5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Milton

Halton | Milton | Ontario | Top 5 Fun |

Published June 13, 2017 at 7:16 pm

Milton is no longer that place you visited once for a school trip to Kelso.The little town is quickly turning into a young, vibrant community (we’re looking at you, Sauga heads). Offering more than just affordable houses for first-time home buyers, there’s an assortment of things to do, like taking in the downtown charm and petting pigs at Springridge Farm. But you already knew that. Here are some random tidbits (thanks to the Town of Milton) you can drop at the water cooler on casual Friday.

 1. Milton has a velodrome

The Mattamy National Cycling Centre is the only velodrome of its kind in Canada, and only the second in North America that meets top international standards. It serves as both a community recreation facility and a venue for provincial, national and international events. Cycling Canada will host UCI Track Cycling World Cup events at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019. The events will feature more than 300 of the top track cyclists competing at the world-class track cycling facility.

2. Milton’s Town Hall was once a jail

The Town Hall, originally built as the County Court House, was completed in 1855. The addition of the Town jail and jail yard took place in 1877. In 1982, the Town purchased the building from Halton Region for just $1 and after restoration in 1985, it became the new Town Hall. The expansion building (Town Hall East) and renovations to the old Town Hall (Town Hall West) have integrated important historical elements to honour our heritage, such as the stone walls of the addition, which are constructed of local limestone, from the same quarry as the Town Hall, to maintain the authentic character of the existing building. Victoria Park, which faces the original doorways to Town Hall, park has been used for everything, from grazing cattle and growing crops, to tennis, hosting community games and large celebrations.

3. Milton has an operational blacksmith shop

The Waldie Blacksmith Shop is an iconic destination in historic downtown Milton. James Alfred Waldie was born in Scotland in 1832. He completed his apprenticeship as a blacksmith in Scotland by 1853 and as a young man came to Canada eventually taking over a blacksmith business in Acton. By 1865 the Waldie family had moved to Milton establishing a blacksmith business that would operate in the same building at 16 James Street for over 100 years. The blacksmith shop, built by James Waldie Sr., employed a painter, trimmer, two woodworkers and five blacksmiths from dawn to dusk during its peak period in the early 1890’s. It’s rare that a blacksmith shop structure still exists in its original urban location as most shops have been lost or moved to a museum setting. The building has been lovingly preserved and restored on its original site under the auspices of the Milton Historical Society.

4. Milton is the home of the Robertson Screw

Peter Lymburner Robertson (known as P.L. Robertson) frequently told the story- now a legend – about an accident in downtown Montréal. He was demonstrating a spring-loaded screwdriver when the blade slipped from the screw-slot and badly cut his hand. The incident inspired him, so he decided to invent an improved and safer screw – The Robertson® Drive. Robertson always looked for a better way of doing things and enjoyed working on new innovations. Peter was awarded his first ‘original’ screw patent for the Robertson® drive when he was 30 years old and over the years P.L was successfully named an inventor, businessman and author. He settled his business in Milton, Ontario in 1908. The main company is building located on Bronte Street, where it still remains today.

5. Milton’s water tower serves 16,783 homes and businesses

How many times have your looked up at this tower or driven by? Well, here are some fun facts we’ve dug up for you via Halton Region. Construction on the Milton water tower began in March 2000, taking one year to complete. It’s located at the corner of Steeles Ave. E.and Esquesing Line (the exact address is 1600 Steeles). The water tower is an elevated structure that holds a large quantity of potable drinking water. The water is held at a height in order to provide adequate pressure to deliver the drinking water through the water supply system, and ultimately to the taps of Milton homes and businesses. At full capacity, the water tower holds 6.8 megaliters (ML), or 6800 cubic meters (m³). Typically, the water tower only runs at 85 per cent to 90 per cent of its full capacity. Now you can drop some water tower knowledge at the office this week!

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