"It seemed like a reasonable idea, a good idea: in this, the 50th anniversary of D-Day, to recognize some of the municipality's most highly decorated veterans, by renaming duplicate street names in their honour.
The list of names, compiled by the Royal Canadian Legion with the assistance of Bradford West Gwillimbury Police Service researchers, included Gunner JohN Douglas Breeze, recipient of the Military Medal for bravery, and Squadron Commander Brad walker, recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The idea was to honor the war veterans, while they were still alive; to eliminate the risk of confusion of street names in an emergency, by changing similar names; and perhaps, to untie the Municipality in a gesture towards its veterans.
Instead, it re-opened old wounds, and contributed towards new grievances. ..."

Description : It was the realization of a 4-year dream... Back in 2001, George Jackson, founder and chair of the Bradford West Gwillimbury Local History Association, broached the idea of a comprehensive history of the Twp. of West Gwillimbury. The book would focus on the founders and settlers of the Township, the farming families, the businesses, and the flavour and character of life in a rural Township. Jackson quickly drew together a team of enthusiastic volunteers, many of them members of the Local History group, but also others, eager to participate and explore their own genealogy and heritage. In all, 115 volunteers spanning 5 generations took part in the "WEGWHIST" Project. They collected family histories and stories, tracked down archival records, collated photographs that spanned the decades, and worked with staff at Friessens Publishing in Altoona, Manitoba, to put together "Governor Simcoe Slept Here - The Legacy of West Gwillimbury Township." The original idea was to print 750 copies of a 500 page book. The book is now 825 pages, in 2 volumes - with scores of photographs, and a CD that contains a 100-plus page index with over 10,000 entries, and 140 color plates of the Twp. One thousand copies have been printed; 750 were pre-sold, before the launch. The book was formally launched on December 15 at St. John's Presbyterian Church in Bradford. Over 100 people turned out to watch as the volunteers were thanked, and a presentation copy, piped into the room, was presented to the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury by Jackson and Association Secretary, Barbara Verney. Deputy Mayor Dennis Roughley accepted the copy on behalf of the municipality.

Plaque by the Bradford West Gwillimbury Local History Association:

"This cast iron base and impeller were components of one of the two original water pumps installed in the 1928 Holland Marsh Drainage Scheme. The pumps would lower the water level by four to five feet thereby draining the water out of the marsh and allowing the marsh lands to be dried and cultivated. The two pumps could each lift 20 000 gallons per minute from the reservoir over the dam.
The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury assisted in developing the water fountain. George Holancin, local metal sculptor, created the winged blue heron. This piece won Top Honours for Floral Displays as part of the Communities in Bloom Ontario 2006 program."

Governor Simcoe Slept Here: The Legacy of West Gwillimbury is now sold out! The Bradford West Gwillimbury Local History Assoc. has sold all 1,000 copies of the first printing.

The WEGWHIST team has bowed to public demand, and will reprint Governor Simcoe Slept Here, the Legacy of West Gwillimbury. The reprint of the 2-volume set should be available mid-August, 2006. Some factual errors in the first edition will be printed in an addendum to be included with the reprint, and available to all who have already purchased a book. Pre-publication sale of the reprint is underway. The pre-publication price will be $5, the post-publication price $75.

Description : For the past few months, I have had the absolute pleasure of taking a trip down memory lane, by reading "Governor Simcoe Slept Here: The Legacy of West Gwillimbury." I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to those who generously volunteered their time to compile and publish this historical account of the Township of West Gwillimbury. The historical data give the readers a good view of how the Township got its origin. Just as an individual family or farm can't stand alone, neither can a Township, without the intermingling of the small hamlets. It is so interesting to read how places like Pine Hill and Ham's Corners derived their names, just to mention a few. Many of those with whom I have spoken referred to the book as "only about the Township," making it of no interest to Bradford residents. I disagree. Bradford figures prominently in the book, for it was the source of industry and market for many of the rural farms in the surrounding community. Bradford was also the hot spot for social gatherings. Trips from the hamlets into Bradford on Saturday evenings were a weekly highlight for many families.

"The Bradford West Gwillimbury Heritage Committee, established by the previous Council, came to Committee of the Whole on January 16th, to present a proposal for a municipal register of culturally and historically important properties..."

Newspaper article on the creation of the Elizabeth Gwillim Simcoe statue

Newspaper article expressing interest in renaming streets to honour Bradford's history, and including plaques at the roadsides to explain the significance.