So remember the stink I unrolled trying to make a 51 year-old wrong right last year? For months I badgered, whined, danced and pranced, and made myself a general nuisance about the issue of changing the name of the North industrial Park in Carleton Place to what it rightfully should be– named after the Dunlop-Kenny family.
I truly believe that 51 years ago the North Industrial Park name change was promised by Mayor Howard McNeely to the Dunlop-Kenny family after hearing the story from the family. McNeely really needed that land for the Rolark Cheque company and the Dunlop- Kenny family sold it to the town in a transaction that only took a few days with no questions asked. They also had been promised the new industrial park would be named after the family.
But it never happened until November of 2015. Today going through the files of the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum I came across an obituary of then mayor Howard McNeely, and what was his accomplishments were.
There right in the article were the words:
“Industry was a key interest of Mr. McNeely’s and his work on council reflected that. As mayor one of his priorities was inquiring land from the Dunlop family. The former town Chief Administrative Officer Keith Morris said, adding the land is now the site of the Businees Park North”.
I knew Howard McNeely well, he was one heck of a top notch salesman one might say. There is no doubt in my mind now that the Mayor probably “promised the world” to the Dunlops/ Kennys for that land– including honouring the family with the name change. But, then again sometimes people offer empty promises, and because Mayor McNeely has long passed we will never know the whole truth. All I know is, if it had not been for Volundur Wally Thorbjornsson, Deputy Mayor Jerry Flynn, and Wally Cook this whole ordeal might not have reached our town council.
I am thrilled the town of Carleton Place is finally giving the Dunlop-Kenny family the closure it so deserves. Personally, I don’t respect someone for making a promise, I respect them for keeping it. So, I am pleased to announce that North Industrial Park name change ceremony will finally be sometime in late April or early May thanks to the hard work of Jerry Flynn and Brian Doucette. The new sign will be changed later in the year.
Remember our town was built by a generation of settlers and we should never forget that. Making promises and keeping them is a great way to build a town.
Photo-The Dunlop-Kenny family
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