Hastings, Ontario
| Hastings | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
 |
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| Motto: "The Hub of the Trent" | |
 Hastings
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| Coordinates: 44°18′N 77°57′W / 44.300°N 77.950°WCoordinates: 44°18′N 77°57′W / 44.300°N 77.950°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
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| Province |
 Ontario
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| Municipality | Trent Hills |
| County | Northumberland |
| Established | 1810 |
| Incorporated | 1874 |
| Amalgamated | 2001 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Hector Macmillan |
| • Governing Body | Trent Hills Municipal Council |
| Area | |
| • Village | 2.36 km2 (0.91 sq mi) |
| Population (2001 Census) | |
| • Village | 1,208 |
| • Density | 511.9/km2 (1,326/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 12,569 (Trent Hills) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal Code | K0L 1Y0 |
| Area code(s) | 705 |
Hastings is an amalgamated village within the municipality of Trent Hills, Northumberland County, in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is on the Trent River in what is considered to be Ontario's "cottage country".
Hastings had a population of 1,208 at the 2001 Census. It is known as "The Hub of the Trent" as Hastings is directly on the Trent River and serves as a major centre for tourists, boaters, and fishermen. One of Hastings' notable symbols is a tall, blue water tower which is perched prominently on high ground in the northern portion of the community.
Hastings is now part of the municipality of Trent Hills and makes up the second most substantial population centre in the municipality. The current mayor of Trent Hills is Hector Macmillan. Macmillan was first elected at the 2003 municipal election and on October 27, 2014, was re-elected for a fourth term.
A marina was built in Hastings which added to the already bustling waterfront. In continuation of the street-scape design theme from the new Hastings Village Marina a Hastings Waterfront & Downtown Improvement Plan was prepared in early 2009. In 2009, after a four-year break, the local Chamber of Commerce was revived.
The largest annual event in Hastings, the Canada Day celebrations, includes amongst other events a parade that runs through downtown during the day and a fireworks display at the waterfront in the evening. In recent years the fireworks display has attracted an increasing number of spectators and despite Hastings being a relatively small community the display has been considered one of the best in Ontario.
In 2012 Hastings was named Canada's Ultimate Fishing Town by the World Fishing Network. Muskie, pickerel, pike, walleye, large and smallmouth bass, catfish, perch, crappie, and bluegill are found in Hastings in abundance.
The first European presence in the area dates to 1615 when Samuel de Champlain made a visit to Huronia. However, his "journals are too vague to make any final decisions." about the exact route taken. In 1810 James Crooks purchased 1,050 acres (4.2 km2) of land on the north and south shores of the rapids at the top of Rice Lake, Ontario. A map prepared by Lieutenant James Smith in 1816–17 shows the name Little Bobakaijuen opposite rapids. The settlement of Crooks' Rapids was named in 1820. "As late as 1835, the only house on the site of the present village of Hastings was a small frame building on the bank, erected several years before that date by the Hon. Mr. Crooks as a mill, containing one run of very common stones. It is doubtful whether it ever ground much, and it is believed to have been intended rather as a means to secure the valuable mill privilege, at that place, rather than for practical utility."
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