July 16,1997
25 Years Ago
Tourism Association opening fourth booth: Within days, Pontiac will have a fourth tourist booth in operation. A booth has been moved from Kazabazua to the eastern end of Bristol on Hwy. 148 and is scheduled to open soon.
“It’s at the entrance to Pontiac and to the Green Trail,” says Linda Thompson, president of the Pontiac Tourism Association, the organization which has taken over the operation of the booths.
The other three booths are located in Shawville, Portage du Fort and Allumettes Island.
Local youth earns Chief Scout Award: On Sunday, Scouts Canada, National . . .
Capital Region, convened the annual Chief Scout and Queen’s Venturer Awards. Approximately 70 youths were present at a special ceremony to receive these distinctive achievements in the Scout and Venturer programs.
Among the 1997 NCR recipients was Scott Stanley, of the first Shawville Scouts. Scott was very honoured to have Tyler McCann attend as Flag Bearer to display the 1953 Shawville Scout flag during the presentations.
The award programs entail the completion of very involved projects over a three year period. 1997 marks the 90th anniversary of scouting in Canada.
July 26, 1972
50 Years Ago
Shawville dentist elected chairman of new enlarged West Quebec School Board: Dr. Wallace Hodgins of Shawville has been elected chairman of the Protestant Regional School Board of the Ottawa Valley which now includes all Western Quebec Papineau County and all of Pontiac county.
Dr. Hodgins has also been named chairman of the executive committee which consists of seven members plus two observers. From Pontiac County, aside from Dr. Hodgins, the regular member is Lorne Routliffe and the observer is Grant Eades.
There will be only three school nurses for the entire area, under the new regulations and these will be chosen by the medical board of the Sacre Coeur Hospital in Hull, where they must spend a half a day each week.
Two amalgamations in Pontiac County: Three announcements have arrived in this office from the Department of Municipal Affairs.
One regards the authorization for Chapeau to change its water rates to the school board to $100 per classroom.
The second and third announcements concern the amalgamations of various municipalities with certain other municipalities in Gatineau County.
One such amalgamation groups Quyon and the Onslows with Eardley and the second amalgamation groups Aldfield with the Mashams and the Wakefields.
As for naming the new municipality surrounding Quyon, Mayor Bill Burke expects to hold a meeting soon with all the other councils concerned to discuss ways and means of renaming the area.
July 31, 1947
75 Years Ago
Missing from our files
July 13,1922
100 Years Ago
Local news: The secretary of A.S. No. 1 acknowledges a donation of five dollars from Mr. H.N. Moss of Renfrew towards the fund for improving the exhibition grounds.
Rev. J.A. Bain, a former pastor of the Wesleyan congregation here is attending the camp meeting of that body in progress this week. He is accompanied by Mrs. Bain, his two sons and little daughter.
The following matches in the Lower County League Schedule: June 28 – St. Pats at Vinton – won by Vinton, score 17-8. June 30 – Campbell’s Bay at Murrells (played at Shawville) Won by Murrells. Score 14-13. July 5 – St. Pats at Shawville. Won by Shawville. Score 9 to 2.
Local fans are hopeful that the “striped shirts” will maintain the winning streak which gave them their first win on Wednesday.
The anniversary social of the Methodist congregation held on the parsonage lawn last Friday evening came off rather successfully, although subject to the handicap of unpleasant weather, a strong, dust-ridden wind prevailing all evening. A good many thought those in charge would have been well advised had they adjourned the gathering to the church basement where the furies of Old Boreas could have been contemplated in contentment and resignation.
The program was chiefly of a musical character, provided by local talent with a few short speeches sandwiched in.
Mr. Norris Hodgins of Macdonald College, editor of the Journal of Agriculture, spent the past week enjoying a few holidays at the home of his parents in town, Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Hodgins.
On Wednesday evening last the citizens of Shawville and some of the people of the surroundings were treated to a free exhibition and entertainment, which was quite out of the ordinary and it is rather unfortunate that the event was not more extensively advertised, to the end that a greater number would have had the opportunity of seeing something really worthwhile.
The reference is to the visit of the Canadian Forestry Association’s Exhibition Car, containing specimens of all woods grown in Canada with examples of the multiform uses to which they are put, including a variety of manufactured articles and numerous chemical by-products, regarding which the average has but a limited knowledge. Striking object lessons are afforded from models done in plaster of how forest growth conserves the water supply and moisture of lands utilized for agricultural purposes, compared with districts which have been rendered arid and barren by fire’s destructive agency.
The car, which by the way was in charge of a Mr. Blythe, was also equipped with a first-class moving picture outfit, through which several most interesting pictures were thrown on a screen suspended from the side of the car. The last and most striking of these was how a destructive fire may be started by the thoughtless discarding of a cigarette butt and the methods that are employed in British Columbia for embattling fires of this nature.
July 29,1897
125 Years Ago
Local News: Farmers around here are busily engaged at their hay which is considerably below the average crop, but the sons of the soil do not seem to trouble themselves much about it, seeing there are good prospects of an abundant harvest.
A slight wash-out occurred at Mr. Dowd’s mill dam at Quyon on Friday morning. The breach was detected in the nick of time, otherwise it would have been more serious. Mr. Dowd had teams engaged on Friday and Saturday repairing the damage which was due to the placing in of several stop logs which raised the water in the pond.
The weekly excursions on the steamer G.B. Greene are among the topics which the young people delight in talking about just now.
The McGinty is doing a good business now and is considered a very safe craft. Even some of the fair sex stand up in her and feel “all right”.
The farmers in Bristol are busy with their hay, which is neither hard to cut nor heavy to draw in.
John Duff and John O’Brien, we are told, were re-elected school commissioners for another term.
We have learned that the M.D. of Elmside found it necessary to go to Arnprior to replenish his medicine chest but on arriving to the Ontario side of the river, he found that a form of heart affection, with which he has been troubled for some time past again attacked him and that relief for his affection could be procured in the town of Renfrew only, whither he went by C.R.R. But on his arrival there he found there was no return train till next morning and the C.P.R. not having a special in town to place at his disposal, he was compelled to remain over.
However, he returned next day much improved.
Messers. Dan McLaren, D. Baird and H. Buckham of Ottawa came up by sailboat on Monday and spent the afternoon in town.
We were sorry to lose one of our most amiable young ladies recently, Miss Ballantine, who is Miss Ballantine no longer. But we console ourselves with the thought that what is our loss is her gain.
Ad: (Photo) C. Caldwell, proprietor. This hotel will be found fully equipped for the accommodation of the public generally and especially commercial men. Free bus meets all trains. Good livery in connection. Ladies and gents bicycles kept for hire.
