Edinburgh Square, Caledonia
Encyclopedia
Edinburgh Square is a public space and historic site in Caledonia, Ontario
. It includes a War Memorial
, and lawn bowling and baseball
fields. The Old Town Hall of Caledonia is located on the square.
Over the years, tennis
, lacrosse
, boxing
, ice skating
on an outdoor rink and Canadian football
have been played on the Square. Rodeos and an annual circus also were held on this location. Until 1950, parties were held there during the July 1 celebrations. Those holiday events usually included an all-day baseball tournament, which continued until the festivities were relocated to the Band Shell in Kinsmen Park on the west side of town. The Square was also the centre for political rallies.
The Edinburgh Square’s baseball diamond is one of five diamonds in Caledonia, although, at one time, it was the only baseball diamond in Caledonia. The lawnbowling green there remains the only one in town. There is a Cenotaph
, which each year draws large crowds for the November 11 Remembrance Day
services. The number of cars parked on the square the first weekend in October indicates how large the crowd is for the annual Caledonia Fair held just east of the square on the fairgrounds. The outdoor ice rink during the winter months attracts hockey and skating enthusiasts from all parts of the community.
, a businessman and citizen of Brantford who had come to Canada
from Great Britain
in 1839. Turner was responsible for the design and construction of many public and commercial buildings across Southwestern Ontario between 1850 and 1886.
The Town Hall soon became the centre of the community. The basement housed the jail and a meat market. Until 1955 the main floor held the apartment quarters for the town’s constable. The constable’s wife was expected to serve meals to the prisoners, who were usually locked up for drunkenness.
The top floor of the Town Hall was used for council meetings, social events, concerts, wrestling matches, court hearings, short courses, W.I. meetings and scout meetings. A library was housed on the upper floor as well. In 1917, the year women first got the vote, a polling station was located there.
After 1955, Council meetings were held on the main floor. Other than a place for the Public Utilities administration, Red Cross storage and a lawn bowling clubhouse, the Town Hall became relatively inactive. It stood almost vacant after Regional Government took over municipal affairs in 1974. At that time all administrative activities and Council Meetings were moved to an administration building in Cayuga.
In 1974, the proposal to tear down the Town Hall to make room for parking facilities met with public outcry. Although the building was mostly empty and in need of repair, the uproar convinced the town to save the building. On January 25, 1982 it was designated as a Heritage building, and plans were made to convert the building into a museum. It would not be until the spring of 1988 that the old Town Hall was finally reopened, this time as the Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre.
Caledonia, Ontario
Caledonia is a small riverside community and former town located on the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada. Haldimand County is in the western part of the Niagara Peninsula, and had a population of 43,280 in 2001. The current mayor of Haldimand County is Ken Hewitt; Caledonia is...
. It includes a War Memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
, and lawn bowling and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
fields. The Old Town Hall of Caledonia is located on the square.
The Square
For many years, Edinburgh Square was one of five planned squares. The first Horticultural Society, organized in 1910, planted many trees and other plants on Edinburgh Square some of which are still standing around the Cenotaph. Prior to the construction of the Town Hall in 1857, Edinburgh Square was known as Market Square, as it was a market for farmer’s produce and meats.Over the years, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
on an outdoor rink and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
have been played on the Square. Rodeos and an annual circus also were held on this location. Until 1950, parties were held there during the July 1 celebrations. Those holiday events usually included an all-day baseball tournament, which continued until the festivities were relocated to the Band Shell in Kinsmen Park on the west side of town. The Square was also the centre for political rallies.
The Edinburgh Square’s baseball diamond is one of five diamonds in Caledonia, although, at one time, it was the only baseball diamond in Caledonia. The lawnbowling green there remains the only one in town. There is a Cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
, which each year draws large crowds for the November 11 Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
services. The number of cars parked on the square the first weekend in October indicates how large the crowd is for the annual Caledonia Fair held just east of the square on the fairgrounds. The outdoor ice rink during the winter months attracts hockey and skating enthusiasts from all parts of the community.
Old Town Hall
The Town Hall opened for its first council meeting on January 18, 1858. The architect was John TurnerJohn Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....
, a businessman and citizen of Brantford who had come to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in 1839. Turner was responsible for the design and construction of many public and commercial buildings across Southwestern Ontario between 1850 and 1886.
The Town Hall soon became the centre of the community. The basement housed the jail and a meat market. Until 1955 the main floor held the apartment quarters for the town’s constable. The constable’s wife was expected to serve meals to the prisoners, who were usually locked up for drunkenness.
The top floor of the Town Hall was used for council meetings, social events, concerts, wrestling matches, court hearings, short courses, W.I. meetings and scout meetings. A library was housed on the upper floor as well. In 1917, the year women first got the vote, a polling station was located there.
After 1955, Council meetings were held on the main floor. Other than a place for the Public Utilities administration, Red Cross storage and a lawn bowling clubhouse, the Town Hall became relatively inactive. It stood almost vacant after Regional Government took over municipal affairs in 1974. At that time all administrative activities and Council Meetings were moved to an administration building in Cayuga.
In 1974, the proposal to tear down the Town Hall to make room for parking facilities met with public outcry. Although the building was mostly empty and in need of repair, the uproar convinced the town to save the building. On January 25, 1982 it was designated as a Heritage building, and plans were made to convert the building into a museum. It would not be until the spring of 1988 that the old Town Hall was finally reopened, this time as the Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre.