A Town beside the waters flow,
Where everyone and friends you know,
Is Fenelon Falls a special place,
Behind each deed a smiling face.

May your falls be fast,
Your sails of strengthened mast,
Your parks a verdant green,
And your name on every map be seen.

Our Fenelon Falls Submission Story!

Remember the show Hometown Takeover where they filmed an entire season around providing glow-ups to small towns?! The idea was to find a small town with a big dream. Much like growing up in a small town, you often wanted to escape to see the big world and experience adventure outside of your small town. But in the words of John Mellencamp “No, I cannot forget from where it is that I come from, I cannot forget the people who love me. Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town and people let me be just want I want to be.” I think we can all agree, small town living offers something deeper than anywhere else and John’s song embodies exactly that sentiment.

Ontario is made up of a rich tapestry of small towns, and even though there isn’t an official count for the number of small towns in Ontario, it’s safe to say we have more small towns than we have skyscrapers, and that’s where the real stories live! Most recently we have our own story of how one Fenelon Falls resident has taken up the cause to have her hometown selected for a $1 million civic improvement project courtesy of HGTV’s new Home Town Takeover Canada series. The Canadian version is the first spin-off from the popular US-based Home Town Takeover and Fenelon residents are working diligently on the submission to hopefully secure revitalization and recognition for our special region.

Nancy L’Estrange grew up in Fenelon and continues to reside in her beloved small town. However, like most things in life there is always room for improvement. Nancy and a team of equally motivated individuals have organized to work on providing the producers and designers with a true sense of how selecting Fenelon Falls could make an engaging and exciting show for viewers!

The submission application is lengthy and the town must be under 20,000 in population and have the potential to benefit from an injection of investment. The application needs to feature the highlights of the community, its people and anything else that makes it a candidate for such an endeavour. Photos and video of the places best suited for renovation need to be included consisting of main streets, parks and community gathering spaces so that all residents can benefit ultimately if selected.

Stories from locals are key to make your town stand out and emphasize the special and unique charm that your community needs to further build upon. Fenelon is in no way short on stories or character when it comes to its native and pioneer history. Settlers arrived in the 1830’s drawn by resources and its falls made it a hub for mills and the Trent-Severn Waterway. The town was renamed after French missionary Francois de Salignac de La Monthe-Fenelon.

The area then grew with the construction of the canal and locks. A major fire in 1896 destroyed the mill and yard but eventually the waterpower was converted to a hydro-electric plant which boosted tourism and industry.

The town incorporated to bring a railway to Fenelon and a swing bridge connected the town across the river.

Of course, history wouldn’t be history without all the colourful characters woven into the story. The original Handley Lumber business after Ray Handley is still in operation today. John Langton one of the area’s first settlers was a “gentleman farmer” who eventually became a prominent politician. Growing up many remember Garnet Graham known as “Mr. Yip Stick” who would spend countless hours selling “yip sticks” to raise money for charities and the yip stick became a popular souvenir for visitors.

But it definitely takes a village when it comes to a submission of this magnitude. Nancy was able to pull together a group of citizens eager to contribute including Ward 5 Councillor Mike Perry, Tim Wisener who founded and built The Grove Theatre, Lynn Manning who has led other Fenelon improvements as of late and Glenn Walker from Maryboro Lodge Museum. Glenn was behind the revitalization of the Museum and is the resident expert on history and media content. He has been able to contribute photos, stories and drone footage. The group have pulled together interviews, video of town events, photos and articles and the collaboration has truly been inspiring and heartwarming. Nancy and Sheila Gordon coordinated a large photo shoot for the submission that encouraged all community members to come together by the Fenelon marquee sign. People brought their signs, smiles and synergy to capture the true personality of Fenelon Falls!

The Hometown series is part of Rogers Sports and Media’s slate of new Canadian original unscripted series for 2026. It is the first expansion of the popular U.S. “Home Town Takeover” Franchise. Home Town Takeover Canada is on a mission to spark a nationwide small town revitalization movement, starting with one special town. Inspired by the success of three seasons in the U.S., the new Canadian series will shine a light on a Canadian small town facing real challenges and give it the boost it needs to get back on its feet.

The show producers will review all submissions and select the winning town. The show will air on HGTV and stream on Citytv+ in fall 2026/winter 2027. HGTV’s Home Town stars, Ben and Erin Napier will appear as show hosts alongside other Canadian designers and builders.

The show is known to be an emotional, empowering and entertaining series. We know that Fenelon Falls is exceptional and we certainly believe in its extraordinary power to appeal to the show producers. A picturesque and popular spot, Fenelon has been nicknamed the “Jewel of the Kawarthas.” Only a town like Fenelon is home to a night-time Santa Claus Parade called the “Santa Day Parade,” hosts a motorcycle gang’s event called “Ride for Sight” to help fight blindness, features a summer Steam Show and a Jamboree and all while having a focus on inclusive healthy living!

Maybe Garnett was on to something with his yip stick performance, a magical-looking folk toy, all science and a little bit of misdirection! Isn’t that what makes a good story after all?