For 12 years before his retirement Lawrence Gould was a mechanic for the City of Red Deer.
Today, at the age of 70, he is still a car man, a collector of vintage antique automobiles. He is also an important contributor to the Innisfail and District Historical Society, serving as treasurer and board member.
The best part of his life today is that he has combined both his passions into one. His four vintage antique automobiles are housed and displayed at the Innisfail Historical Village.
And now he has taken his two passions further. He is the organizer of the 38th Annual Alberta Circle Tour, which is being named this year after the late regional antique car collector Emile Hermary. The annual event, which had its inaugural show in south Red Deer in 1975, is being held in Innisfail for the first time. It is running for four days during this year's August long weekend, from Aug. 3 to 6 at the Innisfail Historical Village.
"Emile was the one responsible for me getting into the antique car hobby," said Gould. "The car I have in a trailer at the village once belonged to Emile. I bought it off him eight years ago."
On Jan. 9 Gould received town council's blessing for the antique car show and was given permission to have camping on the south side of the Village beside the ball diamond to accommodate up to 20 campers and guests with trailers. Gould is hoping up to 100 antique automobile enthusiasts with 50 prized antique cars will be at the Village during the weekend. His vehicles, which are permanently on display at the Village, will be star attractions, including his prized 1926 Ford Model T Touring and 1927 Ford Model T Ford Coupe.
"They (Model T) are the cars that changed the world. They were the first mass-produced vehicles, in excess of 15 million from 1909 to 1927," said Gould proudly but admitting the classic car was a bit of a gas-guzzler. "It could go about 150 miles on seven gallons of gas."
The weekend begins on Friday night with registration and a social gathering. The next morning, following breakfast, the first circle tour begins at about 8:30 a.m. The destination has not yet been decided but Gould expects the tour to be between 60 and 180 kilometres long.
"We usually have two or three stops to see other museums or car collections or points of interest," he said. "We usually try not to go too close together, maybe three to five cars. There is a break so that we don't slow down traffic."
The Saturday tour will end at about 4:30 p.m. There will be a potluck dinner that night followed by entertainment, which could include skits and storytelling. There will also be a memorial tribute to Hermary, a Red Deer resident and antique car enthusiast who passed away last year.
On Sunday there will be a second circle tour, one taking a different route. That night there will be a catered banquet. The following day breakfast will be held and the antique car hobbyists will depart.
Gould is predicting it will be a memorable weekend not only for antique car enthusiasts but also for anyone who wants to enjoy an important slice of history. The Village will be open for normal operations and visitors will have a chance to check out the antique cars.
"They (collectors) get right into this. They dress for that era," said Gould. "And it is a challenge to have a car 40 to 50 years old in good running condition and keep it that way. You will see things on an antique car tour you would never see otherwise."
The cost for the event is $50 per person. Citizens can get tickets beforehand at the Village or by contacting Gould at 403-227-1883, or by email at [email protected].
