|
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
 |
CELEBRATION: The fraternal Protestant organization is about to open its new headquarters
Orange Lodge gets new life
Chip Martin
The London Free Press
|
September 4, 2009
|
The Orange footprint in London is growing.
Dan MacDonald holds the sign from the old Orange Lodge to be featured at the new site on Oxford St. E.
(MORRIS LAMONT/Sun Media)
|
Members of the Orange Lodge, a fraternal Protestant organization, are opening a grand new home on Oxford St. E. to replace aging and cramped quarters elsewhere.
"This is absolutely astounding," Orange Lodge member Daniel MacDonald burbled yesterday. "This will be the most elaborate hall in North America.
"For people who thought we were dying, when they see this building, they will be astounded."
The last time a new Orange Lodge building opened in Ontario was 10 to 15 years ago, in Toronto.
That Toronto building is not half the size of the new London facility, MacDonald said.
The opening Sept. 12 and 13 marks a rebound for an organization, once a powerful political and social force in Ontario, that began to languish in the mid-1900s. Until then, membership in the order was essential to become premier in Ontario, or mayor of Toronto and it had significant clout in Ottawa.
An increasingly multicultural Canada relegated the organization to fringe group status and its promotion of Protestantism, the monarchy and the English language was seen as anachronistic -- and anti-Catholic.
In London, membership is on the rise, with more than 50 members, said MacDonald, with another 30 in related "Black Preceptories" and a youth lodge of 24.
One expert says the Orange resurgence in London and elsewhere may be a manifestation of "Anglo pride" in response to the multicultural mosaic the former British colonies in North America have become.
This development, said Douglass St. Christian, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Western Ontario, is not necessarily a bad thing.
"I would suggest there is an element of Anglo- or white-pride at work here which can be a good thing, if done in the spirit of multiculturalism as a model of community," St. Christian said.
The Orange order takes its name from the July 12, 1690 battle at the Boyne River in Ireland where Protestant William of Orange defeated Catholic King James. The "Glorious 12th" was celebrated by Orange parades across Ontario for decades.
Orange order officials from across Ontario, the United States, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and England are expected to attend the opening, which the Grand Master of Ireland, Robert Saulters will attend. In all, 125 guests are expected.
Among the activities are a tour of the building, including the Orange Hall of Heroes, the London Protestant public library and education centre, a dinner, entertainment and worship service.
Invitations to the event note it is "a salute to General (James) Wolfe on his great victory 250 years ago on the Plains of Abraham," a reference not expected to win friends among the city's francophone community.
The organization raises money for heart, stroke and cancer research and for disabled children. Until the Ontario government assumed orphanages, the order operated the Loyal True Blue and Orange Home north of Richmond Hill as its major venture.
MacDonald said the new building is about 10,000 square feet, or about 25 times larger than its predecessor, and will be used by other fraternal and benevolent organizations.
The building cost several hundred thousand dollars, it is understood. It sits on 1.5 acres of land adjacent to a Catholic neighbour, Blessed Sacrament school.
Features include antique furniture and an obligatory Union Jack, an organ and other amenities suitable for renditions of the Maple Leaf Forever, a patriotic song penned by Orangeman Alexander Muir.
Chip Martin is a Free Press reporter.
 E-MAIL: Chip Martin
|
Features |
Imagine moves out of bankruptcy (Sep. 30, 2009)
An international adoption agency that collapsed this summer, stunning hundreds of would-be adoptive parents who had put up thousands of dollars, was moved out of bankruptcy yesterday.
Families' dreams closer to reality (Sep. 22, 2009)
After eight weeks of heartbreaking uncertainty, there is much hope today for the hundreds of families stunned by the collapse of an international adoption agency.
Sally Ann adds mobile units (Sep. 12, 2009)
The Salvation Army in London added three new vehicles to its fleet yesterday as part of a memorial service to also remember the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Solemn ceremony in Ottawa (Sep. 12, 2009)
OTTAWA -- Standing in the morning sun, Joan Padulo, Patti Baker and her daughter Aleah were reflecting on how they had all been touched by the devastating 9-11 terrorist attacks.
Revised adoption group planned (Sep. 9, 2009)
The proposed restructuring of Imagine Adoption is a pricy, but positive step, says a London man who's helped would-be adoptive families affected by the agency's bankruptcy.
Driver breaks back in stunt for YouTube video (Sep. 8, 2009)
A stunt gone wrong on the Lucan-area farm of a controversial YouTube performer left a man injured on the weekend.
Personal data a YouTube no-no (Sep. 5, 2009)
A YouTube video watched by thousands that published the phone number of a local public servant breaches the popular website's rules, says a spokesperson for parent company Google.
Popular Internet videos lucrative for creators (Sep. 5, 2009)
A little-known deal between YouTube and its popular content providers is making otherwise working-class people wealthy enough to quit their day jobs.
Community spirit important in Kenya (Sep. 5, 2009)
NORTH BUXTON -- Jamil Jivani had only been back from Kenya for a few days.
Orange Lodge gets new life (Sep. 4, 2009)
The Orange footprint in London is growing.
Web fans besiege bylaw enforcer (Sep. 4, 2009)
A bylaw officer has disabled his e-mail account after an Internet celebrity urged his countless YouTube fans to contact the Lucan public servant.
Canadian Red Cross honours trio of London Silverbacks (Aug. 27, 2009)
The life-saving efforts of three London football players have been recognized as they and their teammates continue to recover emotionally and physically from a fiery team bus crash.
Few show interest in Lombardo speedboat (Aug. 26, 2009)
If Londoners are interested in the uncertain fate of Guy Lombardo's famed speedboat, they're not showing it.
Offensive video removed (Aug. 25, 2009)
A controversial YouTube video of a local pow-wow that mocked native culture has been removed from the video-sharing site -- but the issue is far from over, one community leader says.
Man thanks 'miracle' workers (Aug. 21, 2009)
A month ago today, Remi Boutin was seconds from death, wrapped in a blanket in his burning apartment.
Ramadan 'is about moderation' (Aug. 21, 2009)
Regardless of how bad it gets, you'll be stronger for it, Ali D. Chahbar's mother used to tell him.
Pakistan's independence day celebrated by Londoners (Aug. 17, 2009)
The London-area Pakistani community came together yesterday to celebrate their homeland's independence from British rule 62 years ago.
SEARCH all News: Special Reports: Features Articles
|
|
|
Special Reports |
Was race a factor? (Sep. 28, 2009)
A London man claims he was a victim of racial profiling when he was handcuffed after chasing a suspect who stole $1,500 in merchandise from the store he manages.
St. Joseph's honours five special volunteers (Sep. 22, 2009)
For 64 years, Ann Van Sickle has lived with a progressive neurological illness that causes severe pain and requires a lot of care.
Uniway lunch gives campaign a boost (Sep. 10, 2009)
The United Way of London and Middlesex doesn't want to run out of sandwiches at the official launch of its 2009 fundraising campaign today.
Why they're taking sex out of Middlesex (Sep. 9, 2009)
There's no more sex in Middlesex -- at least not in the e-mail world.
Suicide out of the closet (Sep. 4, 2009)
37.
SPECIAL REPORT: The victory lap (Aug. 29, 2009)
Ontario scrapped Grade 13 five years ago. But it never went away.
SPECIAL REPORT: Old East, new life (Aug. 22, 2009)
By this time next year, London's Old East Village will look a lot different.
FEATURED: Then & Now (Aug. 12, 2009)
A Free Press Series (click on each image to open the document).
SPECIAL REPORT: So, whaddya know? (Aug. 1, 2009)
Put yourself to the test with our 25-question Civic Weekend trivia quiz.
No 'false hope' for adoption families (Jul. 28, 2009)
A London MPP says she's eager to meet today with the families affected by an international adoption agency's bankruptcy, but is cautious to not create "false hope."
AVIATION: Harvards soar in historic flyover (Jul. 27, 2009)
Aviation history buffs got a chance to see something on the weekend that they'd never seen before -- a flying formation of Harvard aircraft.
SPECIAL REPORT: Abandoned (Jul. 25, 2009)
The storied, two-storey London house has seen better days.
Parents ready to fight (Jul. 20, 2009)
London-area families devastated by the collapse of an international adoption agency have joined forces to fight for the children they dream of bringing here.
DOWNTOWN: 'There can be new glory days' (Jul. 20, 2009)
All the city hall-commissioned reports in the world might not do as much good for downtown London as a few more visitors like Brent Boles and Mark Henshaw.
Parents find ally in MP (Jul. 20, 2009)
Would-be parents affected by their adoption agency's bankruptcy have found an empathetic ally with political clout.
Young and monied moving to the core (Jul. 18, 2009)
The population of downtown London is swelling amid an influx of younger, better-educated and more affluent residents, a new report shows.
SPECIAL REPORT: Downtown residents getting more affluent, report says (Jul. 17, 2009)
Londoners living downtown are younger and richer - and there's more of them every year, a new city hall report says.
Families hit by agency's collapse (Jul. 15, 2009)
Shannon Warren's voice breaks as she tries to explain why she and her husband want to adopt a child from Ethiopia.
SEARCH all News: Special Reports Articles
|
|
|
Sun Media Features |
THE TALKER: Hitler's image pushes AIDS message (Sep. 10, 2009)
Dirk Silz knew he would cause a stir around the world when his AIDS awareness campaign used the image of Hitler having sex.
THE TALKER: Sumo's hefty bad boy antics wearing thin (Jul. 29, 2009)
If the promise of grunting, sweating bare-butted men is not enough of a distraction from the every day, sumo's grand champion bad boy is once again kicking up an eastern storm.
CELEBRITY: Reports implicate MD, insomnia drugs in Jackson's death (Jul. 29, 2009)
NEW YORK: A cocktail of prescription drugs was found in Michael Jackson's blood when he died, including one normally used by psychiatriac patients, Montreal author Ian Halperin told Sun Media yesterday.
GREEN PLANET: Who knew plastic was so tough? (Jul. 20, 2009)
Thane Burnett is in the middle of the most frustrating assignment of his career.
THE TALKER: U.K. squirrelly for unique pate, pies (Jun. 24, 2009)
The U.K. is at war on the home front.
LIFE: Fashion's first lady (Jun. 23, 2009)
The image of Michelle Obama walking down Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day will likely be talked about for some time to come.
London native dared to dream (Jun. 13, 2009)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Watching a massive shuttle launch into space will have personal significance for one of Canada's newest astronauts.
Far from routine (Jun. 13, 2009)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- With the potential for freak weather, mechanical glitches and human error, blasting off into space remains a risky endeavour.
Breaking the mould (Jun. 13, 2009)
CAPE CAVAVERAL, Fla. -- Married mom of two, pianist, choral singer and space explorer.
SPECIAL REPORT: Ten, nine, eight. . . (Jun. 13, 2009)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Hurtling up into orbit pushed by 7.5 million pounds of thrust, you are pummelled so violently your teeth chatter.
SEARCH all News: Special Reports: Sun Media Articles
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
|
|
