"The South Innisfil Community Centre was officially opened last Saturday with a full day of activities ranging from skating races to moccasin dancing. The program started at 8:00 a.m. and carried on through to the evening ending with a dance in the banquet hall. Crowds packed the arena from the time it opened until it closed according to Judy Atkinson, one of the original workers for the arena project."

Thomas Wells Opens School

The new Bradford District High School was officially opened by Education Minister Thomas Wells last Tuesday in a ceremony involving dignitaries from the province, the county, and the town of Bradford.

About 400 people braved the cold and blowing snow to attend the event, highlighted by a policy statement from the education minister, a tribute to Bradford resident Tom Gardner, and a key presentation from architects Adamson Associates and contractor C.A. Smith to principal Alex Taylor.

A moment of silence was also observed for Simcoe County Board of Education superintendent of planning Syd Owens who died the previous Sunday of a heart attack.

Trustee Sam Neilly said of Mr. Owens, "He was one of the most important men in the planning and design of this school. His sudden passing leaves us saddened."

Addresses followed by MPP George McCague (Dufferin-Simcoe), West Gwillimbury Reeve John Fennell, Bradford Mayor Roy Gordon, and York-Simcoe MPP Arthur Evans who introduced Mr. Wells.

Principal Alex Taylor gave a brief history of education in the Bradford area, which began in 1852 with the opening of a grammar school in Bond Head.

After the railway was opened to Bradford in 1859, Mr. Taylor said, the growth of Bradford warranted the establishment of a school there, and the grammar school was loaded onto wagons and moved to Bradford.

He joked that it was the first portable in the county.

Another school was built in 1890 which burned two years later, and a new brick school was built in 1893, but it too was destroyed by fire in 1923.

In 1923 Bradford District High School was constructed (now the Fred C. Cook Senior Public School) which served as the high school until last year.

Bradford's 1976 citizen of the year Tom Gardner, a long-time member of the school board before his retirement, was honored by the chairman of the Simcoe County Board of Education, C.W. Brown.

Mr. Brown called Tom Gardner "Mr. Education," and described his life-long efforts on behalf of education in the country.

He then presented Mr. Gardner with a plaque naming the resource centre in the school "The T.H. Gardner Resource Centre."

Mr. Gardner received a standing ovation from the assembly, and called the tribute "the highlight of my life."

Director of Education Jack Ramsay pointed out to Mr. Wells that the pressure would soon be on for the go-ahead to an extension for the new school next year.

He laughed, "We are optimistic that there will be no delay for that since Mr. Wells is present here."

Trustee Sam Neilly told the audience that today was Mr. Ramsay's birthday, and everyone promptly broke into a rendition of Happy Birthday.

The program concluded with a guided tour of the new high school.

Official opening event for the new Bradford Public Library on November 6, 1988. Sandy Hudson is standing beside Charlie (C.T.S.) Evans, Patty Truchley is also in the photo.

Official opening event for the new Bradford Public Library on November 6, 1988. Pauline Holancin, Eleanor Sherbo and Ada Watson standing with a piece of Holancin's art. This piece was presented by the Bradford Women's Institute to the new Bradford Public Library at the time of the opening of the library's Holland Court location.

Unveiling of an art piece presented by the Bradford Women's Institute to the new Bradford Public Library at official opening of the library's Holland Court location on November 6, 1988.

William de Peuter, Adrienne Price, Ada Watson, Pauline Holancin (artist donating) and Eleanor Sherbo can be seen in the photo.

Unveiling of library dedication plaques by Susan Faria and Harvey Curry at the official opening event for the new Bradford Public Library on November 6, 1988.

"The Bradford Public Library officially opened their new premises at 100 Holland Court on Sunday, November 6, 1988. On hand to officiate over the "ribbon cutting ceremony" was Mayor Bill dePeuter, Librarian Adrienne Price and Honorary Chairman, Mr. Charlie Evans.
The unexpectedly large crowd presented a few problems, no one organizing the event had anticipated. Mrs. Eleanor Sherbo, Chairperson of the Library Board wishes to extend her apologues to those present who could not hear the ceremonies. Apparently, the cord became dislodged from the corridor speakers.
Following the official ceremonies, a reception was held in the "Compton room", a room dedicated to Marilyn & Gord Compton on behalf of the Library Board in consideration of their very substantial monetary donation."

Description : Naunheimer, and to Zima, who donated approximately 1 acre of land to be added to the property, for lawn bowling, bocce ball and similar activities. Both Naunheimer and Zima received standing ovations.
There was also praise for Sylvia Luxton, who advocated for a seniors' leisure centre; for Steering Committee members who helped plan and organize; the new Bradford West Gwillimbury Seniors' Association; Bradford West Gwillimbury Parks & Recreation; and members of Council.
Luxton noted that in the 6 years since she had retired, "I have discovered that we have some of the most generous, hard-working volunteers."
Among the donation - a large screen television set from Shoppers Drug Mart, a Billiard table from Jamie Vins of Vins Plastics, an organ from the Newmarket Seniors Meeting Place, and 100 packs of playing cars, donated by Casino Rama.
The Scottish Evening, organized by Sandra Hudson on April 3rd, raised $1500 for the operations of the new Leisure Centre, which will be "run by seniors, for seniors."
"We have to take one step at a time. This place will grow and develop into the kind of place you want it to be," Luxton said. "You are the people who have built Bradford and put it together, and we felt you deserve it."
In addition to Mayor and Council, invited guests included MP Aileen Carroll, who described the sense of celebration that came with "accomplishing vision, accomplishing dreams but first you have to dare to dream," and MPP Joe Tascona.

A newspaper article about the grand opening of the new Bradford West Gwillimbury Leisure Centre.

"...Hundreds of residents flocked to the new Bradford West Gwillimbury Leisure Centre Friday evening both to celebrate the facility's grand opening and to partake in an evening of free swimming, skating, Zumba dancing and more..."

"Cutting the cake was the highlight of the day at the grand opening of the South Innisfil Community Centre. Above, Stewart Donnelly cuts the cake aided by members of Innisfil council and the arena board. Events were held all day to entertain the many people who attended."