This week, Trail Blazers takes us back to April 1952, when the community of Glenmerry was officially named.
The City of Trail was rapidly expanding mid-century. Having exhausted available land on the west side of the river, expansion east was the only option to accommodate the growing population.
The city established a housing committee in 1950 and, after public consultation, approached land owners John Shaver (of Shaver’s Bench) and D.B. Merry.
Both men owned extensive land to the east of city limits, which did not include Shaver’s Bench at the time.
Beyond the bench, the Merry family ran their sawmill. The area was known as Merry’s Flats.
The Barkley family, of Glenone, Ireland, also occupied land on the Merry’s Flats area, operating the Glenone Dairy there at the turn of the century.
The city negotiated the purchase of 40 acres of land from Mr. Merry, and some from Mr. Shaver.
The land was incorporated into city limits, utilities were installed, and plans for highway improvements were made.
In 1952, the Trail Town Planning Commission released plans for the development of 287 lots on Merry’s Flats.
Lots sold briskly, and Cominco’s role in the Second World War may have helped: Cominco applied to the federal government for status as a defence plant, a designation that meant housing loans for employees could cover 90 per cent of the cost to build.
In those days, the loan afforded only 80% of building costs, leaving borrowers the task of producing a 20% down payment.
The Commission was looking to engage the community further, so ran a contest to help name the new subdivision.
On April 16, 1952, the paper published their choice from the submissions: Glenmerry.
The “Glen” is derived from the Barkley family’s Glenone Dairy, while the “merry” is an homage to the Merry family and its lumber empire.
The contest accepted 631 entries and 439 unique names were suggested.
Submissions came from all over the West Kootenay and Boundary areas.
The most common suggestions were: Merrysville, Merryland, Merryview, Merryvale, and Riverview.
One contestant suggested leaving the name well enough alone, while another filed the entry of “Snob Hill.”
More obscure suggestions included variations of royal names, as well as those looking to memorialize West Kootenay provincial politicians, with names like Turnbullville and Herridgeville.
Some homage was paid to key industrial personalities, with Blaylock Manor and Diamondville.
Ignored were entries highlighting smelter impacts and smoke.
Ultimately, “Glenmerry” was unique, yet recognizable, enough.
Suggested by W.D. Lane of Fruitvale, and young LaVonne Wallace of Shaver’s Bench, the suggestion earned them both a $10.00 prize. LaVonne’s award letter, pictured here, was recently donated to the archival collection by her brother, Bruce Collusi.
By 1960, another immigration wave saw Trail’s population expand further.
Plans for another 200 lots east of the new subdivision were developed in two phases.
The project was a collaboration of three levels of government: municipal, provincial, and federal, which generated plenty of red tape that delayed lot sales until the summer of 1962. Pictured is construction during this second expansion project.
The 1960s represented a decade of progress and rapid construction not only in Trail, but the region and province.
Major projects included hydro-electric development along the Columbia River, the new highway following the opening of the Victoria Street Bridge, and the removal of the passenger rail tracks and train depot in downtown Trail.
The bridge and the new route pulled highway traffic away from downtown and what was once a bustling business strip on Highway Drive.
Glenmerry truly became a neighbourhood and is still a desired location for home buyers.
Only a few more residential neighbourhoods would be developed following the massive growth of Trail in the 1950s and 1960s: Miral Heights and Waneta.
Now, the Greater Trail region relies heavily on neighbouring municipalities for housing opportunities.
Do you have fond memories of Merry’s Flats or these excited housing developments?
