Speaker:  Melissa Shaw, MA, CRM Dipl.
Museum Supervisor, Collingwood Museum

Melissa Shaw has been with the Collingwood Museum for 18 years. She holds a master’s degree in English Literature and is a recent graduate of the University of Victoria’s Cultural Resource Management program. Melissa prides herself in being an active participant in Collingwood’s arts and cultural sector and strives to create meaningful and lasting relationships with local organizations through exhibitions and programming opportunities. 

She is a regular contributor to CollingwoodToday - Then and Now.

Preserving the Past: A Juicy Slice of Collingwood History

Step back in time and jump into Collingwood’s hidden history! The Canning Division of Smart Bros. Ltd. was located on the north-west corner of First and Hurontario Streets between 1925 and the company’s dissolution in 1970. Discover how this local cannning legend planted roots across Collingwood.

There are many buildings and points of interest around Collingwood that connect to this history, including street names and interpretive signs along the beautiful trails system. Also available to you is a pamphlet that maps out a driving tour that takes you across Collingwood in search of Smart’s continuing legacy

Discover the family-run canning and farming powerhouse that fueled our town for nearly 80 years!

Photo contributed by the Collingwood Museum