Fort Erie growing in size and stature

When people think of the Niagara Region, the images and places that most likely come to mind are the Falls, of course, and popular towns such as Niagara-on-the-Lake, Grimsby and St. Catharines. A little further down the recall list, perhaps, might be Fort Erie – but those days may be over.

Some, in fact, call the town of 32,901 a hidden gem. Indeed, Fort Erie is one of the fastest growing communities in the region, with a 7.1-per-cent population gain over the last five years, and a correspondingly high level of residential and commercial development.

Great natural location

Like the Niagara Region itself, Fort Erie is blessed with a great natural location – essentially a peninsula within a peninsula, surrounded on the south by Lake Erie, and to the east and north by the Niagara River. Fifty-five per cent of the population of the U.S. – including Buffalo, basically a kilometre away right across the river – and 62 per cent of the Canadian population is within an 800-km radius.

Key among the attributes is proximity to the Peace Bridge, North America’s second busiest international land border crossing, and international crossings in Niagara Falls and Queenston/Lewiston are just minutes away.

Fort Erie is comprised of a number of hamlets, including Crystal Beach, Bridgeburg, Ridgeway, Stevensville, Douglastown and Black Creek, and boasts a rich history and blend of rural and urban living. Crystal Beach is a particularly popular lakefront community, so named for its clear waters, and the site of a former well-known amusement park that was a favourite for both Canadians and Americans from 1888 to 1989.

Indeed, the lake and river serve as a natural playground for yachts, sailboats, powerboats and other watercraft.

Unbeatable appeal

The ultimate result of all of this appeal is unbeatable potential for business and lifestyle choices in Fort Erie – the latter explaining why the town swells in population by about 10,000 in summer, as seasonal residents flock to beachfront properties.

There’s also plenty of landbound appeal here, with more than hectares of parkland, 33 parks, 45 kms of recreation and nature trails, numerous waterfront parks and access points, playgrounds and splash pads, sports fields and conservation areas. And downtown at Crystal Beach, the Summer Waterfront Concert series begins July 10 this year.

For history buffs, there are few better attractions in Ontario than Old Fort Erie, built on the river’s edge in 1764, and pivotal in the War of 1812. A visit to this historical site will take you back in time, with tours, musket demonstrations and the annual Siege of Old Fort Erie re-enactment, during which British, American and First Nations soldiers depict Niagara’s important role in the war.

Homeownership destination

But it’s not all about the past in the Fort Erie area, as more and more people from the GTA and elsewhere in Ontario are learning of the region's appeal as a homeownership destination. And developers are delivering in kind.

Silvergate Homes, for example, is building Harbourtown Village, a limited collection of single-family homes and townhomes at Erie Beach. And then there’s Shelter Cove, a year-round, waterfront community on the Shores of Lake Erie, adjacent to the Forests of Selkirk Provincial Park, with completely customizable bungalow manufactured modular homes.

All things considered – past, present and future – it’s clear that Fort Erie is garnering due attention for all that it offers as one of Niagara’s lesser known, but increasingly popular, areas.

Location, location, location

151 kms from Toronto, 30 kms to Niagara Falls, one km to Buffalo

Key landmarks

• Battle of Ridgeway Heritage Park
• Fort Erie Historical Museum
• Fort Erie Race Track
• Fort Erie Railway Museum
• Friendship Trail
• Niagara River Recreation Pathway
• Old Fort Erie
• Point Albino Lighthouse

Select housing developments

Harbourtown Village
By Silvergate Homes
silvergatehomes.com

Shelter Cove
By Shelter Cove
sheltercove.ca