Malahide Community Place - Springfield
Malahide Community Place provides a community recreation and banquet hall, a spacious and impressive catering kitchen, a meeting room, as well as the new home of Malahide's Public Library. Nestled behind the building is a scenic green space with a newly installed playground. A pavillion, two lighted ball diamonds, and a concession complete the outside play area. Plenty of free parking space featuring a horse shelter for our Amish neighbours symbolizes the friendly and welcoming nature of Springfield and Malahide Township. Community Place was constructed in 2010 with funding assistance from senior governments.
Malahide is known for the bountiful farm land and is the agricultural hub for Elgin County. Community Place is located in Springfield, the ‘urban’ hub of the Township of Malahide. The residential houses are rapidly growing and diversity in business is occurring. Apart from the beautiful Community Hall, the Town boasts a new firehall, two churches, and an elementary public school.
This crossroad settlement was first known as Clunas until 1855 after Captain Archibald Clunas became the first postmaster. It was eventually called Springfield because of the many natural springs in the fields. Springfield at one time had five hotels. Two were located at the west end, one on the site of the Baptist Church, one across from the United church and another north of the Canada Southern Railway Station.
Peter Charlton was a well-known man who originated the Springfield Agricultural Society. He was three years old when his family moved from Frontenac County. His family travelled to the area with two other families in covered wagons. He recalls hiking two miles into the woods each night to find his family’s cows. He also recalled very vividly the time that the Tories came and took his schoolmaster prisoner. It was in the time of the ’37 rebellion and somebody must have protested against the schoolmaster, even though he seemed like a harmless person. Apparently, the Tories went up and down the roads demanding guns from suspects.
The quilt block, "Town Square", illustrates the centre of Malahide Township and the busy nature of the space. The colours come from the the Malahide Logo depicting Malahide castle in Scotland.
