Almonte Alameda: Guide to Furniture

Benches

B1. The birds they sang at the break of day. “Start again” I heard them say.  Leonard Cohen

– Timmons Family

Ray and June Timmons were members of a multi-generational family in the Almonte area. Ray had a long career as executive director of the Almonte General Hospital and Fairview Manor.

B2.  The storytellers, here’s to them.  Val Sears: the last line of his book “Hello sweetheart, get me  rewrite”

– Edith Cody Rice for Val Sears

B3.  I say Dank voor de liefde. Thank you for the love.  Buster Van de Geest, Dutch poet

– Branje family

This bench is in honor of Gerry and Evelyn Branje, who came to Canada from Holland. They settled in Pakenham, established a successful welding business and became stalwart members of the community. Their son and grandson have taken over the business which is now known as Branje Metal Works and fabricated all these benches.

B4.  So come and sit with me awhile.  Elliot Matsu

– Pat Vetter for Frank

The bronze at this bench is a pair of Frank’s shoes, meant to symbolize a life well-lived and to offer an easy-going invitation to “come and sit with me a while”.

B5.  This place is the poem I wanted to write.  from Mary Oliver

– Jane McLeod for Margaret Duncan

Margaret and her husband Hugh had a chicken farm in Ramsay Township. Margaret became involved in politics and became the first female Reeve of Ramsay Township, then the first female Warden of Lanark County. She was a stalwart fundraiser for the Almonte General Hospital and a major fundraiser for other causes. The bronze casting at the bench has a special significance. Margaret was known not just for her political acumen but also for her fashion sense (it is said that Holt Renfrew lowered their flag upon Margaret’s death). The bronze is of one of her many elegant hats and the Lanark County Chain of Office. 

B6.  I shall e’er be in sunshine with my love by my side.  Jane Coyle’s dad

– Coyle Family

This bench is in honour of Eileen and Michael Coyle.

 Eileen was born in Belfast Ireland and grew up in Ottawa. Michael was born and raised in Amherstburg, Ontario. In his late teens, he joined the Essex Scottish Regiment, served in the second world war and was captured on the beaches of Dieppe. When he returned to Canada after the war, he settled in Ottawa where met and married Eileen.

They were married for 46 years – raised 4 children, had 9 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. They shared a great love that carried them through life’s challenges and triumphs. Michael was a prolific writer. The engraving on the bench is from a poem called Thro’ The Velley that Michael wrote for Eileen.

Michael died at 74 in Stratford, Ontario in 1997. Eileen was a resident of Almonte Country Haven until her death at the age of 97 in April 2020.

Thro’ The Valley

By Michael Coyle

Tho’ I walk in the valley
Where the dark shadows bide
I shall e’er be in sunshine
With my love by my side.

Tho’ I walk in the shadow
And troubles with me stride
The valley, it shall brighten
With my love by my side.

Tho’ I shall walk in the valley
And that valley shall hide
The foul genies of evil –
I shall step forth with pride.

Now, my way through the valley
Of life will be tried
But each step thro’ the darkness will ease
With the warmth of my love by my side.

B7.  And into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul.  John Muir

– Tove for Ed Lawrence

Ed Lawrence is a renowned horticulturalist, gardener, broadcaster and writer. He has been involved with The Alameda from the conception of the project: planning the type of trees suitable to plant, how far apart, the depth to plant and many other aspects of this important undertaking.

So how wonderful for Ed then, to sit down and enjoy the trees as they grow, from his bench wide enough to invite a friend or two. From this vantage point, Ed and friends can also enjoy the Almonte Horticultural Society flower gardens and the Foodbank vegetable gardens.

Planting trees is Ed’s favourite “thing” to do, so The Alameda Bench is a tribute to his 50 + years of community and horticultural commitment.

Not only to Mississippi Mills but across Ontario.

The inscription on the Bench says it all, who Ed is:

“and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul”

B8.  A paradise my garden is, and there my day is spent.  Robert Service, “My Garden”

– Ayling family for Ron

Ron Ayling, a professor emeritus of forestry at the University of Toronto, was a member of the “Dream Team” of horticulturalists, soil experts and artists that created the Alameda. He is also a volunteer extraordinaire (and the maker of wonderful tortières for Saint Paul’s church!).

B9. Adopt the pace of nature her secret is patience. Ralph Waldo Emerson

– In loving memory of Morgan and Mary Martin. They cherished Almonte and all the goodness it represents.

B10. One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.  William Shakespeare

– Geuer family for Juan and Els Geuer

B11. I carry your heart with me, I carry it in my heart.  ee cummings

– In loving memory of Robert, Thora, and Corrie Pugh. Your legacy is the lives you touched and the inspiration you gave.

B12. Memories of strawberry fields forever.  

– With gratitude to the employees and customers of Cedar Hill Berry farm. 1978-2011  Ria and Paul Ralph and family.

B13.  Imagine all the people living in peace. John Lennon, Imagine

– Bill and Ingrid for Bill and Betty Barrie

B14.  Plant seeds of happiness, hope and love. It comes back in abundance. Steve Maraboli

– In honour of Lois and Bob McKay, builders of community, lenders of hands, and lovers of friends and family. With all our love, the McKay’s, Allans, Foster’s and Abols.

Picnic Tables

T1.  All our wisdom is stored in the trees.  Santosh Kalwar
In memory of Bruce Duncan with love, the Clulee, Crampton and Duncan-Fraser families. As a farmer, Bruce was never without his work gloves and trusty knife, shown in the bronze casting under the table.

T2.  With all things and in all things, we are relatives.  Sioux proverb
Stephen Brathwaite

This is a story about Stephen Brathwaite by his partner Jeanne d’Arc. A long-time Mississippi Mills resident, Stephen has made immeasurable contributions to the town of Almonte. He not only designed and built the beautiful picnic tables located at the Alameda using wood from his property, he was the main force that brought the Alameda to life, as noted in the story.

Visionary, 2021 (WC 174)

Some people are programmed to lead because they possess a clarity of vision that will energize others and set ideas in motion. I know this selfless man who works seven days a week, without time boundaries, for an opportunity to propel his projects forward. He is devoted to the creation of beautiful surroundings, his and others’, beauty for anyone and everyone to enjoy.  In fact, he would go so far as to rile me, by choosing to trade the Alameda bench I had dedicated to him, for a picnic table.

 “It’s more plausible to provoke gatherings,” he argued.

It is obvious to me that, for Stephen, the Alameda project was an ideal opportunity to inspire inclusion and community; this project morphed itself into reality with the help and encouragement from volunteers supportive of his vision. 

Now, whether you choose to walk, run or bike, sit at a picnic table with family or friends, or you choose to sit on one of the comfortable benches along the Alameda, you are animating a vision.  

Bicycle racks

R1. Now that you’re here, come and visit the Hub.
The Hub

R2.  Maybe now my daughter Rona will ride her bike.  Norman Fraser
Rona Fraser

At age seventeen, Norman Fraser left Craigellachie, Scotland, to join the R.A.F., where he eventually found the two loves of his life: Eileen Bluck and table tennis. In 1959, Norman and Eileen moved to Montreal, where he enjoyed further sports (tennis, badminton, golf), and exploring the outdoors (fishing, camping, hunting).  When finally pregnant, they were convinced it was a boy, and Norman had visions of introducing his son to his favourite pastimes. Instead they had a baby girl who was scared of any ball that bounced her way. Riding her bicycle was one of the few sporty things she enjoyed, so Norman encouraged her, buying a ten-speed himself to take her on 10-km bike rides. As his daughter grew up, moved out and became more sedentary, he would often encourage [nag] her to ride her bike more.

Norman passed in March 2020, with his daughter by his side.  He would have loved to walk the Alameda with her, and would no doubt love her to get off her butt and go for a ride.  “Maybe now my daughter will ride her bike!” is totally something he’d say.  She still hasn’t ridden her bike on the Alameda, but is comforted that he is still nagging her to ride it.

Eileen passed in July 2016 and was even less athletic than her daughter. If another bench is ever needed on the Alameda, perhaps Eileen will get a piece of furniture too; somewhere to read, do a crossword, knit, and watch the passers-by.

The bronze casting of the table tennis raquets pays tribute to Norman’s passion for the sport, and also references an interesting episode that occurred during  Norman’s time as Manager of Sony Eastern Canada. At one point management and staff were in conflict. Norman brought in table tennis equipment and encouraged everyone to play. The story is that this soon led to a lessening of tensions and then to resolution of the conflict.