Where Was One of the Open Air Rinks in Carleton Place?

One of the most popular open air rinks in Carleton Place  was on Rochester Street in the late 1800s. The Carleton Place Citizen Band furnished the music for several carnivals held there and were paid a whopping $5.00 for each event.

Well, it was a step up from them getting a rate of 20 cents each to the whole band for a full meal at Dobbie’s Hotel in the Village of Lanark I tell you.

Back row (l-r): Louis Levy, Don Wilson, Howard Nichols, Doug Brown, ?
Jack MacGregor, ?, Clinton Drader, Bert Raeburn, Herb Moore
?, Buzzy Campbell, Art Drader, Ted Graham, ?, Jim Cavers
Gary Costello, Fred Francis, Allen Wing, Roy Wilson, Jack Peckett, ?
Norm Shannon, Horace Seadman, ?, Ted Pearce

This photograph of Rochester Street looking north below was taken from the corner of Santiago Street in the 1940’s. Both photos from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Jennifer Fenwick Irwin from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum added this.

This map dates to 1868 with updates in red done in 1873. Rochester Street didn’t exist in 1868 “This has become the division line by length of occupation”. The name Rochester is pencilled in red in the 1873 update along with “this part of Street laid out by third parties”

The stream crossing under 12 Con. (now Lake Avenue) had A BRIDGE! (at corner of Beckwith Street). This stream still runs, mostly underground, but is visible in backyards along Argyle Street, and then again along Sussex Avenue.

Also interesting: property belonging to J. P. Moore, at the top of the triangle near where Moore and Lake meet. That’s the original site of the Moore House, now located on Bridge Street and home to the Carleton PlaceCarleton Place & District Chamber of Commerce.

Bill Conall

Alana Flint I don’t recall it, so it may pre-date our time. I wonder if it might have been at the top of the Peter Street corner. It would not likely have been as big as a hockey rink.

1972 map

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  11 Nov 1897, Thu,  Page 7

Father: John Holmes Lever, Mother: Janet Hart Lane

His son Arnold Hart Lever born in 1903 married 13 Aug. 1930 in New Liskeard, aged 26, Arnold’s birthplace: Carleton Place, Ontario. His occupation: Carpenter, Religion: Presbyterian

1911 census

HOUSEHOLD	ROLE	GENDER	AGE	BIRTHPLACE
John H Leaver	Head	M		Ontario
Janet Leaver	Wife	F		Ontario
Ethel Leaver	Daughter	F		Ontario
Arnold Leaver	Son	M		Ontario
Isabelle Leaver	Daughter	F		Ontario
George Leaver	Son	M		Ontario
Thomas Leaver	Father	M		Ontario
Andrew Dunlop	Boarder	M		Ontario