Review-Mirror

The Review-Mirror June 25, 2009 – 7 27 Main Street, Elgin, Ontario K0G 1E0 Ph: (613) 359-5555 Fax (613) 359-6329 email: dwssfh@bellnet.ca www.scotlandfuneralhome.com WHAT IF... ...There was a way to spare your family emotional & financial burdens? Wouldn't you want to know? You can now pre-plan your funeral arrangements with our new inflation proof program and do just that. You can now help do what you wouldn't want them to do later. PRE-ARRANGEMENTS because you care. By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror The Township of Rideau Lakes has begun year two of a multi-year research project to create a catalogue of the town- ship's pre-1940 homes and other structures. Delta, Plum Hollow and the Daytown Road area are the subject of this year's study, supervised and initiated by members of the Rideau Lakes Municipal Heritage Advi- sory Committee (MHAC). Becky Murray and Dana McCumber have been hired for the summer to add to an existing database which could potentially include several thousand homes and other structures by the time the project is completed throughout the township. Funds to hire the young women came from Valley Heartland Community Development Program and the Township of Rideau Lakes. Last year's project focused on Newboro and Elgin. This year 400 build- ings have been identified for documentation. Delta and the surround- ing area was one of the first areas of settlement in the present municipality and was the destination of Abel Stevens, who brought about 100 families there from his native Ver- mont said historian Neil Patterson. Patterson has been giv- ing the students guidance in deciphering documents at the land registry and the township offices which can give clues into the chronology of land divi- sion and structures on that land. "We haven't a lot of accurate information about the structures and the life of the citizens of the town- ship. Instead of word of mouth this is going to be produced from material such as tax records, assessments, census and the land registry. They are documents not available generally to the public," said historian Neil Patter- son. The information the women are gathering is timely with the focus her- itage will have in events taking place in 2010 for the community's 'Deltabration' a year-long celebration honoring the 200th anniversary of the construction of the Old Stone Mill National His- toric Site. Delta's one-time agri- cultural prosperity is docu- mented in its architectural heritage which includes many large brick homes and structures including the village's Jubilee Block on Cty Rd. 42 just east of the Mill. The original three- storey business block, which included four store- fronts burned in 1885 and was replaced in 1887 with the present two-storey structure which includes five storefronts. While researchers may be of help to homeowners in filling in the gaps of the knowledge they have about their homes, home- owners can also help out the researchers. "There's a growing awareness of the value of our built heritage. It's hard to save something if you don't have it documented. If you don't have that in place it's much more diffi- cult for it to be preserved," said MHAC member Diane Haskins. The Foley Mountain Conservation Area's Fam- ily Nature Program begins a summer long series of children's programming next Thursday, July 2 at 10:00 a.m. at the conserva- tion area's interpretive centre. Next week also marks the beginning of weekend openings of the centre's Children's Nature Discov- ery Center, located in the basement of the centre. The facility includes live animals and other interactive activities for all ages including animal tracking activities, art activities, a puppet theatre and other material to cater to many different interests. In addition to outdoor educator and park supervi- sor Rebecca Whitman this summer park visitors will be benefitting from the tal- ents of Marla Dagnone, a professional outdoor edu- cation specialist and teacher. The team will be lead- ing a number of outdoor education programs sched- uled for families on Thurs- days and Saturdays this summer. Childhood environmen- tal education is an impor- tant step to raising chil- dren to become good stew- ards of the environment. "In order to encourage kid's to care and be more aware of their environ- ment the philosophy is to get them out and experi- ence the environment and learn about it as well. Con- tinued exposure and con- tinued experience is important," said Whitman. "We do have a lot of exploration where the kids are encouraged to have some looking around and do what they are interested in. It's important for them to create some meaning for themselves," she said. Further information about the program of activities will become available during the sum- mer. There is no charge for the programs but a daily entrance fee of $5 per vehicle or a season pass to the conservation area is required. The centre will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout July and August. For further infor- mation contact 273-3255. Foley Mountain outdoor programs start July 2 Children at Westport's Heritage Festival were entranced by the snakes and turtles outdoor educator Marla Dagnone brought from Foley Mountain's Chil- dren's Nature Discovery Centre which will be open Sat- urdays and Sundays during July and August. Becky Murray, left, and Dana McCumber have been hired by the township to com- plete an inventory of heritage buildings in the Delta and Plum Hollow area which they will be documenting with photographs and land records. Photo by Margaret Brand Architectural inventory focuses on Delta in 2009

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