Citizen began in 1977 and celebrates 25 years in Bolton office

The Caledon Citizen was born in 1977 as a sister publication of the Orangeville Citizen, which grew out of the century-old, familyowned Shelburne Free Press and Economist.

Expansion of the Caledon Citizen was a combined effort of Claridge Publishing and Simcoe-York Printing and Publishing Ltd.

The Caledon Citizen, in the beginning, had a circulation of 7,200.

Principals of Simcoe- York - Bruce Haire and John Archibald - brought with them years of experience in the newspaper business. Haire, a former teacher in Dufferin, launched the Beeton Record Sentinel (now New Tecumseth Times) in 1974. Simcoe- York initiated the Tottenham Times in 1978.

"Starting new papers is always exciting," Haire said in April 1982 when the Bolton office of the Caledon Citizen opened. "It's amazing that we got it going so quickly. It's a big accomplishment."

"I think it looks very promising," said Archibald at that time. "We have been greeted warmly by the merchants and the readers. It's a good area. The people are ready for a second paper and with the two publishing companies we have the facilities to give the people a decent local community newspaper."