Area Description

Brock is a township in the Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario, Canada. Brock Township is also a former municipality and geographic township prior to the amalgamation that formed the current municipality.

The Trent-Severn Waterway forms part of the northern border of the municipality, which enters Lake Simcoe through Ramara Township. There are five locks in Brock. Thorah Island in Lake Simcoe is within the municipal boundaries of Brock.

The original Brock Township was surveyed in 1817 as part of York County and the first meetings were held in 1833. The township was originally named for Major General Sir Isaac Brock (1769-1812) whose estate received free land here for his service in the War of 1812. William Bagshaw became Brock's first Postmaster and Justice of the Peace in 1819 when he owned property on Lot 5 Concession 9. Other early, settler ancestors included names like: Acton, Charters, Dusto, Purvis, Rundle, Bagshaw, Doble, Phair, St. John, Umphrey, Brethour, Doyle, Fallowdown, Ruddy and Vrooman (for whom the semi-ghost town of Vroomanton was named).

In 1852, the Township became part of the newly created Ontario County. In 1878, Cannington was incorporated as a village and was no longer part of the Township for municipal purposes.

In 1974, as part of the municipal restructuring around the creation of the Regional Municipality of Durham, Brock was amalgamated with Thorah Township and the villages of Beaverton and Cannington to form the new Township of Brock.

Beaverton is the largest community and commercial centre of the township, while Cannington is home to the municipal administration and local high school.

Beaverton fronts as the commercial and financial centre for the township. Beaverton's bordering of Highway 12 has led to the development of many chain corporations such as Mcdonald's, No Frills and Tim Hortons. Beaverton's downtown core also sports many stores and services including two bars which can lure youth from around the local area. It is noted that many students from the Lakehead University Orillia Campus will participate in the Beaverton night life for its unique dynamic.

Smaller communities in the township include Ball Subdivision, Blackwater, Cedar Beach, Creightons Corners, Derryville, Gamebridge, Layton, Maple Beach, Pinedale, Saginaw, Sunderland, Thorah Beach, Vallentyne, Vroomanton, Wick and Wilfrid.