Ramat HaSharon, originally Ir Shalom, was a moshava established in 1923 by olim from Poland. It was built on 2,000 dunams of land purchased for 5 Egyptian pounds per dunam. In the 1931 census, the village had a population of 312. In 1932, the community was renamed Kfar Ramat HaSharon. By 1950, the population was up to 900. Rapid population growth in the 1960s and 70s led to construction of many new roadways, schools and parks. Several distinct neighborhood evolved in the 1970s, including Morasha on the southern edge, one with many military and air force personnel in the eastern edge, and many successful professionals moved into the developing city. Ramat HaSharon became a highly desirable place to live in the 1980s as a very safe place, containing many gardens and wide boulevards, and attracting many upper middle class suburban families. While qualifying for city status by number of residents from the 1980s, Ramat HaSharon's mayors preferred to maintain the local council designation and acted to maintain the character of the settlement by limiting development. In 2002, Ramat HaSharon was granted city.
Geography
The main portion of the city is located north of Highway 5, east of Highway 20 and Glil Yam, to the west of the Israel Military Industries factory and Highway 4, and to the south of Herzliya. The city's administrative boundaries extend, however, in a L shaped fashion to the south of highway 5 and bordering with Tel-Aviv reaching until Highway 2 in the west. The Neve-Gan neighborhood is disconnected from the rest of the city and is located to the south of the main city, and is adjacent to Kiryat Shaul Cemetery Tel-Aviv's Tel Baruch. The Israel Tennis Centers is also south of route 5. The Cinema city commercial complex is similarly disconnected from the city and is located on the intersection of highway 5 and 2. Future major development is planned:
In the fields "Pi Glilot" area, where a gas terminal was previously located, adjacent to Tel-Aviv.
On the site of military bases with plans for relocation north of "Pi Glilot".
On the Israel Military Industries factory site, which is planned to be relocated.
Economy
Until the 1960s, it was primarily a farming community, known for its strawberry fields and citrus groves. Ramat HaSharon is also home to Israel Military Industries, the manufacturer of weapons and small arms for the Israel Defense Forces and the world market.
Education
Ramat Hasharon has seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools . Midrasha LoOmanut, an art teachers training college, and Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music are located in the city. The Geology Museum is located in a Bauhaus style building built in 1945.
Sports
Ramat HaSharon is home to the Israel Tennis Center, founded in 1975, which hosts and organizes international, national and regional tennis tournaments. The courts are also widely used during the Maccabiah Games. The ATP World Tour, which had been in Israel from 1987 to 1996, was scheduled to return to the Israel Tennis Center in September 2014 with the Negev Israel Open, but the event was cancelled because of the military conflict in the region. Along with tennis facilities, which include 24 illuminated courts, and stands which seat up to 4,500 spectators, the central management of the organization, which manages 13 other tennis centers around the country, is located in the town. It also is home to Canada Stadium, where most Davis Cup and other significant Israeli matches have been played since the mid-1970s. "Herbalife Ramat HaSharon" is the city's women basketball team, one of the leading teams in the Israeli league and a former European champion. The city's football team, Hapoel Ramat HaSharon, plays in Ligat Ha'al, the premiere league of Israeli football. "Alumim", one of the city's junior high schools, has won many trophies in sports, especially for achievements in track and field.
