1. OHA+M: Farms as Cultural Heritage Landscapes
Dan Schneider

The Farm as Cultural Heritage Landscape, part one

Illustration from Perth County Historical Atlas, 1879

Ontario's farms are the creations of immigrants of varied backgrounds who often showed distain, if not outright hostility, for their neighbours. The landscape mirrors this outlook: no residential farm villages, a system of public roads that bypass farm buildings, and private lanes leading to them. Building sites varied with local conditions but tended to be set well back on the lots. Here was privacy, freedom from the "?"disagreeable necessity" of gazing at one's neighbour, and security from passers-by helping themselves to the orchard or kitchen garden.

The first of three (or four) posts on the protection of Ontario farmscapes.

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2. Oshawa Express: Concerns about future of historic building
Dave Flaherty

The future of the former Ontario Malleable Iron Building is now in the hands of Metrolinx as part of the expansion of Lakeshore East line. Oshawa resident Marg Wilkinson would like to see the building maintained for adaptive use. Metrolinx says it is comm

A recent edition of The Oshawa Express’ Fourth Estate has sprung a local resident into action.

The article profiled 500 Howard Street, the home of the former Ontario Malleable Iron Company plant and Knob Hill Farms.

In 2013, the property was expropriated by Metrolinx and is pegged for the site of the new Oshawa Central Go Station as part of the Lakeshore East line expansion

The buildings themselves have been mostly vacant since Knob Hill Farms left in 2000.

The older building, which faces west towards Front Street, has fallen into disrepair over the years but appears to be structurally stable.

The future of this building is of concern to Marg Wilkinson.

Wilkinson is a former member of the Heritage Oshawa advisory committee and performs some other committee duties for the organization.

She wants to make sure that the opinions of local residents are heard on the future of the former Ontario Malleable Iron Company building.

“Personally I’d like to see open consultation with the public and interested parties to plan the use for that building,” she says.

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