Orono, Clarington Neighbourhood Guide: A Small Town with a Big Heart

Welcome to Orono, a destination for many Ontarian antique hunters. This small town has a lot of character, which shows in its beautiful old buildings and annual festivals. What Orono may lack in big box stores and public transit, it makes up for in beautiful green space and a sparkling community spirit. If you’re looking for a relaxing, small town to settle down in, this could be the place for you. There’s a local spa if you need extra R&R, and a local ice rink if you’re into sports or enjoy lacing up the skates every once in a while.

The wilderness that is today known as Orono was first settled by a bachelor named Eldad Jones, a reportedly curmudgeonly man who built a sawmill on Orono Creek in 1833. Not long after, Asa and Harriet Baldwin arrived after purchasing a lot from the Canada Company. By the 1860s, deforestation in the area caused Orono Creek to stop flowing. Consequently, a canal was designed and constructed by the townspeople to divert water from Wilmot Creek in present-day Newcastle. In 1852, a post office opened in Orono; at this point, the village had a population of around 200 people. Significant growth occurred in the area with the arrival of the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway in 1911.

There are a variety of housing options in Orono, with many single, detached houses with two to four bedrooms. Bungalows are common, and there are also semi-detached homes near the town centre. There are also plenty of open lots for investors or builders interested in subdividing land and erecting several structures.

The Town Hall in Orono was constructed in a Romanesque Revival style. The building was designed by Toronto architect George Miller after the original Town Hall burnt down in the spring of 1898. Known for its Victorian feel, the town hall has served as a film set for multiple productions, such as Do No Harm, starring Meryl Streep, and Dracula 2000, starring Gerard Butler.

Orono is known for its annual fairs and festivals. Every year it holds an Antique festival, a day-long event held along Main Street where visitors can purchase vintage furniture, collectibles, retro items, and other antiques. In September you can attend the Orono fair, a tradition spanning more than 160 years. The four-day event includes activities for the entire family. The fair includes a midway, a petting zoo, an antique tractor display, axe throwing, a demolition derby, and much more. The fair is also a platform for local artists to show their works and enter them into competitions.

Orono is known for its annual fairs and festivals. Every year it holds an Antique festival, a day-long event held along Main Street where visitors can purchase vintage furniture, collectibles, retro items, and other antiques. In September you can attend the Orono fair, a tradition spanning more than 160 years. The four-day event includes activities for the entire family. The fair includes a midway, a petting zoo, an antique tractor display, axe throwing, a demolition derby, and much more. The fair is also a platform for local artists to show their works and enter them into competitions.

There’s a small selection of dining in Orono, from ethnically diverse foods to casual western dining. The Orono Country Café is a casual diner that serves burgers, sandwiches, soups, and salads. Sunny Restaurant serves Chinese food and draws in customers from nearby Bowmanville. Between these two restaurants along Main Street, you might stop by Twisted Pizza and Wings, a local favourite for its crispy pizza with a fluffy crust. Further north, along the 115, travellers can stop by the Black Dog Café, which serves diner food and is perfect for on-the-go dining since there are no fast-food chains in the immediate area.

A few notable parks are located in Orono, some of them with important landmarks. Near the centre of town, Orono park has a dilapidated water tower and Orono Creek runs through its center. Families can come here with their children to walk the area and use the playground, equipped with a splash pad in the summer months, public washrooms, and picnic tables. Orono Crown Lands are a short drive out of town. It has a well-maintained trail system with many old stone structures to see along the way. There are over 15 kilometers of trail to explore here and in late August, visitors can see a salmon run, which is when salmon swim upstream from the ocean to find spawning grounds.

The Orono Arena and Community Centre maintain an ice rink where people compete and also skate for leisure. The centre is also the chosen location for community meetings. The space outside the community centre is where the Orono Fair is held every September. Back on Main Street, Kelly’s Green Lounge is a space where people in the community can congregate to enjoy botanical education sessions. Orono also has a beauty and wellness spa located south of Kelly’s Green Lounge on Main Street.

While travellers can hire a cab to visit Orono, there are currently no public transit options for reaching the town. The drive from Bowmanville takes approximately 15 minutes, while people from Oshawa should expect a drive of about 25 minutes. People travelling from Port Hope will arrive in just under half an hour, and the trip from Orono to Toronto takes around one hour.

This town is perfect for people looking to escape the city and enjoy a small-town experience. The town is filled with beautiful buildings with historic architecture that brings a sense of pride to the community. Local parks and outdoor areas are perfect for day-long expeditions. Festivals held every year bring to the town a strong sense of community and give local artists the chance to showcase their work. Lastly, there’s a small selection of restaurants and public amenities available to last you a while before heading out towards the bigger towns of Oshawa and Bowmanville.