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k): i) an It " il The brigade met the first Thurs- day of every month from 1913 to the end of1966. the CENTENNIAL page 6 The Weston volunteer fire brigade was organized in 1912, and became official and opera- tional on Jan. lst, 1913, under the requirements of By-Law No. 425. The Municipal Council of the Town of Weston enacts as follows __ (1) That the Fire Brigade be known as the Weston Volunteer Fire Brigade. - (2) The Officers shall consist of - The Chief, appointed by By-law of the Council on the, recom- mendation of the brigade, and to hold office during the pleasure of Council. A Captain four Lieutenants and a Secretary-Treasurer, or a Secretary and a Treasurer, elected by the Fire Brigade at their first meeting in each year, which shall be held on the first Thursday in January of each year, or as soon as possible thereafter. As time passed the Fire Brigade and the Town Council decided that the By-law be repealed and updated. The Weston Volunteer Fire Brigade, above, was photographed in 1948 in thh old Town Hall. Members included: Back Row From Left To Right - G. Parker, M. Holley, L. Wells, G, Coulter, C. Coleman, Middle Row Left To Right - I Coulter, D. Edie, H. Ackrow. J. Amos, L. Lepage, H. Coulter, J. Ronaldson, S. Smuck, B. Pollard, J. Holley: Front Row Seated Left To Right - H. Brookbanks. A Sythes. Fire ChiefE. McGinnis, G. Pollard, C. Grosskurth, W. J. Ward: Front Row Kneeling Left To Right - A. Laceby, C, Soloman, A. Barton. - As a result, By-law No. 765, dated November 13th, 1933, was passed. Some of the Requirements of By-law No. 765, are as follows - The Brigade shall consist of The Town Hall Bell Summoned The Volunteer Fire Brigade THE TOWN WAS PROTECTED FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS In early 1945, the volunteers recommended to the Town Council that a fire chief be hired (Full- Time). This was accepted by the council, and in Feb. 1945 the late E. McGinnis was appointed Fire Chief for the Town of Weston. The Chief operated out of the former Fire Hall built in 1911 on Little Ave., and later the present Fire Hall built in 1949. During the war years (1939- 1945) there had been some large fires in the Town, and it was becoming more difficult for the volunteers (mainly local business men) to leave their place of busi- ness, during the week days. In the early years, the fire- fighters were called to duty by the sounding of the Bell located on the Old Town Hall, at Weston Rd. and Little Ave. During the 1920's and 30's the Volunteers were called to fires and other emergencies by the Fire Alarm Whistle Signal system provided by the COM. Co. on Lawrence Ave., and by a party line phone system of which all the firefighters were on one phone line." The C.C.M. Whistle was discontinued in the late 1950's the fire phones remained in service until the end of 1966. not less than 20 and not more than 25 active members. by Norman Atkins 1895, provided that the Insti- tutes become public libraries. Throughout Canada the Mech- anics' Institutes were either re-incorporated as public libraries or closed. In Weston, the Mech- anics' Institute was housed in two rooms in the old Town Hall. In Canada Mechanics' Insti- tutes were organized long before Confederation, the first one in Newfoundland in 1827. Modelled on those in Great Britain, they were intended to provide educa- tion for working men by means of study classes, lectures and a library. They were financed l bership fees and augmt government grants. A tional facilities develol classes provided by th anics' Institutes were n needed and funds were improve the libraries. Qntario legislation p In their day these Institutes contributed much to the intel-- lectual and cultural life of Canada. Chief McGinnis had served with the volunteers for many years before the war. The Chief operated the Weston Fire Dept. with himself and 24 volunteers from 1945 until 1954, when it became necessary to hire three full-time firefighters allowing the fire hall to be manned at all times. The full-time firefighters responded as volunteers during their off-duty time. The full-time staff was added to over the years and by the end of 1966 Weston had employed seventeen full-time fire fighters consisting of the Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, three Captains and twelve firefighters. It is to be noted - that Chief McGinnis was the only full-time Fire Chief to be employed by the Town of Weston. In 1967 when Westoni became part of the Borough of York, Chief McGinnis and Deputy Chief G. Parker, were made District Chiefs but remained in the Weston Road Fire Station. Chief McGinnis passed away in the early 1970's, and Deputy Chief G. Parker is enjoying his retirement. Mechanics' Institute financed by mem- asd augmented by rants. As educa- 3s developed, the passed in the Insti libraries a Mech. , longer used to in 1y2rftissyijri,y ' a _, "iiirej.iijjsfisjijs'jd2r'4:ri J,i:?vC:,iit'i'i . if" T Ld., V. ".w V‘:::'..;.,..g. "C'iiieffff?. _rif"r;i'rryix 'see T" WM 'Jgff2MEi _ . . g _ fAtbkg" q bffi w%ltililtig aSe8BhggN'sk" _ iiii'liillhttgatgtrii1',s'i' tiitggiafa,'i';ii:ii'i,'igf, ":'jtil)iffjs'; mi' E51125: altBltE ' 't?tisaiW. 'ret,?:,'" 'gig 'lltlrllaiig' a'aiaiEf, e- jjfgai"grri I ‘ ' 2W , 'tef M:3ailt, rNiligil tl8Wii8ilY _:.:/4é{;-;g,.;,; 'fgiag,' :1 Yis, i? , J'i'ti'g"WjWk",t sr""', - x /”», - ij1iith'jii :Ci?stm, , s/ttgg = 'g51e?t'errc s-,,..,',,.' x __" ~ Mig. t gimki'ig vtreF' M ' 'htiiht w, 'd, 323% 'il?' a??? i'i,'"t-sos" ii:'si'j'r"3E:ifs'i,qittrj'it'i: '2'is' Eg?, " AitlilliW,5itl . , tl. , Wt , y. f 5"m>_-=:e::::l' _,' It' 54% _.. LTari' tttattest-tiii? 'mt, _ F) iiiRatit%iirCi"s'if '2’ a ".W"t' .. (“Ml-rm” 'Bmitasses ( l MititiiiiEgiig _ q BNIlit' >24 M8e9%WttM85iM ttMNigM3iilgilt MRM? 'mm w,i,,aB2am g INiiiiiiitt t'llietl?iNtlttiNgge, . w " dilllllNiililm eaailiNIt 17'ag 'l a 1% Riltllilililt 'rw-., z Tr. '%alllarra MM" rr 'i'iit a, ',.rj?ji',i, iaMallllilBlillllllllllK '9ir2ftfajiE "lltilglllim " The Weston Silver Band was founded in 1920 by George Sains- bury as the Weston Boys' Band and was modelled after the famous contesting brass bands he had known in his boyhood in England. With his wife providing indivi- dual instruction and his four sons forming the nucleus of the group. he soon had a viable musical combination which was to become a familiar facet of life in Weston. Both the Band and the boys grew, and within a few years it was necessary to rename the group Central Hotel, where Shoppers' Drug Mart is now located tt Ellesmere and Weston Rd., was still standing in the 1940's as seen m this photo taken during a W.W. II parade. Austins Grocery store was located on the main floor, while the rest of the building had been converted into apartments. _ Music played an important part in town life. The town band, pictured above, in 1919, had just finished playing for an event in the Fair Grounds. The Weston Silver Band was formed a year later, as a boys' band. At the turn of the century, if you wanted to go to the Junction (Keele and Dundas), these open air street cars would take you there. Later, buses, such as this one shown below, could supplement the service. Weston Silver Band Celebrates 60 Years The Weston Silver Band. The Band's founder served two terms as conductor and was separated from his beloved band only by his passing at the age of 76. Douglas Field, the band's con- ductor since April 1978, has lead the band to three consecutive first place honours at the Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival. In cele, bration of their 60th anniversary and of the proud history of Weston, the band has produced an LP. recording entitled Weston Road.