Cedar Springs Original Gates in 1931
Cedar Springs New Gates in 1936
W.D. Flatt Memorial Gateway
Our founder of Cedar Springs, William Delos Flatt died February, 1936. Cedar Springs Community Club was formed for the very purpose of receiving from W.D. Flatt, the gift of the few hundred acres of common lands he owned surrounding the original subdivision of then 78 log cabins. That was in 1932.
What then would be a suitable memorial to Flatt? On April 4th, 1936 the Board of the Club appointed a committee to interview architects and to report at the next meeting with plans for a suitable memorial, together with the cost.
On April 25th, they recommended replacing the cedar log gate with a new stone gateway at the entrance of the community, with a design in keeping with the natural surroundings. The Board moved to call a special meeting of the Members to consider a proposal to construct the Memorial Gateway in the memory of W.D. Flatt at a cost not to exceed $500 ($7,850 in 2008).
On May 25, 1936, the special meeting had 21 Members present who viewed sketches prepared by the architect W.J. Walsh from a design by H.C. Pugh, for 37 years a teacher at Hamilton’s Central Collegiate and summer resident at Cedar Springs. After a thorough discussion, the members approved erecting the Memorial Gateway. Today, this would mean approval to spend the Club’s money to build the Gateway. Not in 1936!
In the spirit of W.D. Flatt, the Members required that a person be appointed to take subscriptions privately to cover the cost. When in the opinion of the directors sufficient money had been subscribed, the directors were to “forthwith commence the erection of the Gateway”. Club Secretary, O.M. Walsh was then appointed to collect subscriptions and act as treasurer of the Memorial Fund. Before the end of the meeting, there was a call for subscriptions and those present pledged the amount that each was willing to subscribe.
Nineteen days later, the directors determined that sufficient money had been subscribed to erect the new gate.
On an extremely hot Sunday, July 12th, 1936 at 3 pm, Members of the Club dressed in Sunday-best clothes gathered for the weekly church service at the new stone gates and conducted a memorial service to W.D. Flatt. No fewer than four reverends were present, one for each of the invocation, the prayer, the memoriam and the benediction. The national anthem was sung as were hymns, including the now traditional Cedar Springs hymn: Blest be the Tie that Binds. Click here for the order of service.
Dr. McNichol, husband of Flatt’s sister, pulled aside the Union Jack unveiling the bronze Memorial Tablet still there today (pictured).
The Burlington Gazette reported on the service the following Wednesday. Alan Nicholson of Nicholson Lumber fame and President of the Club was quoted in the Gazette as saying that the work had been completed by voluntary subscription without one solicitation.
At the July 27th Board meeting the directors were full of self-congratulation and praise for one another. But there was a problem. At the August 3rd meeting, poor Secretary Walsh reported that although $499 of subscriptions had been received, the total cost had amounted to $734.89. After considerable discussion, the directors decided to write two letters to the Members, one letter to those who had already subscribed and a different letter to those who had not subscribed. All letters were to contain a report on the cost of the work and show the outstanding balance.
The August 29th Board minutes mentions only sowing grass seed at the new gateway and approving the annual closing of the gates to take place on 1st Monday in November, 1936. However, the December 12th Board meeting discloses that the architect W.J. Walsh advised that he would donate as a subscription to the Memorial Gateway Fund his fees for drawing plans for an upcoming alteration of the Clubhouse. His offer was accepted. We can only assume that the shortfall was covered as there was no further mention of gateway subscriptions.
So in 1936, being a director of the Club gave you the authority, not to spend money but to raise money for Club projects. There was a tradition of raising money from each member in accordance with a member’s generosity to provide funds and desire for the project. Members effectively voted twice: once at the Members meeting and a second time with their pocket books. And so by such a process we have the golf course, the memorial gates, the basketball court, the lookout, memorial trees and other lasting amenities created by members as a legacy for subsequent generations to enjoy. By continuing this practice, what greater memorial could there be to the generous spirit of W.D. Flatt?
What then would be a suitable memorial to Flatt? On April 4th, 1936 the Board of the Club appointed a committee to interview architects and to report at the next meeting with plans for a suitable memorial, together with the cost.
On April 25th, they recommended replacing the cedar log gate with a new stone gateway at the entrance of the community, with a design in keeping with the natural surroundings. The Board moved to call a special meeting of the Members to consider a proposal to construct the Memorial Gateway in the memory of W.D. Flatt at a cost not to exceed $500 ($7,850 in 2008).
On May 25, 1936, the special meeting had 21 Members present who viewed sketches prepared by the architect W.J. Walsh from a design by H.C. Pugh, for 37 years a teacher at Hamilton’s Central Collegiate and summer resident at Cedar Springs. After a thorough discussion, the members approved erecting the Memorial Gateway. Today, this would mean approval to spend the Club’s money to build the Gateway. Not in 1936!
In the spirit of W.D. Flatt, the Members required that a person be appointed to take subscriptions privately to cover the cost. When in the opinion of the directors sufficient money had been subscribed, the directors were to “forthwith commence the erection of the Gateway”. Club Secretary, O.M. Walsh was then appointed to collect subscriptions and act as treasurer of the Memorial Fund. Before the end of the meeting, there was a call for subscriptions and those present pledged the amount that each was willing to subscribe.
Nineteen days later, the directors determined that sufficient money had been subscribed to erect the new gate.
On an extremely hot Sunday, July 12th, 1936 at 3 pm, Members of the Club dressed in Sunday-best clothes gathered for the weekly church service at the new stone gates and conducted a memorial service to W.D. Flatt. No fewer than four reverends were present, one for each of the invocation, the prayer, the memoriam and the benediction. The national anthem was sung as were hymns, including the now traditional Cedar Springs hymn: Blest be the Tie that Binds. Click here for the order of service.
Dr. McNichol, husband of Flatt’s sister, pulled aside the Union Jack unveiling the bronze Memorial Tablet still there today (pictured).
The Burlington Gazette reported on the service the following Wednesday. Alan Nicholson of Nicholson Lumber fame and President of the Club was quoted in the Gazette as saying that the work had been completed by voluntary subscription without one solicitation.
At the July 27th Board meeting the directors were full of self-congratulation and praise for one another. But there was a problem. At the August 3rd meeting, poor Secretary Walsh reported that although $499 of subscriptions had been received, the total cost had amounted to $734.89. After considerable discussion, the directors decided to write two letters to the Members, one letter to those who had already subscribed and a different letter to those who had not subscribed. All letters were to contain a report on the cost of the work and show the outstanding balance.
The August 29th Board minutes mentions only sowing grass seed at the new gateway and approving the annual closing of the gates to take place on 1st Monday in November, 1936. However, the December 12th Board meeting discloses that the architect W.J. Walsh advised that he would donate as a subscription to the Memorial Gateway Fund his fees for drawing plans for an upcoming alteration of the Clubhouse. His offer was accepted. We can only assume that the shortfall was covered as there was no further mention of gateway subscriptions.
So in 1936, being a director of the Club gave you the authority, not to spend money but to raise money for Club projects. There was a tradition of raising money from each member in accordance with a member’s generosity to provide funds and desire for the project. Members effectively voted twice: once at the Members meeting and a second time with their pocket books. And so by such a process we have the golf course, the memorial gates, the basketball court, the lookout, memorial trees and other lasting amenities created by members as a legacy for subsequent generations to enjoy. By continuing this practice, what greater memorial could there be to the generous spirit of W.D. Flatt?