A broadcaster-turned-politician and a world famous cattle farmer!
Each week, we speak with Milton Historical Society (MHS) President John Challinor II to gather information and details about the namesakes of our roads. If you weren’t aware, he and the late great historian, Jim Dills, wrote the book on Milton street names, writing Milton Streets back in 2007.
Recently, we covered Leitch Landing and Tonelli Lane. This week, we’re focusing on Clarkson Gate and Stewart Crescent.
Starting alphabetically with Clarkson, Challinor says residents might know the namesake from her time on the CBC, if not her time in-office.
At 84-years-old, Challinor says Adrienne Clarkson is still travelling the country for speaking events.
Many politicians had a start in broadcasting, including Challinor himself. He thinks the transition comes natural for many broadcasters as they’re surrounded by the world of politics and are natural presenters. One person he would have loved to see make the transition is Peter Mansbridge, but he admits that wish might have come too late.
Our other street this week is Stewart Crescent. Challinor says the namesake is a very successful and well-known cattle showman.
Bertram Stewart also played a key role in the early days of the Milton Curling Club, as Challinor notes he was an excellent curler. He also had 40 years of 4-H experience, spending time as the President of the Canada 4-H Council.
Stewart passed away in 2018 at the age of 85.
Reflecting on Milton’s history in agriculture, Challinor notes that our community excelled at the industry over the years. Even now, as the town continues to develop, he feels there will always be a place for farming and agriculture here, especially with the Escarpment and Greenbelt being protected from mandated growth.
If you’re looking to understand how Milton’s streets are named, you should check out the book written by Challinor and Dills. Published by the Milton Historical Society back in 2007, it sold out in about six weeks and has since been long out of print. That said, according to Challinor, you can still find a copy at the Milton Public Library. With nearly 15-years having passed since the initial publication, and the extensive town growth in that time, an updated book is likely to come.
You can also take a walk with the late Jim Dills down Milton’s Main Street in 2002.
If you have a suggestion on what you’d like to learn about next week, let us know! We’re currently working on names that we find interesting. You can message our Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram page, or even email us at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. Otherwise, we’ll just continue asking about local street names that we find interesting.
If you have a news tip or story idea, you can now send us a heads up via email at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. If you’d like to get ahold of me personally, shoot me a message at Cameron.Wilkinson@LocalRadio.ca. We’re in the business of content creation, so no idea is a bad idea.
