Originally Published in Heritage Happenings, Summer 1998
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The Fifth and final Heritage Paper based on the handwritten Waterdown Council Minute Book looks at life in the village from 1919 until 1920.

Members of the Council during this time were Reeves: Mr. D. Davies, Richard Smith, Councillors: Messrs. J. C. Langford, Richard Smith, J. W. Griffin, Jas. V. Markle, F. W. Crooker, Wm. A. Drummond, David S. Atkins.

• The inaugural meeting of the new Council took place at 11 o’clock on 13 January 1919 when the Reeve and Councillors took the Oath of Office. Later in the day, members met to discuss the business of local government.
• Mr. H. Greene from the Waterdown Review requested the contract of printing Council Minutes for 1919. Awarded for the sum of $50.
• Mr. John Mitchell re-appointed Trustee of the Waterdown High School for the year 1919-1920.
• Among the accounts settled at the first meeting were: $3 to Henry Slater for supplying coal to the Council Chamber; $8.33 to Mr. John Johnstone for the hire of an auto truck at the Peace celebrations; $13.25 to the Clerk, Mr. J. C. Medlar for Election expenses on 6 January 1919 and $6 for attending 6 sittings of the 3^rd Division Court during 1918 and $7.50 to Mr. Alex. Davidson for 9 months salary as Truancy Officer.
• In February Council was asked to appoint a committee to look after the interests of returning soldiers to be known as a Repatriation Committee.
• Mr. J. F. Vance addressed Council re: A Memorial Hall for the Village of Waterdown. A Commttee of S. H. Gallagher, C. P. McGregor, F. J. Shaidle, J. V. Markle, D. Davies, J. R. Thompson, Geo. Nicholson, J. C. Langford, Chas. Richards, J. J. Creen, J. W. Griffin, R. Smith, Dr. Hopper, and W. A. Drummond requested to meet with the Committee from East Flamborough Township regarding the construction of such a building.
• The Reeve requested that a committee consult an engineer regarding waterworks for the Village of Waterdown and report to Council at the next meeting.

• In March a deputation from the Women’s Institute consisting of Mrs. J. O. McGregor and Mrs. W. A. Drummond requested use of the Village Hall for their meetings.
• Accounts paid during the month included $10 to George Potts, 3 months salary as Village Constable, $13 to Agent Reuben Sparks, Waterloo Fire Insurance Co. for 1 years premium of the Bell House and $5 for rent of the Roller Rink for Soldiers Home Coming celebrations.
• The April Council meeting was addressed by several notable people, including the Inspector of Public Schools for Wentworth, Mr. J. R. Robinson, and from the village, Mr. J. F. Vance, Dr. R. J. Vance and Dr. Hopper about building a new Public School in Waterdown to serve the village and School Section #3 East Flamborough. The Clerk was instructed to draw up an agreement between Council and the two School Boards regarding the construction of a new school on the basis of shared building and maintenance costs and that debentures be issued to the amount of $55,000 to run for 20 years at the rate of 5 ​¼%.
• Later in the week the parties concerned with the proposal signed an agreement to proceed with the construction of the new school.
• At the April 14^th meeting, residents on Flamboro Street asked for a street light which Councillors voted to consider at a later date, but they did agree to a request from the C.P.R. to close a portion of Water Street.

• In May the By-Law to issue Debentures to the amount of $55,000 for the purchase of a site and building and supplying a school was passed. Mr. John Smiley appointed Constable of the village at an annual salary of $50, following the defeat of a motion to pay him $100 annually.
• During the month, the Medical Officer of Health for East Flamborough, Dr. Hopper issued a Public Notice from Waterdown that all dogs within the village and township wre to be either muzzled or tied up due to a serious outbreak of rabies.
• A deputation of ladies appeared before Council in June inviting members to attend a Public Meeting at Township Hall on June 11th when the building of a Memorial Hall would be thoroughly discussed.
• On June 18^th a call for tenders to construct the new school was published in the Waterdown Review, stating that the architect was J. A. Arms of Bold Street, Hamilton.
• In October Councillors voted to introduce a By-Law to appoint an officer to enforce the Ontario Temperance Act in the village.
• Community League members and a group of ratepayers attended the November meeting to request that Council submit a By-Law to the Ratepayers of Waterdown qualified to vote at the next January election for the issuance of Debentures to the amount of $20,000 for the purpose of building a Memorial Hall in the village to honour the fallen heroes.

• At the inaugural 1920 meeting of the new Council, a letter from the Clerk, J. C. Medlar was received announcing the result of the vote on By-Law #222 for the erection and equipping of a Memorial Hall as 98 to 67 in favour of proceeding with the building.
• A month later Council appointed a committee consisting of Dr. J. O. McGregor, Mrs. J. C. Langford, Mrs. A. M. Slater, Mrs. Richard Smith, Mrs. W. A. Ryckman, Mr. J. F. Vance, Mr. C. P. McGregor, Mr. Charles Curns and Mr. W. J. Wiggins to work in conjunction with them in building and equipping the new hall. The Reeve and Clerk were authorized to issue a Promissory note in favour of Mr. P. H. Metzger for the sum of $700 bearing interest at the rate of 6% per annum for a term of three months to pay the balance of the purchase money of Lot No. 21, Dundas Street, Waterdown which had been deeded by Mr. Metzger to the Village of Waterdown.
• Council requested all outstanding bills be paid which included 25¢ for a key to handcuffs, $1.55 for repairs to the Fire Engine by W. A. Cummins and $2 to John Smiley for snow shovelling.
• The Waterdown’s Women’s Institute asked Council at the June meeting for a clean-up day for the village. Councillors agreed with the request and asked that citizens observe the week beginning June 21^st as a general Clean-Up Week by undertaking a general renovation of back yards, streets, etc. and to cut weeds adjacent to their property.
• At the July meeting, Councillor Atkins moved, seconded by Councillor Griffin and resolved that this Council not build a Community Hall at the present time as the tenders received were too high.
• At the first meeting in August, the same Councillors moved and seconded that this Council would not issue Debentures in 1920 for the Memorial Hall. A disagreement with the C.P.Railway Company was also of concern and the Clerk was instructed to write to the railway company and tell them that if they expected the village Council to repair Board Street they would have to have the full roadway belonging to the same.
• The second Council meeting of the month was also full of problems, as the Clerk was firstly instructed to have a repealing By-Law prepared to repeal the one prepared for the issuance of Debentures for the completion of the new Public School in the village and then to rescind the appointment of a Committee for the management of the building of the proposed Memorial Hall.
• Financial troubles continued into early September as Council members resolved not to lay any cement sidewalks for the year as prices submitted were too high. Later in the month the Clerk was instructed to proceed with the sale of Debentures of $20,000 for the completion of the Public School and any monies remaining be turned over to the building fund of the new school.

This is the end of the Minute Book entries for 1920. The Memorial Hall was not built until 1922, as a photograph held at the Archives taken on the day of the Great Waterdown fire of May 1922 shows that the building had just begun with the foundation completed and work on the first floor started.

A new series of Heritage Papers on murders and mysteries will begin next week.

© The Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society 1998, 2023.