| Official Name: | Listowel |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada Ontario |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Listowel in Ontario |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Ontario |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Perth |
| Subdivision Type3: | Township |
| Subdivision Name3: | North Perth |
| Government Type: | Municipality of North Perth |
| Established Title: | Settled |
| Established Date: | 1857 |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated (village) |
| Established Date2: | 1867 |
| Established Title3: | Incorporated (town) |
| Established Date3: | 1875 |
| Established Title4: | Amalgamated |
| Established Date4: | January 1, 1998 into North Perth |
| Population As Of: | 2021 Census |
| Population Total: | 9,539 |
| Population Density: | 1417.4 per square kilometer--> |
| Timezone: | EST |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Coordinates: | 43.7317°N -80.9536°W |
| Elevation M: | 382 |
| Postal Code Type: | Forward sortation area |
| Postal Code: | N4W |
| Area Code: | 519, 226 |
Listowel is an unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada, located in the Municipality of North Perth. Incorporated as the Town of Listowel in 1875, it was dissolved in 1998 following amalgamation with several other communities in the northern section of Perth County. Its population was 9,539 at the Canada 2021 Census in a land area of 6.73 square kilometres; at the time there were 3,910 occupied dwellings.[1]
Listowel was founded in 1852,[2] and was originally called Mapleton. It was renamed in June 1856 after a post office was established, and named after the town of Listowel, in County Kerry, Ireland.[3]
In 1871 the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway extended its line to Listowel. It was joined in 1873 by a second railway, the Stratford and Huron Railway, and Listowel soon became an important shipping point. The arrival of the railway hastened development and Listowel became a Town with a population of 2,054 in 1875 in what is now North Perth in Perth County, Ontario.[4] [5]
In 1877, the first elementary school opened.[6]
Electricity came to Listowel in 1897, and in 1900 the Listowel Furniture Company opened. By 1902 the population had increased to 2,661, and a woolen mill, a planing mill, a flour mill, a brewery and a dairy products exporting company were operating in the town.[7] [4]
On February 28, 1959, the roof of the Listowel Memorial Arena collapsed under heavy snow, burying a boys' hockey team playing a scrimmage game. Seven players, along with a referee and recreation director, were killed in the collapse in what was described by the Waterloo Region Record as "Listowel's darkest day".[8] [9] [10] The arena was rebuilt and closed in 2017 following the construction of the Steve Kerr Memorial Complex. The arena was demolished on February 2, 2021.[11] [12]
On March 17, 2011, the local dollar store caught fire and its roof collapsed, killing volunteer firefighters Ray Walter (30) and Ken Rea (56).[13] Listowel mourned the loss, closing major streets and posting black ribbons all over town in honour of the fallen firefighters.[14] Paddyfest festivities continued to honour Kinsman Ray Walter, but in a somber fashion.[15]
Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, Listowel's population grew by 26.7 percent, helping drive North Perth's population growth to 18.3 percent.[16]
Public education in Listowel is administered by the Avon Maitland District School Board, who manage Listowel District Secondary School and elementary schools Listowel Eastdale Public School and North Perth Westfield Elementary School. North Perth Westfield Elementary School, an amalgamation of Wallace Public School and Listowel Central School, accepted its first cohort of students in September 2016.[17]
The Bookery (now the Salvation Army Thrift Store) is located across from Veky's International Cuisine Restaurant. This Celtic-inspired book store stocks about 25,000 books and traditional Celtic, Irish and Scottish jewellery in silver. In addition, they provide gallery space for local artists to display their work.[18] Listowel has also raised musicians from many genres, such as Thirteen O'Clock,[19] and Brian Vollmer (lead singer of Helix).[20]
The official spokesperson for Paddyfest is chosen yearly in the Paddyfest Ambassador Competition. Contestants must perform a speech, impromptu question and interview with the judges and receive the overall highest score to be awarded this position. A separate award of Talent is given out to the contestant with the highest score in the talent competition. Runner-up and Congeniality are also awards which are available. The Paddyfest Ambassador Competition changed its name and official status from being Miss Paddyfest when first created.[21]
Events at the Fest include arm wrestling[22] and a parade.[23]
Listowel has a Jr. "B" hockey team from the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (Mid-West Conference). They are called the Listowel Cyclones.[24] The town also hosts a baseball team, the Listowel Jr. Legionnaires.[25] Part II Bistro Ladies Classic, a curling bonspiel takes place in Listowel Curling Club.[26] Carl Tremaine - born in Listowel on August 26, 1899 - Boxing - undisputed junior-feather world champion
The Campbell Soup Company was a major local employer for 48 years, operating a frozen, foodservice and specialty food plant in Listowel. This relationship ended abruptly with the announcement of the factory's pending closure on April 28, 2008.[27] In 2010 the former Campbell Soup plant was purchased by Erie Meat Products and expected to ship 50-60 million pounds of poultry to world markets on an annual basis.[28]
Since 1996 the area around Listowel has attracted new industries.[29]