We have a longtime local politician and a beloved late local hardware store owner!
Each week, we speak with Milton Historical Society (MHS) President John Challinor II to gather information and details about the namesakes of our roads. If you weren’t aware, he and the late great historian, Jim Dills, wrote the book on Milton street names, writing Milton Streets back in 2007.
Recently, we covered Aylmer Crescent and Mulroney Heights. This week, we’re looking at Carr Landing and McKim Gate
Starting alphabetically with Carr Landing, Challinor says the street is named after a current – and prominent – local politician.
Gary Carr is also well-known in the area for his professional hockey career. He was drafted as a goaltender in 1975 by the Boston Bruins after winning the Memorial Cup with the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League. He played 114 games in the American Hockey League and 58 games in the International Hockey League.
Carr then retired from professional hockey, received a business degree, and eventually entered politics.
Our other street this week is McKim Gate. Challinor says the street is named after the late Bob McKim, a former local hardware store owner.
He adds that Bob and his wife sadly passed away in 1973 following a collision during a trip to the east coast.
According to Challinor, McKim Hardware was located at 260 Main Street East in Milton, the current location of Wagih’s Steakhouse – Hood & Grill.
If you’re looking to understand how Milton’s streets are named, you should check out the book written by Challinor and Dills. Published by the Milton Historical Society back in 2007, it sold out in about six weeks and has since been long out of print. That said, according to Challinor, you can still find a copy at the Milton Public Library. With nearly 15-years having passed since the initial publication, and the extensive town growth in that time, an updated book is likely to come.
You can also take a walk with the late Jim Dills down Milton’s Main Street in 2002.
If you have a suggestion on what you’d like to learn about next week, let us know! We’re currently working on names that we find interesting. You can message our Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram page, or even email us at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. Otherwise, we’ll just continue asking about local street names that we find interesting.
If you have a news tip or story idea, you can now send us a heads up via email at News1013@LocalRadio.ca. If you’d like to get ahold of me personally, shoot me a message at Cameron.Wilkinson@LocalRadio.ca. We’re in the business of content creation, so no idea is a bad idea.
