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Kanata is a suburban area in the western part of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The estimated 2005 population is about 72,000. It is located just to the west of the Greenbelt and is one of the largest of several communities that surround central Ottawa. A planned community it is notable for being an important hi tech centre.
History
The area that is today Kanata was originally part of the Township of March, and was first settled by Europeans in the early nineteenth century. One site dating from this era is Pinhey's Point.
It remained mainly agricultural until the 1960s when it became the site of heavy development. Modern Kanata is largely the creation of Bill Teron, a developer and urban planner who purchased 4000 acres of rural land and set about building a model community. Unlike other suburbs Kanata was designed to have a mix of densities and commercial and residential properties. It contained large amounts of open space, and was be surrounded by a greenbelt. A reflection of the garden city movement. The area was divided into a series of communities, each intended to have their own commercial centres and unique cultures. These include Beaverbrook, Glen Cairn, Bridlewood, Katimavik-Hazeldean, and Kanata Lakes.
The community grew rapidly. Kanata was incorporated as a city in 1978 out of the Township of March, and portions of the Township of Goulbourn and the Township of Nepean (subsequently the City of Nepean). It remained a city until 2001, when it was merged with Ottawa. Prior to amalgamation in 2001, the population of Kanata was 59,700.
The city became an important hi-tech centre. DEC was one of the pioneer technology companies in Kanata. The DEC campus has been successively Digital, Compaq, and is now HP. It remains home to many of the major high-tech employers of Ottawa, such as Mitel, March Networks, Ubiquity Software, Alcatel, Dell Canada, HP, Norpak, Nortel, and Cisco Systems, Inc., . The high-tech industry clusters along March Road, in the Kanata North Business Park and Kanata Research Park, and along Eagleson Road, in the Kanata South Business Park. Kanata is also one of the wealthiest parts of Ottawa.
Location
Kanata is located about 22 km (14 miles) west-southwest of downtown Ottawa along Highway 417. Latitude of 45 degrees 18" North and a longitude of 75 degrees 55" West, and an area of 139 square kilometers. It is part of the Ottawa Valley. It is separated from Nepean by the Greenbelt, with the community of Bells Corners within the belt. Northern Kanata lies just to the west of the Ottawa River.
Just to the west of Kanata is Stittsville, Ontario, formerly a small town but now a large suburb in its own right. As the green space between Kanata and Stittsville is developed the two communities are becoming more integrated.
Politics
Kanata is in the federal and provincial riding of Carleton—Mississippi Mills. Kanata is the largest centre in the riding, with more than half the population being in Kanata. Both federally and provincially the riding is quite Conservative. Norm Sterling has represented the area for decades in the Ontario legislature. In 2000 the then riding of Lanark—Carleton was one of only two in Ontario to elect a Canadian Alliance MP. While the area went Liberal for some of the 1990s it was easily won by Gordon O'Connor in both 2004 and 2006. O'Connor is the current Minister of Defence in Stephen Harper's government.
On the municipal level the area has been more centrist. From 1994 to 2000 the area was represented on regional council by Alex Munter, then a member of the NDP. In 2000 Munter was elected as the representative to the new Ottawa City Council. Munter retired in 2003 and was replaced by Peggy Feltmate, also seen as being one of the more left wing members of council. Redistricting prior to the 2006 Ottawa election has seen Kanata divided into two wards, Kanata North and Kanata South. Feltmate is running in Kanata South. In the same election Kanata native Alex Munter is running for mayor.
Notable buildings and institutions
- Scotiabank Place, home arena of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and many large concerts. It has also been known as The Palladium (1996), and The Corel Center (1996-2006). For several years before the merger, the Ottawa Senators did not play in Ottawa, but rather in the City of Kanata.
- The Kanata Recreation Complex
- The Kanata Leisure Centre
- The Brookstreet Resort
- The Kanata Centrum, which is Ottawa's 3rd largest shopping centre.
- The Royal Canadian Legion's new national headquarters (currently under construction), located on Castlefrank.
- Ron Maslin Playhouse, home to Kanata Theatre
Sports
Kanata is home to a professional sports team, the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League. It has several sports associations with regular activities, the most visible being the large golf clubs (one of them right in the middle of the town), the sailing club and the bicycle club.
Arts
Arts groups in Kanata include the Kanata Symphony and Kanata Theatre. Kanata is also home to a great group of local bands, including; Death on Acoustic, The Fully Down, Bill Furious and Eppiphane.
Schools
Major schools in Kanata are:
Primary schools
- Bridlewood Community Elementary School
- Castlefrank Elementary
- École Élizabeth-Bruyère
- Glen Cairn Public School
- John Young Elementary School
- Katimavik Elementary School
- Roch Carrier Elementary School
- Roland Michener Public School
- Stephen Leacock Public School
- W. Erskine Johnston Public School
- W.O. Mitchell Elementary School
Catholic Schools:
- École Roger-Saint-Denis
- Georges Vanier Catholic School
- Holy Redeemer Catholic School
- Holy Spirit Catholic School
- St Isidore Catholic School
- St James Catholic School
- St Martins de Porres
Secondary schools
- Earl of March
- A.Y Jackson High School
- Holy Trinity Catholic High School
- All Saints Catholic High School
Demographics
According to the Canada 2001 Census:
- Population: 58,636
- % Change (1996–2001): 22.4
- Dwellings: 19,517
- Area (km².): 132.21
- Density (persons per km².): 443.5
Population history
(urban area only)External links
- Tony Copple, No Longer a City, but Still Kanata, citing Economic Development Office, City of Kanata
- Primary schools
- Kanata Symphony
- Kanata Theatre
"Kanata, Ontario"