History

History of the Wildwood Sailing Club flagpole
constructed by Jack Payton





Today you enter The Wildwood Sailing Club by a road which winds through a pretty woodlot and opens onto spacious lawns. These lawns slope gently to the waters edge where sailboats bob colorfully beside neat wharves, or rest onshore.
A number of tall landmarks can be found at the sailing club, including a fiberglass flagpole constructed by founding member, Jack Payton, in 1971. The flagpole has long stood proudly on the lawn, and, in 1994, in a special ceremony, a plaque was added to the base of the flagpole to commemorate Jack's association with the club. The plaque reads, In memory of Jack Payton, Founder 1967, Boat Builder, Environmentalist. Jack's wife, Norma, active in the club along with her husband, was guest of honour at the ceremony. Today, two classes of sailboat designed and built by Jack (the Flying Canuck and the Kerry Dancer) are still sailed at the club.
(From Pam's History of The Wildwood Sailing Club)



















(From Les's Flagpole webpage)

Every spring, the flag is raised to open the new sailing season and every fall it is taken down to end the sailing season (always a sad day). This ceremony is not always a big event, but it has gone on as long as I've been a member at the sailing club. During the summer this flag is used as an instrument for gauging the wind direction and speed and its gentle flapping is a constant reminder that it's time to go sailing. When the flag is full, it's time to hit the lake and when it's hanging there limp, you can pull up a chair and enjoy the scenery or the conversation around the fire pit.

















This year (2007) the flag raising ceremony may be put on hold. A strong wind has blown the flag pole partially over and it has a precarious lean and is ready to fall over. The flag pole will need to be fixed before a flag can be flown again, high above the Wildwood Sailing Club. Shown below is the flag pole in its precarious position and the temporary fix to support it till spring when a more permanent fix can be performed. Pipes were pounded into the ground around the flag pole and ropes have been tied from the pole to the pipes to support the leaning mast.















Paul Carter testing the weight of the flag pole (just like Charles Atlas).


























Les standing beside the flag pole with the temporary fix.



We hope the temporary fix will hold till spring. See you all in the spring and here's hoping for an early spring and a mild winter