Hillcrest, Norfolk County, Ontario

Hillcrest, Ontario
Unincorporated Hamlet in Norfolk County
Hillcrest, Ontario Location of Hillcrest in Ontario
Coordinates: 42°49′49″N 80°20′11″W / 42.83028°N 80.33639°WCoordinates: 42°49′49″N 80°20′11″W / 42.83028°N 80.33639°W
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Amalgamated	2001 (Single-tier municipality)
Government
• Mayor	Charlie Luke
• Governing Body	The Council of The Corporation of Norfolk County
• MPs	Diane Finley (Con)
• MPPs	Toby Barrett (PC)
Elevation	224 m (735 ft)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal code span	N3Y 4K1
Area code(s)	519 and 226
Website	www.norfolkcounty.ca

Hillcrest is a hamlet in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada that is in between Bill's Corners and the town of Simcoe.

Hillcrest's earliest known inhabitants, from around the year 1000 until approximately 300–350 years later, were the Algonquin nation. They were noted flint-workers and evidence of the skill in crafting arrowheads is still to be found in open worked field areas surrounding the village. The next wave of inhabitants were the Attawandaron nation, the Neutrals, who occupied the region from about 1350 until their absorption by the Iroquois 300 years later. The last significant native nation to occupy the area was the Mississaugas.

Summary

A soccer field is found within the boundaries of the community; it received a $15,000 stimulus package from the Simcoe Lions Club on April 7, 2013. Builders plan to use this money for a pavilion in order to enhance property values.^[1] Youth leagues generally use the field for its state of the art bleachers and close proximity to residential neighborhoods. Adult amateur leagues typically do not use this field; with the exception of the Western Ontario Soccer League.^[2] Use of the soccer field by individuals and families is possible in the fall. However, the local climate prevents its use in the winter months due to ice accumulating in the bleachers and heavy snow piling up into the soccer field.

Agriculture is the main industry and commerce includes a lighting store and a variety store with some groceries; it was the first business in Norfolk County history to be allowed to operate on Sundays back in the 1960s. Most of the farming in the area is tobacco farming despite pleas by local residents to diversify the tobacco belt into other industries with the changing Canadian economy and the declining number of smokers in Canada.^[3] The sprays being used by the tobacco farmers in the Hillcrest area are seeping into the soil of the local soccer facility in addition to the air surrounding it, making it increasingly dangerous for children to play soccer there.

The nearest elementary school is Elgin Avenue Public School, the nearest secular high school is Simcoe Composite School, and the nearest faith-based high school is Holy Trinity Catholic High School. The hamlet is located southeast of Nixon and northwest of Port Dover and is centered on Hillcrest Road which is the site of the former Norfolk Board of Education building. This road intersects with Ontario Highway 3 and Regional Road 1 while in Hillcrest. Hillcrest is also the home of a charity which helps people acquire wheelchairs called the Who Did It Club which was founded by war veterans and is currently maintained by civilian volunteers from the local area.

During the winter months (late November through early April), Hillcrest becomes a haven for snowmobile users. Religious needs for this community are provided either by the Simcoe United Church or the nearby Kingdom Hall for Jehovah's Witnesses (although non-members are welcome as pupils for weekly service). The most common last names found in this community are Coates, Bezzo and Holmes.

Future

The hamlet and all land that is within 2 miles or 3.2 kilometres to the south are considered to be prime land by local developers; they believe that land should be earmarked for the further expansion of Simcoe. Hillcrest may cease to exist as a separate community and become a "neighborhood" of Simcoe by the middle of the 21st century. Simcoe's population will rise to roughly 18,741 residents when the Canada 2056 Census is given out.

With the recent growth in new housing activity, Simcoe may need to overhaul its water and sewer systems in order to meet the needs of a rising and aging population of the next several decades. Lands not being used by tobacco farmers either get converted into prime commercial land, prime residential land or get their tobacco crops replaced with other products. A grand total of 991 new low-density houses will have to be built to accommodate the 4,000+ new people.

The new buildings could be "layered" over top of the old buildings; turning houses into makeshift apartment buildings and small stores into multi-floor shopping plazas. Alternate plans may include absorbing Renton, Port Dover and/or Waterford. City planners will have to take into consideration the needs of the Oakwood Cemetery to expand as the current aging population begins to die in massive numbers.

With Hydro One taking over responsibility for the community's electric needs starting September 1, 2015, electricity rates for residential and commercial users may jump over the next 5-10 years.

References

1. Simcoe and District Youth Soccer Club Get a Financial Boost at Simcoe Reformer
2. Simcoe Thunder Soccer Schedule at Western Ontario Soccer League
3. "A tale of two tobacco farms". Norfolk News. Retrieved 2014-07-29.