Eldorado Mills

       The place that we now tend to think of as Eldorado Park was, during its first century of settlement, the location of a significant milling operation. At one point consisting of three mills, two residences, outbuildings, two millponds and a stud farm, it served as an important anchor for Churchville’s economy. Running four courses of stone, it was well-known for the quality of its flour and wheat was brought from faraway sources like Caledon, Orangeville and Wellington for milling. Teams regularly carried product from the mills, across Baseline (Steeles Avenue) to Centre Road (Hurontario), and then made the trip all the way south to Port Credit for shipping. 

      Mills were notoriously dangerous places to work, and on January 17th, 1849, the Streetsville Review reported that a sawyer named Mr. Riley had hit his head on a log and died of a concussion at Snure’s sawmill. 

     Jacob must have still felt optimistic about business in Churchville as he headed into the new decade. In 1850 Jacob purchased the carding mill that his brother-in-law Jacob Bradt was operating on the Credit. In August of that year he also purchased a home in the village, buying 7749 Churchville Road from local merchant Daniel Perry. 

        Perhaps wishing to permanently settle back in Niagara Region, Jacob deeded the entirety of Eldorado Mills to his son, George William Snure, in 1858. Following in the footsteps of his neighbour to the south, Orange Church, George marked a new era in the business by immediately expanding and building a new gristmill; which was situated near the intersection of Churchville Road and Creditview Road.

       The addition of a third mill proved to be a mistake. The family immediately ran into debt problems and George struggled to make the business work. Churchville already had two gristmills in operation at that point, and the end of the Crimean War had led to a huge crash in grain prices. Upper Canada was facing an economic depression and a crop disease was spreading throughout the region. In 1864 the family declared bankruptcy, though they continued to operate the mill for five more years until lawsuits were sorted out. Fortunately, the proceeds from the sale of the property were enough to enable them to relocate back to Niagara Region and continue their work there. 

             When the dust of the Snure’s bankruptcy settled, Eldorado Mills ended up back in the hands of the Chisholm family. Kenneth Chisholm, son of Alexander and Mary, purchased it in partnership with his brother-in-law Matthew Elliott. He focused his efforts on the gristmill operation. At some point during these years the northern part of the property began to be used as a picnic ground. This was likely encouraged by the construction of the Credit Valley Railway, which had a flagstop at Steeles Avenue and Churchville Road. 

       A grand opening for Eldorado Park was held on May 25th, 1924, featuring sports games, a merry-go-round, boats and canoes on “Miniature Lake” (the remnants of the millpond) and a dance with music provided by the Harmony Orchestra. The Radial Railway station was located at the back of the park, near where the pool is now. Walter's son, Art Ward, lived in the Eldorado area almost his whole life and his obituary states that he was quite involved in the operation of Eldorado Park.

         On January 23rd, 1930, Walter Ward had the remaining mill buildings demolished. They had sat unused for twelve years at that point. A few local residents who grew up in the area recall seeing the ruins of the foundation and mill pond still in place when they were children.

        With the closure of the Radial Railway in 1936, 103 acres of the park were sold to the Jewish Labour League Mutual Benefit Society, who developed it into a summer camp called Camp Naivelt. Eventually, when the popularity of the camp began to decline in the 1970s, 52 acres of the property were sold off to Chinguacousy Township, who restored the name Eldorado Park. Today it is owned and maintained by the City of Brampton.