Bala, Ontario
Bala is a compact rural community in the township municipality of Muskoka Lakes, District Municipality of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada. It is well-known for the Bala Falls, the source of the Moon River, which flows from Lake Muskoka to the Georgian Bay.
Bala | |
|---|---|
Compact rural community | |
The southern portion of the town as viewed from Bala Bay; the KEE to Bala is visible at right | |
| Etymology: Named for Bala, Wales | |
| Nickname: Cranberry Capital of Ontario | |
Bala Location in Southern Ontario | |
| Coordinates: 45°01′03″N 79°37′02″W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| District | Muskoka |
| Township Municipality | Muskoka Lakes |
| Established | 1868 |
| Incorporated (town) | 1914 |
| Amalgamated | 1971 |
| Founded by | Thomas Burgess |
| Elevation | 232 m (761 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern Time Zone) |
| Postal code | P0C 1A0 |
| Area codes | 705, 249 |
It is considered one of the hubs of cottage country located north of Toronto. Thus, its year-round population of several hundred is increased by thousands of seasonal residents and weekend day-trippers during summer months. It is known as the Cranberry Capital of Ontario, as the province's largest cranberry farms, Muskoka Lakes Farm and Winery (formerly Johnston's Cranberry Marsh) and the former Iroquois Cranberry Growers (closed in 2017), are located nearby. It was once the smallest incorporated town in Canada until it was amalgamated into Muskoka Lakes Township.