There is tentative yet preliminary work being done for the city to examine whether it should restructure the ward system. The next few weeks in our Timmins history feature, that will be our topic.
Local historian Karen Bachmann acknowledges that the current ward system was implemented when the city amalgamated with outlying townships in 1973. However, the first-ever amalgamation was in the early 1920s, with Mattagami Heights. It followed the road along the river, off the end of Wilson Avenue.
“There was a small townsite there that was put together by the Auer family and there was the Power family had a space down there,” Bachmann tells us, “and there was a lot of different businesses and homes and that type of thing.”
The townsite was established in 1911. In 1921, residents wanted to join the town, because they couldn’t afford things like outdoor lighting and road maintenance.
“By the end of 1922, they had had a referendum in town, they had had many discussions at the old Empire Theatre, lots of public input,” recounts Bachmann, “and the province finally said ‘Yeah, that sounds like a great idea.’ So that was the first bit of amalgamating that the city did.”
Similar things awaited Rochester Township and Moneta in the 30s and 40s.
Next week: Talk begins about taking in Mountjoy, Tisdale and Whitney Townships.
