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Eldon Roppel (L), of the Tiverton Communities in Bloom
historical committee, stands with his colleagues, Dianne Todd, holding a
brochure, and Lisa Robertson-Taylor, holding a photo board of the
Commercial Hotel (now Kwik-Way), in front of the Main Street Café in the
McKellar Block.
The flower bed on the west side is shaped like a sunflower
This flower bed celebrates the 130th anniversary of Tiverton
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The Tiverton Communities in Bloom committee wants to take you on
a journey through the 1900s when the village was an industrious and
booming four-corner centre. Pick up a free brochure and enjoy a
self-guided "Historical Walking Tour," taking in the history on
photo boards displayed on storefronts and residences at 15 locations
in the village.
A four-year project of the Communities in Bloom historical
committee, the idea was to showcase the history of Tiverton in a
visual display. "Our history is rich with great families, stories
and information we want to share that with all of you," says Lisa
Robertson-Taylor.
The brochure features the research and knowledge of Eldon Roppel,
assisted by Dianne Todd and Robertson-Taylor. It will be available,
as of Wednesday, July 22, at the Main Street Café, Kwik-Way, and the
Kincardine tourism office.
The tour starts at the corner of Church and King Streets, follows
along through the downtown, takes in the old town hall and Masonic
Hall and ends up at the site of the Commercial Hotel (now Kwik-Way).
It features the McKellar block, owned by John and Finlay McKellar,
which housed the tailor, J.C. Ord; was the first telephone exchange;
A.M. McKinnon drug store; and McKellar’s shoe store and general
store. Also on the tour are the Tiverton Baptist Church, Knox
Presbyterian Church and the building that was home to Brill’s
Bookstore and the "Tiverton Watchman" newspaper. Take a moment to
check out the residence of Captain Kenny MacKenzie and read about
his serious misadventures. (next column)
17/07/2009 04:03 PM
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The photos on the brochure were taken by Burt McClure,
the first postmaster in Tiverton, located at the McInnes Store in 1860.
McClure was an avid photographer and the historical photographs are a
result of his talent and efforts. Many of his photos were made into
postcards and used for communication to friends and relatives when a
telephone call seemed too expensive.
The historical committee appreciates the work of Hilda Downey who
collected history and was instrumental in gathering data in Tiverton.
The Tiverton Women’s Institute members were also phenomenal at
documenting historical facts. Much of this information can be found in
the Tiverton Library, historical section.
This year, Tiverton has been entered in the Communities in Bloom Friends
category, with no judging. Besides the historical photo boards, the
committee has been busy planting flower beds, including the two at the
southern entrance to Tiverton – a sunflower (west side) and the 130th
anniversary (east side).
This is the village’s sixth year in Communities in Bloom. It received
four blooms in 2004 and special mention for "village flavour;" in 2005,
four blooms and the judges felt that the motto, "Pride in our Past,
Faith in our Future," was most suited for the community; in 2006, five
blooms and recognition for community volunteers; in 2007, five blooms in
the national category for population under 1,000 and recognition for
implementation of environmental measures; and 2008, friends category,
with highway beds featuring a rainbow and Gerber daisy.
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