Photograph of Norman McKinstry from the Bradford Centennial edition of the Bradford Witness. He was one of many who returned home to Bradford for the celebrations.

"Councillor Peter Dykie Jr. has been busy, helping to spruce up Bradford for the Sesquicentennial celebration this year. In particular, he has made it his project to raise the funds to restore the Town's murals, in time for the 150th Anniversary - starting with the historic mural on Holland St. Eact, painted by artist Bill Lewotchko to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Yonge St..."

"BWG Council passed a Bylaw appointing the members of the new Sesquicentennial Executive Steering Committee - a committee of Council set up to oversee decisions on the celebrations for the 150th Anniversary of Bradford.
Councillor Del Crake was appointed Chair of the Committee; members are Councillors Jeanny Salmon, James Leduc, and Mark Contois.
The Committee will work with the Recreation Department, and with residents, organizations and groups interested in hosting events or getting involved in the Municipal celebration, which will take place from Oct. '07 to Sept. '08.
Among the suggestions: a Celebration Logo Contest, a re-enactment of the inaugural meeting of Council, a Winterfest, Super Picnic, Fireworks, sports tournaments and Civics awards. A New Year's Gala on December 31st, 2007, will be a major fundraiser for an "artifact of object" to be unveiled on July 1, 2008.
The next meeting of the Committee is on February 12th. Any community group or organization interested in getting involved in the Sesquicentennial should contact Manager of Recreation Nick Warman,....
"This is going to be a very exciting time for our town," said Mayor Doug White. "It's going to be one great, great year." "

"At 2 p.m., on Saturday, October 7, a weekend which will long be remembered, began for the residents of Newton Robinson and the Newton Robinson community, when friends of former years came to celebrate the village's Pioneer Family Days.
The activities for the celebration were introduced with a parade, which assembled a Poole's garage, and was led by two pipers, Paul and Marilyn Moir of Cookstown, up the hill and into Lloyd Coburn's orchard, which was prepared in readiness for celebrating the occasion." ...

Article features local news, such as the celebration of Canada's Centennial in Bradford, and Dorothy Cilipka's history of the Holland Marsh.

A formation ride of the Governor General's Horse Guards at the Centennial Park during Saturday's opening celebration.

"Jack and Diane Kooiman and family recently moved into a new home on the 11th Concession, and found the perfect way to both celebrate Canada's birthday, and beautify their property. The three Kooiman sons, their friends and girl friends came up to Bradford West Gwillimbury for the day, and planted blue spruce and maple trees along the property's edge/
Their reward was a barbeque, followed by fireworks. And on Sunday, the Kooimans will be holding their first annual family reunion, with family members from as far away as Kingston coming up for the weekend.
A birthday, notes Jack, is a special thing. "It only happens once a year - and your 125th is a wonderful day!"

Article detailing the unveiling ceremony of a cairn dedicated to Professor William H. Day.

Article detailing the unveiling ceremony of a cairn dedicated to Professor William H. Day.

"Bill and Brenda Vernon's home on the 9th Concession was the scene of a family reunion, barbeque and flag raising on Canada Day. Bill Vernon built a new 33' flagpole for the occasion, and spruced up the yard with landscaping that included putting in new gate posts, a decorative old-fashioned water pump - and a wagon wheel.
The wheel is part of the family history, all that remains of the turn-of-the-century 4 wheeled "Democrat" that belonged to Brenda Vernon's grandparents.
Her mother, Mrs. Murphy, now in her 80s, remembers one trip in the Democrat, when she was only 6 years old. It was Christmas, but a green Christmas with no snow, and the family decided to take the four wheeler, rather than a sleigh, for the annual trip from West Gwillimbury to her grandparent's farm in Uxbridge.
Normally, the whole trip took three days - one to get to the farm, with a stopover in Holland Landing for lunch and to feed the horses, Christmas Day with the family, and a day to return home.
That year, however, it snowed heavily on Christmas day. "They had a long, long lane, and it was full of snow the day after Christmas," says Mrs. Murphy. The entire length of the lane had to be shovelled out before they could begin their return journey, a trip that took substantially longer than usually."