FALLBROOK
FARM HISTORICAL SITE,
14513- 27 SIDE
ROAD,
HALTON HILLS,
ONTARIO.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2008
M. Michael
Chong,
Fallbrook in 1998
Federal Member
of Parliament,
Wellington
Constituency, Ontario.
Mr. Chong
You are naturally very busy but our
community organisation, the Fallbrook Farm Historical Site (McClure
McKay Home) Inc. (patent letters pending) would like to make sure that
the future of this precious heritage jewel is on your agenda. We know
you have discussed the future of Fallbrook with city councillors and
last week with Mr. Wayne Gates, a founding member of our board. I am
following up on your discussion with Wayne. I also sent you a detailed
letter in December of 2007 when we were working frantically with Halton
Hills City Council to stop the demolition of the site by the Credit
Valley
Conservation.
In
a meeting on April 15, 2008 at the office of the Ministry of Culture in
Toronto, a delegation of the Friends of Fallbrook met with the entire
Heritage team of the Government of Ontario. We discussed the Ontario
Heritage Act and were told that Fallbrook easily falls in the criteria
for historical designation. The law is clear and does not affirm a
condition that the community groups, most often on the frontline in the
never ending battle to conserve our heritage architecture, must arrive
with fortunes to ensure the life of the property. We must work over the
long haul with private and public groups to ensure their preservation.
An historical property is historical...or it is not. Fallbrook meets the
2 criteria of the Ontario Heritage Act, architectural heritage and
historical significance. We shall come to Halton Hills Municipal Council
as an incorporated, structured heritage group, with a solid business
plan and pledges. As long as the Credit Valley Authority maintains its
demolition permit on the front gate of the farm, we can only be expected
to meet reasonable conditions. The C.V.C.A., in front of city council on
December 10, 2007, estimated the cost of renovation at $100,000. We
pledged to work to raise those funds (private and public).
Three events have radically
improved the prospects of preserving Fallbrook Farm Historical Site as a
memorial to the pioneer families of Ballinafad. The first is the
architectural and historic survey completed for our organisation by Mr.
Tom Murison. You have been hand delivered an original copy to your
Guelph office or you can download it at
www.electricscotland.com . Search Fallbrook Farm Heritage Site.
Mr. Murison has concluded
that the cabin was preceded by both a saw mill and a grist mill. It is
assumed that these were built by William McClure, who had settled the
virgin pine forest in 1853. It has been proven that the logs for the
original cabin were cut in the the winter of 1855, and presumably, to
prepare the logs for use, McClure built a saw mill, and later a grist
mill to serve the local farmers. His intention was not to farm but to
conduct one of the first commercial ventures in the area. We suspect
that he had already cleared a farm on the 10th line. Mr.
McClure had a solid business plan. We are working intensely on our own,
150 years later.
For a reason we do not know
yet, he sold the land and the mill. A fire? A family tragedy? His
descendants still live in Georgetown and are helping us to answer that
question. Fallbrook is also the home of a Woodlands native village
confirmed by numerous digs.
The
second event is the unequivocal support of the Halton Hills Heritage
Committee chaired by Mr. Mark Rowe who will present a motion to
designate as an historical site to Halton Hills Municipal Council on
November 10, 2008. Their resolution will encompass all the findings and
recommendations of the Murison Report.
The third
surprise comes from your own government. I refer to the consultation
headed by Minister of Environment John Bairds parliamentary secretary
Mark Warawa in an effort to develop Canada’s own National Heritage
Trust. (Ref: Globe and Mail, August 18, p.3, Josh Wingrove) We applaud
the effort of your government, Mr. Chong, to save this irreplaceable
Canadian legacy. Just recently, the media is talking constantly of the
necessity to save heritage to save our threatened environment. I have
read of your own efforts to curb unfettered development in your county.
Halton
Hills has a rich historical and architectural legacy to preserve.
Scotsdale Farm, Devereaux House, White Church,Glen Williams
City Hall and many others. Thanks to the perseverance of local and
passionate amateur historians, past and present, only Fallbrook is
currently threatened with destruction.
We ask
you, Mr. Chong, to work with us to preserve Fallbrook Farm Historical
Site (McClure McKay Home) and to create a National Heritage Trust .Small
community groups all across Canada are working courageously and with
meagre resources to preserve this legacy. Preserving cultural and
architectural heritage is the best line of defence against rampant
development. This patrimony and the history of these first pioneers
escaping oppression cannot and will not be destroyed.
Thank-you,
Sandy
McKay,Great grand-son of Donald McKay,
For the
Founding Board of Directors,
Fallbrook
Farm Historical Site
Contact-tel.
819-935-4564 e-mail-
fallbrook@live.ca
Website-GOOGLE- Fallbrook Farm Heritage Site
c.c. the
Friends of Fallbrook
Mayor
Richard Bonnette and Honourable Councillors,Halton Hills Municipal
Council.
Heritage Hills Heritage Committee
Minister of Culture Aileen Carroll, Government of Ontario
Mr. Ted
Arnett,M.P.P., Wellington.
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