Page 17 - Special Feature.indd

1964 1965

Certificates presented to the 10 graduates of the Preston ‘National Chamber of Commerce Week’ recognized by the Preston

Chamber of Commerce’s first sponsored Business Chamber of Commerce, with local directors hosting a membership
Management Course for local businessmen. The program drive focusing on the organization’s role a business adviser to many
was created in co-operation with the Ontario Department of the town’s industries, stores, and commercial establishments.

of Education. Graduates include, Nick Antonison, Norm Do§, Tim Turrow, Dick Goletz, B. Membership in the previous three years remained static around 144.
Wannop, Harvey Goos, Harry Renner, Nick Tessman, Ronald Gowing and Howard Foote.

c
y
ll
r
hamber of C
on C
est
The P

e o¤
cia

ommer
1969 1968 The Preston Chamber of Commerce o¤cially
opposes a proposed redistribution of political
oposed r
opposes a pr
l
edistribution of politic
a
The Galt Chamber The Galt ridings in the ar e a and sends a l ett er t o Ontario
ridings in the area and sends a letter to Ontario
of Commerce Jaycees (Junior
Junior
y
Ja
c
(
ees
emier John R
oposing
r
e is pr
P
vinc
ob
arts. The pr
o

welcomes its first Chamber of Premier John Robarts. The province is proposing
o link P
r
est
chener
er with the Kit
on and Hespel
woman to serve t to link Preston and Hespeler with the Kitchener
on its board of Commerce) riding and remove their political ties with Galt.
directors for 1970- deliver a 40-page summary to town council
71. When asked outlining a questionnaire they distributed
about her win, Stella Adamson, of to 1,800 families to gauge their opinions
Canadian Synthetic Fibres Ltd., was about living in Galt. The results indicate
quoted as stating: “My election nearly 1975 1975 (February)
knocked the wind out of me. Canadian the majority like living in the community Recent fires downtown prompts Chamber manager Don Faichney

Synthetic Fibres is a small company and would recommend it others but were

with 50 employees, and I think having unsatisfied by the state of its downtown the Chamber to announce it will be su§ers a heart attack at a Chamber

the smaller industries represented on core. Many wanted to see ‘mall’ shopping working with the city to promote luncheon on Feb. 27 and passes
the Chamber is very important.” downtown redevelopment. “We away that night at Cambridge
downtown and nearly 60% wanted to see will become involved in anything Memorial Hospital. He was 46.
hamber
on C
The P
est
r
The Preston Chamber parking meters removed. which is for the common good Two months later, his
e l
of C
ommer
of Commerce launches of Cambridge and in helping wife, Betty, who has
c
aunches
economic survey
ec onomic surv e y 1974
e
f fearing residents The Chamber continues overcome some of the problems been working as the
esidents
aring r
are opting to make
ar e opting t o mak e to advocate on behalf we face,” says Chamber board Chamber’s secretary, is
“weekly journeys
“weekl y journe y s of businesses the president Bert Boone in the media. named to the position
o v er Shantz Hill t o unempl o yment insur anc e c ommis sion of general manager.
over Shantz Hill to
unemployment insurance commission
do their shopping , ” ac c or ding t o the program and its 40% increase in UIC 1975 (August)
do their shopping,” according to the
Preston Times. The plan includes premiums. The Chamber calls on Minister of The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, which has been working out
, which has been working out
e
The C
ommer
hamber of C
ambridge C
c
several questionnaires published in Manpower and Immigration Robert K. Andras of a second-floor o¤ce in Galt located at 2 George Street N. (plus a

the newspaper in hopes of finding an to consider all possibilities of restructuring satellite o¤ce at 761 King Street E. in Preston) moves its operation to

answer. the Act.
11,000-square-foot ‘pre-engineered structure’ on Coronation Boulevard.
Seventy-five businesses in Galt, many of The move to a bigger space result in the creation of a Better Business

them Chamber members, su§er about Bureau and a tourist information centre.
$6.7 million in damage (the equivalent of
1985 $36.9 million today) when a heavy rainfall
and spring melt causes the Grand River to
The Chamber throws its support overflow its banks on May 17. 1979

behind the local bid for Toyota Motor Lawyer Dale Ross, an associate at
Corporation’s manufacturing facility, 1981 Simmers, Edwards, and Jenkins,
which is formally announced on Dec. becomes the first female board

12, 1985. The groundbreaking takes City of Cambridge contracts the Chamber president of the Cambridge Chamber
place May 6, 1986. of Commerce to provide Visitor Services, 1980 of Commerce in November to serve
promoting local tourism.
The Cambridge Chamber in 1980.
of Commerce moves into

former town hall o¤ces The Chamber outlines it priorities

2021 (April) at the Allan Reuter Centre at its annual meeting held at The
2023 (October) Holiday Inn, which is hosted by
In response to the on King Street East in
COVID-19 world The Chamber opens downtown Preston, which comedian Dave Broadfoot. These
TheLink, an innovative business hub and
hamber
, in p
artner
p
pandemic the Chamber, in partnership TheLink , an inno v ativ e busines s hub and opened in 1966 and prior to include redevelopments of the
andemic the C
ship
with the Great Kitchener Waterloo co-operative workspace to assist small to Cambridge’s amalgamation downtown cores, working with council
Chamber of Commerce, spearheads medium-sized businesses. in 1973, the space had to ensure the proposed route for the
a rapid screening kit program to housed the mayor’s East-West Arterial Road does not

assist all business, not just Chamber o¤ce, council chambers, cut through the Galt

members, to stay open. The program 2024 administration o¤ces, Country Club, plus

gains national traction via the Ontario police, and fire departments. the construction of
and Canadian Chambers of Commerce, On April 24, the Chamber celebrates its a downtown parking
resulting in the distribution of 1.5 100th anniversary. garage.
million kits locally and 15 million
nationwide.