Lodge in The Village at Black Creek re-opens
This past weekend the lodge room in The Village at Black Creek was finally re-opened to the public and what a day for Freemasonry, and especially for both Andrew Turk and George Burt who have spent so much time organizing the volunteer corps.
According to George (who reported close to 100 visitors walked through and were introduced to our gentle craft), he said: “It was a great feeling and satisfying moment to at last open the Historic Lodge Room to visitors. R.W. Bro Thomas Cober of Union Lodge Schomberg and W. Bro David Lovelock of Mississauga Lodge had a wonderful and very busy day from opening until closing.”
Visitors came from across the globe, added Burt: “Many from the GTA and others from Pickering, Ajax, Barrie, Oakville and Hamilton, as well as visitors from China, Peru, Uganda, Iran, Malaysia, England, Scotland, Germany and Ukraine.”
All of the Heritage Lodge members should be very proud of the work done by all involved, including Bill Willis, who has worked tirelessly with the administrators at the popular tourist attraction, to ensure such an incredible success. In order to keep up the momentum, please contact the Secretary at Heritage Lodge if you’d like to get involved.
Cornerstone Ceremony 2023: The Village at Black Creek Parade & Historic Re-Dedication LIVE đź”´
On May 13, 2023, an unforgettable event took place on the 40th Anniversary of the original Cornerstone dedication, a celebration held in The Village at Black Creek. Members first assembled and enjoyed a pipe and drum led spectacular parade in regalia through the village, which was followed by the historic re-dedication of the Cornerstone Ceremony conducted by R. W. Bro. Jamie R. Ireland, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
This event – as seen in the video – commemorates M.W. Bro. Ronald Groshaw’s dedication of the Cornerstone for the restored pre-confederation building in 1983. The Heritage Lodge, which still houses a Lodge Room on the second floor, will be hosting this momentous occasion. Volunteers from The Heritage Lodge will be on-site to answer any questions visitors may have, and also staff the facility during the summertime weekends. Please contact us if you’d like to volunteer as well.
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Photos from the historic Ground-breaking Ceremony in The Village at Black Creek
At the Twenty-Seventh Regular Meeting of The Heritage Lodge No. 730, held in the Preston-Hespeler Masonic Temple, Cambridge, on Wednesday, May 18, 1983, the Expenditing Committee reported that arrangements had been made for a sod-turning ceremony, which was held on Thursday, March 31, 1983, at 10:00 a.m. on the grounds of The Village at Black Creek and where M.W.Bro. Howard 0. Polk broke the ground with a ceremonial spade presented by Mrs. Florence Gell, Chairman of the Metro Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. The dedicatory prayer was read by R.W.Bro. Arthur Watson, Lodge Chaplain.
R.W.Bro. Balfour LeGresley, Worshipful Master of The Heritage Lodge was present, also Mr. Russell Cooper, Director of Heritage Buildings, M.T.R.C.A. and a group of 37 Brethren and their familites. Grateful thanks must be extended to Bro. A. Sykes of Zeta Lodge No. 410, who obtained and had gold-plated a suitable spade, complete with a commemorative plaque. The spade, when suitably engraved, will be presented to M.W.Bro. Howard O. Polk.
The cornerstone laying ceremony will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. October 1, 1983, as explained in detail by M.W. Bro. Ronald Groshaw in this clipping:
Dedication of the Cornerstone in 1983 at The Village at Black Creek
Here is the recently-found video of the Cornerstone dedication ceremony that took place on October 1, 1983 at The Village at Black Creek. The re-dedication ceremony will take place – 40 years later – on Saturday, May 13, 2023 and Heritage Lodge will proudly enjoy the company of our Grand Jurisdiction’s Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Bro Jamie Ireland, who has agreed to attend this historic event.
The Lodge Room in The Village at Black Creek
Heritage Lodge has operated a display lodge at The Village at Black Creek for many years. Prior to COVID, the lodge room was managed and staffed by a very dedicated crew of Masons who volunteered their time to be “interpreters”. These volunteers explained the artifacts in the room and introduced Freemasonry to the thousands of visitors to the historic Village every year. Without our Volunteer Masonic Interpreters, the room cannot open to the public.
We are establishing a program whereby your lodge can have its day at The Village at Black Creek. Each participating lodge will supply two “interpreters” to staff the lodge room. This can be broken into shifts, if it suits the lodge. Heritage Lodge will train one of your members to be the trainer and supervisor of the interpreters and in turn he will train any of his members that will be assigned to the Lodge room.
To launch this program a rededication of the Cornerstone of the Lodge at Black Creek will be held in May of 2023. The Grand Master and Members of Grand Lodge will be in attendance and a parade through the village is planned. The Village at Black Creek will be promoting this day as a special event in their spring program.
To register your lodge and select your day please contact: Graeme Boyce, Sec, The Heritage Lodge
Corresponding Past Masters Membership Program
Beginning in 2023, Heritage Lodge is offering a “Corresponding Past Master” class of
membership as an introduction to Heritage Lodge to Immediate Past Masters. In this program, we
are asking all lodges in the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario to enroll
your Immediate Past Master and present him with his Membership and Certificate on the night of
Installation, along with his Past Masters Jewel. He will receive the benefits of this special
membership for one year.
He will also receive on the night of the installation:
– A membership certificate depicting the Heritage Lodge Building at Black Creek Pioneer
Village which is suitable for framing.
– The Heritage Lodge No 730 lapel pin.
The cost of this program is $40.00
For more information, please contact
Bill Willis, Worshipful Master: willisbill17 (at)gmail.com,
Dan Graham, Secretary: wbdgraham (at)gmail.com or,
Graeme Boyce, Asst Sec, Heritage Lodge at rawgraeme (at)gmail.com