Sister Cities Belleville (Canada)

Canadians have lived in Lahr for many years – but it’s not a one-way street: since 1972, the city has been maintaining a partnership with the Canadian city of Belleville.

History of the partnership:

Das Bild zeigt Belleville und die Bay of Quinte am Ontariosee aus der Luft.

In 1967, Canadian forces replaced the French army stationed in Lahr. There developed a trusting, cooperative relationship between the Canadians and the residents of Lahr. As Lahr became the headquarters of the Canadian forces in Europe, there were routine transport flights between Lahr and Trenton, which is only a few kilometres away from Belleville. In 1972, the request from Belleville for an official city partnership led to the start of a sister-city relationship. In 1975, the first students from Lahr flew to Belleville in military planes that had extra capacity. From this developed the tradition of 'friendship flights'.

Partnership activities:

Das Bild zeigt einen Blick auf Belleville. Zu sehen sind über Bäumen links eine Kirche, in der Mitte ein weißer Wasserspeicher und rechts das Rathaus.

With the withdrawal of Canadian forces from Lahr at the beginning of the 1990s, military planes were no longer an option. Nevertheless, the close friendships that developed have kept the tradition of friendship flights alive, with trips arranged every two years in rotation. The citizens and mayors of Belleville and Lahr, as well as the city councils and the two twinning committees, are all committed to this partnership. Around 4,000 people from Lahr have now visited Belleville.

The city:

Das Bild zeigt den Ontariosee bei Belleville. Zu sehen sind im Vordergrund einige Häuser, Bäume und eine große Straße. Im Hintergund liegt der See an dem ein Hochhaus steht. Links und rechts von dem Hochhaus liegen Boote an Stegen. am rechten Ende des Stegs ist ein kleines Holz-Bootshaus mit rotem Dach zu erkennen. Auf dem von Wald umstandenen See sind Boote unterwegs.

Belleville is located in the Canadian province of Ontario.In 1789, Loyalists (American royalist settlers) settled in the area that has today become Belleville. With its ideal location between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec, less than an hour from the U.S. border, Belleville is the centre of the Bay of Quinte region. Belleville is surrounded by rural landscapes, picturesque farms, nature reserves, and the natural Lake Ontario.Belleville's commercial streets offer all the shopping opportunities of a large conurbation. The city has access to numerous leisure facilities. Belleville also boasts more than 205 hectares of parkland. The bustling waterfront area, with two first-class port facilities, is not just for lovers of water sports.

Belleville also has a great choice of culinary options. The city is at the heart of a cheese- producing area, and is known for its superior cheddar. And you can enjoy a real feast in one of Belleville's many restaurants. The city has around 49,000 residents. More than 200,000 people live within a 30-minute radius of the city centre.