Mayors past and present, town councillors, members of the 100th anniversary committee and residents of Westlock were on hand at the Legion March 11 to ring in the town’s official 100th birthday.
Photos of Westlock’s history were on loan from the Pioneer Museum and town founder William Westgate’s family, but, as mayor Ralph Leriger explained, the most important part of the celebration remains the people of Westlock and their stories.
“We all remember the old Memorial Hall, the pool hall down the street,” Leriger said to the crowd in attendance. “But I don’t think these buildings are our history. The people that worked there and lived there and their stories are what make up the mosaic of Westlock’s history.”
Leriger, a Westlock native, was born at the Immaculata Hospital in 1958, and had a few of his own stories to share about growing up in town.
“It was a kid factory and we led absolutely idyllic lives,” Leriger said. “The firemen flooded a little sheet of ice right near Parkview Place.
“I think often of the old epitome that the community raises the child and it was clear in our case … we ran like little wild animals, but if you did something stupid your parents knew about it by the time you got home. It was a wonderful, safe and fantastic place to grow up.”
Leriger recalled the origins of the Smithfield Lodge, so called because it was built on the field owned by the Smiths, and road-hockey games gleefully interrupted to gaze longingly at passing muscle cars.
Legion president Dave Linsley said he was pleased at the chance to host the town’s birthday — the Legion itself is about to celebrate its own anniversary and turns 85 on March 19.
“It’s marvelous. It’s enlightening me. I’ve been here for 10 years and it’s great to see the history of the town,” Linsley said, adding the birthday celebration was the perfect way to look forward to the town’s homecoming weekend in July.
Town councillor and deputy mayor Murtaza Jamaly added that the event wouldn’t have been possible about the hard work of volunteers and the 100th anniversary committee.
“I really want to recognize the people that made this event possible. We’ve had a strong group of volunteers that have come together,” Jamaly said.
“It’s a milestone and I’m very proud to be a member of the community during this 100-year celebration.”
Committee and Legion member Paul Taverner also credited volunteers.
“We’ve been working at this for a long time and done a lot of planning,” he said.
Leriger shared Taverner’s pride at the effort of volunteers and added that community members are what really make an event like the centenary possible and worth enjoying.
His only request of attendees was they take the time to share their own stories about Westlock.
“Let’s tell each other the stories. Let’s remember who we were back then, who we’ve become and what we’ve accomplished over the years,” Leriger said.
“Maybe we can even speculate on how we can together set the stage for our youth and the people that will move to Westlock in the next 100 years and make sure that their 100 years are as happy and prosperous as ours.”
