Dryden, Ontario
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Dryden (2001 population 8,198) is a city in northwestern Ontario, Canada located on Wabigoon Lake.
Dryden, was founded as an agricultural community by John Dryden, then Ontario's Minister of Agriculture in 1896. While his train was stopped at what was then known as Barclay Tank to re-water, he noticed clover growing at the side of the tracks and decided to found an experimental farm the following year. The success of the farm brough settlers from the Uxbridge area of southern Ontario as well as the Bruce penisula and the community came to be known as New Prospect. It became a town in 1910 and a city in 1998 after merging with the neighbouring township of Barclay.
Pulp and Paper came to the town in 1910 which today is it's main industry though agriculture, tourism and some mining are also important segments of the local economy.
The town came onto the national consciousness in the early 1970's when natives at the community of Grassy Narrows became sick with Minimata disease (mercury posioning) and an Alkaline Chlorine plant located a the Dryden mill was singled out as the source of the mercury in the Wabigoon and English river systems.
Dryden is currently part of the federal and provincial electoral district, or riding, of Kenora-Rainy River. Kenora-Rainy River's Member of Provincial Parliament, Howard Hampton, is leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party. Federally the city is represented by Roger Valley, a Liberal.
Dryden's mayor is Anne Krassilowsky.
Even though Dryden is in Ontario, most of which is in the Eastern Standard Time Zone, because it is so close to the western border, Dryden is in the Central Standard Time Zone.
Dryden is also the birthplace of NHL hockey players Chris Pronger and brother Sean Pronger.
External links
- City of Dryden (http://www.city.dryden.on.ca/)