I am always noting the different celebrations taking place nationally and internationally, so I was interested to learn on the Government of Canada website, that October is Women’s History Month in Canada. It's a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women and girls across the country and throughout our history. This year’s theme is #MakeAnImpact, in honour of the women and girls who’ve made a lasting impact as pioneers in their field. Whether as business leaders, politicians, researchers, artists, athletes or activists, these women of impact have helped shape Canada into a thriving, diverse and prosperous country through their achievements and desire to make a difference. As part of this year’s celebrations, the government website will be launching Women of Impact in Canada, an online gallery that celebrates the achievements of more than 100 women and girls through photos and biographies that capture some of their many successes. Closer to home, Cochrane celebrates the accomplishment of local women with a statue on the main street. We pass it every day but do we know the story behind it? The Legacy Statue or Ella Patton has 40 names of Cochrane area pioneer women inscribed at its base. Ella and her family came to Alberta in 1900 from Alta, Iowa. They had placed their most necessary possessions in a cattle car on a train, anxious to begin homesteading in what was then still the North-Western Territory – Alberta did not become a province until 1905. They settled in the Red Deer Lake area, just south of Calgary and Highway 22X. Soon after, Ella met her future husband, Thomas B. Patton, who lived just down the road and was a school teacher at Red Deer Lake School. After their marriage, they decided to start their own homestead in an area now known as Pump Hill in Calgary. In 1905, they purchased 10 acres at a cost of $10 per acre to start a market garden. In 1910, they expanded their operation by another 10 acres, which now cost $20 per acre. This huge market garden required a pipeline to irrigate their vegetable crops and a large reliable pump was needed, thus the name ‘Pump Hill’ came to being. The garden was named Fairview Gardens and their vegetables were shipped to many stores and markets in Calgary. The original pump has been restored and is on display at Fort Calgary. Until she passed in 1946, Ella cooked on the St. Lawrence wood stove she brought on the cattle car from Iowa. Thomas died in 1936, leaving the next generation, Ralph and Flora Patton, to carry on the Fairview Garden business until 1978. On October 4th. I will be leaving on a flight that will take me first to Frankfurt, then to Istanbul and finally to Kabul, where I will meet up with an inspiring group of women who are trying to make a difference in the lives of women and girls, In Afghanistan. These are the inspirational leaders of the future. Women like Zainab Husseini, who, in 2015, overcame numerous obstacles to become the first Afghan woman to run a marathon. I will also meet with Stephanie Case, whose organisation Free To Run, is providing access to sport in areas where it would normally be unavailable to women and girls. October is here, so let’s all take a little time to pay tribute to all the women and girls who make a difference in our lives and the lives of others.
© 2018 Martin Parnell
www.martinparnell.com
