Unity No.710
WEBSITE:
n/a
SECRETARY:
V. W. Bro. Wayne Omardeen
EMAIL:
unityno710@gmail.com
MEETING DAY:
1st Thursday of the month
PHONE:
416-346-2666
Ronald E. Groshaw Brampton Masonic Temple
955 Clark Blvd, Brampton, ON L6T 5L3
OFFICIAL VISIT:
March 6th, 2024
INSTALLATION:
June 5th, 2025
Unity Lodge 710 in Brampton, Ont. began in 1962/63 when Nortel Networks transferred 25 Masons to their new facilities at 8200 Dixie Rd., Bramalea from Montreal, Quebec. These 25 Masons represented 21 lodges mostly registered under the G.L.Q. Bro. Vern Davie, with the help of W. Bro. Gord Shaw, canvassed these masons during the early part of 1963 to attend a meeting at his home in Brampton to discuss the future of their Masonic interests.
Wor. Bro. Stan Creeggan who had joined us as a result of his transfer by Nortel to the Dixie Rd. facilities from Bellville, explained that a lodge registered under any other Grand Lodge would be considered clandestine. Ionic and Flower City Lodges were approached by our steering committee on the subject of affiliation and although Flower City Lodge was a young lodge at the time, their response was not too receptive because of the large number of Affiliates and from another Masonic Jurisdiction which practiced a different type of ritual.
Rt. Wor. Bro. Archie Campbell, DDGM, met with our delegation during the summer of 1963 and suggested a new lodge could be supported in Brampton as a result of the rapid population growth in this area. From this announcement another 15 masons from the area as well as 2 masons hailing from the G.L. of Scotland joined the 25 from Quebec to increase the Charter membership roll to 42 for this new lodge.
The next step was to find a suitable name and corresponding emblem that depicted the make-up of this new lodge. I was asked to chair a committee consisting of Ben Young, Neil Wilkinson and Bob Tate to submit suggestions and drawings for such an emblem. After many meetings it was agreed to submit the name “UNITY” because there were but four Masonic Jurisdictions, GLE., GLS., GLQ., and GLC. In Ont., that the Charter Members hailed from. It was also our view to incorporate “Clasp Hands” as the focal point of our emblem to represent the joining of the GLQ with the GLC. in the formation of Unity Lodge.
The Institution Ceremony of Unity Lodge was held on Thursday, January 2nd. 1964, at the Brampton Masonic Temple,10 Main St. South, Brampton. Officers were selected to serve a two-year term with W. Bro. Gordon Kearns elected as Worship Master. During its first year under dispensation the lodge numerous workshops were held in order to master the variations in rituals from the other jurisdictions. As a result, Candidates received their degrees with a mixed ritual. In 1964 R. W. Bro. George McGee, DDGM told the lodge that a the Grand Lodge Ontario that their practice of mixed rituals would not be tolerated and that their Charter would be revoked if their “Work” did not improve to meet GRC standards..
Bros. Gord Kearns and Stan Creeggan felt that the brethren need more time to relearn “letter perfect” the degree work and if this proved unsatisfactory to Grand Lodge then the officers would take their demit. The lodge was approved more time to learn the Work The officers pledged their support to the Canadian ritual and promised that Unity Lodge 710 would be a model for the Work in District 1.
This was accomplished as attested by the report each subsequent DDGM submitted to Grand Lodge thereafter. It is my honest opinion that as I re-visit Unity Lodge and observe the Work, the quality and sincerity prevail for the benefit of the candidate as it was pledged 40 years ago.