New Hamburg, Ontario

New Hamburg is a community of approximately 7,930 (2011 stats) in Wilmot Township. Founded in 1854 it is a rural township of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario. It is bordered by Baden to the east and Perth County to the west, and is within easy driving distance of the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Stratford.

The Nith River winds through town and flows through the downtown core, which is home to a 50-foot waterwheel built in 1990 and billed as the largest operating waterwheel in North America.

The weekly newspaper serving the community is the New Hamburg Independent.

New Hamburg's major active/green spaces are Scott Park (Soccer Fields, Tennis & Basketball Courts, Playground, River Access), Kirkpatrick Park (Gazebo, Swan Pavilion), Norm S. Hill Park aka. The Grandstands (Lit Softball Diamonds, Scrub Diamond, Playground, Public Washrooms, Race Track, Mini Mountain Bike Trail) and the Arboretum, all located within the town limits.

Primary schools within the town include Forest Glen Public School, Grandview Public School, and Holy Family Catholic School. There are no high schools in New Hamburg; students attend Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School near Baden.

The Region of Waterloo Library operates a branch at 145 Huron Street, in a designated heritage building, a Carnegie library built in 1912.

Key community groups in New Hamburg include the New Hamburg Board of Trade, the Optimist Club, Lions Club and Lioness Club, and the New Hamburg Community Players (TCP).

Neighbouring communities

		Wellesley
	Stratford, Shakespeare		Baden, Kitchener
		New Hamburg
		Tavistock

Annual events

• The Ontario Mennonite Relief Sale is held at the arena and fairgrounds each year on the last Saturday of May.
• New Hamburg Live! runs for about a week in early June. It promotes local art and artists.
• The Canada Day Duck Race takes place on the Nith River.
• The 3rd weekend in August, New Hamburg hosts "Canada's Largest All Mopar Car Show" - Moparfest.
• Run by the Wilmot Family Resource Center, the Poor Boy's Luncheon raises money towards the Centre's various Social Services.
• The New Hamburg Fall Fair is a non-profit held by the Wilmot Agricultural Society. It runs annually in September.
• The Wilmot Terry Fox Run (3.5km and 8.5km)starts in New Hamburg's William Scott Park. It is held annually on the second Sunday following Labour Day.

Notable residents

• Famed NHL hockey analyst, Howie Meeker, was raised here. He was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2010.^[1]

Notable businesses

• Puddicombe House Restaurant, Inn and Spa and Salon sits in a historic 1868 century home in downtown New Hamburg. It was the residence of Senator Samuel Merner
• Ontario Drive and Gear, manufacturers of the Argo amphibious all-terrain vehicle is located here. In addition, the plant also supplies gears and transmissions to several world-class companies such as Volvo, Tigercat, and Raymond Industrial.
• New Hamburg is home to the Oak Grove Cheese company, founded in 1879, one of the few remaining North American producers of Limburger cheese.
• Ten Thousand Villages' distribution warehouse for all of Canada is also located in New Hamburg.
• BW Feed and Seed is located in the local Mill. It was around this mill, and the connecting dam/waterwheel, that New Hamburg was built.

References

External links

• New Hamburg Independent website
• New Hamburg: You're Welcome website
• New Hamburg Board of Trade website
• New Hamburg Fall Fair website
• The New Hamburg Library - a branch of the Region of Waterloo Library
• New Hamburg at Geographical Names of Canada

Coordinates: 43°22′44″N 80°42′39″W / 43.37889°N 80.71083°W / 43.37889; -80.71083