Leamington’s birthday brings back fond memories

The upcoming ‘Leamington 150’ birthday celebration has a certain ring of familiarity to the Reid family.

The late Jim Reid was co-chair — along with Gary Gomer — of the organizing committee in 1974 that helped Leamington celebrate its centennial.

Jim passed away in 2009, but many of his memories and mementos from 1974 still have a place in the hearts and homes of his family.

Carolyn Reid remembers how busy the committee was leading up to the 1974 events, which took place over a two-week period in late June – early July.

“We were really proud of Jim for his involvement in that celebration,” says Carolyn. “We even got him a gift — a desk pen set — with the centennial logo on it.”

For Jim’s son Kevin, who was five years old at the time, the memories are bits and pieces that come back to him from time to time.

“The talk of the 150th celebration brings back a lot of great memories,” he says. 

All of those memories were great ones, except for one, according to Kevin.

“My initial horror when I was told I’d have to wear that outfit,” he says. “I really didn’t want to do that.”

The outfit he is referring to is forever memorialized in a family photo taken in 1974 showing Jim sitting in a chair, surrounded by Carolyn, Kevin and his sister, Elaine.

Jim is outfitted in a tux — complete with top hat — while the rest of the family is in matching red and white gingham outfits. Kevin wore red knickers.

His mom laughed as he recalled the horror of seeing that costume for the first time.

“I didn’t know you hated it,” she said.

“Once I saw everything decorated in red around town, I was okay with it,” said Kevin.

The Reids had their own ‘float’ in the centennial parade that year, as did the Gomers.

“We were in an enclosed car and I sat in the back with the kids, but Jim really wanted me up front,” Carolyn recalls.

Jim Reid’s contributions to the Leamington centennial were a testament to how he felt about his hometown.

A long-time member — and president — of the Leamington Kinsmen Club, he felt the need to give back to his community and it was a conversation he had with Mayor Ralph Nicol that spawned the idea to have a giant celebration.

Soon, there was a large organizing committee made up of the most ambitious people in town, who put on a giant birthday party for the town that they loved.

Many activities are evident in the numerous newspaper clippings that Carolyn Reid still possesses, including all the minutes of each and every meeting held by that committee.

“Dad was meticulous at keeping notes,” said Kevin. “This was long before computers and things. He didn’t even use a calculator.”

Kevin says that when he became president of the Kinsmen Club, he saw all the notes that Jim kept over the years and was amazed by the detail.

A crate of mementos now sits in Carolyn’s possession, including trinkets, souvenir coins and even the keys to the Centennial Flame that was erected in January of 1974 to commemorate the centennial.

And of course, Jim’s signature red blazer — complete with Leamington Centennial Crest on the chest — hangs in the closet untouched in 50 years.

Carolyn has graciously sent all of those things to the committee planning the 150th celebration so they can look through them and use what they may need — including that blazer.

Some of the newspaper clippings talk about the plans, the event schedule and all of the events that were included, such as the bed races, go-kart races (at County Fair Mall), beard-growing contest and yes, the entertainment.

Originally, the headliner for the youth concert was Lighthouse — a Canadian band famous for hits such as ‘One Fine Morning’ and ‘Pretty Lady’, but they backed out just days before the concert and were replaced by a lesser-known Detroit act — Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. The rest is history.

And history will be at the forefront of the 150th celebration, known as the sesquicentennial. The committee is hard at work nailing down dates, entertainment acts and events to properly celebrate Leamington’s birthday this summer.

The Reids are anxiously awaiting the announcements, knowing that Jim is looking over this group and their plans to celebrate.