Riverfront in Paris

Corner of William and Grand River

Paris (2006 Urban Area population, 11,177) is a community on the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. In 1999, its town government was amalgamated into that of the County of Brant, Ontario, thus ending about 149 years as a separate incorporated municipality.

The town was first settled in 1829 when its founder, Hiram Capron, bought the land and built a mill on the present townsite. The town of Paris was officially established in 1850. Since the late 1990s, Paris has experienced substantial population growth, which may be in part attributed to the rising popularity of rural communities among GTA bound commuters (see bedroom community), and the completion of Highway 403 between Hamilton and Woodstock.

The first "long distance" telephone call was made on August 10, 1876, by the father of the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Melville Bell, from downtown Brantford. Alexander Graham Bell received the call at a telegraph office located at 91 Grand River Street North in Paris, currently the River Lily retail store. Paris, Ontario, is also the transmitter site for a number of broadcast radio and TV stations serving the Brantford and Kitchener-Waterloo areas. The actual tower site is 475 Ayr Road, just south of Ayr, Ontario and it was erected and owned by Global Television Network in 1973 for CIII-TV. It leases space for broadcast clients including Conestoga College's campus radio station CJIQ as well as rebroadcasters of CBLA, CBL-FM, CJBC-FM and CBLN-1.

Paris was not only referred to as "the cobblestone capital of Canada" (in reference to a number of aged cobblestone houses) but also as "the prettiest town in Canada", even though Goderich, Ontario "officially" has this title. Paris, Ontario, is located at 43°12′N 80°23′W / 43.2°N 80.383°W / 43.2; -80.383.

Paris was named for the nearby deposits of gypsum, used to make plaster of Paris.

The town hosts an annual "Fall Fair", a carnival which takes place over the Labour Day weekend. The Fall Fair features several rural lifestyle exhibits, as well as a midway which is complete with carnival games, rides, demolition derbies, Armchair Quarterback, and the Gravitron.

[edit] Movies shot in Paris

• Away from Her (2006)
• The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005)
• Phil the Alien (exteriors) (2005)
• Shadow Builder (1998)
• Spenser: Pale Kings and Princes (1994) (Television)
• Ordinary Magic (1993)
• Blood & Guts (1978)
• The Hard Part Begins (1973)

[edit] Famous people

• Syl Apps, Olympian in hockey, Toronto Maple Leafs player, and Member of Provincial Parliament
• Todd Brooker, alpine skier
• Dr. Kathryn Carter, writer and Dean of Wilfrid Laurier, Brantford Campus
• Deborah Ellis, writer of award-winning children's novels
• Natasha Filliol (née Yaremczuk), Olympic triathlete
• Phyllis Gretzky (née Hockin), mother of Wayne Gretzky. Wayne Gretzky's father, Walter Gretzky, attended high school in Paris from the family farm in nearby Canning, Ontario.
• D. Gregor Hagey, feature film cinematographer
• Elysia Muise, Canadian Winter Games 2003 gold medalist for ringette
• Ted Reader, celebrity chef
• Linda Schuyler, television producer of Degrassi
• Barry Silverthorn, documentary producer of The End of Suburbia
• Albert Walker, infamous conman and convicted killer
• Jay Wells, New York Rangers ice hockey player champion
• John Bemrose, author of The Island Walkers
• Morgan Ashbury, romance author
• John Muckler, NHL Coach and General Manager

[edit] Service Clubs

• The Lions Club of Paris
• The Kiwanis Club of Paris
• The Optimist Club of Paris

[edit] Buildings and Structures

• CIII Television Tower
• The Historic Arlington Hotel
• The Canadian Tavern
• Paris Branch of the County of Brant Public Library (a Carnegie Library)
• The Cedar House 12 Broadway St. W (formerly the old mill that ran the raceway from the Nith River to the Grand River)

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Paris, Ontario

• The County of Brant
• Brant Tourism
• Paris Business Directory
• Collection of historical photographs of Paris
  • Second collection at the same website

[edit] Festivals and Events

• Brants Festivals & Events

• The Cobblestone Festival
• The Paris Fair
• Springtime In Paris
• Christmas in Paris

[edit] See also

• At The Forks of The Grand - History book on town