Chapleau Chamber of Commerce receives good news on airport but highway maintenance not satisfactory in 1973

When the Chapleau Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting in January 1973, members received good news about plans for the Chapleau airport, but highway maintenance was subject of complaints.

As airport committee chair Gene Bernier was absent, Bill Ward reported on his behalf.

"All hurdles had been jumped having been jumped, work would begin on a 3,000 foot runway topped with crushed rock. Margaret Costello reported in the Sault Star that "Other developments in connection with the airport are also expected to get underway, which it is hoped will accommodate various aircraft and be of considerable significance in solving some of Chapleau's transportation problems."

By 1975, Chapleau had daily norOntair  flights, and even Premier Bill Davis arrived at the airport to tour projects underway in the community. Perhaps the most distinguished visitor to arrive was Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Pauline McGibbon who visited Chapleau in 1978 to officially open the Chapleau Civic Centre.

An airport terminal building was also opened as well as other improvements which included paving the runway. J. M 'Bud' Park became the first airport manager.

The first "official" landing at the airport was in 1970 by a plane piloted by Stan Deluce.

The chamber decided that 1973 was to be "transportation year" as this was a major problem for the community. That included negotiations with norOntair and completion of the road through Sultan to Highway 144. That project is still on the table more than 40 years later, despite the best efforts of Chapleau.

The members also heard that the highways patrolled by the Chapleau patrol yard were "not receiving proper winter maintenance". Sound familiar ???

According to Maggie's story complaints centred around a shortage of materials provided by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

It was decided to send a letter to the ministry office in Sault Ste. Marie "reporting the unsatisfactory maintenance of highways within a 30 mile radius of Chapleau registering complaints of regular travelers from outside points as well as local."

As I was working on this column, I could not help but wonder how many letters have been sent  and meetings held over the past 40 years on this issue -- and the Sultan road.

Walter Broomhead reported on efforts to publicize Chapleau with radio ads, a brochure and signage. By the Fall of 1973. Mr. Broomhead and his wife Kay, were primarily responsible for the launching of the first Chapleau Arts and Crafts Fall Fair, which remains an integral and important part of community life to this day.

Election of officers took place and Matt Castonguay and Con Schmidt were returned as president and vice president respectively.  Ronald Bruneau succeeded long time secretary Myrtle Delaney who retired and Lorne Hoppenreys became treasurer.  Directors were Walter Broomhead, Cy Leduc, Bill Ward, Olive M. Card, Mike Rubin, Len Houghton, Gene Bernier and Margaret Costello.

My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau Public Library celebrates 35 years in civic centre after several location moves throughout its history since 1887

N. Ont library rep, Renee Cecile, Lt Gov McGibbon, husband 

When Pauline McGibbon, then the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, visited Chapleau to officially open the Chapleau Civic Centre, 35 years ago on June 28, 1978, she was impressed with the library included in the building.

"One can judge the stature of a town or village by the extent of its library," the lieutenant-governor said in her remarks as she toured the library accompanied by Mrs. Renee Cecile, chair of the library board; Estelle Morin, the librarian, and board members. 

It was also a special occasion for Mrs. Cecile who was presented an achievement scroll by George L. Evans, a board member and deputy reeve of Chapleau in 1978. In 2012, the library was named the George L. Evans Library in his honour.

The scroll to Mrs. Cecile said it was in recognition of her "untiring devotion" to library service in Chapleau. She had served as a board member since it was established in the late 1950s. Her granddaughter Lisa also presented her with a bouquet of red roses.

A library was on the minds of Chapleau's early citizens by 1887, two years after the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the founding of the community.

Mechanics institute

In his book 'Pioneering in Northern Ontario', Vince Crichton wrote that a meeting was held in the CPR restaurant on December 13, 1887 with the purpose of forming a "Reading Club or Library". The first library appears to have been in a room at the Royal Hotel, but it burned down and by 1889 land had been obtained from the CPR for the construction of a Mechanics Institute built on a site across from the Bridgeview Motel on Birch Street.

According to Wikepedia, mechanics' institutes,  the first one established in Edinburgh, Scotland  contained inspirational and vocational reading matter, for a small rental fee. Later popular non-fiction and fiction books were added to these collections in the library section. Other services were also provided.

The Mechanics Institute was a described as an "elaborate structure", for the times and included the library, a reading room, a hall and space for oganizations to meet in a two-storey building. By the end of 1890, the library had 178 members and 894 volumes. It cost $621.02 to build.

By 1895, ladies had become active members,and in 1899 when J.B. Dexter was president of the institute 200 new books were purchased bringing the total number of volumes to 1408 of which 1201 were taken out over the previous year.

Disaster struck in 1910 when the Mechanics Institute burned down resulting in a total loss not only of all the library holdings but municipal records too as it had also become the Town Hall after Chapleau was incorporated as a municipality in 1901.

After G.B. Nicholson and his wife Charlotte built St. John's Memorial Hall in memory of their son Lorne and all the Chapleau men who had been killed in World War I, a library was located there but it appears that interest waned for a number of years. Mr. Nicholson was the first reeve of Chapleau. St. John's Memorial Hall is now the Legion Hall.

At some point, it was relocated to a small room in the Town Hall which later became the reeve's office.

However, in 1957 led by Marion Hueston, a movement was launched to establish "a real public library" for Chapleau, according to an article by Margaret Costello.

Vince Crichton wrote that a better site was needed and William Austin agreed to provide one in the building once called "tenement row" on Birch Street where the Bargain Shop is now located. A.L. Morse of Sheppard and Morse Lumber Company donated all the white pine for shelving while the Chapleau Rotary Club bought and laid all the new linoleum flooring while Nick Coreau and J.M. 'Jack' Shoup took charge of erecting the shelves. It opened in April 1958.

First board members were Mrs. Hueston, Mrs. Cecile, Margaret Costello, Mrs. William Burrows and Vince Crichton.

The new board was warned not to be discouraged because "maybe the library idea would not catch on like wildfire" and it may take five years to be accepted. Within two years the library had 1200 members and housed more than 4800 books. It did catch on!

By 1965, the location again had to be moved as Cecil Smith had bought the property and needed it to build a new Stedmans store. 

Town Hall

Back to the Town Hall it went but this time to the auditorium the site of many plays, concerts, meetings as well as a coutroom but hardly used for anything by the 1960s. For several years only the floor space was used but as its membership grew, more was required.

Mrs. Doris Marchioni, the librarian in 1973 explained the situation to Maggie Costello. Mrs. Marchioni said it was a matter of not enough room for all a real library needs -- not enough room for books, for sufficient tables for those who may be doing research or just to read, let alone proper facilities for the staff to work comfortably, and finally storage.

The library staff was moved on to the stage, while new bookshelves lined the walls, reading tables were added, and according to Maggie Costello, "...everything looks much more inviting, brighter and lighter and there's much more breathing space."

When the township council decided to proceed with the civic centre, the library board became enthusiastic partners in the project, and on June 28, 2013, will officially celebrate 35 years in the same location.

FOLLOWING UP

Frances (Jardine) Corston, now Lundquist added some information to my column on curling. She recalled her husband Henry mostly called by his nickname "Chicken" telling her that "the Corston men used their horse Billy to haul gravel from the gravel pit on their farm to level the ground for the new curling rink.  They ran out of money at some point and got the necessary funds from Chief Simon Cheez of the Ojibway people, with the understanding that native girls could curl..These girls were the Pirie girls, Mrs Barty. Mrs Fortunato. Mrs  Perfetto and Mrs Jack Green..I assume they must have agreed as they got the money,,,however..the women never did get to curl.....Mr. Corston in the picture was one of the rinks called the Half Ton Rink, because of their size...." Thanks Frances.

Thanks to Michael McMullen for research assistance.

My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Lieutenant Governor Pauline McGibbon officially opens Chapleau Civic Centre in June 1978, and Ernie Gilbert holds protective umbrella during sudden downpour

Lieutenant Governor Pauline McGibbon officially opened the Chapleau Civic Centre 32 years ago on June 28, 1978, a rare moment in the life of a community to have the official representative of Her Majesty the Queen in Ontario pay a visit.
The next day, Cedar Grove Lodge for Senior Citizens was officially opened by Hon. Rene Brunelle, provincial secretary for resources development, and to complete the openings, the ribbon was cut by Robert Eaton, MPP, at the Chapleau Recreation Centre on behalf of Ontario Premier William Davis on June 30.

Accompanied by her husband Donald, Mrs. McGibbon inspected honour guards of the Chapleau Air Cadet Squadron under the command of Lt. Gary Groulx, and Branch No. 5 of the Royal Canadian Legion, accompanied by Jim Lane and Legion president Henry Therriault.

Cpl. Anita Memegos of the air cadets presented the Lieutenant Governor with a bouquet of flowers. Ken Russell led in the singing of O Canada and God Save the Queen, while the flag was raised by Legion member Boyd Beacock and John Way-White played Reveille.

After being escorted to the platform, Master of Ceremonies Deputy Reeve George L. Evans called on the band of the Air Cadet Squadron to play the vice regal salute.

Following prayers led by Rev. William Ivey, Father Laurent  Dube and Rev. Carson Duquette, Mrs. McGibbon cut the ribbon to officially open the civic centre. She then proceeded to tour the civic centre.

As an aside, during the official outdoor opening ceremonies there was a sudden downpour but Executive Assistant to the Reeve Eileen McCrea, prepared for any emergency, quickly provided umbrellas, and Councillor Ernie Gilbert was given the task of protecting the Lieutenant-Governor from the rain. Eileen co-ordinated all the official openings.

During her tour of the civic centre, Mrs. McGibbon, while in the library, commented that "One can judge the stature of a town or village by the extent of its library." She was greeted in the library by board chair Mrs. Renee Cecile, librarian Estelle Morin and the staff and board members.

At the Fire Hall she was welcomed by Fire Chief Ad Andrews, and while there presented 30 year service certificates to Chief Andrews, Deputy Chief Frank Coulter and Raoul Lemieux Sr.

She then proceeded to visit Cedar Grove Lodge, the museum and the recreation centre with Councillors Robert Lafreniere and Ernie Gilbert as tour guides and drivers for the official party.

Upon arrival at the Legion Hall for a luncheon, the Lieutenant Governor was met by branch president Henry Therriault and Ladies Auxiliary president Thelma Therriault. Her Honour placed a wreath on the newly rededicated cenotaph.

The Chapleau Sentinel reported that it was a delightful lunch prepared by a "gourmet chef." The luncheon was under the direction of Mrs. Dorleen Collings ably assisted by her team from the Legion auxiliary.

Mrs. McGibbon also had the opportunity to chat with Catherine Remus and Ann Thompson, who had been exchange students under the Rotary Club program. She also met Frank Cranston, Chapleau's last survivor of World War I.

On behalf of the citizens of Chapleau I presented the Lieutenant Governor with a plate designed and made by Northern Pottery, a Chapleau industry.The platinum plate was unique as it had been designed specifically for this occasion. (For new readers, I was the Reeve (Mayor) of Chapleau at the time.)

Following the departure of Mrs. McGibbon, there was another celebration at the Chapleau Public Library. The highlight of the gathering was the presentation of an achievement scroll to Mrs. Cecile by George Evans. It read as follows: "The Board of the Chapleau Public Library, in recognition of her untiring devotion to library service in Chapleau, presented this plaque to honour Mrs. Rene Cecile, member of the Board since its inception in 1959." Her granddaughter Lisa presented her with a bouquet of red roses.

Harry Pellow, then of Neish Owen Rowland and Roy was the principal architect for the Chapleau Civic Centre. Harry is a member of a pioneer Chapleau family.

Next week: Canada Week 1978 continued with openings, Don Harron, Catherine McKinnon, Foster Hewitt and King Clancy. My email is mj.morris@live.ca