May 2010 - The Bulletin Magazine

A Sense of Belonging
submitted by Peg Bill, Mount Albert
When I arrived in Mount Albert in 1969 from London, I referred to my new place as ‘this’
village. Now I believe I can call it my village too.
No two villages are the same. We have originality, tradition, uniqueness, home-grown summer fruit, vegetables,
and original recipes captured from early experienced settlers.
A genuine hand-me-down-inherited village, mixed with the new arts, shops, and gifts.
A church attended by the faithful that surely helped to comfort and unify early settlers. Enormous hardships
endured that only the love of the land and faith could withstand. The birth of a community through word of
mouth has allowed us to inherit the depth of their courage, kindness and ways of doing things. These have not
changed, only the machinery in rural farmlands.
A walk in the old Cemetery speaks of more than departure. The heroes of the by gone days so long ago. They
could plough a straight line and seed with their eyes closed. With great storage rooms in barns, all surviving
on what the farmers could grow in Summer, along with animals in Winter. Struggling with the weather and
being surrounded by swamp and poorly drained areas and praying for good crops. They knew hardships, heart
breaks, bone chilling winters and not enough food. These were the family’s worst nightmares. Today I feel we
have inherited the real heroes of our food chain. Some will remember the horses being whipped up steep hills
on slippery winter slopes to deliver provisions to out lying areas and our shops. No heater for the driver, just a
2007
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Omega Realty (1988) Ltd., Brokerage
Independently Owned & Operated
Guy Stramaglia
&
Bruce Trim, Brokers
HALL
of
FAME
1990
1140 Stellar Drive
Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 7B7
Toronto Line: (416) 798-7365 (905) 898-1211
MAY 2010 | The Bulletin 17