Whitby Free Press, 3 Aug 1988, p. 25

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r --~ --'F--F 77 amtbcroommcrce SPECIAL EDITION MCMLXXXVIll AUGUST T HIRD 60th year for Whitby Chamber By Brian Winter Sixty years ago the Whitby Chamber of Commerce was founded to represent the business community of our town and to promote Whitby throughout Canada and the world. Since 1898, the Whitby business community was represented by a Board of Trade, but this organization, closely linked with the town council, phased in and out over a period of 30 years. In some years it was a very active organization, while in other years it was practically dormant. In June, 1928, after four years of inac- tivity, a number of Whitby businessmen decided to revive the town's Board of Trade. Twenty men met in the Town clerk's office and agreed that since the board's charter was in danger of being cancelled, a committee should be formed to elect new officers and seek support from the Town council. On June 23, 1928, the Whitby Board of Trade was reorganized, with R.A. Hutchison, public school inspector for South Ontario, as president. Vice-president was Theodore King, owner of King Brothers' Tannery; sec- retary was James H. Ormiston, reporter for the Whitby Gazette and Chronicle; and treasurer was John Frost, Town clerk-treasurer. Honorary presidents were Judge Thompson, Judge Ruddy, Mayor John W. Bateman, MP W.H. Moore and MP Dr. I.E. Kaiser. Honorary vice-presidents were Mrs. George A. Ross, Mrs. George M. Stevenson, Mrs. Theodore A. McGillivray and the presidents of the Women's Institute and the Ontario County Old 1988WHITBY CHAMBER PRESIDENT BOB RICHARDSON Girls' Association. The aim of the Board of Trade was to represent the community as a whole, rather than just the business and pro- fessional classes. Shortly after the executive was formed, Dr. George H. Stevenson, superintendent of the Ontario Hospital and Dr. C. R. Carscallen, principal of the Ontario Ladies' College, the largest employers in Whitby, were asked to join. The inaugural meeting of the revived Board of Trade was held in the Town hall at Brock and Coborne Streets, (where the fire hall is now) on July 20, 1928. Guest speakers were George W. McLaughlin, president of the newly- formed Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, and the Oshawa Chamber's secretary, Leon Fraser. McLaughlin spoke of the feeling of goodwill that existed between Whitby and Oshawa. "The imaginary Une between these two communities is becoming less noticible every year, and I hope in time that it shall be virtually extinct," he said. He proceeded to outline the history of boards of trade and chambers of commerce since the 17th century, noting that a board of trade was usually conn- ected with local government while a chamber of commerce was an independent body. The chief aim of every chamber and board was to encourage industrial expan- sion and foster community spirit, McLaughlin said. Much could be done, he told Board of Trade members, to influence public opinion which, in turn, would influence SEE PAGE A8 ROBERT A. HUTCHISON, president of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce in1928. A history of a By Brian Winter ratepayers, it was defeated. Prom the day it commenced The Whitby Chamber of Commerce operations in the summer 1928, the was also active in assisting the Town in Chamber of Commerce has played an its attempts to bring the Camp Bordon active role in the development of Whitby. airport to our Town. Sixty years ago one of the top In 1927 there were rumors that this priorities for the Chamber was the fciity was to be relocated and Whitby development of Whitby's harbor. was one of the prime sites considered. Since 1900 the harbor had been Chamber representatives accom- virtually unused and had become a dump- panied Town council to Ottawa to lobby ing ground for refuse. for this airport, but nothing came Of it. The Chamber saw a real opportunity Camp Bordon remained where it was. to develop it as a commercial port. Throughout the Great Depression of Through the efforts of the Chamber, the 1930s, the Whitby Chamber of the Town was able to receive a committ- Commerce had an active role in asssisting ment from the Federal Government, those in need in the town. owners of the harbor, for dredging and -The Chamber administered a Christ- reconstruction of concrete wharves. mas Cheer and Welfare Fund te provide The Chamber also succeeded in food and clothing for destitute families, attracting a small dredging firm, the and also set up cots in the basement of Randolph Macdonald Company to the the old Town hall where transients could harbor. This firm built a works yard spend the night in comfort. where McNamara Marine is now. A source of concern for both the In 1928 the Chamber also urged the Chamber and Town council in the 1930s Town council to purchase the land north were three derelict wooden freighters of Centennial Park to Trent St., which beached in the harbor. was on the real estate market for a cost of Representations were made to Ottawa $3,000. for several years until flnally in 1935, the The Chamber was unanimous in its boats were tewed out into Lake Ontario support of the purchase, but when the and sunk. Town put the matter tI a vote of the One of therchambers chief aims in its ictivity early days was to attract industry to Whitby. The federal government had promised to improve the harbor if the Town could attract enough industries to support the cost. Obtaining industry in the Depression years was practically impossible, but through the efforts of the Chamber, a canning factory called Metcalf Foods was established in Whitby in 1935. This facility is still operating in Whitby as Cobi Foods and has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce for many years. During the Second World War, there was little activity in the Chamber of Commerce, because of the war effort. From 1942 to 1945, the Chamber dis- banded, but was revived early in 1945 by William Davidson, one of the most prominent boosters of Whitby, who served as mayor and as chairman of the Industrial Commission in later years. In the late 1940s, the Chamber was quite successful in bringing small indus- tries to Whitby, including the Empire Pant and Boys' Wear, Natlie Knitting Mills and William J. Anderson company, SEEPAGEA4

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