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about what steps they were taking to The Chamber has always taken the and Highway 401, North America’s busiest
alert businesses in the downtown core. approach of fostering the building of our roadway. I think if we were to analyze
Realizing not enough was being done, he community by not saying no, but by saying the entire circumstance of Cambridge’s
then worked as hard as possible to get the yes and how do we get it done. amalgamation we would probably agree,
message out himself by calling businesses Again, putting political reasoning aside, in the end, it was good for us. It certainly
- remember, there was no email or social back in 1973 our communities needed to would have been better if we had all been
media back then. In his Royal Commission band together since aging infrastructure on the same page at the time, but we’re
Inquiry into the Grand River Flood 1974 was becoming an issue - especially in only 50 years old and that’s a “young’un”
report, Judge W.W. Leach credited the Hespeler – and getting new infrastructure in terms of community years. The best part
Chamber with providing an early response was, and remains, a very costly ordeal. is we’re still young, enthusiastic, looking
of warning that likely saved some loss. Preston, to its credit, had amazing forward, and optimistic on what kind of a
Fortunately, all of that led to the GRCA infrastructure at that time and was in great community we can have. We aren’t done
getting funding to put up those infamous shape and perhaps could have opted out. building this community yet, so any further
walls in downtown Galt in hopes of However, its leaders recognized that some craziness of amalgamation talks is off the
mitigating any future flooding, which also work was needed to ensure its preservation table from my perspective.
led to creating opportunities for revival. In and supported the move. What we have now is a community poised
hindsight, maybe we should have insisted We know that preservation is always to explode, and you might not like that,
on easy river access and raising of the important, just look at the Gaslight District. but worry not, anyone reading this is
water slightly so we could utilize the river Frankly, there would have been a time unlikely to be here when that happens and
in downtown for paddle boat rentals, or when those historic structures along Grand the leaders of the day will care about what
even freezing it to create a Rideau Canal- Avenue South simply would have been torn they are doing, just like the leaders of the
like experience in the winter. By the way, down but thanks to new investment, those past did.
the GRCA is still a willing partner for that to revived old buildings have been adapted They will care about being progressive
happen one day, but I’m not sure the Grand to last well into the next century. in community development but also in
River will freeze anymore thanks to climate building a city that is safe, healthy, and
change. Still, it might be worth exploring. Now, let’s be clear, I am not a big fan of abundantly filled with opportunities. Let’s
The Chamber of Commerce has also forced amalgamations. Frankly, I think celebrate our 50th anniversary in style
those moves are officially political in
championed the industrial subdivisions nature. However, I am a fan of working with recognizing we’ve come a long way
and was instrumental in two very important together for the betterment of all. in the first 50, so let us reach for the top
community assets: higher education in the next 50. After all, it’s all about the
and professional live theatre. It was the Today, many of us remember the dividing making of a community.
Chamber who brought together the team lines of those three former communities,
– known as the ‘Cambridge Consortium’ - but in time those too will disappear in the Greg Durocher
that eventually would get the University of memory of its residents as change brings President & CEO
Waterloo School of Architecture opened bigger, better, and bolder ideas to build a Cambridge Chamber of Commerce
here AND, more formally, out of a tourism strong, vibrant, and genuinely prosperous
committee meeting came the call to community. In many respects, I believe
establish a live professional theatre in we are the envy of our neighbours to the
Cambridge which led to the Hamilton north which many think want to consume
Family Theatre which we now hail as a us since we are the only community in
‘community jewel’. the region that fully straddles both rivers

Thanks to the City of Cambridge Archives...

Much has changed since the City of Cambridge became It’s been an interesting journey
‘official’ in January 1973. pulling this all together and we
Businesses have come and gone, and many prominent people would like to thank Dan Schmalz,
stepped forward to make their mark as our community Information and Archives Analyst
continues to evolve. with the City of Cambridge Archives,
for helping to do this by welcoming
In this special edition of INSIGHT, we have taken the us into his world.
opportunity to try and share just a few stories about some of
these exceptional Cambridge citizens. We also have looked There is so much to discover
back at some business ventures and institutions that have about Cambridge’s past and a great place to do
played key roles in creating the very fabric of this community. this is by visiting the Archives, located in historic City Hall at
46 Dickson St.
There is so much to cover about what has transpired in
Cambridge over the course of the last 50 years and we’ve For information, call the Clerk’s Division at 519-740-4680, or
tried hard to touch on as much as space would allow. visit www.cambridge.ca/archives

www.cambridgechamber.com Summer 2023 7