Amalgamation In and Around Owen Sound is not so Unusual

Amalgamation In and Around Owen Sound is not an unusual happening. Some form of boundary changes have occurred at many different times over the years.

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The provincial government has dictated that there has to be a reduction of the number of municipalities in the province of Ontario. In recent months, the pages of this newspaper have carried many stories about the struggles to amalgamate and realign the municipalities in this region.

However, amalgamation and realignment is not a new phenomena in this region. Perhaps no other municipality has felt the "pain" or the "gain" of the process of amalgamation than Ontario's smallest township, Sarawak.

The presence of a large native community on the west shore of Owen Sound prevented Sarawak from being the first area settled in this region. The man charged with surveying the region for settlement, Charles Rankin, landed in the area near the present-day yacht club and began his work. However, when the natives took exception to his presence there, he moved to the area east of the Sydenham River, leaving the western shore to be surveyed and settled at a later date.

In the mid 1850s, the town of Owen Sound was experiencing growing pains and more land was needed to accommodate the demands of settlers who were arriving. In response to the need to provide settlement land for the influx of settlers to the Bruce Peninsula region, the colonial government "arranged" a deal to acquire the land on the western shore from the natives.

A decade and a half after he had originally tried to survey the area, Charles Rankin returned to the west shore and laid out the settlement plots in the region which was then designated as the United townships of Keppel and Sarawak. During the next decade, Sarawak experienced rapid growth and development. This led to a clamour for more direct governing power in the Sarawak region and, in 1868, Sarawak and Keppel were separated into two townships.

A major source of population and wealth in Sarawak was the community of Brookholm, or Brooke, as it was more popularly known. Formed in 1857, Brooke abutted the town of Owen Sound to the north of the Potawatomi River. Although it had its own post office and commercial centre, Brooke was closely linked with its bigger neighbour across the river.

Many of its citizens crossed the river to work and make commercial transactions in Owen Sound and the reverse was also true as many Owen Sounders were involved in economic endeavors on the north side of the river.

By the 1880s, Owen Sound's industrial core was mostly located in the harbour region and this spilled over into Brooke. Manufacturers located themselves along the west shore without regard to civic boundaries.

In the 1890s, the Grand Trunk Railway was encouraged to establish a rail connection to Owen Sound to promote further commercial and industrial growth. The railroad built a station in Brooke.

The arrival of the 20th century saw the communities of Brooke and Owen Sound economically and socially entwined. As a result, many in both communities felt that the two should unite. After much debate, on Feb. 20, 1909, a large portion of Brooke was amalgamated with Owen Sound. The section known as Rockview, an area bounded by Albert Street and the Potawatomi River; the Derby/ Sarawak townline; 8th Avenue West; and Caughnawaga Street, was all that remained of Brooke in the township of Sarawak.

For many years after the amalgamation with Owen Sound, Brooke maintained a sense of identity. The community sponsored its own hockey teams, baseball clubs and other organizations.

Rivalry between Brooke and Owen Sound was often intense, not only in the world of sports but in other social and economic arenas.

Today many opponents of amalgamation argue that the process will lead to a loss of community identity. This may or may not be true.

One thing is for sure. Don't ever call a long-time citizen of Brooke an Owen Sounder. You will be corrected very quickly!

A version of this article originally appeared in my Local History column in the Owen Sound Sun Times.

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About Owen Sound

12-year-old Walks to Owen Sound in 1851 from the journal of a teenage boy's experience travelling with his brother in the untamed Upper Canadian wilderness.

In the 1920s, Owen Sound got New Elevators. After losing the CPR elevators to fire, the community fought hard to get new elevators for their harbour and improve the community's economy.

The 1930s Were Not All Bad there were some successes in the Owen Sound area and there was one natural phenomenon, that was unusual to the region that occurred.

The 1944-1945 Grey North By-Election would surprise Prime Minister King and all of Canada as the Grey North electorate refused to be dictated to by Ottawas political elites.

The were 1950s a Decade of Change in the Owen Sound area. A local boy starred in the NHL; there was a significant industrial change; schools were standing to experience the baby boom.

1960s: Owen Sound's Education Expansion: 1960s Owen Sound was a period of growth and one result of this was a need for the expansion of education services for the growing population.

1960s Owen Sound marked a period of change and new growth to the commercial and industrial life that would impact the citizens of Owen Sound and change the patterns of doing business.

The Bible was the Law in the 1840s in this region because the region was unrepresented by the government peace and justice were community responsibilities.

Blazes! Fires were a problem in the early years in the Owen Sound area, buildings were often made of wood and firefighting equipment water sources were inadequate were.

Brooke: A brief history of an important, yet distinctly different, community that became a key element in Owen Sound's development as a important Georgian Bay port city.

Charles Rankin, I Presume: October 7, 1840 marked the meeting of Land Agent John Telfer and surveyor Charles Rankin on the banks of the Sydenham River and the founding of Owen Sound.

The cost of living in 1900 in Owen Sound may seem great, but when you take into consideration other factors, things were perhaps not all that wonderful.

The CPR Grain Elevator Fire of 1911 spelled the end of Owen Sound's role as the eastern terminus of the CPR Great Lakes Fleet.

Black History: Emancipation Day celebrates the abolition of slavery and it continues to be an annual celebration in many locations that were in some way, or another touched by the impact of slavery.

Black History in Owen Sound: Who was the First Black Citizen in the community is a cause for debate.

Black History: The Underground Railway is an important part not only in terms of black history, but of the history of southwestern Ontario.

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Billy Bishop: Owen Sound Hero earned national and international fame as a World War One Fighter pilot and used his high profile to aid in the World War Two effort.

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William Harrison, The Source of John Harrison's Grit: details the influence of John's father, William Harrison, on John and his siblings.

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Black Clawson Kennedy: An Iconic Owen Sound Industry provided income for area residents and economic development for the community for almost 150 years.

Amalgamation In and Around Owen Sound is not an unusual happening. Some form of boundary changes have occurred at many different times over the years.

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DC Taylor: Owen Sound Entrepreneur was not only progressive businessman, he was also an important contributor to the social and cultural fabric of his community.

Jimmy Grant was a high wire walker who was a fearless athlete who faced all challenges without a worry of the possible fatal consequences of his daredevil actions.

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Owen Sound Businesses: 1920s were owned and operated by families whose deep roots in the community and their efforts had created the backbone of the community and brought success to the port city.

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Owen Sound's First Newspaper: The Comet came into existence a mere 10 years after the first settlers braved the wilderness that would become the Grey and Bruce region.

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Owen Sound's 1857 Bylaw: Dog Control illustrated how a pioneer town controlled dogs in the community, sometimes even using harsh measures.

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