Editor’s note: On Sept. 8, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral Castle at the age of 96. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch. In recognition of her passing, the Beaver has reached into the archives for coverage of her royal visit to Canada, during which she stopped in the Lennox and Addington County region to officially open the Loyalist Parkway on Sept. 27. This article was originally published on Oct. 3, 1984.
Tina Skelly
Staff photojournalist
Queen Elizabeth officially opened the Loyalist Parkway-Highway 33 between Kingston and Trenton-in a ribbon cutting ceremony at the parkway gates before thousands of onlookers.
She and Prince Phillip arrived at the $68,000 gates-erected on either side of one of the oldest roads in Ontario at Fairfield Historic Park-about 5:45 p.m.
After being greeted by Ernestown Township Reeve Jack Kippen and his wife, the Queen was honoured with her anthem. It was performed by Ernestown Secondary School Senior Concert Band under the direction of Glenn Sorenson. It was sung by The Parr Christie Singers.
Her Majesty and Prince Phillip met all members of Ernestown Council. Councillor Ian Wilson’s daughter, six-year-old Heather, presented a delighted Queen with a bouquet of flowers.
Ontario Premier bill Davis presented to Her Majesty the minister responsible for overseeing the parkway project, James Snow of transportation and communications.
Queen Elizabeth cuts the ribbon to officially open the Loyalist Parkway on Sept. 27, 1984. Photo by Tina Skelly.
Highway Minister Snow introduced the royal party of MP Bill Vankoughnet of Hastings-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington, MLA James Taylor of Prince Edward-Lennox, Warden Harold Alliston of Lennox and Addington and architect Lilly Inglis, who designed the Loyalist Parkway gates.
Then her Majesty, with minister Snow, cut the ribbon thereby renaming Highway 33 the Loyalist Parkway-a road with history deeply entwined with that of the United Empire Loyalists.
The gates from which the ribbon was suspended are a symbolic entrance to the parkway. They were built opposite Fairfield Historic House, a major United Empire Loyalist site administered by the St. Lawrence Parks Commission.
Adjacent to the memorial gates is a plaque commemorating the opening of the gateway in honour of the Loyalists in the presences of the Queen, and the UEL association of Canada, represented by president Gwen Smith of Bath.
Her Majesty viewed the plaque with chairman Margaret Birch of the cabinet for the Bicentennial. The gates themselves bear a royal cipher of Queen Elizabeth II on the pillar and the cipher of King George 3-the sovereign at the time the area was settled-on the other.
Somewhere between 15,000 to 20,000 people crammed Highway 33 at Fairfield Park area in Amherstview on Sept. 27, all to catch a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.
Reeve Kippen says Her Majesty agreed with him when he told Her that despite the cool temperature, the hearts of Ernestown and area people are warm. This was just as she and Prince Phillip stepped onto the royal yacht Britannia and bid farewell to Amherstview.
It was the first time a reigning monarch ever visited Ernestown Township and Lennox and Addington County. The royal stopover in this residential community that gives Ernestown a suburban flavour was due to Ontario’s Bicentennial this year and the celebration of the Bicentennial of the arrival here of the United Empire Loyalists in 1784.