Stratford (Prince Edward Island) 4.97

Stratford is a Canadian suburban town located in central Prince Edward Island. It is currently the province's third-largest community based on population and is experiencing some population growth as a direct result of an improved highway bridge over the Hillsborough River, connecting the town with Charlottetown.AmalgamationStratford was created under the Charlottetown Area Municipalities Act, effective 1 April 1995. This resulted in several rural villages and communities on the east bank of the Hillsborough River being amalgamated into a new town, including Southport, Bunbury, Keppoch, Rosebank, Kinlock, and Crossroads.The town's naming was controversial as municipal leaders opted to choose a name that had no historic connection to the predecessor constituent communities. It is derived from the Stratford Road, a 4 km suburban road connecting Bunbury via Southport with Cross Roads.Local observers have noted with humour that unlike communities with a similar name such as Stratford, Ontario or Stratford, Australia which are named after Stratford-upon-Avon and are situated upon rivers that derive their name from the River Avon, the town of Stratford, Prince Edward Island should be named "Stratford-upon-Hillsborough".GeographyIt is situated on a peninsula formed by the Hillsborough River estuary, Charlottetown Harbour, and Hillsborough Bay - a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait.