Our section of the Road sits high up on the escarpment, pretty well equidistant between the towns of Thornbury and Meaford. Driving or riding a bike down to either one provides a spectacular view of the Beaver Valley and Georgian Bay (the bike ride back up is rather a different story however). You will get to know both of these towns as we move along.
Although not a major metropolis in any way, Meaford does have its sophisticated side. In fact, the town slogan is “The Other Big Apple.” And right now Meaford is under siege by the annual Scarecrow Invasion. Scarecrows are everywhere, hanging from lampposts and guarding the entrances to buildings. Kind of a Teletubbies version of Night of the Living Dead.
But what I wanted to talk about in this post is another bastion of small town elegance. On the main drag there is a stately brick building with scores of windows and a pillared entrance. This is Meaford Hall. Originally built in 1908 as the new Town Hall (the winning construction bid: $20,240), like many public buildings in small towns, it was meant to be much more than a municipal building. It served as council chambers, offices, public library, meeting rooms, courthouse, and jail cell. The second floor was a magnificent Opera House. Meaford Hall was truly the centre of the community.
Things started to change in 1967 as one by one, tenants outgrew their space and moved to other locations. By 2002, the building was empty and neglected, with calls for it to be torn down.
In 2003, Meaford received a Superbuild grant, and a $6 million restoration project began. In 2006, the Meaford Hall Arts & Cultural Centre opened, and it quickly became a centre of the community once again, presenting concerts, plays, movie nights, and MIFF, the Meaford International Film Festival! We have attended several concerts over the past 2 years, at an average of $30 per ticket. The furthest back from the stage I have been is 8 rows; even I can hear the music from there.
This past weekend, 6 of us sat in Row 4 for a magical evening with Treasa Levasseur, a Juno-nominated blues, soul and R&B performer. A self-declared 40yr old hippie, Treasa is a fantastic storyteller; I feel like I know her well just from her songs. She even came out to the lobby during the band’s break and hung out with the rest of us who were enjoying a cold Creemore.
I am not a big city lover, so Meaford provides just about the right amount of sophistication for this simple dude. And I can always jump over to Thornbury for higher end shops and restaurants, but more on that another time.
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