Dear friend,
While exploring the history of Long Branch on Etobicoke Historical Society’s website in preparation for the ExperienceTO: Long Branch Historical Tour, I came across the story of Ann Marie Curtis who served as reeve (i.e., head of municipal council) of the village of Long Branch from 1953 to 1962 and after whom the Marie Curtis Park and Marie Curtis Park (East and West) Beaches are named.
Ann Marie Curtis was the first and only woman to serve as reeve of Long Branch. As reeve, she also served on Metropolitan Toronto Council from its creation in 1953 until 1962, and was the first woman on its executive. Her biography in the Etobicoke Wall of Fame states that “Marie Curtis was no shrinking violet: throughout her years of public life, she was known as a serious, feisty, and plain-spoken woman. She fought vigorously for the issues she believed in and had many successes along the way.”
Born Ann Marie McCarthy in Midland, Ontario in 1912, she was raised by an aunt in St. Louis, Missouri, but returned to Canada in her late teens where she worked for several years for a hat factory in Toronto. After marrying her husband Bryce Curtis in 1933, the two moved to the village of Long Branch in 1935 at the height of the Depression to escape high rents in Toronto. The couple had a son and a daughter, and later five grandchildren.
Ann Marie Curtis, a self-described housewife, read a newspaper headline stating that seven teachers had been fired, prompting her to get involved in community decision-making roles. She was elected president of her local Home and School Association and was successful in bringing kindergarten classes to the school. She began to attend local council meetings to learn more about the business of politics. In 1952, she learned that the position of Deputy Reeve was being filled by acclamation because the incumbent had no competition; Curtis decided to run against him and won the 1953 election. Based on her popularity in Long Branch, she continued to be re-elected until she retired in 1962.
During her time in office, storm sewers were installed on every street, roads were paved and many apple trees were planted throughout the community. Former Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion recalled: “If you wanted a job done, call Marie… When she was active, I was just a junior in local politics and I always admired her and had great respect for her.”
Although she was a popular figure in Long Branch, it was on the newly-created Metropolitan Toronto Council from 1953 to 1962 that people beyond her community began to learn more about Curtis. She was the first woman to sit on the powerful executive committee with Metro Chairman Fred Gardiner. She has been described as having politics that were both populist and conservative. After the devastation of Hurricane Hazel, Curtis assisted homeless victims to relocate and a new park was created where their homes had once stood. The thirty-five acre park at the mouth of Etobicoke Creek, which she helped to create, is named in her honour: Marie Curtis Park.
Here are three suggested steps we can take, inspired by Ann Marie Curtis’s lesson of living a life of service to others:
- Show up and listen to local decision-making.
Ann Marie Curtis began her political journey simply by attending local council meetings to learn how things worked. This coming month, you could check the schedule for your local community council meeting, and tune in online or attend in person.
- Champion a “micro-cause” in your neighborhood.
Ann Marie Curtis started by successfully fighting to bring kindergarten classes to her local school. You could identify one small, specific improvement needed in your immediate area, whether it’s advocating for a safer crosswalk or supporting a specific local initiative that's meaningful to you, and speak up.
- Join us for the ExperienceTO: Long Branch Historical Tour.
Come out on Saturday, July 11th from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., starting in front of Toronto Public Library - Long Branch, to learn more about the history of the Long Branch community and - among other stories - reflect on the life of Ann Marie Curtis.
Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect.
Until next time,
Alex Rășcanu
P.S. If you'd like to read the past life lessons-focused e-newsletters, you can find them here.
P.P.S. See you at one of the upcoming monthly #ExperienceTO historical tours.
