Fifth Heritage Walk This Sunday

This year marks the fifth version of the local Heritage Walk with more or less the same information, but with two new animator-guides and a bit of a new route. The intent has always been to make everyone from newcomers to long-timers more aware about the Town’s history and architectural heritage.

“We want to inform residents about the Town’s interesting history so they can better understand where the community has come from and why it is the way it is today,” said resident and landscape architect Wendy Graham, who was animator-guide for the past four years along with resident and architect Laurent Trudeau. “That helps to create a sense of understanding of the heritage and protecting and maintaining it.”

The walks usually attracted from 15 to 20 persons. Having gone to most of them, it seems that most people thoroughly enjoyed and learned from them. They have always started from the former train station (now La Pizzaiolle) from which the new city developed and expanded. Afterwards, the walks went to the western or eastern side of the railway, noting the architectural styles and the corresponding stages of the Town’s development.

In many cases, participants threw in their own two cents which the guides were only too happy about. Two years ago, a woman pointed out that she was living in the residence of TMR’s first mayor, Thomas S. Darling (1913-34), noting the continued existence of a vegetable cellar, a fine backyard, and a detached garage that was later added on.

Looking at more modern architectural styles last year, another woman encouraged the group to take a look at her Sherwood apartment building that initiated much discussion. “That was

quite fun and was successful in raising people’s awareness a little bit more,” Graham recalled.

This year, the new animators will be local architect and Heritage Committee member Stephen Eden and Bonnie Hill, the Town’s urban planning head. Working from much of the same information as before, they will likely bring their own perspectives to this year’s walk that will take place this Sunday, September 9 starting at 2 p.m. (People are encouraged to start arriving 15 minutes before).

Going westward, the walk will go through Connaught Park and look at the Rose Garden and the Country Club before heading to nearby Annunciation Church. On the front lawn, TRAM artists will paint or sketch the first of three churches along the route. During the past four years, the local artistic group has been a frequent collaborator of the Heritage Walks.

After discussing the Peace Park (in front of Town Hall) and St. Peter’s, the group will head down Laird to Moncrieff and then Stanstead to take a look at two local houses that have received architectural heritage awards in recent years.

The Town’s outstanding arboreal heritage will be the subject of discussion on Stanstead and Chester, two of many local tree-lined streets. Proceeding back to Dunvegan, the walk will look at the long history of Carlyle School and then continue through the local library that was completed 40 years ago.

The tour will wind up at the United Church (where more TRAM artists will be painting) and the apartment buildings on the north side of Connaught Park before going to Dupond & Dupont for some refreshments and informal discussions.

With the small fee waived this year, people can just show up at the old train station. The event will take place rain or shine. For more information, you can call 514 734-3042.