Rotary Brockville Club History

 

• Our first project as an entity was the setup of a tuberculosis prevention program in 1921.
• In 1926, we undertook our first major project and constructed our first pavilion at the Waterworks Dock. It was used by bathers for 40 years before being demolished.
• In 1927, our club purchased the first motorized ambulance to grace the streets of Brockville at a cost of $4,000 to officially replace the ancient horsedrawn vehicle that had previously been used. In 1985, we carried on this tradition by donating $15,000 for the purchase of an ambulance for the local St. John Ambulance brigade.
• In 1929, members donated a motor vehicle to the Victorian Order of Nurses that allowed its members to travel to patients' homes to meet with and care for them. We constructed and maintain Camp Merrywood, an arts and crafts building dedicated to the memory of Constance Beattie.
• In 1943, we established and sponsored an Air Cadet league, providing the funds for uniforms and summer camps.
• In 1956, we undertook a project to construct a pool on the site of the Memorial Centre to provide beneficial exercise to people recovering from polio.
• In 1991, we were asked to help fund a new fieldhouse for soccer at Memorial Park in the city's north end. It is used by more than 1,000 children ever year who frequent the park to play soccer in the summer and to skate and toboggan in the winter.
• In the Rotary year 2004-2005, we inducted our first woman President in the history of the Rotary Club of Brockville. President Mary Ellen Morris, is a second generation rotarian with strong ties to the Brockville club and the West Ottawa club.