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Headwaters British Car Club re-creates old hill climb event from the 1950s

July 16, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes

The Headwaters British Car Club is steering a cherished local tradition into a new era with its recent hill climb re-enactment, held last week in Mono on the historic course that once drew large crowds in the 1950s and 60s.

President Ed Taccone said that this year’s edition marked the revival of the event after a pandemic-related hiatus, with club members driving a variety of British classics up a twisting rural road in controlled, single-car runs focused on safety and community engagement rather than speed.

“We hadn’t done one since 2019, when COVID hit,” Taccone said. “For a while, nothing was done with it, but when I became president we reinstated it. Despite that, it was very pleasing seeing the people that were waiting for us at the hill climb, the residents. They were watching us from driveways, coming out to see the cars; it was very pleasing.”

In advance of the event, organizers distributed flyers to nearby homes to inform neighbours and invite them to come out, a gesture that helped ensure strong community participation and a positive reception. Many locals had personal or family connections to the original hill climbs from decades past.

The hill climb is one of several signature activities organized by the Headwaters British Car Club, which was founded by local enthusiasts and has grown from an initial handful of members to a well-established organization.

“The Headwaters British Car Club got put together by a couple of gentlemen back in 2008,” Taccone said. “At the time, it had somewhere around five or six members, and it grew from there.”

The club’s purpose extends beyond simply enjoying classic cars.

It regularly holds organized car runs, social gatherings, and fundraising events, directing proceeds to local causes such as the food bank, hospitals, youth centres, and the Dufferin Women’s Centre.

Annual traditions now include a St. Patrick’s Day gathering, the All British Classic and Antique Car Show at the fair, and participation in the Canada Day Strawberry Festival car show.

Membership currently stands at about 70, down from a pre-pandemic peak.

We’re sitting at around 70 members right now,” Taccone said. “Before COVID, we had 100 to 130, but during COVID, we lost some members, and we’ve had quite a few members pass away recently.”

“The good thing is that there’s new people joining up to fill our numbers, so we’re going to grow again,” he added.

New members have recently joined through events, and the club remains close-knit and active, with summer potluck meetings hosted at members’ homes, including an August gathering featuring a figure-eight dirt track for lighthearted driving fun.

A key focus now is recruiting and involving younger members, not only as participants but as organizers of runs and fundraisers.

By combining automotive heritage, charitable giving, and strong community ties, the Headwaters British Car Club is working to ensure its traditions – and its cars – continue to be seen and celebrated on local roads for years to come.

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