August 2021 issue

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2 THE EARLY HISTORY OF GUELPH - 1784 to 1855 First Nations peoples used land on present-day Guelph as early as 11,000 years ago. Before colonization, the area was considered by the surrounding Indigenous communities to be a “neutral” zone and was inhabited by the Neutral Nation. According to the University of Guelph, “the area was home to a First Nations community called the Attawandaron who lived in longhouses surrounded by fields of corn”. The majority of this nation, about 4,000 people, lived in a village near what is now the Badenoch area of Puslinch, near Morriston. In 1784, the British Crown purchased a tract of land, that included present-day Guelph, from the Mississauga people for approximately £1,180. John Galt, the first Superintendent of the Canada Company, was hired to help colonize Upper Canada. He selected Guelph as the headquarters of this British development firm. Galt was a popular Scottish poet and novelist who also designed the town to attract settlers and farmers to the surrounding countryside. His design intended the town to resemble a European city centre, complete with squares, broad main streets and narrow side streets, resulting in a variety of block sizes and shapes which are still in place today. The street plan was laid out in a radial street and grid system that branches out from downtown, a technique which was also employed in other planned towns of this era, such as Buffalo, New York. The founding was symbolized by the felling of a tree by Galt and William “Tiger” Dunlop, who would be significant in the history of Goderich, Ontario, on April 23, 1827. That was St. George’s Day, the feast day of the patron saint of England. The name Guelph comes through the Italian Guelfo from the Bavarian- Germanic Welf. It is a reference to the House of Welf and chosen to honor King George IV - the reigning British monarch at the time of the city’s founding - whose family, the Hanoverians, descended from the Welfs. It is for this reason that the city has the nickname The Royal City. The directors of the Canada Company had actually wanted the city to be named Goderich, because Lord Goderich had helped form the company, but reluctantly accepted that the village was called Guelph. Galt constructed what was one of the first buildings in the community to house early settlers and the Canada Company office: “The Priory” (built 1827–1828) was located on the banks of the Speed River near the current River Run Centre for performing arts and could house up to 100 people. The building eventually became the Canadian Pacific Railway Priory station on the Guelph Junction Railway before it was eventually torn down and removed. A historical plaque commemorates John Galt’s role with the Canada Company in populating Upper Canada’s Huron Tract, calling it “the most important single attempt at settlement in Canadian history”. (Galt was responsible for finding settlers for the 42,000 acre Halton Block that would become Guelph and its townships but also for the one million acre Huron Tract that stretched to Goderich, Ontario.) By the fall of 1827, 70 houses had been built, though some were primitive. In that year, the community had hired its first police constable. The first police station would be opened in 1856 at the town hall and it was moved in 1900 to the Annex building behind the court house. Also in 1827, the first Guelph Farmers’ Market was built. The Market House was located in the downtown area. Founded in 1827, James Hodgert’s brewery was managed by John Sleeman until he bought a property and opened the Silver Creek Brewery in 1851. In 1843, there were nine breweries serving the 700 people living in Guelph. (Continued on page 18) The Sentinel - August 2021 — Vol. 45, No. 12
The Guelph/Wellington Seniors Association A non-profit organization based at the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre http://www.gwsa-guelph.ca Ross Knechtel - Webmaster Directors & Officers Brian Smith—President Becky Fiedler — Past-President tba — Vice-President Roger Stevens — Treasurer Tonie MacInnis — Secretary Directors Pat Gage Ken Fugler Wenda King Teresa McKeeman Ross Knechtel Adam Rutherford The Sentinel Team Carol Croft — Adminstrator, Printer Linda Green — Editor, Printer George Hughes — Printer Bill Shephard, Ray Miller — Part-time Assistants All of the above GWSA members are Volunteers. GWSA Community Support Services Staff Emma Whittaker — Manager Audrey Bishop — Administrative Assistant Margaret Iutzi — Move Well Co-ordinator Molly Roberts — Eat Well Co-ordinator Paula Frappier — Outreach Co-ordinator All others working for CSS are GWSA Volunteers City Staff Adam Rutherford — Program Manager tba — Customer Service Clerk Tonie MacInnis — Recreation Program Director — Senior Services Becky MacDonald — Recreation Co-ordinator — Volunteers Jocelynn Desroches — Chef Janice Walls — Assistant Cook Don Harris — Facility Maintainer Lorne Wollis — Cleaner Harvinder Marjara, Nathan Luck, Mary Loudoun — Customer Service Clerk II Lynne Briggs — Manager of Recreation Services Evergreen Seniors Community Centre A City of Guelph Recreation Facility run in partnership with the Community Services Department of the City of Guelph and the Guelph/ Wellington Seniors Association 683 Woolwich St., Guelph, ON, N1H 3Y8 Tel.: 519-823-1291 / Fax: 519-823-8972 Hours: 8:30 am to 4:00 pm M-F (closed Statutory Holidays) Read The Sentinel on our website, www.gwsa-guelph.ca ISSN: 0383 817X A MESSAGE FROM THE GWSA BOARD The GWSA hopes members are taking time to enjoy the rewards of our beautiful Canadian summer! The seasons pass quickly, and there is a great deal to absorb and appreciate. We are living in what could be described as “interesting times”. Although some may prefer these to be “uninteresting times” of more safety and stability, we didn’t really get to choose. Everyone is working through uncertainty, and it is an opportunity to demonstrate our resilience. Society is unleashing its creative energy to rise beyond the challenges of the pandemic, and imagine something new! Over a year ago, things changed one afternoon when the Evergreen Centre closed and we shut down our face-to-face programs. At that time, a tentative reopening set for September 2021 seemed an eternity away, but we are finally reaching the threshold of it becoming a reality. As we emerge from our protective shells, the GWSA looks forward to having members back soon. In doing so, we are trusting the guidance we receive from many directions, including public health, legal expertise, and what our members need to feel safe. It is a shifting environment that we need to frequently revisit as we proceed. It’s complicated. It is important to remind members that the Evergreen Centre is a City of Guelph facility. That means it is open to the public, and you may encounter unvaccinated people in areas of the building, including hallways and washrooms. The City will follow current public health protocols, which may involve screening questions, contact tracing, physical distancing, and capacity limits. The City does not ask for Proof of Vaccination or ask those entering to sign a waiver. The GWSA is responsible to its members, who happen to be seniors. The Board has approved a policy that requires members to show Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination to attend our in-person activities and events. It’s a path which helps those who can accept that, to return to activities sooner. It is a way to take care of each other. For example, filling buses to capacity requires precautions where physical distancing won’t work. Our inperson activities at the Evergreen Centre will be restarting in reserved rooms and the gymnasium. The GWSA also requires members to complete the GWSA COVID-19 Liability Waiver to participate in in-person activities. That is to protect all members and volunteers from consequences arising from COVID-19. The GWSA’s general liability insurance policy remains in effect, as always, for other things that can happen. NOTE: Disclaimer—The Sentinel and the GWSA do not necessarily agree with or support statements in the Sentinel made by advertisers, or submissions by writers (no political or religious topics please). The Sentinel - August 2021 3 (Continued on page 4)
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Page 13 and 14: (Continued from page 12) Mah Jongg
Page 15 and 16: 15 No Job too Small - Call Ned Coat
Page 17 and 18: 17 Organizers Trevor Barton and Bri
Page 19 and 20: 19 CREMATION: $1935 +hst BURIAL: $5

August 2021 issue

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