HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-05-13, Page 9Wednesday, May 13, 2015 • Huron Expositor 9
Seaforth's Victoria Park prepares for update
Marueen Agar
Huron East/Seaforth Community
Development Trust
May of 1875...The land for Victo-
ria Park was donated to the town.
The first bandstands built here
were located more toward the cen-
tre of the park near where the War
Memorial now stands. They were
circular, open on all sides and the
audience would sit around it and
the music would flow out.
The War Memorial was erected
at the west end of the park after
World War 1. The names of Sea -
forth area men and women who
fought for our freedoms in the wars
are inscribed on the monument.
Band concerts played every week
throughout the summer and often
political rallies and speeches were
held there as well as July 1
celebrations.
Fast forward to 1924. Ernie Box
and other band members were
sent to Toronto to see the Canadian
National Exhibition band shell. The
band shell in Seaforth was built
with the same proportions and
coved ceiling. The band shell is
made of tongue -and -groove clap -
boarding set horizontally on the
sides and back. The front wall is a
series of folding doors that open to
reveal the stage. Painted on the
gable end is a harp. It is believed to
one of only two structures like this
left in Ontario.
A Historical Blue Plaque com-
memorating the founding of Sea -
forth is situated in front of the Cen-
otaph. You can read about the
importance of these plaques on the
Ontario Historic Plaque website
www.ontarioplaques.com
Fast forward to early 2014. The
Seaforth Victoria Park band shell
was in need of renovations and
painting. Barb Box, granddaughter
Victoria Park in Seaforth in May 2015.
of Ernie Box, had passed away and
the family decided to donate
money to the refurbishment of the
band shell in her name. Knowing
the scope of work needing to be
done in a municipality, Maureen
Agar, a director on the Huron East/
Seaforth Community Development
Trust approached the Trust
requesting extra funds to add to the
Barb Box donation to help refur-
bish Victoria Park. Agar then
approached the Municipality for
permission to be the volunteer lead
on the project. After receiving the
nod Agar met with Travis Posthill,
husband of Barb Box, to discuss
what the family would like to see
done at the park with their wonder-
ful donation. With the Trust, the
family of Barb Box, the Seaforth
Public School Green Team, and the
Municipality working together Sea -
forth Victoria Park will be a striking
tribute to our community.
Painting and a new deck at the
band shell will be happening very
soon. Landscaping will be done
and new benches will be in place.
The Seaforth Public School Green
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team did a walk about in the Park in
April and made many wonderful
suggestions about what they felt
needed to be done to improve the
park They offered to come and pick
up garbage and broken branches
and help ready the park for its reno-
vations. What a great partnership
having youth involved and con-
cerned about a very important part
of our history. Two members of the
Seaforth Horticultural Society also
visited the park with Agar and made
suggestions. It has taken more time
Marco Vigliotti/Huron Expositor
for things to happen but waiting out
the winter and getting all the con-
tractors lined up often takes longer
than anyone likes.
Weather permitting to allow the
work to be done a grand re -open-
ing will be happening at Seaforth
Victoria Park on July 1. The hope is
that the citizens of Seaforth and
area will once again come visit at
the park, picnic with their family,
use the park for family photos, and
enjoy the music on Thursday night
through the summer.
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