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The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 17, 2007 - 3 From the Mayor As mayor of Oakville, I am keenly aware of the foundation that has been laid by the mayors and councils that have come before our time. I am especially aware of it this year, the 150th anniversary of Oakville's incorporation as a town. The inaugural town council, which first met on July 7, 1857, was rich in the talent and civic-mindedness that ROB BURTON Oakville has come to expect Mayor, Town of Oakville in its community leaders. At least three of those original councillors went on to become mayors and make decisions, both on and off council, that helped build the Oakville of today. · George Chisholm, Oakville's first mayor, donated the park we now call George's Square, named for his grandfather. · William Romain authored the first tree by-law the town passed, which was a motion to create a Standing Committee on George's Square and Ornamental Trees in 1873. · Peter MacDougald, who built the Granary, sponsored possibly the first by-law to support the arts, which resulted in 1874 in an annual grant of $100 to the militia band. This year, you will see civic-mindedness demonstrated in dozens of special events to mark this anniversary and provide opportunities for fun, learning and sharing. I encourage you and your family to visit the 150th birthday site at www.oakville.ca to see how you can participate in the festivities and share in this wonderful community. The Community Foundation of Oakville (CFO) Supporting our special heritage For Oakville's citizens, our Special Heritage serves to define and guide us. This year our town celebrates its 150th anniversary and we are thrilled. The Community Foundation of Oakville has built a track record of achievement in Oakville including the celebration of our Special Heritage through the Heritage Trails. This project, developed by The CFO and undertaken with the Town of Oakville, connects the places in our community in both space and time. We encourage you to take a few minutes to walk these Trails and read about our history at any of the 16 information stations along the way. The Community Foundation of Oakville is privileged to have contributed to milestones like this in our Town, through the Heritage Trust. Several years ago the Trust began with its purpose to provide community groups with a flexible platform to invest in the past and future heritage of Oakville. Many projects have evolved over the years, such as this wonderful supplement that celebrates Heritage Week. Donors have continued to give to the Heritage Trust Fund at The CFO, creating a source of permanent funding for the preservation of our cultural, architectural and natural legacies. We encourage you to make your mark on the future and consider a contribution to the Trust. The Heritage Trust is one of more than 90 funds at The Community Foundation of Oakville, where we proudly support community organizations through the investment of endowed and managed funds. The Community Foundation of Oakville is a charitable organization whose purpose is to attract and manage permanent endowment funds and to distribute income from those funds to make our community a better place, now and for generations to come. In this manner, groups like the Oakville Symphony Orchestra, our Library, the United Way of Oakville and the Lions Foundation of Canada can set money aside for future generations. In like fashion, we help Oakville philanthropists create wonderful legacies for the benefit of our Town ­ forever. Tom Alton Chairman of the Board of Directors The Community Foundation of Oakville stand out Oakville community since 1911 Appleby College