Little Hawk, Little Hawk. Do you know any of the Tudhopes? Are you certain that the information in your story is correct?

I know one Tudhope, Roger. I never connected him in my mind with the Tudhope Car Company. He lives on the right side of town but he's a good man, likes to talk, laughs easily, coaches kids in soccer. I can't see him having a grudge against Lightfoot. He has always been friendly to me even though I lived in a worse part of town than Lightfoot ever did. He's a good coach too. One time we took a school team together. The team got to the second round of the playoffs before another team scored on them.

The Tudhope family donated the land that is now Tudhope Park to the city for use by the city of Orillia. For years the city used the land as a campground, renting out spaces to people visiting. The family objected on the grounds that they want the people of Orillia to enjoy the land, not visiting campers. After many years, the city closed the campground and opened up all the land as parkland. It made a great site for Mariposa. The Tudhope family donated a great piece of land. We should thank them.

I would guess that from your story that someone on city council wanted to change the name of Tudhope Park to Lightfoot Park and the family objected. After the camping business and since the land was donated to commemorate the family, I don't blame them. The city has done a shabby job of recognizing Lightfoot. Why didn't they rename another park? I believe city even had land in the Tudhope Park area, by the Leacock Home, which they sold to a sister company of Versa Food for apartment development. City councils have shown less respect for the city than Lightfoot or the Tudhope family.