HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1975-06-26, Page 69;•
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SEAFORTH
FARMER'S CO-OP
Serving Seaforth and District Farmers
with a complete line of
Co-op Feeds And Concentrates
Seeds *Gtains * Fertilizers -
*Custom Chopping And Mixing
*Gas And' Fuel Oil Delivered
T - Your Farm
R way Street
* Household And Hardware
Supplies
*Appliances * Universal
Milkers
*F•rney Welding Equipment
Phon,- 527-0770' Seaforth
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Thanks to the.Lions ,
since '26
instruction in water safety and the
training in life-saying,The park is
well staffed with competent life
guards, maintenance- crew and
booth operators, at an ever
increasing cost to the Lions Club,
/Like all Lions Clubs, our efforts
were alsO directed toward the
work of sight conservation and aid
to the blind, but it also became
very evident to our young club,
years before the advent of
National Health Care; that many
crippled childien in Huron
County required medical care t
that' their families could not
provide. The Seaforth Lions Club
Crippled Childrens Committee
pioneered in holding clinics and
as a result scores of young people
were cured through orthopedic
treatment or surgery. This effort
along with the provision of. eye
glasses for children with impaired
(By.rames A. Stewart)
when two acres of land, which
contained an abandoned
limestone quarry through which
the small Silver Creek flowed,
was leased by the Lions Club.
Dredging the old quarry of its
years of silt, an, effort that saw
many Lions on. the business end
of a hand shovel, and building the
first dam created an attractive
swi'Eming- hole. A raft and a
diving board were the only added
facilities, but they served
admirably for the first few years.
In 1928, arrangements were
completed , to, purchase the
original two acre property, and at
this point it became evident that a
Canadian Charter, whereby
Canadian Clubs could hold
properties in their own rights,
was imperative. Through the
untiring efforts of International
Director Harry A. Newman, who
later became the first Canadian to
hold the office of International
President, a Canadian Charter
was granted.
Cleaning the poOl, as it was
constituted, became and
increasing prOblem, and'in 1935 a
retaining wall was built on the
south bank, the north bank w as
edged with a stone wall, and the
swimming area was cemented to
create a two level pool of 80' x
100'. A drainage hole was drilled
into the rock fissures which
facilitated easy water removal for
pool cleaning. Funds for these
expenditures were raised by
staging annual Hallowe'en
Frolics, with torchlight Oracles,
free candy for the children,
games, bingos and major prize
draw. An adjoining property :and
house was bought by Dr. Chas.
McKay and given to the Club to
provide a home for a permanent
caretaker.
The official opening of the
newly cemented pool was held in
late August of 1935, -Which, was
rained out, but this, was the start
of our annual Surainer.'Carnival,
which has become one of the
outstanding attractions . of the
summer season at Seaford) Lions
Park .A small club house was
built, with dressing room
facilities, and the pool received
attractive lights, the gift of Mrs.
T.A.G.Gordon in memory of her
brother, the late Dr. ChaSt
McKay, a charter member of the
Club.
The years that followed saw the
erection of a new 100' x 26' Club
House, complete with change
rooms, showers and refreshment
booth,, made possible by admirers
Swimming lessons have always been popular at the Lions. Park.,
with complete plant, filtration sun
vision, won many friends and
supporters throughout the
county.
The'great depression of the late
twenties and early. thirties
provided a challenge to the Lions
decks and protective' enclosures. for picnics and has been used, as Club 'for a charitable service to hundreds of childrenwto„chce to-- -- The new' pool was officially well, for dances. penny saleS-and hard-liiiiel7wolild have missed ebened- in -1956 --and since that • bingos -during ' the Summer the joys of Christmas. Parcels of time, has required very minor Carnivals..
repair or upkeep. A new flood control dam, cases
i cfoolotdh,inwge, rtoeyds,elainvedriend
mtoanya In 1961 a childrens' wading beautiful Centennial Gates and great number of homes to assure pool was builtr, with funds repairs to the Club Houie have '"'them a Merry Christmas. provided by the families of
deceased Lions, , as a permanent
memorial to their dedication and
work with the Seaforth Lions
Club.
1964 saw the completion of a
much needed picnic Pavilion, at a
cost of $12,000. This 36' x 86'
building provides a sheltered area
kickers in the old swimming
been completed 'since 1967, and
thanks is due the Township of
Tuckersmith- for their assistance
in two of,these later projects.
The Lions Park to-day is a far
cry from the swimming hole of
nearly fifty years ago and over
25,000 children. each summer
enjoy the swimming, the
Perhaps, the Seaforth Lions
Club was among the first to
organize Santa Claus visits to the
town, when 1500 or more
stockings, filled with-fruit, candy
and a toy were handed out at a big
Christmas tree set up on Main
(Continued on Page 2'7)
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The Seaforth Lions Club was
organized in the Pall of 1924, with
the late R.M.Jonea as. its first
President and the late ;Geo. W.
Spencer as the first Secretary,
Twenty-five entkillastic
professional 'and business men
and three Clergymen made, pp the
slate of Charter Members',- Of this
original group, two members
have survived the span of SO
years „Chas. A. Barber of the,,.-
Seaforth Club and R. Neil
Bissonnette, now of the Stratford
Club. It is interesting to note
here, that these same two Lions
were the first to represent
Seaforth , at an International
Convention.
The history • of the
Seaforth Lions Club must, of
necessity, start with the beautiful
Lions' Park for it has been the
object-of 48 years of planning,
. work, dedication, fund raising
and effort, until/ to-day it has
become the Mecca for thousands
who take advantage of thcc2fine
facilities that make up this of the work of the Seaforth Lions complete picnic, swimming and Club :
sports area. The decrea_sing_flo.wpf water in
From its modest start-in 4926; "Silver Creek, coupled with the
increasing degree of water
pollution ; were the main reasons
for the decision to abandon the
old pool and proceed with plans
to construct a completely new
pool. Province-wide sales of raffle
tickets on cars, permitted in those
days, a public subscription and
local and Government grants
provided the $48,000 needed to
build the 45' x 100' pool,
• This photo shows a group of hard
pool in the 1920's.
25-THE HURON EXPOMTUR JUNE 29, 19/5 •
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