Back to Brookfield
Every small community boasts of being special but Brookfield has a quality that sets it apart from others, particularly when it’s time to head home.
William Hamilton likely came on horseback through a trail to be Brookfield’s first settler; it was 233 years ago in 1784.
He settled on what is now Hamilton Avenue. History accounts tell us Daniel Moore, his wife and son were the next settlers. The two early families lived off the land.
How things have changed as hundreds of onlookers lined the streets of Brookfield Saturday morning to take in the Coming Home To Brookfield parade. Interesting floats, music, animals and vehicles travelled slowly from Creelman Park and the train station to the Don Henderson Memorial Sportsplex. Music by the Altonators followed, leading up to the Brookfield Men’s Club Barbecue.
The 10- day celebration, July 21 to July 30, is planned annually by the organizers, with a goal to offer fun- filled experiences at low cost or cost free for Brookfield residents and visitors. These loyal volunteers wish to generate friendship, fellowship and community spirit. Music, boat tours, a family bike hike, a golf scramble, horse and wagon rides, a sailboat regatta, numerous available meals and the Whing Ding are just some of the ongoing events.
The Brookfield Men’s Club, formed in 1936, strongly supports numerous community projects including homecoming and three club members shared outlooks.
“The homecoming parade draws people from Truro and a lot of distant places,” said Bob Lawrence, 80, of Brookfield. “People will ask me ‘ where does all the talent come from?’ I have to tell them that Brookfield is an amazing little community. The parade is phenomenal really, there’s musical talent and all kinds of floats of all descriptions. For the size of the village, we have a really huge parade.”
Lawrence, who has lived in Brookfield since 1979, grew up in Upper Falmouth, Hants County. His career included 10 years as a surveyor before working for the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture.
“We moved to Brookfield in 1979 and that first day Eldon and
Marguerite Brenton visited my wife Jean and me. There was no one else in Brookfield I knew at the time. I began attending men’s club on Eldon’s invitation,; I soon knew lots of people. I learned that everyone in Brookfield is related, so it’s not a good thing to talk about anyone.”
Jim Feener’s career in the Royal Canadian Navy spanned 25 years. He retired in 1959 as Chief Petty Officer. Feener spent 10 years on surface ships and 15 years on submarines. A second career saw Feener spend 16 years working for the trucking company, Albany Cartage in Pleasant Valley. The longtime Brookfield resident will become the men’s club president
in September.
“I think it’s a great thing, the Coming Home to Brookfield celebration,” said Feener, 81. “You meet up with people you might only see once a year. It makes for a real happy atmosphere. The men’s club enjoy supporting a lot of different things in the community. Friendships and taking part in things for the betterment of the community, this is what has kept me interested in staying involved with men’s club.”
Austin Ross, A Brookfield native, worked many years away with a natural gas leakage detection company. His career in pipe and cable locating took him to the state of Maine, across Canada
and to Puerto Rico. In retirement, Ross has been a valuable member of BMC for more than 15 years.
“We gather for fellowship and enjoyment besides looking out for community interests,” said Ross, 74, of Brookfield. “Near the end of my career working out of Montreal I did contract work throughout the Maritimes. Nova Scotia was always home and I was always coming back. I came back to live permanently in Brookfield in 1998. We’ve had a float in the homecoming parade for many years. I feel the most important night of the year for men’s club is the ladies’ night dinner and entertainment held in the spring. This is definitely one of the highlights of what we do.”
During the Brookfield Men’s Club Barbecue — I talked with six- year- old twin brothers Jack and Finn Grinton of Brookfield.
“The part of the day I enjoyed most was the candy,” Jack said. “The big eagle ( Brookfield Men’s Club project) was my favourite float.”
His brother also had a number one.
“I liked the dinky cars, those small cars that turned around in the street,” Finn said of the Shriners’ involvement. “They were pretty neat.”