Greater Ashton Community Association

Greater Ashton Community Association (GACA)

The GACA was originally established in 1977. The GACA was formed to develop a plan and create a forum for Ashton and the surrounding area to interact.  Some of the main purposes were to have local recreational facilities and to foster community development and involvement .

About the village of Ashton, Ontario - Click here for Map

The village of Ashton is located at the intersection of Ashton Station Road and Flewellyn Road. Ashton Station Road runs through the centre of the community and serves as the south-western boundary line for the City of Ottawa.  This makes the eastern half of the village part of Ottawa and the western portion part of Beckwith Township, Lanark County.  The eastern half of the community was originally part of Goulbourn Township, which was amalgamated into the City of Ottawa in 2001.  The village boundaries are home to approximately 200 residents.

The headwaters of the Jock River, which run through the heart of the community, are just to the west of the village.  There is a pub, several churches and a community centre. Unlike many communities surrounding the burgeoning city of Ottawa, Ashton has remained relatively unchanged for many years.

The village was first laid out and settled by John Sumner, general merchant and postmaster, on the Goodwood river.  By 1866-7, it was in the township of Goulbourn, close to the dividing line between the counties of Carleton and Lanark. It had a population of about 100, and contained two churches - Presbyterian, a stone edifice; and Church of England, also stone; and one common school, with an average attendance of about 40 pupils.