The original town of Ontario started as a settlement on the trail between Mansfield and Bucyrus. In 1834, the combination of that settlement, another small settlement known as New Castle and additional land to be the east and west became the Village of Ontario. In 1958, after General Motors located a stamping plant in Springfield Township, Ontario residents voted to incorporate the village. Several annexations have been added since that time and millions of dollars have been spent on the construction of streets, water and sewer facilities, parks and buildings accommodating the Administrative offices, Service Departments and Water Department.The Administration has been located in the Charles K. Hellinger and Charlotte M. Hellinger Municipal Building since 1986. Ontario became a city on April 30, 2001.
Information about the City Building
The City building is a 14,645 square foot building situated on 13.5 acres of land at the corner of State Route 309 and Stumbo Road. The cost to build in 1986 was $1,800,000.00, which included furnishings and Police Department communications and electronic equipment. The cost was funded by Income Tax revenues in the amount of $1,386,203, with the remainder coming from Federal Revenue Sharing. The building was designed by the Poggemeyer Design Group, Inc., Paul Shuier, and Architect. The General Contractor was Studer Obringer from New Washington, Ohio; Mechanical contractor was Guenther Plumbing & Heating, Inc. From Ashland, Ohio, and; Electrical Contractor was Buchman Electrical Construction, Inc. from Mansfield, Ohio. The building committee was comprised of Robert E. Urwin, Chairman, Robert J. Henry and Gayle E. Kanz. The building was opened in May, 1986.