News

A Gift of Art at 187 King Ave. E. in Newcastle is offering a free speaker series on Thursdays from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Upcoming speakers include:

• February 28 – Christine Murphy: Humane Society of Durham
• March 7 – Marilyn Glassford: Lakeshore Tours
• March 21 – Kiley Percy: Clarington Public Library
• March 28 – Sheila Burns: Primrose Donkey Sanctuary
• April 4 – Mayor Adrian Foster: Your Clarington – an update

Refreshments are free – but the conversation that follows will be “priceless.” For more information, call 905-987-2264.

Join us Tuesday, March 12 at 7 p.m. for our Annual General Meeting and Show & Tell in the Historical Room at the Newcastle Community Hall, 20 King Ave. W. Members of our Society and Community bring and discuss items of historical significance to our community. Got an interesting photo, tool, letter, or anything else of historical interest to Newcastle residents? Bring it along!

No one alive today has seen our faces.
No grandchild has heard our voices or felt our touch.
We did not intend to die.
We were ordinary men and boys for whom circumstances
Caused us to do an extraordinary thing.

We gave our lives so that you might live free from tyranny.
We are now only names on cenotaphs
And fading pictures in family albums.
Remember us please.
We would like to have known you.

~Leslie Wilson

Newcastle Village and District Historical Society will be mounting a Remembrance Display in the History Room at the Newcastle Village Community Hall for the month of November. Please come and remember with us.

The History Room is opened 9:30 to noon every Tuesday and Saturday, but as a special community outreach, we will be open on Armistice Day/Remembrance Day from 9:30 to noon as well. We will be open before, during and after the service at the cenotaph on November 11th at 11 a.m.

On display will be artifacts from both wars, as well as photos and bios for the Newcastle area people who served during these conflicts with recognition of our nurses and other women who served here at home.

Curatorial Assistant, Leslie Wilson, a volunteer at the History Room, will be heading up the team who are putting this display together.

See you there!

“Lest We Forget” by Lisa Sabater-Mozo, CC BY-ND

Guest Speaker: Grant Karcich on the original native trails in Southern Ontario

Centennial Room (lower level)
Newcastle Community Hall
20 King Ave. West, Newcastle. 

Guest Speaker Grant Karcich is the author of 6 books and will speak on the original Native Trails in Southern Ontario. Oshawa author’s latest highlights Ontario trails(Oshawa Express, July 2017)

No charge for admission, guests/non-members welcome.

Re: Plan to establish a Heritage Park lying between Belmont House and the east bank of Wilmot Creek, Newcastle, ON

Last night, the Planning and Development Committee of Municipal Council voted to approve an amendment No.117 to the Official Plan to give effect to this large residential development west of Ruddell Road, north of Highway 2. The Planning Services report is numbered: PSD–068–18. Final approval should occur when Council meets on September 17 and, hopefully, ratifies the actions of last night’s meeting of the Planning and Development Committee.

Significantly, the amendment establishes a Heritage Park area precisely where we want it to be. It will be approximately 3 acres in size, creating an open space vista of Belmont House and plenty of room for heritage recognition opportunities such as interpretative plaques and graphics, suitable benches and other park-like furniture, creation of connective trails and walkways, and so on. Moreover, the two development companies have agreed to contribute to the costs of this infrastructure in addition to their more than generous land dedication. We are very impressed by their sense of public responsibility.

There is a lot of work ahead of us to ensure the fruition of the Heritage Park. For example, a faction amongst the Planners would like to see a “multi-functional” Park, including swing sets, teeter-totters, splash pads, and not just purely Heritage recognition. However, according to their own Report, there are more than an adequate number of neighbourhood parks in the area, north and south of Highway 2. Then, there are the particulars of design to best achieve our goals; we MUST be part of this process and we may be calling upon a couple of volunteers to sit on a Design Review Committee.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you that in the past few months we have come MILES from the direction this subdivision plan was headed – Belmont House severed from the historic links to Wilmot Creek and completely surrounded by proposed roadways and 30’ housing lots. This achievement was made possible by two incredibly dedicated people, Vic Suppan and Myno Van Dyke.

Bob Malone
NVDHS Past President

Orono Fair September 6 to 9

NVDHS will have a booth in the arena at the Orono Fair again this year. We will be featuring ‘Great Lakes Shipping’ with the emphasis on Captain Gibson and the ship, Ariadne, out of the Port of Newcastle. Many photos and Captain Gibson’s diary will be among the items on display. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the display and learn about the exciting times of the past!

NVDHS Picnic

Sunday, September 16, 12:30 p.m. (Rain or shine)
27 Boulton St. Newcastle, ON

Come meet and socialize with your board and fellow NVDHS members, and learn more about our upcoming events and activities! All members & family welcome.

Hamburgers, hotdogs, corn on the cob & drinks will be provided. Please bring a salad or dessert to share. If possible, bring deck chairs (unless it rains – in which case we’ll be indoors).

RSVP by Thursday, September 13 at http://evite.me/DuUnuupFXj (Please note that all members with email addresses should have received the Evite)

Hope to see you all on the 16th!

NVDHS General Meeting October 2

7 p.m. Newcastle Community Hall

At our October 2 meeting, Grant Karcich, an Oshawa author, will present a talk about the Lost Trails in this area. These are the old Indian trails that went from the lakeshore back into the lands further north. Join us to find out more about a fascinating bit of local history.

Remembrance Display

During November there will be a military display in the historical room as a reminder to always remember the sacrifice that Newcastle men made during both wars – photos, uniforms, artifacts. Leslie Wilson will head up the design of this display, with the curators’ committee doing the legwork.