Each week, the Gazette looks back on stories from the past. Here is what happened this week, by year…
1928
– Athol Township reeve Harvey Starks was elected as the new warden of Prince Edward County. Starks, who had seven years of experience on township and county council, ran unopposed.
– The Picton Kiwanis Club was planning to host a giant Loyalist celebration in Picton, similar to one Belleville held two years prior. The club had already taken its plans to the United Empire Loyalist Association of Toronto and it was looking for other partners to join in.
– Five badminton courts were painted on the floors at the Picton Armouries. It was expected more than 50 people would join a club to play the sport, which had become a popular winter pastime in other towns.
1948
– The County’s roads committee hired a contractor to design a new bridge in Milford as the existing bridge had been condemned. It was expected the new bridge would feature concrete spans with a 60-foot stretch in the centre and 40-foot stretches on either side.
– Athol Township celebrated its 100th anniversary Jan. 1, but the milestone went unnoticed at the time. Once it was brought to light, the municipality decided to plan a special ceremony in concert with the opening of the revamped community hall in Cherry Valley later in the year.
– Prominent Picton physician George Whiteman died at age 83. He practiced for over 50 years and also served as coroner.
1978
– The Salvation Army’s new $260,000 citadel at the corner of Elizabeth and Queen streets was to open Jan. 28-29 with Commissioner John D. Waldron visiting. The weekend would feature a march and performance by the Oshawa Citadel Band and a special worship service.
– With a $20,000 investment, Wellington’s Jared Ball nearly took his family off the power grid. Their three windmills and 200 batteries supplied excess power for their home and machine shop. His monthly bills decreased from $155 to $25.
– It was expected a visiting ban instituted before Christmas at the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital due to an influenza outbreak would finally be lifted.
1998
– Martina Prokop, of Roblin Lake, was appointed to the Ontario Parent Council, a non-governmental agency advising the Ministry of Education and Training. A retired nurse, Prokop was running a small business in Belleville. She had sons attending Kente Public and Moira Secondary.
– Nearly 70 people attended a forum at the Prince Edward Community Centre on accessible transit. After a failed attempt in 1994, the Women’s Institute, the hospital, and Prince Edward-Lennox and Addington Community Future Development Corporation led a renewed effort.
– A group of county residents organized a truckload of relief items to be sent to Brockville in the wake of a major ice storm.