Local Focus: Brantford & Caledonia
By NextHome Staff
February 27, 2018
February 27, 2018
by Gale Beeby
LEISURE PURSUITSLocal museums include the Bell Homestead, the Woodland Cultural Centre, the Brant Museum and Archives, the Canadian Military Heritage Museum and the Personal Computer Museum. Brantford is the home of several theatre groups including the Brant Theatre Workshops, the Dufferin Players, His Majesty's Players, Ichthys Theatre, Stage 88, Theatre Brantford and the Whimsical Players. The Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts is a local performance venue.The Caledonia Toll House is the third oldest building in Caledonia still standing; the first being Haldimand House and the second being Caledonia Mill. The Caledonia Mill is a historic building built in 1846 and is a heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act. It is the last timber-frame water-powered mill along the Grand River.The Wayne Gretzky International Hockey Tournament is held in Brantford annually and the Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016. In 2010, the tournament established a Guinness World Record for the largest Street Hockey Tournament in the world with 205 teams and just over 2,090 participants.Other annual events include the Brantford International Villages Festival, the Brantford Kinsmen Annual Ribfest, the Chili Willy Cook-Off and Frosty Fest. The Bell Summer Theatre Festival takes place from Canada Day to Labour Day at the Bell Homestead.Brantford has many sports teams including the Red Sox of the Intercounty Baseball League, the Braves of the Junior Intercounty Baseball League, the Blast of the Allan Cup Hockey League, Galaxy SC of the Canadian Soccer League, the Harlequins of the Ontario Rugby Union and the 99ers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. In Caledonia, the Corvairs compete in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
PARKS & RECBrantford is an internationally acclaimed Communities In Bloom champion. Lorne Park and Victoria Square are brimming with spectacular annuals and shade trees and the grounds of historic Bell Homestead and Glenhyrst Art Gallery boast impressive floral displays.There are dozens of trails in the area. Some are for hiking only, like the Grand Valley Trail or the Six Nations Nature Trail, while others are for hiking and cycling, like the Trans-Canada Trail system, S.C. Johnson Trail and the Gordon Glaves Memorial Pathway.The trails can alos be used for crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing.EASY ACCESSThe Brantford Municipal Airport is just outside of town, while the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport is located about 35 kilomtres east. Via Rail operates a train service through downtown Brantford on the Quebec City-Windsor corridor, with a stop at Toronto's Union Station. Brantford Transit services the city, and Greyhound Canada has service to Toronto, Hamilton, London and Windsor. GO Transit operates bus service between Brantford, Hamilton and Burlington. The area is served by Highways 403 and 24.
Two great locations on the Grand River offer a more relaxed lifestyle
HOUSING OPTIONSBrantford is probably best known as the hometown of two great Canadian heroes — Alexander Graham Bell and Wayne Gretzky. Known as the "Telephone City," Brantford has a host of housing options, as does it's neighbour, Caledonia. Both have great historic downtowns and lots of new housing tracts. Click here for a full list of homes for sale.LEISURE PURSUITSLocal museums include the Bell Homestead, the Woodland Cultural Centre, the Brant Museum and Archives, the Canadian Military Heritage Museum and the Personal Computer Museum. Brantford is the home of several theatre groups including the Brant Theatre Workshops, the Dufferin Players, His Majesty's Players, Ichthys Theatre, Stage 88, Theatre Brantford and the Whimsical Players. The Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts is a local performance venue.The Caledonia Toll House is the third oldest building in Caledonia still standing; the first being Haldimand House and the second being Caledonia Mill. The Caledonia Mill is a historic building built in 1846 and is a heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act. It is the last timber-frame water-powered mill along the Grand River.The Wayne Gretzky International Hockey Tournament is held in Brantford annually and the Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2016. In 2010, the tournament established a Guinness World Record for the largest Street Hockey Tournament in the world with 205 teams and just over 2,090 participants.Other annual events include the Brantford International Villages Festival, the Brantford Kinsmen Annual Ribfest, the Chili Willy Cook-Off and Frosty Fest. The Bell Summer Theatre Festival takes place from Canada Day to Labour Day at the Bell Homestead.Brantford has many sports teams including the Red Sox of the Intercounty Baseball League, the Braves of the Junior Intercounty Baseball League, the Blast of the Allan Cup Hockey League, Galaxy SC of the Canadian Soccer League, the Harlequins of the Ontario Rugby Union and the 99ers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. In Caledonia, the Corvairs compete in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.PARKS & RECBrantford is an internationally acclaimed Communities In Bloom champion. Lorne Park and Victoria Square are brimming with spectacular annuals and shade trees and the grounds of historic Bell Homestead and Glenhyrst Art Gallery boast impressive floral displays.There are dozens of trails in the area. Some are for hiking only, like the Grand Valley Trail or the Six Nations Nature Trail, while others are for hiking and cycling, like the Trans-Canada Trail system, S.C. Johnson Trail and the Gordon Glaves Memorial Pathway.The trails can alos be used for crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing.EASY ACCESSThe Brantford Municipal Airport is just outside of town, while the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport is located about 35 kilomtres east. Via Rail operates a train service through downtown Brantford on the Quebec City-Windsor corridor, with a stop at Toronto's Union Station. Brantford Transit services the city, and Greyhound Canada has service to Toronto, Hamilton, London and Windsor. GO Transit operates bus service between Brantford, Hamilton and Burlington. The area is served by Highways 403 and 24.BY THE NUMBERS | |
| Brantford population: 97,500Brantford walk scores: 45Brantford.ca | Caledonia population: 9,680Caledonia walk scores: 48Caledonia-Ontario.com |