Back Then – 1969-1970 – 30 years
Queenswood Public School opened for the first time on September 2nd, 1969. The eight classrooms were not all ready and much of the furniture had not arrived. The official opening and occupancy of the gym and library took place in January, 1970. The school opened with 275 children and was a Kindergarten to Grade 8 facility. Staff were looking forward to the arrival of two portables to alleviate the already overcrowded school!!
QPS was the first urban school built by the Cumberland Township Public School board. The sod was turned on November 23, 1968 by Board Chairman, Ross Bradley, of Navan. The new Carleton Board of Education took over the school in 1969.
With the opening of the school Queenswood had its first facility for community use and the local Recreation Association and the community at large soon filled it with a variety of programs, keeping it occupied 7 days and 7 nights a week. In addition to Brownies, Guides, Cubs, Scouts, Church services, and group meetings, the local Recreation Assoc. ran Saturday afternoon movies, Teen nights, Ballet classes, Volleyball, Badminton and Dances . (Previous to this all meetings and activities took place in the Orleans Community Centre or in homes. This community Centre and Fire Hall combined were located on the corner of St. Joseph and Maisonneuve, across from Fabricland).
A brief public school history of Queenswood up to 1969
1962-1964 – We were Number 11 school section and our children were transported to Ottawa schools. We had our own trustees (4) and levied our own mill rate with no connection to Cumberland Township schools.
Fall 1964 – 1968 – A five man board of trustees was elected to represent all of Cumberland Township. The total public school population in 1964 was 443 pupils, and 6 schools existed in the Township, – a 6 room at Cumberland Village , a 4 room at Navan, 2 room schools at Vars and Bearbrook and two 1 room schools. These former schools were replaced by 1968 with two 12 room schools – Meadowview in Navan and Riverview in Cumberland Village.
Fall 1964/67 and 68 – 41, 68 and 160 students respectively from Queenswood were being sent to Riverview, which had a total school population of 450, (Meadowview had 300).
Other community events:
- Ravine and Centennial parks were being built with Volunteer labour – work parties were organized on a regular basis
- there were approximately 250 homes in Queenswood Heights and a population of 1100
- Traffic lights were installed at the intersection of St. Joseph and Duford
- the major issue facing homeowners was the high cost of installing storm sewers – $125. Per household
- Talos construction was advertising their model homes for $22,000
- Alcan announced the opening of a $7 million, 300 home project in Queenswood. These prefabricated homes were assembled in Woodstock, shipped to Queenswood in 2 halves and joined together on the foundation. Prices started at $19,250.
- Library service was purchased by the Township from Gloucester at a cost of $200 per year from the Orleans Library, housed on the 2nd floor of the Centre across from St. Joseph Church…Library hours were Tuesday & Thursday 7 – 9 p.m. and Saturday 9a.m.- 11 .am.
- the Queenswood Centre Variety and Grocery was selling bread at 2 for 49 cents and 3 quarts of milk for 85 cents
- Babysitting was available for working parents at $10 per week.
Here’s a brief rundown on the sixties:
1962
- On March 28, 1962 the Queenswood Homeowners Association (QHA) was formed with approx. a dozen homes: by the end of the year there were 23 homes. In June permission was received from Parks and Gardens Home Developers for the Association to use the name Queenswood.
- The Association faced many challenges. The largest issues were the Duford Hill, a second access to Queenswood, local representation on Township Council and ditches. Local representation was achieved in 1968 when Ron Pedlar was elected to Council. In 1979 the grade of the Hill was lowered, to the relief of the many motorists who had, (in the past) the pleasure of pushing their cars up the hill in the winter, the last ditches were covered in 1985 and a second access was finally achieved in 1971 when Old Tenth Line road was opened to Amiens, though it was yet another hill!!
1963
- The first newsletter appeared “The Gleaner”, published by Queenswood resident, Allan Richards.
- The QHA asked for an inquiry/investigation into the affairs of Cumberland Township.
- By Dec 1963 52 homes were occupied.
1964
- The Township was cleared of any wrongdoing in their affairs.
- There was a question in the Gleaner as to when the hillside would slide onto the road at the bottom of Duford hill – it finally did, not once but twice, in October 1965.
- Agreement was reached with Gloucester for Fire Protection.
- By Dec 1964 there were 100 homes.
1965
- Roads were paved at a cost of $50 per homeowner and ditches were cleaned up.
- A local resident requested a street sign for Jamison Ave and finally got it in 1968!!
- Sunday, October 10th we had the first landslide on the hill, it took 10 hours to clear away the mud and debris and residents were unable to come in or leave the development during that time and on October 23rd we had a 2nd landslide on the hill!!
1966
- The Group Committee was formed and Scouts/Cubs/Venturers were started, with the QHA as sponsors.
- All meetings were held at the Community Centre/Fire Hall combined at St. Joseph/Maissonneuve until the first school opened in Queenswood in 1969.
- Bell Telephone came to Cumberland Township replacing the old Navan telephone exchange, which served the area with four digit numbers.
- QHA membership fee was $3.00 and there were approx 124 house by Dec. 1966.
1967
- A Centennial grant of $2500 was received for Centennial park fence, fill and cairn.
- There was one Hockey team from Queenswood The “Tigers” – mosquitos, ages 8 -10 and approx. 143 houses in Queenswood.
1968
- The First issue of the Queenswood Newsliner appeared in Sept 1968, started by local resident, Lem Murphy and taken over the QHA in 1971.
- Brownies and Guides were started.
- Queenswood Hockey teams expanded to four, there were approx 70 boys in hockey.
- Queenswood “grew” to the first part of Lacroix and the number of homes was 230.
1969
- Cumberland became part of Regional Government and the Carleton Board of Education took over schools.
- A Ladies Club was formed for fund raising, at the request of the QHA.
- The new parks committee sent out a call for volunteers to develop our parks and Ravine park was started and a permanent rink site with heated shack was established at Centennial park: The Ottawa Journal did an article on the “Pioneer Spirit” in Queenswood!!
- A parade and penny carnival was held in the “new” park.
- House league softball was initiated with over 40 boys playing.
- Talos construction was building on Lacroix and Alcan announced the opening of a $7 million project in Queenswood Heights (300 homes).
- A second entrance was under construction for truck use – the first Tenth Line entrance.
- A street light was finally installed at the intersection of St. Joseph and Duford.
- Queenswood Public school opened on Sept 2, with Jim Ferguson as principal.
- Queenswood Hockey league entered 7 teams this year – approx 85 boys, from QH and QV – Cost to ice one team on artificial ice – $150..
- The cost of installing artificial ice in Navan Arena was being studied – Queenswood had the most population but no land was designated for an arena!!
- Queenswood “grew” to Amiens and St Georges and there were now 285 homes in the Heights and 165 in the Village.
- The sod was turned at Ramsayville corner for the start of new Highway 417.
QHCA HISTORY ….INTO THE 70’s..
“BOY RESCUED FROM FLOODED DRAIN DITCH”
This was the headline in the Ottawa Journal for Mar 23, 1970 – the boy was rescued from his flooded ditch by Don Morwick on Duford Drive. This prompted renewed efforts by the residents for storm sewers and led to many lively exchanges with the Town Council before all the ditches were finally covered in the mid 80’s. A survey of the older area in 1970 found a population of 1000 in 239 homes, with a total of 498 children, Sault St was the most populous with 187 residents!!
The hourly rate for a Township Grader operator was $2.40/hour, the Clerk Treasurer salary was increased to $7000, and the Tax collector to $6600. A Dog catcher was appointed at a rate of $2.00/hour and 10cents/mile traveling expense.
Queenswood grew to 600 homes in 1971, Reine des Bois was built and an addition to Queenswood Public was constructed. The fill from these two projects was diverted to Centennial park to build the toboggan hill and improve grading. The 1st Tennis courts were put in this year and the club was formed when a resident went door to door selling memberships, the “fence” surrounding the courts was rink boards and some chicken wire!
The official opening of Queenswood Public School in 1970 and an expanding population saw an explosion of programs and a call for our own Community building, as the school was being used to capacity. In 1972 a Building committee was formed and their first task was to locate the deed to the parkland, which the Township couldn’t find!! The building was finally opened in 1974 at a cost of $250,000.
Queenswood was in the “News” again in 1974 when residents lobbied Regional Government, tracking down Regional politicians at the Pineview Golf club to present a petition for a 200,000 sq ft shopping centre; this was finally built as the first phase of Place d’Orleans in 1979.
Some quick highlights:
- Cablevision came to Queenswood in 1971
- There were approximately 800 homes in 1972
- Chartrand was made a one way street in 1973
- Our Lady of Wisdom school opened in 1973
- The opening of the Fire hall on Tompkins in 1976
- Work started on Kinsella park 1979
A brief public school history of Queenswood up to 1969
1962-1964 – We were Number 11 school section and our children were transported to Ottawa schools. We had our own trustees (4) and levied our own mill rate with no connection to Cumberland Township schools.
Fall 1964 – 1968 – A five man board of trustees was elected to represent all of Cumberland Township. The total public school population in 1964 was 443 pupils, and 6 schools existed in the Township, – a 6 room at Cumberland Village , a 4 room at Navan, 2 room schools at Vars and Bearbrook and two 1 room schools. These former schools were replaced by 1968 with two 12 room schools – Meadowview in Navan and Riverview in Cumberland Village.
Fall 1964/67 and 68 – 41, 68 and 160 students respectively from Queenswood were being sent to Riverview, which had a total school population of 450, (Meadowview had 300).