Townsend, Ontario is a planned community nestled in Haldimand County, Canada. Founded in 1970, it was initially expected to house the burgeoning industrial region to the south around Nanticoke.
In its early days, Townsend, Ontario was a hub of commercial activity, hosting a variety of stores, a hairdressing salon, and numerous small businesses. Today, the community is primarily residential and government-use property. The government services in the area focus mainly on children's issues and mental health issues.
In the 1960s, the Ontario government, concerned about the rapid growth of Toronto, conceived Townsend with the expectation that it would have a population of over 100,000 people by the year 2000. However, workers moving into the area and finding employment at the newly constructed Stelco, Texaco, and Ontario Hydro plants mainly chose to settle in more established communities with commercial centres like Jarvis and Simcoe.
During its glory days, Townsend, Ontario saw the construction of a nursing home, a recreational centre, a church, and a water tower. There were plans for a library and a fire station, but these never materialized. Residents of Townsend typically do their grocery shopping in Hagersville and most of their consumer goods shopping in Simcoe.
By 1985, there were no signs of mass migration to Townsend. Had the idea succeeded, Townsend would have been Southwestern Ontario's first "green" city, featuring mass transit, urban-style parks, and a downtown area that combined commercial zones with residential areas. The area farms would have either remained in business or would have become golf courses as the economy improved over time.
Today, most people in Townsend, Ontario get their television either through Shaw Direct, Bell Satellite TV or over-the-air. There are only three channels (WYNB-DT, CITS-DT and CIII-DT) that can be picked up reliably using an outdoor antenna, while an additional six channels (CKCO-DT, CHCH-DT, CICO-DT, WICU-DT, CITY-DT, and CHCJ-DT) can be picked up semi-reliably. There are twelve channels that can be picked up over-the-air only during sunny days where clouds are absent.
Townsend, Ontario is the hometown of 2013 Memorial Cup Champion Jim Midgley. Despite the changes over the years, Townsend remains a unique and vibrant community with a rich history and a promising future.
