By Tim Lambrinos
The land situated at the corner of Rowntree Mills Road and Islington Avenue was first used for a local church and cemetery in 1848. In that year, Joseph Rowntree deeded the land to be used as a community cemetery. Rowntree Mills Road was merely a laneway that travelled down to the Humber River and their mill on the north side of the cemetery. A primitive Methodist church was built on a portion of land immediately to the south of the cemetery. Rowntree’s wishes were that a group of trustees would establish a board to oversee the operations of the cemetery. The first board was made up of Jacob Parsons, Matthew Parsons, John Watson, Ezra Pierce, Jacob McKay and William McKay.
Throughout the years, the board has been made up of many different trustees and it still exists today.
On August 28, 2022, the Pine Ridge Cemetery Board held its annual meeting at the cemetery. The meeting was attended by descendants of the original pioneers that lived in 
Humber Summit and Emery, from years’ past.
Glenn McClure and Rick Jackson served as masters of ceremony.
As always, the day served as an enlarged family meeting to reflect upon and honour ancestors from their roots.
Beryl Rowntree Gaspardy, 98, was also in attendance. She had been a registered nurse and dedicated a great deal of research in helping document local history in a book published in 1985 called The Rowntree Book. She proudly boasted that she was the oldest person in attendance for the day.
John Devins was also in attendance. He has graciously taken over the role on their board for his late father, Jack. Notably, Lorne and Millie Lawder from Lindsay and Bob and Betty McQuillan of North York were also in attendance. And of course, Marion Rowntree Russell was also somehow worked into the general speaking program too.
Tim Lambrinos, Chair of the Arts and Heritage Committee of the Emery Village BIA, served as a keynote speaker for the day and provided exclusive details about the former farm of John Richard Devins and Cora Mae Locke. In all, another marvelous day in preserving a family affair.