Village Squire, 1977-11, Page 40Daytripp ing
Once there was the beautiful gorge in Elora,
now there's an exciting shopping area too
BY KEITH ROULSTON
With cool and usually wet fall weather
coming. travel on the back roads can be
less than comfortable so this month we
decided to take a trip out of the area that
combines some scenic driving and some
interesting shopping at the same time.
We headed north from Listowel on
Highway 23 past some impressive country
homes and on toward Palmerston. In the
southern park of the town of Palmerston
turn right onto Queen Street. This will take
you towards Drayton. The driving is
pleasant here with good roads which seem
to be lightly travelled and pleasant
scenery. particularly the farther east you
go where the land begins to roll. Through
Drayton keep going until the road comes to
a dead end then turn left. toward Alma. At
Alma. turn right again and you'll soon find
yourself in Salem. an old hamlet that is a
suburb of Elora.
I first got to know Elora about 10 years
ago when a roommate at college invited me
home to spend a weekend at his parents
place there. I'd heard vaguely of the place
at the time but didn't have much
knowledge of it. One weekend showed me
what I'd been missing. The Elora gorge
has received a lot more attention in recent
years. It really deserves it too because it's
one of the most beautiful natural tourists
attractions in southern Ontario. The Grand
river carves through the town creating a
deep cavern in the rock. The water rushes
through the channel with a roar and trees
cling to the rough rock outcroppings along
the bank. In the middle of the usually calm,
sedate Ontario farming country. it's a
dramatic sight.
But 10 years ago that's about all Elora
was noted for. People came to see the
gorge but they usually passed through
quickly because aside from the beauty of
old stone buildings there wasn't much else
in Elora. More interesting things were
down the road to Guelph.
Today all that is changed. The old main
street in the town (Geddes Street). remains
much the same, like any other small town
main street (perhaps a little shabbier than
Mill Street in Elora contains one of the largest collections of small shops this side of Yorkville some). but down by the gorge, things are
in Toronto. booming. Elora has been discovered by the
38, VILLAGE SQUIRE/NOVEMBER 1977.