Women’s Institute Exchange Visits
In 1976 the South Vancouver Island District Women's Institutes planned an exchange visit with members from Ontario. In August they flew from Victoria to Vancouver, changed planes and landed in Toronto. Here they were met by their hostesses, and travelled by bus to Eramosa School, about 75 miles from Toronto. Here they enjoyed a smorgasbord dinner, some entertainment and their billets.
The arrangements made by the Ontario hosts include a tour to Niagara Falls and the Adelaide Hoodless Homestead and the Erland Lee Home. The bus tour itself was informative and very much enjoyed, for this was harvest season in Ontario, and everywhere and there was much activity in the rural areas they travelled though.
Some places the BC ladies travelled to included: The Isaac Brock Monument; Wellington Museum in Fergus; the home and gardens of Colonel John McCrea, author of “In Flanders Fields”; then on to some shopping in Mississauga and a Doll Museum containing dolls from 57 countries. The ladies very much enjoyed their time at Casa Loma where the Wurlitzer organ that had been built for the Shears Theatre in Toronto had been installed. They toured the castle, wine cellars, the stables and the gardens! They wound up their tour of Ontario with a day in Ottawa where they visited Rideau Hall, the Prime Minster's Residence, the Parliament Buildings, and the RCMP training centre for their horses. They had a boat ride on the Rideau Canal to wrap up their memorable tour of Ontario.
The following year it was the BC Women's Institute's turn to host: 25 ladies arrived at the Victoria Airport for a 7 day visit. The Ontario ladies traveled to the Cowichan Valley where they toured the Forest Museum, Hill's Indian Crafts and were guests at dinner in the Somenos Hall. The next day they all crossed the Mill Bay Ferry where they were met by their local hostesses and taken on a tour of Butchart Gardens, this was followed by a drive to Victoria via Marine Drive. After touring the Provincial Museum the ladies dressed for the banquet, held on the top floor of the Victoria Inn. The next morning was devoted to shopping and in the afternoon they visited the Undersea Gardens, in Oak Bay, followed by tea at the Empress Hotel and a bus tour of Victoria
The last day of their time on Vancouver Island was a free morning, followed by lunch at the home of Kaye Maughan and a leisurely drive along the West Coast Road, returning to their billet for the night. They took the 9:00 AM ferry to Vancouver – the hostesses provided a bag lunch for on the ferry, and hostesses could accompany their guests to Vancouver Airport. The British Columbia ladies returned to the Island on the 8:00 PM sailing and the Ontario ladies aircraft departed at 10:40 PM.
They all agreed they had experienced a wonderful time in the visit to another province and had all become friends during their time together.
Yours For Home and Country, Ruth Fenner, Provincial Historian, British Columbia Women's Institute
