Clarington, municipality in southern Ontario, Canada. Clarington is located east of Toronto, on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in Durham Regional Municipality. A suburb of both Toronto and Oshawa, Clarington was among Canada's fastest growing communities in the 1990s. Although agriculture, especially dairying, remains important to the economy, Clarington is rapidly urbanizing. Manufactures include cement, rubber, steel, metal, and wood products. Retail, tourism, and utilities—including the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station—are also important industries. The municipality is served by Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport. Among Clarington's chief attractions are Mosport, a renowned racetrack, which offers local and international auto racing; the Bowmanville Zoo, which is Canada's oldest private zoo; and the Bowmanville Museum, which houses one of the best antique doll and toy collections in Canada.
Europeans began to settle in the Clarington area in the 1790s. In the first half of the 19th century, before the arrival of railroads, the area was a flourishing port that transferred passengers and freight across Lake Ontario. Clarington was originally called Newcastle. Newcastle was incorporated in 1974 as an amalgamation of the townships of Clark and Darlington, the town of Bowmanville, and the village of Newcastle. In 1994 it became the municipality of Clarington, a name that resulted from the name combination of Clark and Darlington. Clarington consists of four urban centers—Bowmanville (site of the municipal offices), Courtice, Orono, and Newcastle—as well as a number of small rural communities.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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