Форест, Онтарио: История и современность канадского поселка

Community in Ontario, Canada

Forest is a community in Lambton Shores, Ontario, Canada, near Sarnia and Lake Huron in Lambton County. It has a population of 2,876 (2011 Census) and a land area of .

Forest's high school is North Lambton Secondary School. This facility includes a large gymnasium and cafeteria, as well as meal preparation facilities. The community also has elementary schools in both the public (Kinnwood Central Public School) and catholic (St. John Fisher) school systems. Recreational facilities include an enclosed arena for hockey or ringette, a community centre for dances held by the town with baseball and soccer fields, a lawn bowling club, public tennis courts, splash pad and an agricultural society with grounds used for a fall fair and occasional campsites. There are a dozen golf courses within a 20 mile drive. Forest Amphitheatre is a natural amphitheatre located at the conservation area (Esli Dodge Conservation Area) in the south part of the town. The stage is situated on a small island, and spectators sit on the surrounding hillsides on lawn chairs or blankets. Hundreds attend outdoor performances there each summer. An annual performance of a religious play (The Promise), acted in by members of the town, was held annually from 1995 to 2005. In 2006 a play entitled Their Finest Hour was performed, and since 2007 country music concerts entitled "Music In the Valley" have been held there. The Forest Museum is located in the old Forest Home Bakery building at 8 Main St. N. This building dates to the 1880s. Permanent display themes include the bakery, First Nations, agriculture, the railway, the military, the Forest Excelsior Band, local doctors, fashion, toys, Peoples Telephone, area businesses, churches and schools. The museum was founded in 1963 by the Forest Lambton Museum Society. In 2019, museum volunteers discovered 100 year old silent movie era posters hidden away in an old storage shed on the property. The posters were likely kept in the shed because the bakery was once owned by the Rumford family, founders of the Kineto Theatre. Two of the recovered posters has been cleaned up and are on display at the museum. A third is on display at the Kineto. The Kineto Theatre is one of the world's oldest movie theatres, having been in operation since 1917. Owned and operated by the Kiwanis Club of Forest, it features a concession booth and seats up to 225 people, and is open every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.

Forest is situated on what was once dense forest. When the Grand Trunk Railway was built through where the town now sits, the station was named for the dense forest. Hickory Creek, which meanders through the town, provided water for the station in those days when wood and water were essential to the operation of steam locomotives. The first post office, in 1859, was then named Forest. The site was very near the junction of three township boundaries, with parts of Warwick, Plympton and Bosanquet townships all annexed into the town. None of these townships remain as political units due to amalgamation, with Bosanquet joining Forest in forming Lambton Shores (along with the villages of Arkona, Thedford, and Grand Bend). The industry of the town was initially tied to the abundant fruit growing operation. There were once a canning factory and a basket factory in Forest. In more recent years the town has become a dormitory community for the city of Sarnia (and to a lesser extent London, Ontario). The extensive tourism area along the shores of nearby Lake Huron also supports several businesses. Several small factories supporting the auto industry have also opened in the past few years. The once Forest Carnegie Library, has its Historical plaque posted on the outside pillar and is now operating as an Event Centre where one can Rent the space and hold Private Social Events. There is a meeting space, music area, as well as a long missed billiards table as seen on the website https://library events. com