Carley Community Hall

— by Kelly Skinner-Meyer

The Carley Community Hall has had a few rentals to start the summer but a quiet July. The basement renovations due to ice storm damages are slow and are in a queue with insurance repairs across the Township. The Hall is still available for rentals upstairs and is in great condition. If you have an event that needs a beautiful country Hall with a full modern kitchen please contact us at carleycommunityhall.com or contact Courtney at Township  cchianelli@oro-medonte.ca to book a Hall rental.

This fall the Carley Hall will be 114 years old and the Heritage Designation recognizes the historical significance of the Hall in Oro-Medonte Township. In 1912 the Hall was built as a school. The carpenters on the job were Art and Bob Booth of the 8th Line of Medonte. According to the book “Medonte A Township Remembered” compiled by Mary Garbutt, before the name of Carley you could have heard it be called “Booth’s Corners” named after James Booth. He had 20 acres which he purchased in 1860, 165 years ago. The Booth family still farms in the Carley Valley to this day. A story of generational farming and a tradition to be celebrated. 

If you’re interested in history and the history of our Township, please go to the Township website Culture & Heritage, Historical Books order online Book Order Form and purchase a copy of the book Medonte A Township Remembered or many other historical books on Oro-Medonte Township.

Our back field is farmed by the Booth family and it’s a good feeling to see the continuation of the tradition. It is important to recognize the farmers who continue to fight the everyday challenges of weather, economic changes and maintaining lands for agricultural purposes. The hay season has started. I hope for good weather for all farmers to get hay, cut, dried, raked and baled.

Enjoy this beautiful summer everyone.