents housed here. In 1987 the government started closing these types of facilities and by 2009 the HRC was closed. For a while the Ontario Provincial Police Academy used the buildings but currently the property is now for sale with a price tag of 6.5 million dollars.

In 1995 the General Headquarters for the Ontario Provincial Police opened its doors in Orillia allowing all bureaus to be in one building for the first time in history.

Stephen Leacock, Canadian economist, writer and humorist born in England in 1869 moved to Canada when he was six years old. In the summers he lived at his families estate on Lake Simcoe that is now a museum and a National Historic Site of Canada.

Gordon Lightfoot musician, singer, songwriter was born in Orillia in 1938. As a youth Gordon would sing in the choir at St. Paul’s United Church in Orillia. He went to school in California to study at Westlake College of Music. When he returned to Canada he settled in Toronto, Ontario. Most summers he returns to Orillia to sing at the Mariposa Folk Festival held in July at Tudhope Park on Lake Couchiching.

At the Orillia Opera House (built over 115 years ago) throughout the year you can sit and enjoy a play, listen to an orchestra, attend a concert or laugh along with many comedians.

Mariposa Folk Festival, held at Tudhope Park on beautiful lake Couchiching every year in July, has something for everyone to do. This three-day event features music from folk, rock, Celtic and more. Attend musical workshops, visit the Artisans’ Village where you can purchase or just look at pottery, paintings, jewelry, woven art, carvings and even handmade instruments. There are always many food and beverage vendors and beer tents that have entertainment. Children delight in Folkplay as well as enjoy painting and crafts, or have their faces painted by Clarabella the clown. This year will be the 51^st festival and will be held on July 8,9, and 10.

Climb aboard the Island Princess and take one of the many relaxing tours of both lakes. This large double-decked riverboat style vessel will hold up to 200 passengers and is fully handicapped accessible. Dinner cruises are available with a private chef and crew of six. The Princess does have a fully equipped bar should you like to relax with a drink.

For boaters Orillia has a dock at the Port of Orillia with 206 transient slips, will boat up to 80 ft. and 5 ft. draft, showers, an information center, Laundromats, launch ramp and fishing pier, free internet, and is just steps to downtown Orillia. Cost is $1.40 per foot plus tax, which includes water and hydro.

For fisherman, Orillia has one of the largest registered fishing derbies in Canada called the Perch Festival that is held April – May, with thousands of dollars to be won.

Winter Sports include skiing at one of many ski resorts nearby Orillia. At Horseshoe Valley Resort there are 25 alpine runs for skiers and snowboarders. Other resorts are Mount St. Louis Moonstone and Hardwood ski and Bike.

My family and I moved to Orillia twenty years ago from Toronto, which is 60 miles or 100 km south of Orillia. It is a beautiful place to live or visit. For anyone wanting to relocate to Orillia there are many schools, Georgian College and Lakehead University that just opened it doors here in September of 2010.