MERRITTON MATTERS

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What have we been up to? Santa Claus Parade - Nov. 28th Our Website Keeps Getting Better Check it out at www.merrittonmatters.ca Rene Russler has made updates to our website so that it now includes an advertising listing with hotlinks so that all Merritton Matters’ advertisers get free ads on the website. Back issues of our newsletters have been archived. 12 I MERRITTON MATTERS
Welcome Johnny! By Arnold Hartnett The building housing the new Johnny Rocco’s Italian Grill has a long and interesting history. The building was constructed in 1860 by Gordon McKay and Co. of Toronto, and was known as the Canadian Coloured Cotton Mills, one of two cotton mills located in Merritton. It was also known as the Lybster Mill. The owners of the Lincoln Paper Co., located less than a mile north of the Lybster Mill decided to expand their operations and bought the Lybster Mill prior to 1908. After building additions to the south end and the east side of the old mill, and installing machinery, they started production in 1911. The company amalgamated with Ritchie and Ramsay of New Toronto in 1928 and joined the Georgetown Coated Paper Mill, and the name Alliance Paper Co. came into being. The Lybster Mill in Merritton then became the Lybster Division of Alliance Paper Co. Dominion Tar and Chemical bought Alliance Paper Co. in 1962 and it was known for years as Howard Smith Papers, and later it was called Domtar. After months of rumours and speculation the mill closed for good in 2002, and was later purchased by Nino Donatelli. The old addition that was built in 1908-11 was then demolished, leaving the original cotton mill building standing. It sat vacant until a tenant was secured and serious renovation work started in 2009. A big thank you to Mr. Donatelli for his vision and sense of history, and to Johnny Rocco, welcome to Merritton! Lincoln Paper Mill On ebay recently, there was a Merritton postcard for sale that featured a bird’s eye view of the Lincoln Paper Mill. The seller stated that the card was likely from the early 1900’s. An interesting fact about this paper mill was that it was once managed as well as owned by a man whose first name was Welland. He was Welland Woodruff and he took over from his father Samuel Woodruff. Samuel was born in 1819 in St. Davids and was an assistant engineer working on the second Welland Canal in the 1840’s. He served on the board of the Lincoln Paper Mill and was one of the chief stockholders. He built a house on what is now Woodruff Avenue in St. Catharines. His son Welland was born in 1861 and joined his father’s firm in 1881. Under Welland’s guidance, the mill expanded and was a significant employer in Merritton. He was an avid golfer and President of the St. Catharines Golf Club from 1914 until his death in 1920. MERRITTON MATTERS I 13
Page 1 and 2: MERRITTON MATTERS Winter 2010 • V
Page 3 and 4: Habitat Updates Cadets Vigil Prior
Page 5 and 6: 2009 District Senior Champions Agai
Page 7 and 8: Mr. C We were sad to see the passin
Page 9 and 10: Thank a Soldier 2009 Trillium Award
Page 11: Following-Up On Last Issue’s Arti
Page 15 and 16: Last Issue’s Trivia What was the

MERRITTON MATTERS

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