milton walk of fame

Ed Does It Again!

Mike Cluett

Ed Whitlock, who is one of the charter members of the Milton Walk of Fame – Class of 2007, accomplished yet another amazing feat by setting YET ANOTHER age class world record in Rotterdam.  Three hours twenty five minutes to complete a marathon.  And hes only 80 years of age! 🙂  Congratulations ED!  Truly an example to others that you can accomplish anything at any age.

Here is the story from the Milton Canadian Champion. 

Now 80, Whitlock breaks yet another age-class world record in Rotterdam

Ed Whitlock has spent decades racing his way into the international spotlight, yet has never felt entirely comfortable being the centre of attention.

Such is the paradox that defines Milton’s ageless wonder, who chases away praise with nearly as much gusto as he chases down world records.

Even a low-key reception at Ned Devine’s Wednesday evening — put on by the Milton Runners in recognition of his latest marathon milestone — leaves the just-turned 80-year-old runner embarrassed.

Appreciative, but embarrassed.

“I thought I gave implicit instructions not to get me anything (gift),” said Whitlock, having recently returned from Rotterdam (The Netherlands), where he set a new 80-and-over world marathon record with a time of 3:25.40 — shattering the old benchmark by Australian Robert Horman (in 1998) by close to 14 minutes.

Sitting down for an interview earlier in the night, the highly-accomplished racer — who might need less time to run his next marathon than to list out all of his world and national records — said he definitely gets an inner satisfaction from his ongoing success.

However, the notoerity and admiration that accompanies it can make him feel somewhat uneasy.

Asked if he doesn’t give himself enough credit for all he’s achieved in the world of distance running, the soft-spoken Englishman flashes a humble smile that’s nearly as distinctive as his flowing shock of white hair.

“I get embarrassed when people say they’re inspired by me. I have difficulty relating to that.”

Be that as it may, it’s awfully tough — especially for people like the Runners, who fittingly enough presented him with a new kettle and some tea — not to view Whitlock as a huge source of inspiration.

Having rediscovered a passion for running in his 40s — and known for his daily training loops through the ‘quiet and peaceful’ Evergreen Cemetery, just two blocks from his home — he holds a laundry list of records and remains the only 70-and-up runner to ever complete a marathon in under three hours.

He did so twice, and looks at that feat with more pride than his recent 80-and-over record.

“The association with the sub-three hour mark kind of makes it a bit more special,” explained Whitlock, who’s struggled with a knee injury in recent years, but was in close to optimum shape for his latest trip to Rotterdam, where despite a nagging cold he set a healthy pace early en route to decimating the previous 80-and-over record. “There’s no exact time attached to the 80-and-up class marathon, and it was a bit of a soft record.”

Don’t go mistaking that last remark as arrogance.

For all his racing exploits, Whitlock just doesn’t see himself as anything extraordinary, and often expresses disbelief that nobody else has joined him in the 70-and-up sub-three-hour marathon fraternity.

“It’s kind of like the four-minute mile. Once one person does it, others should think ‘Maybe I can do it too’,” said the world-class runner, who adheres to no special diet and has never taken on any of the technical training of today’s elite athletes. “I really am surprised that nobody else (70 or older) has run a marathon in under three hours.”

With his on-again, off-again knee problems, Whitlock’s experienced more than a few extended breaks from running in recent years.

But the idea of a permanent hiatus has simply never entered the picture.

“I have no intention of ever stopping running. I just enjoy it, and it really doesn’t feel any different than when I ran in my 40s, although the clock certainly shows something different.”

And while the days of chasing world records would be in most 80-year-olds’ rearview mirror, that’s far from the case for Whitlock.

After all, having just jumped to a new age group (80-84), there’s a whole slew of new times to topple.

“I’ll be doing the Toronto marathon again in the fall and there’s the master’s world championships in Sacremento (California) this summer where I’ll do the 5,000 and 10,000m,” said high-endurance octogenarian, who just two weeks after his 80th birthday last month broke the age class 3,000m record at the Canadian Masters Indoor Championships in Kamloops, B.C. “Plus there’s all the road records. Assuming my knee holds out, it’s going to be a busy year.”

Champion Announces Top Milton Stories for 2009

Mike Cluett

Happy New Year everyone.

For those of us who enjoyed the fact there was very little snow on the ground, we sure got an eye opener yesterday.  While the amount of snow was nothing to write home about, it was a reminder that we really havent hit the peak of winter yet and more of the white stuff will be coming….stay tuned for that.

I didnt get a chance to blog about it on New Years Day but I had the opportunity to attend the New Years Levee at Town Hall and the induction of the newest members of Milton’s Walk of Fame.  More on that later but it was quite the enjoyable day that ended with Walter Gretzky serenading my wife.  (Dont worry, she came home with me)  Walter Gretzky, as if it hasnt been said a million times already, is an amazing man. 

During the levee there were a number of children running around and he was right there with them, entertaining them and helping them sneak extra pieces of cake and cookies.  Always with a smile on his face, he definatly is someone to be admired.  He was there from beginning to end signing autographs making sure he didnt miss anyone who wanted to speak with him.  Mr. Gretzky is truly a gentleman.

Whenever there is something to be done in his community, or any community for that matter, you can always count on Walter being there to lend a hand.  He helps out regularly in the Town of Milton and especially with Troy Martin from Troy’s Diner in a number of charitable events.  I wish that the world had a few more Walter’s.

The Milton Canadian Champion has put out its top news stories in Milton for 2009 and I thought it was quite interesting to see how many changes there have been in the last 12 months.  The story that had the biggest impact on Milton would be the closure of Meritor and SKD putting hundreds of people out of work.  Other obvious choices like the tornado that hit Milton (and pretty much ignored in the main-stream media of the area.  I guess it was because no one died or the rest of Ontario STILL hasnt realized that its the GMA (Greater Milton Area) 🙂

Feel free to comment on the news stories from the Champion.

Tornado, H1N1 make big news

 

Meritor, SKD shut down

Milton’s auto parts sector was hit hard this year, with two businesses closing their doors and putting hundreds of people out of work.  After 55 years in operation, Meritor Suspension Systems Co. announced its plans in March to permanently close its Steeles Avenue coil springs plant by the end of the year, leaving 165 people unemployed.  The decision, which the company said was made to reduce overall capacity and costs, left long-time employees and Miltonians shaking their heads in shock and disbelief.  Around the same time an Ontario court approved the sale of SKD Automotive’s assets, leading to the closure of the Wheelabrator Way plant, which employed 220 people.  The sale and shutdown of the plant had been widely expected since SKD went into creditor protection earlier this year.

Storm, tornado wreak havoc

Mother Nature was less than kind to Milton this year, with a severe storm pummeling the town in April and a tornado blowing through in August.  Both incidents left behind a messy trail of downed hydro wires and trees, along with damaged homes and businesses.  The tornado, which largely hit the older parts of Milton, was an F1 on a scale that ranges from F0 to F5. An F1 storm can produce winds up to 180 km/h.  Starting at about 5:30 p. m. on the night of the tornado, the sky filled with lightning and torrential rain pounded down. The twister made its appearance between 6:30 and 6:40 p. m. Several residents described a noise that sounded like a train roaring through.  Afterward, the community rallied together to help the tornado victims.

Raitt under fire

Halton MP and Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt made headlines several times this year, starting when she came under fire after a binder that included documents marked secret was left behind at the Ottawa bureau of CTV. The politician’s press secretary resigned for the indiscretion, and Raitt also offered to resign but Prime Minister Stephen Harper didn’t accept it.

Shortly after that, the new MP was caught on tape describing the country’s medical isotope crisis as a “sexy” situation easily solved with more money. Raitt apologized for the comments she made in a private discussion and said she never intended “to show any disrespect” to cancer sufferers and their families.  Later in the year, Raitt was under attack in the House of Commons for circumstances surrounding a Halton Conservative Association fundraiser. The MP was questioned on why an employee of the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) — the government agency where Raitt was CEO— sent e-mails about the fundraiser.  Raitt’s press secretary acknowledged in an e-mail to the Champion that “this use of Toronto Port Authority resources is inappropriate.” She also said the error was an isolated occurrence and such incidents wouldn’t occur again.  The local politician was also criticized for a cement association lobbyist’s involvement in selling tickets for the fundraiser. Raitt agreed to refrain from contact with the lobbyist.

Hit-and-run driver guilty

Three years after the hit-and-run death of 18-year-old Lauren Cooper, a man was found guilty of leaving the scene of the accident.  The Milton girl was tragically struck and killed by a pickup truck — driven by 37-year-old Halton Hills man Stephen Alchin — while rollerblading just metres from her Second Line home on the night of July 13, 2006.  Alchin was sentenced to 12 months in jail. Lauren’s mother, Deborah, said although it doesn’t change anything, the sentence conveys something important.

“It sends out the message that you can’t walk away. You have to take responsibility.”

Attack at skateboard park

Ten young people were swarmed and robbed — and one was stabbed — by thugs armed with a knife, bat and semi-automatic handgun at the Milton Skateboard Park.  The group of men and women aged 18 to 25 were hanging out at the Thompson Road park when they were approached by four masked men in black, who demanded personal items from the victims. A 20-year-old Georgetown man was stabbed in the shoulder; he was taken to Milton District Hospital and released.  An extensive police search was conducted that included the canine unit, but with no success.

Milton teen mourned

Bishop Reding School students mourned the loss of 15-year-old Anthony Marziliano, whose lifeless body was discovered floating in the Trent Severn Waterway while on a fishing trip with his friend. Foul play wasn’t suspected.  Students gathered for a prayer service at the school to remember the teen. A Facebook page, which garnered hundreds of members, was also created in Marziliano’s memory. 

Push for hospital expansion continues

Miltonians showed overwhelming support for the Friends of Milton Hospital’s ongoing push for a much-needed hospital expansion by signing almost 35,000 petition postcards addressed to Ontario’s Minister of Health.  “The incredible enthusiasm in this community is amazing,” said Pete Pomeroy, cochair of the Friends of Milton Hospital.  A second group, the Milton Hospital Action Committee, also circulated a similar petition to present to the provincial legislature.

H1N1 clinic draws thousands

In a turnout that no one expected, more than 3,500 people flocked to the region’s first H1N1 vaccination clinic at the Halton Regional Centre.  Shortly thereafter the Halton Region Health Department opened clinics across Halton that initially provided vaccines to high-risk individuals and later to all residents who wanted it.  The H1N1 virus hit Halton hard early in the year, with 219 confirmed cases in spring and summer, with the majority of cases being school-aged children. Schools were major sites of transmission.  The second wave of outbreaks started in the fall, with eight to 10 people being admitted to local hospitals daily with influenza-like symptoms.  Three Halton residents died from H1N1 influenza this year.

Mourning family awarded $3 million

The family of a much-loved local dentist who died five years ago finally got some of the justice they’d been seeking in a lawsuit that awarded them more than $3 million.  A jury found responsible an Orillia-area tavern, its operator and the bouncer working the night Dr. David Dumencu died from head injuries sustained during a brawl in the bar’s parking lot.  David’s widow, Sue, said she was pleased that someone had finally taken ownership of what happened.  She also said the case wasn’t about money, but rather about loss of life.

Olympic flame comes to town

Miltonians came out by the thousands to see the Olympic flame pass through Milton on its journey across Canada.  Joyce Scott, Kathy Kulina and Kevin DiGiuseppe were the three local torchbearers among the 14 who carried the flame along Main Street from Bronte Street to James Snow Parkway.  “It was definitely an experience I’ll cherish forever,” Kulina said.  The community spirit continued at the Milton Lions Club Hall, where more than 500 people turned out for a Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast.

Post Canada Day Celebrations

Mike Cluett

Its been quite the busy week getting ready for Canada Day but in the end the event went off without a hitch. The pictures I took are in the process of being downloaded and I will post them either here or on Facebook to show them off. *EDIT 1051PM* DONE

The first part of our day was preparing the 27 classic convertible cars for the parade route through downtown. We were quite lucky to have the Halton Police Honour Guard there as well to carry the colours and to further honour the inductees to the Milton Walk of Fame. Many thanks to the hard work of Halton Regional Police Honour Guard Drill Commander Constable Hans, who got everyone together in the honour guard. It added that extra touch of class to the event. Also included in the Honour Guard is Allan Eaton, Constable Leggete, Constable Robertson, and Constable Kelly. Well done!!

Over the past couple of years the 150th Anniversary Committee and the Milton Historical Society had been working on this project, and to our knowledge there is no other municipality in the world that has anything close to this. These 27 people will be the first to have their names written in the history books of Milton as those from Milton who made a national and or international impact in their chosen field.

The cars where shined to perfection and as we got ready to go, some of the streets hadn’t been blocked off yet so some of us had to take it upon ourselves (and our cars) to make sure we cut off traffic as the parade went through town. Being a lover of these fine pieces of machinery, I’ll have THOSE pictures up on this blog soon too…what a sight.

We finally got moving just as the clouds began to come in for what some of us thought was a quick shower. This didn’t dampen any ones spirits, especially those of the inductee’s…”BRING IT ON!” they said.

Once the parade had finished, they ended up behind the main stage and they were marched in by the honour guard and the inductees made their way to the tables as the veterans, who were honoured earlier at Victoria Park, were seated as well.

Another chuckle we had was trying to bring Milly the Millstone, (pictured here, courtesy of Ashley Challinor) the official Town of Milton Mascot, up the narrow steps without causing a scene and injury to Milly. Speaking as one who has worn the Milly costume at events, its NOT an easy thing to move around in and Henry deserves some praise for doing it as often as he does.

John Challinor and Bruce Carlin of the Milton Historical Society, who were the emcees of the event, kicked it off with the introductions…and we finally began! As I stood there on stage looking out at the crowd, I was blown away by the sheer number of people who took the time to come out to first honour the veterans of Milton and the inductees to the Walk of Fame. As the introductions continued, I slipped out the camera and took a couple of shots…I was just speechless. Ann Kornuta, local Milton artist and “photo-master” was running around snapping as many shots as she could for the Halton Compass. There was so much going on, it was hard to keep up with it all. TV Cogeco was out in full force as well with a camera centre stage as well as Sandy French hard at work along the sidelines. Stay tuned to Plugged In! on TV Cogeco for the full story.

One by one the inductees were brought on to the stage to be recognized for their hard work and dedication to their craft, to get a quick photo snapped and maybe say a few words. Each one of them who spoke, did so from the heart. Many of them had won other awards in their chosen profession but many of them stated that the Milton Walk of Fame honour surpassed all others.

The most heartfelt speech of the day belonged to Tiger Ali Singh as he recounted his years as a youth in Milton, the hard work and dedication of not only his father but of his brothers and his mother for keeping the family together. They continue to live in Milton while travelling all over the world performing in wrestling matches. Tiger Jr.’s speech brought tears to many eyes as he expressed his gratitude of being honoured this way along with his father. Tiger Jeet Singh got up to speak as well, but as he passed me on his way up the stairs he told me, I don’t know how I’m going to top that. Hes a man of few words but they spoke volumes.

After the last inductee spoke it was time for people to have a chance to meet them face to face and get their autographs. No sooner that we announced it, many of the inductees were swarmed from Albert Casson to Bruce Hood (who enjoyed the boos of the crowd as he came up to the stage…those who are hockey fans KNOW how much fun it is to booo the refs!) OMNI TV came out to tape the event as well for the showcase of the Singh family. It actually got to the point they needed to leave and needed an escort out of the park to the cars…ME being security for two 6 foot PLUS wrestlers…HA…I know I laughed too.

What else can we say about Milton’s Canada Day but WOW! From beginning to end there were tons of things to do, the rides were great and the food was even better than before.

And the only way to end the show was with ABBAMANIA who rocked the crowd with many of Abba’s hits from the 70’s. Young and old were dancing, singing and having a great time as the sun went town and the night sky readied for the fireworks. A special thanks to Kevin who did quite a bit of jumping through hoops, bending over backwards and many days and nights stressing out to get Abbbamania as the main event for the 150th Anniversary /Canada Day celebrations. Great job Kevin!

The fireworks were set to music this year and there wasn’t one person who left that fairgrounds disappointed. For around 25 minutes the sky turned bright and loud with the sounds of the fireworks set to music. Excellent job and w
e can only hope next years Canada Day’s celebrations can be topped. It will be tough.

Milton’s Walk of Fame

Mike Cluett

I had a quite eventful weekend starting on Saturday. Both Chris Hadfield PS and Hawthorne Village PS had carnivals this weekend. I had made arrangements with a good friend of our running the Chris Hadfield event to help them out and be … er deliver Milly the Millstone to the school. Needless to say being a mascot in a huge costume like Milly’s is quite the challenge.

In between the heat, the fact that the fan inside Milly didnt work and the occasional jab/push/shove/kick from the odd kid or two…it was a great time. Many of the children knew who Milly was or were very interested in learning more about it. Thats a start. The number of people calling it a hockey puck has RAPIDLY decreased over the past few months of Milly’s existence which makes those of us who helped bring her to life feel quite good.

NOW on to something REALLY big…

Its something that every municipality tries to do. Some try it with awards, and some try it with accomadations of some kind. Milton’s celebrating its roots.

Milton will have its own Walk of Fame. Twenty seven Miltonians have been selected to be its first inductee’s to our Walk of Fame. This is quite possibly the most exciting undertaking the Town of Milton has been a part of in recent history.

Each one of these inductees will be given a place in our Walk of Fame which will be physically located in the soon to be built Town Hall upgrade.

Here’s the official press release from the Town of Milton. More to come … so stay tuned!

Milton’s 150th Anniversary Master Committee establishes Walk of Fame recognition program

First 27 inductees to be honoured by community on Canada Day

MILTON, Ontario – The Corporation of the Town of Milton announced today that its 150th Anniversary Master Committee, assisted by Milton Historical Society, has established the Walk Of Fame, a 150th Anniversary legacy program that will honour Miltonians past and present who have earned significant national and/or international recognition through their enduring achievements.

The Walk of Fame will be permanently established along the glass overhead walkway that joins Town Hall to its new addition. Each Walk of Fame member will have his or her own specially-inscripted floor tile along the walkway corrider.

Twenty-seven Miltonians will be inducted during inaugural Walk of Fame ceremonies at Milton Fairgrounds on Canada Day this year. They are:

Bert Stewart (Agriculture) – Mr. Stewart is one of the world’s most successful cattle showmen and judges. He has had 16 grand champion show winners at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and countless winners and champions in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Italy and Brazil;

Harry Barnes (Athletics) –

Bruce Hood (Athletics) – Mr. Hood was a referee in the National Hockey League from 1963 to 1984. During his 21-year NHL career, Mr. Hood officiated 1,033 regular season games, 157 Stanley Cup playoff games, three NHL All-Star games and three Canada Cup games. He was appointed as Air Travel Complaints Commissioner by then Prime Minister Jean Chretien in the Summer of 2000 and served in the role until 2002. He was the author of two books, “Calling the Shots” (1988) and “The Good of the Game“ (1999);

Mike Kaszycki (Athletics) – Mr. Kaszycki played more than 200 National Hockey League games between 1977 and 1982 with the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs. Of note, he played on a line with fellow Miltonian John Tonelli in 1979 while both were with the Islanders;

Darlene Kranstz (Athletics) – Ms. Kranstz helped to pioneer the sport of Jiu-Jitsu amongst women around the world. She is a four-time female World Champion in Sport Jiu-Jitsu, having won in 1988, 1992, 1995 and 1996

Bob Kranstz (Athletics) – Mr. Kranstz was instrumental in the inception of Sport Jiu-Jitsu in the 1970’s and is a former three-time World Champion (Senior Division over 40);

Peter McDuffe (Athletics) – Peter McDuffe played 57 games in the National Hockey League between 1971 and 1976 with St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, Kansas City Scouts and Detroit Red Wings;

Enio Sclisizzi (Athletics) – Enio Sclisizzi played 77 National Hockey League games during the Original Six between 1946 and 1952 with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks;

Tiger Ali Singh (Athletics) – The son of Tiger Jeet Singh, Tiger Ali Singh was a World Wrestling Federation (WWF) wrestler from 1997 to 2002. Over that time he won the Kuwait Cup Tournament, was a two-time International Wrestling Association team champion and the Asian Heavyweight Champion;

Tiger Jeet Singh (Athletics) – Tiger Jeet Singh fought in the Canadian, U.S. and international wrestling circuits from 1965 to 2005. During that time, he wrestled professionally in Japan for 22 years. He won numerous championships;

Leon Stickle (Athletics) – Mr. Stickle worked as a linesman in the National Hockey League between 1970 and 1997. Mr. Stickle worked in 1,967 regular season games, 250 Stanley Cup playoff games, six Stanley Cup games, two Canada Cups and three NHL All-Star games;

John Tonelli (Athletics) – Mr. Tonelli played 1,028 National Hockey League games between 1978 and 1992 with the New York Islanders, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks and Quebec Nordiques. He won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders and appeared in the 1984 Canada Cup, where he was named Most Valuable Player;

Ed Whitlock (Athletics) – Mr. Whitlock is a long distance runner and the first person over 70 years of age in the world to run a marathon in less than three hours with a time of 2:59:10 in 2003. Mr. Whitlock became the oldest person in the world to run under three hours in 2000 in age 69 with a time of 2:52:47. Since then, he has continued to extend this record, most recently to age 74 with a time of 2:58:40;

Peter Appleyard (Arts & Entertainment) – Mr. Appleyard is one of the world’s best vibraphonists, percussionists and composers. Mr. Appleyard has played on television and radio and toured all over the world since becoming a professional musician after World War II. He has accompanied almost every major band leader, jazz musician and jazz singer over his long and illustrious career. Mr. Appleyard was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 1992;

Albert Casson (Arts & Entertainment) – Mr. Casson is one of Canada’s foremost wildlife artists. Amongst his most celebrated works are At The Edge, artwork depicting giant Panda’s from China, for which he was commissioned by Kodak Canada on behalf of the Calgary Zoo;

Ernie Coombs (Arts & Entertainment) – Mr. Coombs was “Mr. Dressup” on the CBC television network from 1968 and 1996 and was supported in his entertainment of Canadian children throughout those years by his friends, Casey and Finnegan. He was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 1996;

David James Elliot (Arts & Entertainment) – Mr. Elliot was the star of the hit CBS television series “JAG,” which ran from 1995 to 2005. He played the character, Harmon Robb, Jr. Mr. Elliot has played in a number of TV and movie productions, most recently “The Man Who Lost Himself,” based on the true life story of former Canadian Football League player Terry Evanshen;

Lieutenant-Colonel G. Allan Burton (Business & Industry) – Mr. Burton began his career with the Robert Simpson Company, one of Canada’s leading department store retail chains during the 20th Century, in 1935 and retired as Chairman in 1978. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1985;

Colonel F.H. Deacon (Business & Industry) – Mr. Deacon founded F.H. Deacon & Company in 1905, making it one of the first brokerage firms in Canada and one of the first 30 securities firms to have a seat on the Toronto Stock Exchange. He became a millionaire by 1914 and almost lost it all during the stock market crash of 1929. Through financial cunning, perseverance and hard work, Colonel Deacon kept his firm afloat through the stock market crash of 1929, the Great Depression and World War II while most of his competitors closed their doors. He sold the firm to his sons in 1948;

Susan Delacourt (Business & Industry) – Ms. Delacourt is currently Ottawa Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star, a columnist for the Ottawa Citizen, and a regular commentator for CBC Newsworld’s “Politics” show and CBC Radio’s “The House.” She also worked for the Globe and Mail in a similar capacity and has covered national politics for more than 20 years. She is the author of “United We Fall,” an account of the doomed Charlottetown constitutional accord, and “Shaughnessy: The Passionate Politics of Shaughnessy Cohen”.

Jim Dills (Business & Industry) – Mr. Dills served as Executive Director of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association between 1979 and 1987, and played a leadership role in bringing community newspapering in Canada through tough times economically as well as in terms of educating it to better understand the need to incorporate emerging technologies;

Douglas Leiterman (Business & Industry) – A major creative talent of the 1960s, Mr. Leiterman, in partnership with Patrick Watson, created and produced the CBC’s seminal public affairs programme This Hour Has Seven Days, which has repeatedly been cited as the most exciting and innovative public affairs series of its kind in the history of Canadian television;

P.L. Robertson (Business & Industry) – Mr. Robertson is the Canadian inventor of the socket-head screw and the socket-head screwdriver, first produced in his factory, P.L. Robertson Company Limited, in 1908. His firm was the largest employer in Milton for more than 50 years. Mr. Robertson also authored “The Gold Standard.”

Senator Betty Kennedy (Government & Public Service) – Senator Kennedy was appointed a Canadian Senator in 2000 by then Prime Minister Jean Chretien. She is best known as a panelist on the long-running CBC television network show, Front Page Challenge, from 1962 to 1995. She was the author of two books, “Gerhard” (1975) and “Hurricane Hazel” (1979). In 1982, Mrs. Kennedy was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1983, she was elected to the Canadian News Hall of Fame and in 1992 Mrs. Kennedy was elected to the Canadian Broadcasting Hall of Fame;

The Honourable Jim Snow (Government & Public Service) – Mr. Snow was Canada’s longest serving Minister of Transportation, serving almost ten years, from 1975 to 1984. He served as a Member of Provincial Parliament, representing Halton from 1967 to 1985. He wrote an autobiographical account of his life in politics, entitled, “Mr. Jim.”

Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Hadfield (Health & Science) – Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield was the first Canadian Mission Specialist (STS-74 – November 1996), the first Canadian to ever leave a spacecraft and float free in space (STS-100 – April 2001), the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm in orbit (STS-74 – November 1996), and the first and only Canadian to board Space Station Mir (STS-74 – November 1996);

Dr. John Wallace McCutcheon (Health & Science) -Dr. McCutcheon was one of the five founders of Blue Cross (Ontario) in 1941.

To be considered for Walk of Fame recognition, a candidate must be born in Milton or have spent formative or creative years in the community over a minimum 10-year period. The nominee’s accomplishments must be national or international in scope and must be best-in-class in his or her best-in-class field of endeavour for a minimum two-year period. Inductees will only be added to the Walk of Fame as credentials permit, rather than on an annual basis.

In future years, the program will be administered by the Town of Milton’s Department of Community Services, with nominations provided by Milton Historical Society and the general public.