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CCRA PRESIDENT Gay Cowbourne: October 1999
Fifty years later the CCRA represents over three and a half thousand homes. Throughout those fifty years, the CCRA has been, and continues to be, the well respected, leading voice of the Centennial community. During its fifty years, the CCRA has been the leading force in many local projects. One project in particular has had enormous impact on this community. It was instigated in May of 1950, when Mr. Dempsey was invited to meet with the Adams sisters who were visiting from Big Flat, Arkansas, US. Anna and Ruby Adams were the granddaughters of Thomas Adams, a seafarer who traded goods on Lake Ontario and who was given a Crown grant of land for his services in the War of 1812-1814. Based on the negotiations of the CCRA, in 1952 the Scarborough Township Council ultimately purchased 47.5 acres of the Adams' land for $500 per acre and Adams Park was created. CCRA members planted twenty thousand trees and, until recent years, corn roasts, square dances, soccer jamborees and an annual May 24th Fire Works Display were held there. The flower gardens, open spaces, toboggan runs, baseball diamonds and wading pool are still enjoyed by thousands of park visitors every year. In 1951 the CCRA presented a community plan to the Scarborough Planning Board but no action was taken at that time. However, after many meetings and vigorous discussion about the importance of open space, lots larger than minimum requirements and the preservation of the character of the community, the Ontario Municipal Board finally passed the Centennial Community Zoning By-law in January 1966. To this day, the CCRA has fought vigorously to retain those standards and our objective remains the same: regardless of pressure for development, the character of a low density, open space community should be maintained. In 1983 pressure from the CCRA resulted in an unprecedented Provincial Government review of the asbestos polluted lands on the Johns Manville site. The results of that review remain as landmarks for future environmental studies. Asbestos continues to be a problem on these lands and the CCRA is presently monitoring the plans for the Manson factory demolition and the clean up of the surrounding lands. The CCRA and this community want the factory to be demolished and the land to be cleaned. Our concern is the health and safety of the residents of this community during the hazardous process. The Lakeshore Trail is a relatively recent term but as far back as November 1949, the "pre-CCRA" committee pointed out the very same site as a possible park location to the then candidate for Reeve. They also suggested that this would be an excellent point for a tunnel to access the shores of Lake Ontario. Years later, in 1973, the CCRA formally recommended to the Federal Government and the Scarborough Council that a pedestrian underpass be constructed at the base of Port Union Road, under the Canadian National Railway tracks. In 1973 this suggestion was deemed to be premature. However, 50 years after their original suggestion, members of the CCRA, together with Federal, Provincial and Municipal representatives are presently a part of the Lakeshore Trail and Village Common Working Committees and continue to work towards those goals which were conceived so many years ago. Throughout the years of the CCRA there has been an ongoing fight to preserve the existence of the Centennial Creek. A formal request was made to Scarborough Council in 1970 and continued lobbying by the CCRA finally resulted in the approval of the Centennial Creek Watershed Study in 1993. In June of 1999 the William Alexander Dempsey Eco Park was formally created to preserve and enhance the waters of the Centennial Creek. The CCRA NEWS is written, edited and distributed by volunteers to every household in the Centennial community. The monthly publication contains up to date neighbourhood information, notices of upcoming events and advertisements from local businesses. The CCRA's latest communications tool is the Web site at: http://ccra.idirect.com. It has been received with great enthusiasm and compliments from web users all over the world. It is run by our volunteer webmaster who updates the site regularly with local news, reports, opinions, surveys and links to other interesting sites. Our annual membership campaign raises thousands of dollars and is possible only because of the efforts of hundreds of Centennial residents who canvass their neighbours. Fundraising dances and the jointly organized and sponsored Winterfest, Heritage Day Parade, Jazzfest Summer Concert Series and Earth Day provide social occasions for neighbours and friends to meet and stay in touch. The money we raise is used within the Centennial Community to sponsor such activities as sports clubs, kids' activities, scholarship awards and a school marching band. Occasionally funds have been used to hire legal or planning experts to act on behalf of the community. The CCRA is a totally volunteer organization. The CCRA newsletter, membership campaigns, representation to OMB and other official hearings, dances, kids events, the more recent Winterfest and Jazz Fest, all require the efforts of dedicated, committed members of this community. Over the last fifty years an army of Centennial volunteers have made the CCRA possible. They have worked to make this a community that we are proud to call home. Admittedly, since 1949 there have been significant changes to what was once the small semi-rural Centennial community but some things have remained constant throughout the fifty years. As William Dempsey, the founder President, so rightly phrased it: "From the beginning in 1949 there have been people of vision and conviction who have stood firm in the cause of the Centennial Community and Recreation Association. Community improvement, preservation of the environment, clean air, open space, the recognition of the importance of sound land use development principles aimed at keeping characteristics of the early community, recreation facilities and programmes to meet the needs of the people of all ages are continuing objectives. The creation of something better, rather than acceptance of something less worthy remains the watchword." Well said Bill! Based on The Beginning by Wm. A. Dempsey.1989
The CCRA is, and always has been, committed to the health and safety of the community during the demolition of the Manson factory and the clean up of the surrounding land. We are meeting with all of the parties concerned and will accept nothing less than guarantees that the asbestos removal will be safe for us all. The City has promised to send out regular newsletters to update the neighbourhood as the work progresses. The CCRA is working to ensure that all of the newsletters will adequately reflect the current situation. Plans are underway for an information Open House. We will keep you informed. 50th Anniversary Celebrations October 16 is scheduled as the CCRA's 50th Anniversary Celebration Day. There will be a Fun Run and Walk in the morning, kids events in the afternoon and an elegant Dinner Dance in the evening. We hope that you will be able to come out and enjoy some part of this special day of celebration. Help is still needed to make this day a success, so please call if you can spare a few hours. Annual General Meeting This will take place at Port Union Community Centre on Tuesday October 26th. We are really fortunate that Rick Schofield has agreed to put together a special anniversary presentation focusing on the development of Scarborough over the last 50 years. Rick is an authority on the history of Scarborough and his presentation promises to be interesting and informative. Also, the CCRA Executive will be reporting on the past year and the Executive Committee for the year 2000 will be elected. There is always a lot going on in this community and we really need more people to join us and share the workload. Please think about becoming more involved with your neighbourhood. If you would like to know more, call me. Lakeshore Trail I am delighted to report that our section of the Lakeshore Trail, from Highland Creek to the Rouge River, seems very close to becoming a reality. It is hoped that the work will begin either at the end of this year or in the spring of 2000. An application has been submitted for special funding from the Millennium Partnership Program and your help is needed. There is a petition at the Port Union Library and signatures are needed to endorse the Millenium funding request. If you haven't already signed it, please take a moment to do so. The more community support there is, the better our chances for the Millenium funding! 50th Anniversary Award from the City of Toronto On Monday September 13, 199, I was privileged to accept a Special Citation from the Council of the City of Toronto, at the Toronto Parks and Recreation Recognition Night. The event was held at the Delta Pacific Hotel at Kennedy and the 401 and was hosted by the Scarborough Community Council. The programme reads, "City of Toronto, Parks and Recreation - East District and the Scarborough Community Council are pleased to present the 1999 Special Citation Award to the Centennial Community and Recreation Association in honour of its 50th Anniversary." It was especially meaningful to have Bill Dempsey, the founding President of the CCRA with me at this event, together with other members of the CCRA's 1999 Executive Committee. I was honoured to accept the award on behalf of everybody in the Centennial community who has been a part of the CCRA over the last 50 years. The Citation will be proudly displayed at the Port Union Community Centre. |