Oromocto
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Oromocto
| other_name =
| native_name = Welamooktook (Great River)
| nickname = Canada's Model town
| settlement_type = Town
| motto = {{langx|la|Succesus Per Operam}}
"Effort Brings Success"
| image_skyline = Still_Waters_Run_Deep._(8103767811).jpg
| image_caption =
| image_flag = Oromotco NB flag.png
| image_shield = Oromocto NB coat of arms.jpg
| image_map =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = New Brunswick
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Canada
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = New Brunswick
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = Sunbury County
| subdivision_type3 = Parish
| subdivision_name3 = Burton Parish
| subdivision_type4 =
| subdivision_name4 =
| seat_type = Electoral districts
Federal
| seat =
Fredericton-Oromocto
| parts_type = Provincial
| parts = Oromocto
| government_footnotes ={{cite web|url=https://www.oromocto.ca/town-council |title=Oromocto Town Council |access-date=27 January 2021 |publisher=Town of Oromocto}}
| government_type = Town council
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Robert Powell
| leader_title1 = Deputy Mayor
| leader_name1 = Jeff Kirkbride
| leader_title2 = Councillors
| leader_name2 = Lorraine Dawe, Jeff Kirkbride, Sheridan Mawhinney, Kelly Murdock, Alex Zaporzan
| established_title = Founded
| established_date = March 16, 1943
| established_title2 = Incorporated
| established_date2 = 1956
| area_magnitude =
| unit_pref =
| area_land_km2 = 22.36
| population_as_of = 2021
| population_note =
| population_total = 9,045
| population_density_km2 = 404.5
| population_blank1_title = Change (2016–21)
| population_blank1 = {{decrease}} 1.9%
| population_blank2_title = Dwellings
| population_blank2 = 3,897
| population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
| timezone = AST
| utc_offset = −4
| timezone_DST = ADT
| utc_offset_DST = −3
| coordinates = {{coord|45.84878|-66.47879|region:CA-NB|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_min_m = 0
| elevation_max_m = 51
| postal_code_type = Postal code(s)
| postal_code = E2V 2V3
| area_code = 506
| blank_name = Access routes
Route 2 (TCH)
{{jct|state=NB|NB|7}}
| blank_info =
{{jct|state=NB|NB|102}}
| blank1_name = Telephone exchange
| blank1_info = 357-440
| blank2_name = NTS Map
| blank2_info = 021G16
| blank3_name = GNBC Code
| blank3_info = DATWJ
| website = [https://www.oromocto.ca oromocto.ca]
| footnotes =
}}
Oromocto is a Canadian town in Sunbury County, New Brunswick.
The town is located on the west bank of the Saint John River at the mouth of the Oromocto River, approximately {{convert|20|km}} southeast of Fredericton. The town's name is derived from the name of the Oromocto River; "oromocto" is thought to have originated from the Maliseet word welamukotuk which means "deep water". It appears on early maps as Ramouctou and La Rivière du Kamouctou (Freneuse seigneurial grant, 1684).{{Cite book|last=Hamilton|first=William|title=The Macmillan Book of Canadian Place Names|publisher=Macmillan|year=1978|isbn=0-7715-9754-1|location=Toronto|pages=82}}
It is the administrative headquarters of the Oromocto First Nation band government{{cite web |url=http://www.ofnb.com/ |title=Welcome |publisher=Oromocto First Nation |access-date=August 15, 2019}} and the site of Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, which dominates its economy and modern history.
On 1 January 2023, Oromocto annexed the local service district of the parish of Lincoln, excluding the Fredericton International Airport and a highway strip connecting it to the city.{{cite web |title=Local Governments Establishment Regulation – Local Governance Act |url=https://laws.gnb.ca/en/showfulldoc/cr/2022-50 |website=Government of New Brunswick |access-date=11 January 2023 |date=12 October 2022}}{{cite web |title=RSC 11 Regional Service Commission 11 |url=https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/corporate/promo/local-governance/maps/RSC11.html |website=Government of New Brunswick |access-date=17 January 2023}} Revised census figures have not been released.
History
{{See also|History of New Brunswick|List of historic places in Sunbury County, New Brunswick}}
The town was initially an Acadian village. During the Expulsion of the Acadians, it was burned in the St. John River Campaign (1758). During the American Revolution, Fort Hughes was built in the community after the rebellion at Maugerville, New Brunswick. (A replica of Fort Hughes was built at Sir Douglas Hazen Park.) In 1783, Oromocto saw a large influx of settlers with the arrival of United Empire Loyalists, with a steady stream of new blood arriving in the area. Many of the Loyalists also moved into surrounding areas, establishing smaller communities such as Lincoln and Geary.{{cite web |url=https://www.oromocto.ca/history |title=History |publisher=Town of Oromocto |access-date=August 15, 2019}}{{cite web |title=Oromocto |website=The Canadian Encyclopedia |first=Dale R. |last=Cogswell|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/oromocto/ |access-date=August 15, 2019}}
Oromocto was originally a shipbuilding town in the 19th century, but went into decline after the industry closed. During its shipbuilding days, Oromocto produced about 22 ships. This was made possible by an abundance of timber and sawmills, which continued to provide economic stability to Oromocto, even after the shipbuilding business had died out. It remained a small hamlet until it was selected as the headquarters for a large military training area, in the early 1950s. The Gagetown Military Camp (Camp Gagetown) opened in 1955 as the largest military reservation in the Commonwealth of Nations at the time.{{cite web |title=New Neighbours in New Brunswick |url=https://cmea-agmc.ca/heritage-moment/new-neighbours-new-brunswick |publisher=The Canadian Military Engineers Association |access-date=August 15, 2019}}
Oromocto underwent a transformation during this time as it was designed to be a "model town". It was considered to be at the forefront of such efforts in Canada. Today, Oromocto's entire economy is dominated by CFB Gagetown.
{{Stack|{{historical populations
|title=Oromocto, NB
Historical populations
|percentages=pagr
|footnote ={{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census: Oromocto, New Brunswick |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=1303012&Geo2=PR&Code2=13&SearchText=new%20brunswick&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0 |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=August 15, 2019}}
|1871|400
|1956|661
|1961|12170
|1971|11427
|1981|9064
|1991|9325
|2001|8843
|2006|8402
|2011|8932
|2016|9223
|2021|9045
}}}}
The town's location in the Saint John River valley provides lush vegetation and an attractive waterfront on both rivers. A small park and marina occupy an area on the Oromocto River waterfront near the downtown. A business district in the area of Restigouche Road has become moderately successful, and the town features a small hospital, track and field facilities, and churches. The town is home to a distribution centre for Sobeys grocery stores, a funeral home, library and recreation centre. Where the town borders on CFB Gagetown, there is also a Canex with a salon and barbershop, hockey/squash arenas, swimming pool, and a credit union, along with military vehicles and aircraft on outdoor display.
Adjacent to the town on the eastern limits is the Oromocto First Nations reserve, a small Mi'kmaq/Maliseet community.
Canadian National Railway abandoned its railway line, which ran through the town to CFB Gagetown, in March 1996. This railway right-of-way has been developed as a recreational trail and is part of the "Sentier NB Trail" network. The section of the Sentier NB Trail between Fredericton-Oromocto-Burton also hosts the Trans Canada Trail.
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Oromocto had a population of {{val|9045|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|3663|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|3897|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:9045-9223}}|9223|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|9223|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|22.36|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|9045|22.36|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.
Education
There are two school districts in Oromocto, one providing education in English and one in French, and eight public schools.{{cite web|url=https://www.oromocto.ca/schools |title=Schools |publisher=Town of Oromocto |access-date=27 January 2021}}
- Anglophone West School District:
- Assiniboine Avenue Elementary School
- Gesner Street Elementary School
- Hubbard Avenue Elementary School
- Summerhill Street Elementary School
- Harold Peterson Middle School
- Ridgeview Middle School
- Oromocto High School
- District scolaire francophone Sud:
- [https://arc-en-ciel.nbed.nb.ca/ École Arc-En-Ciel] serves Francophone students from K- Gr. 8 in Oromocto
- École Sainte-Anne, in Fredericton, serves Francophone high-school students from Oromocto.
Notable people
{{Main|List of people from Sunbury County, New Brunswick}}
See also
- List of communities in New Brunswick
- {{ship||Oromocto|ship}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.oromocto.ca Town of Oromocto]
{{Subdivisions of New Brunswick|towns=yes}}
{{Saint John River}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Communities in Sunbury County, New Brunswick
Category:Towns in New Brunswick