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Orillia, Ontario - Barrie-Muskoka area Communities

Orillia has a population of 30,000 (in 2001) and is nestled between Lakes Couchiching and Simcoe on the spectacular Trent-Severn Waterway, just 70 minutes north of Toronto, Orillia offers both natural beauty and city amenities. Access is provided by two major highways. Highway 400 & 11 which connect Toronto and North Bay, and Highway 12 which is the Southern route of the Trans-Canada Highway connecting to Peterborough and south to Oshawa or east to Ottawa. The town is headquarters for the Ontario Provincial Police.

Orillia's workforce of 14,000 is largely made up on tourism & hospitality, government services, retail trade, health care, manufacturing,

Schools

Orillia has 12 English elementary and 4 secondary schools and 1 French elementary and 1 secondary, as well as a private school. For those seeking post-seconary education, the community is home to Lakehead University Orillia Campus, and to Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology, Orillia Campus.

Shopping

Orillia has a nice downtown shopping area, and has 2 shopping malls.

Recreation

Orillia is on the Trent-Severn recreational waterway cottage country, with access to phenomenal wind, motorized, and human-powered recreation. It likes on Lake Simcoe and has a number of beaches and marinas in the community and close by, as well as 5 indoor and 2 outdoor swimming pools. There are a number of downhill ski areas and 15 golf courses very close by. The city also has a 9screen movie theatre, two live performance venues, several important museums, and the Casino-Rama is just northof town, drawing big-name entertainers. The town has 2 ice arenas, two horse racing tracks, as well as three auto race tracks close to town.

Homes

The town is a mix of older (pre-1970) houses, recently-built homes, and homes and cottages along the waterfront. The average prices (2006) for single family detached homes(not on water)is $185,000, and semi-detached homes running $140,000, with townhouses running about $150,000 and condos around $165,000.

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