ELORA – Centre Wellington Heritage handed out its annual Heritage Recognition Awards at its Feb. 15 meeting to mark the beginning of Heritage Week and recognize the people and restoration projects in the community that made an impact in 2021.
Heritage Week runs Feb. 21 to 27.
“Centre Wellington is rich in local heritage” stated Mayor Kelly Linton in a press release.
“We have never taken as much pride in heritage as we do today, as can be seen particularly in our historic downtowns. We are fortunate to have a heritage committee that is rich in historical knowledge, and passionate about heritage conservation within the township.”
The group took a moment to remember Richard Pierpoint, a former slave who gained his freedom through his allegiance to Britain in the War of 1812. He was granted land in West Garafraxa in 1822 and became a leader in the community of Black settlers. Pierpoint Park is located on the site of his property.
Then came the hardware.
Education in Heritage Award
Beverley Cairns received the Education in Heritage award for her 40-something years of advocacy and education on heritage matters.
In an interview, Cairns said she, her husband and five children moved into a heritage home in Elora in 1974, spent years restoring the home and then had it designated. That’s when she recognized the need for these old homes to be protected from demolition.
In 1997 she became involved in a project to have the neighbourhood around Victoria Crescent in Elora receive heritage designation – something that has not yet happened. That’s when she became involved in the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, Guelph/Wellington Branch.
“So many people support heritage conservation, but they are really not informed,” Cairns said. “They don’t know how to get information or how to advocate for heritage. That’s my role with the conservancy.”
She said during Heritage Week, the conservancy is putting window displays in some downtown shops with maps of the heritage areas in Centre Wellington.
“Citizens have an important role to play. They can support, criticize, and let their opinion known,” she said. “But they have to be knowledgeable about the opportunities open for them to express their opinion.”
Volunteer Acknowledgement Award
Like Cairns, Graeme Chalmers fell in love with heritage buildings when he bought a stone house (circa 1883) in Fergus.
“Part of the attraction of moving to Fergus (from B.C.) was the heritage,” he said in an interview. “I wanted to do something for the preservation of all the wonderful old buildings in Centre Wellington.”
Chalmers sat on the township’s Heritage Centre Wellington advisory committee for eight years; he is a member of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, wrote a heritage-inspired column for the now defunct Fergus-Elora News Express for years, and more recently has done some videos with Wightman on heritage building styles and features of note.
He also wrote a proposal that helped the former owners of the Rafferty building in Fergus win a provincial heritage award.
Also an artist, Chalmers now makes bird houses that also have significant architectural features.
“It’s always good to be recognized locally,” he said.
Heritage Property Conservation Award
Melville United Church in Fergus received the award for its recent restoration project, specifically the stained-glass windows on the north and west side of the sanctuary.
The windows were removed, re-leaded, repaired and returned to their original position in the church – a project the congregation has carried out over several years.
Stained-glass windows at Melville United Church in Fergus. Submitted photo
“It’s quite an honour,” said Allan Hons, chair of Melville Church council. “It’s always nice when we get noticed for all our hard work.”
Hons said the congregation has raised about $30,000 for the work to the 120-year-old stone church but it is reaching a point in renovations when they need outside sources of funding.
“This church has been a beacon for 120 years,” he said. “To see the lovely stained glass again, and to share that with the community is very exciting.”
Other awards handed out on Tuesday include:
– Making Heritage Accessible Award – Fergus Public Library, for integrating an accessible ramp into the heritage of the building;
– Heritage Property Conservation Award – Potter Foundry (Elora Mill Development) in Elora. Part of a large-scale redevelopment project, the original foundry was relocated and reconstructed and when the rest of the project is complete, will be open to the public and part of the trail system;
– Heritage Professionals Award – Potter Foundry Project Team (Elora Mill Development). This award goes to the team of professionals involved with the Potter Foundry relocation project, specifically: Tacoma Engineers Inc., Robinson Heritage Consulting, James Keating Construction Ltd., BEN Stoneworks Ltd., Motion Electrical Contracting Ltd., Thak Ironworks, Tim Casson Timber Frames, Silverfern Landscape Group, and MTE Consultants Inc.
