Woodstock, Ontario

Woodstock
City of Woodstock
Woodstock City Hall
Woodstock City Hall
Official logo of Woodstock
Motto: 
The Friendly City[1]
Woodstock is located in Southern Ontario
Woodstock
Woodstock
Coordinates: 43°07′50″N 80°44′48″W / 43.13056°N 80.74667°W / 43.13056; -80.74667
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
CountyOxford
Established1721 (as town)
 1891 (city)
Government
 • MayorJerry Acchione
 • Governing BodyWoodstock City Council
 • MPsArpan Khanna
 • MPPsErnie Hardeman
Area
 • Total
56.46 km2 (21.80 sq mi)
Elevation300 m (1,000 ft)
Population
 (2021)[4]
 • Total
46,705
 • Density827.2/km2 (2,142/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Forward sortation area
Area code(s)519, 226, and 548
Websitewww.cityofwoodstock.ca

Woodstock is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The city has a population of 46,705 according to the 2016 Canadian census. Woodstock is the seat of Oxford County, at the head of the Thames River, approximately 128 km from Toronto, and 43 km from London, Ontario. The city is known as the Dairy Capital of Canada and promotes itself as "The Friendly City".

Woodstock was first settled by European colonists and United Empire Loyalists in 1800, starting with Zacharias Burtch and Levi Luddington,[5] and was incorporated as a town in 1851. Since then, Woodstock has maintained steady growth, and is now a small city in Southwestern Ontario. As a small historic city, Woodstock is one of the few cities in Ontario to still have all of its original administration buildings. The city has developed a strong economic focus towards manufacturing and tourism. It is also a market city for the surrounding agricultural industry.

Woodstock is home to a campus of Fanshawe College. The city plays host to a number of cultural and artistic exhibits, including the Woodstock Museum, a national historic site. Woodstock's summer festivals contribute to its tourism industry; however, its economic activity is centred on the manufacturing centre, the city being home to several auto-manufacturing factories. The city's west end has exceptionally well-preserved Victorian streetscapes; most notable of these streets is Vansittart Avenue, named after Admiral Henry Vansittart, one of the city's first settlers. Woodstock has a large community centre with a rink capable of accommodating 1,800 spectators for hockey games. The centre also has a large banquet hall and atrium which play host to many social gatherings for the community.[6]

  1. ^ "City of Woodstock: Local History". woodstock.on.ca. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses". 2016 Census data. Statistics Canada. 8 February 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  3. ^ Natural Resources Canada - Toporama - varies within city from 280m to 314m.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2021census was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Local History. City.woodstock.on.ca. Retrieved on 2013-07-24.
  6. ^ Woodstock District Community Complex. City.woodstock.on.ca. Retrieved on 2013-07-24.