Maple View Lodge
Maple View Lodge in Athens, Ontario was originally built in 1895 as a House of Industry, a workhouse intended to support people who were unable to provide for themselves. In 1926, it was renamed the Leeds and Grenville County Home for the Aged and became a residence for older adults. In 1972, the facility was officially renamed Maple View Lodge, the name it continues to use today. Following major renovations and redevelopment, the lodge celebrated a grand reopening in 2004. In 2025, Maple View Lodge is a long-term care home for residents and is owned and operated by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.
Historic image of Maple View Lodge
Leeds and Grenville, Our History.
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Athens Students at Maple View Lodge
These two clippings from a newspaper article mention three Athens District High School students who, working as part-time jobs at the Maple View Lodge long-term care home during 1988, helped and befriended many elders, showing that both parties can benefit from each other’s company. One student in particular (Penny Burnham) talks about what she likes most about her job and how she interacts with the elderly.
Interviews with the Residents of Maple View Lodge
Our class from Athens District High School visited Maple View Lodge in the fall of 2025 to interview some of its residents, in order to learn from the past and have the elders have the opportunity to share their stories with us.
DIsclaimer - The views and opinions expressed are those of the community members and do not necessarily reflect those of our schools or the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB).
The Story of Les Boszormeny
The story of Hungarian/ Yugoslavian born Les Boszormeny and his journey to settling in Athens, Ont. is one that brought many emotions to the quaint little room that he calls his. Les was raised overseas overlooking the sea and the perfect life other than it being in a communist country and for that reason, they fled. Moving here was a huge change. He started teaching in many different places, but he was very adamant he taught at Athens, Ont., he even taught my dad those many years ago and Les loved it. Les, also loved to carve birds the same ones that we got the chance to lay our eyes on and the gorgeous painting that he did those were his proud accomplishments. I hope you take the time to meet this amazing man Les Boszormeny in this short Podcast where you get to explore someone else's story that fascinated many and hopefully many more!
Click to listen to the interview with Les Boszormeny.
The Story of Andy Krajnyak
Here is a podcast of 88-year-old Andy, a resident at Mapleview Lodge. He shares his story and the experiences he had as a youth, coming to Brockville from Hungary as a refugee in 1956. Andy talks about the challenges he faced coming to Canada, and how he overcame them all to raise his beautiful family. He offers an important perspective on the value of a good day's work, and he shares how, despite the hardships he faced, he loves Brockville and is very grateful to be a Canadian. Here is a photograph of Andy’s passport when he was leaving Hungary in 1956.
Click to listen to the interview with Andy Krajnyak.
The Story of Dorothy Healey
Mrs. Dorothy Healey is a Maple View Lodge resident, who grew up in Addison, Ontario. Mrs. Healey was a teenager during World War Two, and became a teacher when she was 17, as they were in short supply. Deciding she loved this career she continued on this path, going from a one-room school house to a school with a room for ever grade. Mrs. Healey ended up teaching at the same school for the majority of her career. She taught at St Joseph Catholic School in Toledo, Ontario from 1960 to 1986. While teaching there she taught her own children, nieces and nephews, and even some of her great nieces and nephews.
Click to listen to the interview with Dorothy Healey.
The Story of Bob Foster
Bob Foster grew up in the Brockville/Athens area, spending his childhood living along the St. Lawrence River as an only child. He was influenced heavily by his father. He went to BCI and played lots of sports like football, hockey, and baseball. Bob eventually made it to the Eastern Professional Hockey League and played in Syracuse and ended up down in Florida as well. After competing in a professional hockey league, he made a career change and worked as a firefighter for 35 years. He also has a son who is a Sergeant with the RCMP in Halifax and a daughter who is a nurse. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and golfing after his retirement.
Click to listen to the interview with Bob Foster.
