Premier Bill Davis visits Chapleau working the room with constituents even while enjoying ice cream cone on downtown walking tour

Premier Bill, MJ, Willie Memegos, Clare Hoy in cap

Bill Davis, who was Ontario's second longest serving premier from 1971 to 1985, held a cabinet meeting In Kapuskasing, called a provincial election while in Timmins, and made his first campaign stop Chapleau in August 1975.

Although Chapleau council presented a brief to the cabinet meeting in Kapuskasing, Mr. Davis decided to visit the community to discuss local priorities. 

The major priority at the time was to complete the new Chapleau General Hospital, extend services to it and realign Teak Street, but the needs of the elderly were high on Chapleau's list of priorities.

With a reduction in  beds at the new hospital, there was a great need for a facility for the special needs of the elderly. In the brief, there was a request for an extended care facility to be located at the hospital. In due course, Chapleau was told there was no funding for such facilities, and that was how Cedar Grove Lodge came into being.

In 1998, the Bignucolo Residence was opened -- about 23 years later.

By 1975, the airport was open with norOntair service daily but the airport commission led by Gene Bernier and Yvon Martel, wanted the runway extended and paved to bring it up to standard and stimulate the economy. Mr. Davis was told that a Ministry of Natural Resources water bombing base should be built at Gala Lake. Chapleau was an ideal location for the base.

Council had also started planning for a civic centre to replace the Town Hall, as well as for a new sewage plant and system as it had reached its optimum use.

Get this one!!! Council was asking for an "immediate" feasibility study to pursue improvements to the connecting link between Highways 144 and 129, commonly called the Sultan or Ramsey Road. 

The brief to the premier argued that "the opening of such a link (as a provincial highway) would greatly reduce travel time to and from the community and is necessary for increased economic activity in Chapleau."

So much for that one. Forty-two years later, as folks were travelling home for the 90th anniversary reunion of Chapleau, they were asking on Facebook, "How is the Ramsey road?"We avoided it by coming via Highway 129 and returning by Highway 144.

While in Chapleau, Mr. Davis visited the Chapleau Centennial Museum, and was taken on a tour of the new hospital site by William Memegos, the township public works superintendent, then off to the downtown area, where, always the politician he did some mainstreeting. First, he picked up an ice cream cone from Walter Broomhead at the Algoma Dairy, which gave the travelling press a photo op.

As an aside, it just struck me that in 1984, I think, Mr. Broomhead presented a dozen eggs to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau when the prime minister's train stopped in Chapleau. That's a story for another day.

While mainstreeting, Mr. Davis met a family from his Brampton riding, and he spent time chatting with them. Always work the room when your constituents are around, even if it happens to be downtown Chapleau.

Mr. Davis attended a coffee party at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall where the highlight was the presentation of a plaque to Mary (Muske) Campbell for her outstanding work for the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.

A couple of days later, a column by Clare Hoy in the Toronto Sun was headlined "Backwoods Bill" and questioned why the premier would visit a place with only one flashing street light (at Birch and Lorne) and so on on the day he called an election. Not really complimentary to Mr. Davis or Chapleau. Chapleau citizens were not impressed and for a time the Toronto Sun was banned from Pearl Freeborn's corner store.

When I was editor of the Cord student newspaper at Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfrid Laurier University), Mr. Davis was Ontario's education minister and was awarded an honorary degree by the university. It bothered me for the longest time that I ran the Davis story as the headliner on page one, instead of something more radical in keeping with the sixties. But I was a good Progressive Conservative in those days, so I went with it.

As education minister from 1962 to 1971, perhaps his most lasting legacy was to establish community colleges in Ontario, a first in North America, a move that was much criticized, but they are still around. 

When I was news editor at the Brampton Times newspaper responsible for the front page in 1967, we ran every word Mr. Davis ever uttered on the front page. I didn't have to question myself at all as the paper totally supported him, and I simply ran the stories. Mr. Davis was also the consummate riding politician and never missed an opportunity to talk about Brampton -- or chat with constituents as noted on his visit to Chapleau.

Overall, Mr. Davis helped Chapleau. As premier, many considered him very bland, but he had a way about him -- a sense of common decency, so rarely seen today in our politicians that he stands out as one of the most memorable politicians I have known.

Stephen Lewis, who was at one time the Ontario NDP leader sent the following message to Mr. Davis to mark his 80th birthday, three years ago:
"You made politics an art that was at once humane, generous, respectful and urgent. We often disagreed but there always remained a quality of shared regard and friendship, how astonishingly different from the politics of today." Mr. Davis still lives in beloved Brampton. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Mrs. Agnes Freeborn organizes successful Chapleau Senior Citizens Club with first executive elected at meeting in park in 1973

Chapleau Seniors in the Park 1973

The enthusiastic response to the week long round of activities during Senior Citizens Week in 1973 resulted in the formation of the Chapleau Senior Citizens Club.

Mrs. Agnes Freeborn was the organizing force behind the formation of the club, and acted as president until an executive could be formed. Mrs. Freeborn called a meeting at the senior citizens park on the site of the old Chapleau High School which was attended by about 40 senior citizens. She gave an outline of what she felt the club could accomplish, adding she felt it was time to "get the ball rolling" and not let the opportunity pass as it had on previous occasions.

The group agreed, and by the end of the meeting an executive had been elected with Mrs. Freeborn declining to accept the position of president. 

Mrs. Min Blackburn was elected president while Ernest Gilbert became first vice president and Margaret Costello second vice president. Helen Grout was elected treasurer, Charlie Swanson, assistant treasurer, Einar Pearson, secretary and Mrs. Mary Mizuguchi, assistant treasurer. Within a year Mrs. Freeborn had become one of the vice presidents.

Two meetings a month were planned, one for business and one for social activities.

Writing in the Sault Star about Senior Citizens Week, Maggie Costello noted that senior citizens had held the spotlight with events that included a bowling evening, a talent show, an evening of cards, a dance, the official opening of the park and a bus trip to Dubreuilville for mass.

Maggie wrote that at the tea, the talent show and the dance, the generation gap just about disappeared which was nice to see. She made special note of the work done by Eileen McCrea and Joan Warren, the coordinators of the week's activities, saying they "did an outstanding job of seeing that their guests were comfortable and happy. They were a busy crew".

Maggie concluded that the dance was the "highlight of the week when the young, the over 40s and the 60s and over mingled gaily and happily and shook a mean foot for all the dances.

"The music provided by the Rhythmaires was a most welcome departure from what we are subjected to most of the time. With everyone well dressed, the young hostesses looking like a bunch of bright flowers, and all out for a merry evening, there prevailed an atmosphere ... of 'the good old days' and missing for some time past."

Through the organizational efforts of Mrs. Freeborn, the club was founded and continued where previous efforts had failed.  Active in many aspects of Chapleau life, Mrs. Freeborn was born in Chapleau, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. McAdam. Her father, a CPR engineer was the third reeve of Chapleau holding office from 1917 to 1919. Her husband Earle, a CPR freight agent died in office while serving as the 7th reeve in 1938. Her son Elmer served several terms on Chapleau council and another son Earle served as reeve/mayor from 1998 to 2010. On December 1, 1974, the Chapleau Senior Citizens Club played host to the people of Chapleau in their newly renovated Drop In Centre in the basement of Trinity United Church.

Guests were welcomed by Mrs. Freeborn, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Gwen Clegg and Mrs. S. Marcel. The head table was "gaily decorated in a Christmas decor" according to the Chapleau Sentinel. 

Presiding at the head table pouring tea were Miss Helen Grout and Mrs. M. Murray. Waiting on tables were Mrs. M. Rioux, Mrs. Ed Riley, Mrs. J. Brownlee, Mrs. Zita Evans, Mrs. F. Lucas and Mrs. Mary Mizuguchi.

A major highlight of the opening was when the men took over the serving duties. Pouring tea were Willie Fortin and Louis Longchamps while A. Emond, L. Rioux and Peter Blackburn  waited on tables.

The kitchen was managed by Mrs. L. Thibault, Mrs. O. Brunette, Mrs. C. Law, Mrs. Rose Ritchie and Mrs. M. O'Hearn.

Rev. William Ivey brought greetings from St. John's Anglican Church while Rev. D. Maclean of Trinity United Church said he was pleased the Seniors were using the building.

Councillors Dr. G.E. Young, Walter Wilson and Ernie Gilbert were there, and I was too. In 1973 I was a councillor and chairman of the Chapleau Recreation Committee; in 1974, it was my first year as Reeve.

The finishing touch to the occasion was the music by Eunice Michaud and her electric piano which was enjoyed by all.

In 1976, club members participated in groundbreaking ceremony for Cedar Grove Lodge, and in 1978, with its completion, the senior citizens moved to the Mrs. Agnes Freeborn Memorial Elderly Persons Centre, in recognition of her efforts in establishing the club. Mrs. Freeborn died on March 3, 1977. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Beresford Greatheed, aka Greathead, visited 'city' of Chapleau while walking across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax in 1895

Chapleau folk in front of Mechanics Institute (Crichton collection)

William James Percy Beresford Greatheed, aka Greathead, visited Chapleau in 1895 while walking across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax as part of a wager to walk around the world in five years. 

In a letter to the Sudbury Journal of July 4, 1895, he signs it simply as Beresford Greatheed, but by 1904 when he appears to be still on a walking tour he has become "Professor" Beresford Greathead.

The story goes that in 1895 two clubs in Vancouver sponsored the around the world walk with the winner receiving $50,000, an incredible amount at the time, if he completed it in five years. Greatheed was selected and off he went with no money, only the clothes on his back, no luggage except for a leather satchel containing his notebook, and a rifle with some ammunition.

His letter to the Sudbury Journal says he arrived in Chapleau and Mr. Mulligan - the very genial CPR agent welcomed me and showed me the various sights of the city."

"This place has a population of 500 souls and is built on a fine river."

To those who may already have doubts that Greatheed ever was in Chapleau, in 1895, the Mr. Mulligan to whom he refers was John George who was the Canadian Pacific Railway Dominion Express Chapleau Agent, later renamed CPR Express. John was one of the four Mulligan brothers in Chapleau at the time -- Patrick ran Murrays and Mulligan general store: Thomas was the store's accountant; Charles was a carpenter, and John the Express agent.

My cousin Michael McMullen discovered the Greatheed story while doing research into our family at the Sudbury Public Library while we were on our way to Chapleau for the Chapleau High School reunion. Our respective grandmothers were members of the Mulligan family.

Although Chapleau had about 500 residents when Greatheed visited, he called it a city, and commented that it had "fine churches, CPR shops, three hotels, three or four good stores and numerous fine dwelling houses."

He paid particular attention to the Mechanics Institute, "a fine building erected in 1890 and has a hall where 300 persons could easily be seated - membership is 250 and each member paying $2 per annum. Upstairs is occupied by various fraternal societies such as the Freemasons, Oddfellows. Knights of Pythians, Forresters, etc.

"A fine library exists here and most of the principal journals, magazines are ready for use of membership up until 10 p.m."

CPR station where her arrived by foot! (Crichton collection)

He gives great credit to president Mr. Kyle and vice president Mr. Mulligan for the "good order of things at the institute." It is quite likely that they had become the hosts for his visit as Greetheed had to rely on the generosity of people he met along the way.

He added: "I must not forget however, the polite caretaker whose name I failed to note."

The Mechanics Institute in Chapleau, and there were many across Canada and elsewhere was established by 1890 in a building across from the present Redwood Restaurant on Birch street. It had started as a Reading Club by 1887 and had evolved into the institute, according to research undertaken by George Evans. It burned down in 1910, and many files about the early years of the community were lost as it had also been used as the Town Hall.

However, in his letter to the Sudbury Journal, Greatheed is not so kind in his comments about the Canadian Pacific Railway.

He gives praise to the sectionmen who keep the track in good condition in this division of a "Mr. Kennedy" but that "taking into consideration the tremendous heat, black flies, mosquitoes, and a hundred other evils, the poor men deserve an increase in wages or at least their old pay restored. "These sectionmen have as much responsibility hanging over them if not more, than any other offered on the line, and I must say that I consider it very poor policy on the part of the CPR to treat them with such little consideration."

He promises to write more on this matter later.

Apparently Greatheed did walk across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax, a distance of about 4,000 miles in 12 months, and later walked in parts of Europe. I could not find evidence though that he won the $50,000 prize. There is a reference to him as "the great walker" in The Amazing Foot Race of 1921: Halifax to Vancouver in 134 Days by Shirley Jean Tucker.

However, he reappears in the December 31, 1904 issue of The Dispatch newspaper of Lexington,North Carolina, as Professor Beresford Greathead, giving a lecture to a small but interested group about his journeys. It appears that he is now on a lecture tour of the United States.

He is now saying that his walk around the world started in 1898, and that he has walked 40,000 miles. The article says he was 39 years old, six feet tall and 260 pounds, and spoke four languages.

Undoubtedly, William James Percy Beresford Greatheed, aka Greathead, was an interesting character, who shared his moments in Chapleau, on his way across Canada. Thanks to Michael McMullen for discovering the story. My email is mj.morris@live.ca