Our History |
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| If you have always wondered how the infamous Turtle Races ever came about, your on the right page.... In 1973, Charles Garrod and Douglas Williams came up with the idea of turtle racing. How did that happen? Charlie (as he was known in town) and his wife Ruth, went to Boissevain, Manitoba. While they were there, they seen their Great Turtle Derby. Their turtle derby, which is no longer running, was a much bigger event. He came back and told a few other gentlemen of the Recreation Committee. In 1974, Ailsa Craig's Centennial year, they decided to race four turtles on a wooden board. The legend is still out on whether the first race was on Main Street or in front of the school that used to be across from where the fire hall is now. Since that brought so much interest and joy to the community, they then decided to make it a bigger event. So in 1975, they made a tower with a starting gate at the bottom and a 25' diameter circle with a line drawn on the local ball diamond surface and within a few years the little town of Ailsa Craig would double in size. Now every third weekend in July, people from far and wide, and from all generations come to Ailsa Craig, to see Gala Days and the Turtle Races. |
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Committee
Chairpersons
Laurie Rees
Brian Ropp
Todd Malcolm
Treasurer
Julie Malcolm
Secretary
Kayla Tiller
Laurie Rees
Mailing Address:
Ailsa Craig Gala Days
Box 92
Ailsa Craig, ON
N0M 1A0
Contact:
For more information about Gala Days, contact:
Laurie Rees (519) 293-1044 chairperson@galadays.org
