“We had no sanitary sewers, just gravel roads. If we had a
township road we would have thrown a parade on it, (we were)
in that bad of a shape.”
The lack of sanitary sewers was one of the biggest
inhibitors to growth in the region for a long time. With septic
tanks overflowing into ditches, Lasalle was among the most
polluted in the whole country. In 1971 it made a proposal to
the province, asking it to cover two-thirds of the $40 million it
needed to repair the situation. The project was large enough in
scope that the benefits were still too far away to see, but it was
necessary if growth was ever to be reached.
But growth did come and it came fast. Starting in the late
1980s, Lasalle saw a 17,000 population jump before the new
millennium even began. In 1991, it was clear the past could
finally be put in the past, with a proposal to the province to be
registered as a town. A new name was needed, with over 100
choices being offered to its residents. The vote came down to
either Trillium or Lasalle- to pay homage to the past, or to
disregard it.
“People were lined up outside the door on a rainy, rainy
day,” said Antaya. “It was overwhelming that the name of
Lasalle be chosen… people were driving by the town hall
honking their horns and yelling ‘Lasalle!’… it was really
rather inspiring.”
Since then the town’s growth has only accelerated, adding
its famed Vollmer Centre in 2008, with 28 soccer fields, 8
baseball diamonds, a skateboard park and many other
activities for the whole family. The province covered
approximately 15 per cent of the cost, only assisting with the
cenotaph. The rest of the cost the town had to cover itself - a
skill only developed from years of stretching dollars.
“What we’re most proud of is the responsible approach
we’ve taken to wholly developing our municipality, but
preserving historical heritage facts and points of interest,”
said Antaya.
Taking the slogan “Healthy, Vibrant, Caring,” Lasalle
juggles financial accountability, transparency and community
activeness with little difficulty. After all, it’s had over 100 years
of practice.
LaSalle Strawberry Festival
June 9-12, 2016
Twice chosen as one of the Top 100 festivals in Ontario, this is the
LaSalle Strawberry Festival's 29th ye