THE HONOURABLE
HERBERT A. BRUCE

One of Scugog’s most notable citizens is to be recognized by having a park named after him and a provincial heritage plaque dedicated to him. Dr. Herbert Alexander Bruce, who was born in Cartwright Township in 1863, will be recognized with a dedication and unveiling ceremony in Port Perry on Thursday, August 19.

The park, presently known as Perryview Park occupies eight acres immediately south of McDonalds on Simcoe Street. It will be renamed the Dr. Herbert A. Bruce Community Park at the ceremony.

The Lake Scugog Historical Society has joined with the Ontario Heritage Trust to finance the production of a provincial heritage plaque commemorating Dr. Bruce. The plaque will be unveiled at the ceremony organized by the Township of Scugog.

Stewart Bruce and his wife Isabella, parents of Herbert Bruce, moved to a 100 acre farm at the north west corner of King and Simcoe Streets at the south end of Port Perry. They bought this farm so that their children could attend Port Perry High School. The park, to be named in his honour, is located at the north end of this property.

After graduating from Port Perry High School in 1884, young Herbert worked in Allison’s Drug Store on Queen Street for a year as he was too young to attend medical school. He went on to attend the University of Toronto medical school and emerged as the top student in his class and went to England to further his qualifications. He became one of the first Canadians to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons.

He returned to Toronto and established a highly successful practice in Toronto before founding The Wellesley Hospital. In World War One he was appointed as the Inspector General of the Canadian Army Medical Corps
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After the war he married a nurse, Angela Hall, and returned to his medical duties in Toronto. In 1932 he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. In this role he became an advocate for better housing for Toronto’s poor and working classes. His recommendations eventually led to the creation of what are now the Regent Park and Moss Park developments.

In 1940 he entered federal politics and was elected as the MP for Toronto Parkdale. Here he campaigned for better medical care for the armed forces and became an early advocate for universal health care.

Throughout his life, Dr. Bruce frequently returned to Port Perry to visit his friends and family. He died in 1963 at the grand old age of 94 and was buried in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.

At the dedication ceremony a number of dignitaries from the Ontario Heritage Trust and representatives from various levels of government will participate in this auspicious ceremony.

Among those attending will include the current Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, David Onley; Bev Oda, M.P; John O’Toole, MPP and Mayor Marilyn Pearce of Scugog Township.
The public is cordially invited to join in this historic dedication ceremony on Thursday, August 19 at 11:00 a.m. at the park on Greenway Boulevard, west of the Canadian Tire Store.

By Paul Arculus
Focus on Scugog