Each week, the Gazette looks back on stories from the past. Here is what happened this week, by year…
1937
-There was a significant turnover in the composition of Picton town council following elections. Just three members of the nine-member council, including Mayor Nesbitt McKibbon retained their seats. Harold Vincent and Horace Colliver were elected reeve and deputy-reeve by large margins over their competitors.
– Officials from Picton, Napanee, and Trenton formed an OHA Junior C hockey league. The Picton team was run by Norm Mallett and Bill Branscombe. They hired Billie Hughes to coach.
– Picton merchants welcomed a snow fall as they felt it would energize sales in winter goods and Christmas presents following days of unseasonably warm temperatures.
1957
– Trucks unloaded 26 tons of machinery valued at over $32,000 at the County Arena. The components would make up the artificial ice plant for the county arena. Creamery Package Co. had its engineers in town to complete the installation by the Christmas holidays.
– Reforestation work was underway at the Sandbanks in order to keep the dunes from shifting to cottage sites on the east side of Yeo Lake. A 10-acre strip was planted with Scotch pine, poplar, and locust trees and snow fencing was put in place to hold the sand in place.
– Picton judge W.S. Lane was appointed a co-chair of a six-man national commission to hear citizenship-related appeals
1977
– Picton’s H.J. McFarland Construction Company Ltd. was sold to British company George Wimpey (Canada) Ltd. Managers said little would change for the company’s 400 employees. They also noted the new owners’ long-term plan was to expand the company.
– An overnight fire caused $20,000 in a Cherry Valley home. The blaze started with an electrical malfunction in a deep freezer. Three family members were asleep in the house, but they were awakened by the smoke and they managed to get out.
– An official with Ontario’s culture and recreation ministry said county residents would be responsible for raising $131,000 of the $800,000 cost of a swimming pool.
1997
– Prince Edward County’s Jason Parks, 19, was among 10 youth chosen as Ontario Junior Citizens of the Year. Parks was chosen for bravery in performing an act of heroism while trying to rescue classmate Tanya Fox on a whitewater rafting trip. He was nominated by Fox’s family.
– A public meeting was planned Dec. 15 at Picton Town hall to discuss a drug problem in the county. The meeting’s organizer was hoping to establish a support group to address perceived problems, particularly relating to local teenagers.
– South Marysburgh clerk-treasurer Cliff Walker retired at age 73 after 36 years of serving the township and the County both as an elected official and a staff member.