HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 118Can you really imagine
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From the left, Don Bell, Pete Rumball, John Schroeder, Don and Joanne Taylor, John Brock and Gerald
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No wonder our ancestors
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Section 1 Pap 30 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE JUNE 28, 1973
Saw many changes as town clerk
August 12, 1965
The Exeter municipal council
were hosts at a banquet Wed-
nesday, July 28 at the Dufferin
Hotel, Centralia, to honor Mr.
C.V. Pickard whose retirement
as clerk of the town took place
August 1.
Present were members of the
council and civic officials with
their wives and a number of
honored guests.
Chairing the meeting was
Mayor J. Delbridge who spoke
highly of the service rendered by
Mr. Pickard. Among the others
who reiterated their appreciation
of the assistance given to them by
the retiring clerk and their best
wishes for Mr. Pickard during his
retirement was the former reeve,
B.W. Tuckey and later the first
mayor of Exeter. It was during
Mr. Tuckey's term as reeve that
Mr. Pickard was first appointed
to the clerkship, a move, he said,
he had never regretted.
Councillor Ross Taylor, 12
years in office, on behalf of the
municipality presented Mr.
Pickard with a self-winding gold
watch, suitably engraved.
Mr. Pickard in accepting the
gift, outlined some of the more
important events that have taken
place in Exeter, the home of his
birth.
JOTTINGS BY J.M.S.
July 15, 1954
I am reminded today of one of
the old landmarks that has long
since disappeared. Many will
recall the old skating rink
situated on the corner across
from where the Exeter High
School is located. It was operated
first by Peter Bawden and then
by his son Teddy.
The rink had a half a dozen
pillars down either side for the
support of the roof and hockey
players in their mad scramble for
the puck had to dodge the pillars.
The youngsters used to play tag
around them.
Band nights and carnivals were
special events and as there were
not the same avenues of
amusement as there are today
the rink used to be well
patronized.
Many a night through cold
weather and snowstorms I was
half frozen as I trudged through
the storm to get a free skate at
Mr. Pickard said, "I have
greatly enjoyed working for the
municipality of the Town of
Exeter and any part I have
played in the management and
development of this town during
the past twenty-five years has
given me a great deal of
satisfaction.
I was born here 72 years ago, A
very happy boyhood included
many trips to the woods im-
mediately east of what is now Mr.
Dow's subdivision and the area
east of the present Morrison
Dam. Every summer the boys of
the town built a dam of stones for
what became an excellent
swimming hole about midway
between Morrison Dam and the
dani in Riverview Park. Several
hours of fishing, a swim, a feed of
wild raspberries and a drink
from the spring on the north bank
of the river made a perfect day.
Along with many other public-
minded citizens, it affords me
great pleasure to see this area
preserved as a public
playground.
We returned toExeter in 1931
and I entered into the real estate
and insurance business with my
father, Robert E. Pickard.
Before being appointed clerk-
treasurer, I was a member of the
Board of Education, a position
the rink. Mr. Bawden used to let
me on free if I would stay at the
close and help to sweep off the
ice. Nickles were scarce in those
days.
First Cement Blocks
When the rink closed down, the
building was used for the making
of cement blocks. Teddy Bawden
was one of the first to make
cement blocks in Exeter. In
addition to the regular blocks he
made cement pillars and blocks
used in building verandahs, When
the cement sidewalks were laid
on the sidestreets of Exeter
Teddy Bawden was one of the
men who finished off the top. The
finishing had to be done in the
evenings following up what the
men had done during the day.
Incidentally the contractor for
the cement walks of Exeter was
R. G. Seldon. Mr. Seldon's con-
tract for the walks called for 69
cents a foot and he supplied
everything. The sidewalks were
laid in 1909.
from which I had to resign. I was
also a member 'of the arena
committee for ten or eleven
years.
At the time of my appointment
the Town Council consisted of
Reeve Tuckey and Councillors
Edward Dignan, Herbert South-
cott, Wellington Hern and
Sylvester Taylor. Mr. Tuckey
and Mr. Hern are the only sur-
viving members.
During the first four years of
my term of office the main work
of Village Council and ratepayers
was toward war effort.• Expen-
diture of funds was frowned upon
except for essentials and
municipalities were urged to
purchase victory bonds, even to
the extent of borrowing to do so,
However, Exeter was in a
peculiar position as the Airforce
Station was established at
Centralia, bringing an influx of
families to the village. The
village contracted for the con-
struction of fifty houses by the .
Central Mortgage & Housing
Corporation. These houses are
now self-owned and the area
containing them is one to be
proud of.
Our school buildings have been
enlarged greatly. In 1948 we
issued debentures in the amount
of $560,000 to provide a new South
Huron District High School on
Gidley Street. At that time the
new Continuation School on
Victoria Street was handed over
to the Public School Board and
became the nucleus of their new
building. The town has since
issued debentures for three new
public school additions and for
two additions .to the High School,
and you all know that plans are
now afoot to double the size of the
present school. Recently a fine
separate school was erected,
The Town of Exeter has had a
good recreation program
throughout my term of office,
The arena was improved and
artificial ice equipment installed
in 1952. Our Riverview Park has
been greatly expanded with the
purchase of the Frayne, Learn
and Johnston properties. A
modern swimming pool was
constructed last year and with
the completion of the plans now
set up by the Centennial Project
Committee, Riverview Park will
be a real credit to the Town. Our
Recreation, Arena, Parks and
Swimming Pool are managed by
what is known as the "RAP"
committee.
The financial position of the
Town has been good and although
we have carried a considerable
debenture debt, we have always
found eager buyers when we offer
a new debenture for sale. This is
a proof that the Town's credit is
good. A considerable part of our
debenture debt will be paid off in
1968. However, we are forced to
add to it at the present time. It
would appear that the Town
Council should adopt a pay-as-
you-go policy as far as possible.
The sanitation of the town has
also been greatly improved. In
1947 garbage collection was
established. In 1949 the large
storm sewer on William Street
and the Marlborough Pumping
Station were built. Sewers on
Senior, Gidley and Victoria
Streets were installed. All of
these are now part of our sewage
system.
Our industrial Committee has
worked hard and with con-
siderable success, However, I
believe the economy of the Town
will depend largely on the fertile
farm lands of the very large
district from which we draw
business.
I have greatly appreciated the
co-operation and courtesy that I
have received from all members
of Council and other Town of-
ficials and employees throughout
the years. I have also enjoyed my
contacts with the ratepayers of
the Town and the residents of the
surrounding district.
In conclusion Mr. Delbridge
presented to Mrs. R,P. Weber
(the former Jean Taylor) a
certificate from Queen's
University stating she had
successfully passed her
examinations qualifying her as a
municipal clerk. Mrs. Weber has
been engaged as assistant clerk
to Mr, Pickard's successor, Eric
Carscadden.
Among the guests present were
James Paisley, works superin-,
tendent; C.H. MacKenzie, chief'
of police; Eric Carscadden, the
new clerk; Allan Pickard, Mrs.
Verne C. Puls, Mr. and Mrs. R.B.
Chaffe and J.M. Southcott.
Reeve Clarence Boyle greeted
the guests at the door.
Teddy Bawden made
first cement blocks
Best Wishes
For Exeter's
100th Anniversary
STEPHAN ORENCHUK
Upholstery
EXETER