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May 12, 2000
Exciting news on the heritage front
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A camera crew gets into position for CBC's TV movie Harry's
Case, shot at the Ontario Heritage Centre last summer.(photo courtesy of
the Ontario Heritage Foundation) |
Each week, the main purpose of this column is to record some of the
history of the area but as I indicated in my introductory column, I want
to occasionally report on other perspectives that may be of interest to
the heritage community. In this case, I would like to talk about
the Ontario Heritage Foundation (OHF).
The OHF is a not-for-profit agency of the provincial government which
for 30 years has been “dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting
Ontario’s rich and varied heritage.”
$5 million fund
The foundation’s recent newsletter Heritage Matters and an accompanying
press release provide several items of interest to people with heritage
concerns. The most exciting news is a $5 million dollar provincial
fund for non-profit organizations and municipalities for restoring, preserving
and maintaining their heritage properties.
Another $5 million has been allocated to the OHF to establish an endowment
fund for capital costs to maintain heritage properties. This fund
is based on the government matching any funds the foundation raises, which
would lead to a $10 million dollar investment.
As Allan Gottleib, the chairman of the OHF, stated: “this is an exciting
day for heritage in Ontario.” For further information, contact the
foundation at (416) 314-0744 or go to their web site at:
www.heritagefdn.on.ca.
Of special interest to communities receiving Community Voices is the
OHF’s Heritage Community Recognition Program that recognizes individuals
and groups that have made a significant contribution to heritage preservation,
protection and conservation. Since 1996, municipal councils and band
councils have nominated numerous people for these awards for writing and
research, preservation of buildings, long-standing heritage volunteer service
and related activities.
In the past four years, the following are some of the people who have
received the award certificate and pin in the Nipissing District:
Roger Lafond of Field; Gerald Beaudry and Claude Goulet of Caldwell Township;
Pam Handley of North Bay; Elinor Smith and Stanley Anderson of Chisholm
Township; David Lafleur of Springer Township; Colette Lavergne and Andre
Lafreniere of Sturgeon Falls; and Marcel Foisy of Bonfield Township.
New heritage leaders program
There is also a new Youth Heritage Leaders Program which recognizes individuals
and formal and informal groups of youth, 18 years of age and under, that
have made a significant contribution to heritage preservation.
For further information, including nomination forms for both recognition
programs, contact your municipal or band office or phone the OHF office
directly at (416) 325-5032. APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED AT THE
OHF BY MAY 31, 2000.
The OHF publication Heritage Matters profiles the future of heritage
activity in the new millennium by providing a summary of a speech by Allan
Gottleib at a recent Heritage 2000 Symposium. Gottleib proposed a
monitoring system to report on heritage preservation and recommended tax
incentives to make the preservation economically viable.
Protect sites
He also proposed new legislation to protect heritage sites, as well as
badly needed investment in new technology that can encourage interactive
learning and virtual tours of heritage sites. The full text of his
speech is available at
www.heritagefdn.on.ca/About/newsreleases/nr-Nov-99.htm.
Also of interest is a report on how heritage sites are being used by
film and television companies to the financial advantage of these sites.
In 1999 there were 45 film crews working in OHF buildings around the
province (see photo above).
Perhaps some day you will see some Hollywood stars at a heritage site
near you
Heritage Perspective Home Page
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