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Greetings:
Plans have been finalized for our Fallbrook public meeting: April 19,
2008. We are excited about the opportunity to gather as a group to
discuss the past and future of the farm, the preservation of the
heritage home, and our next steps. Of significance, also, will be the
pleasure of meeting many of you face-to-face for the first time, and to
share our stories and reflections on the effort we are collectively
pursuing to protect the heritage site. A copy of our invitation is
attached. If you have any difficulties opening the attachment, or would
like more information, please contact us. We sincerely hope that you
can join us on the 19th in Limehouse: it would be great to see you!
Last week, Wayne Gates and I met with MPP Ted Arnott at his constituency
office in Fergus. Mr. Arnott was sincerely interested in the effort to
preserve and protect the Fallbrook homestead. While cautiously
non-committal about his ability to effect a specific outcome, he did
indicate that his first action would be to contact Credit Valley
Conservation to arrange a meeting to discuss the situation with them.
We have subsequently heard that Mr. Arnott has already taken that step,
and we await further news on his progress. We will keep you updated as
we hear more on this front.
Action continues with CVC to obtain permission to obtain core samples
from the logs of the cabin. The scientific analysis of the wood will
enable us to get detailed information about their type, age, and likely
origin. From this data we can then reasonably deduce the actual build
date of the house and some other features. More news on this front as
it is available.
Sandy McKay has brokered a meeting next week at the Ministry of Culture
in Toronto for an important dialogue on the Fallbrook issue. Attendees
will include Michael Johnson and Tamara Anson-Cartwright of the
Ministry, Tom Murison (heritage expert), Michael Vaughan (whose family
purchased the property from the McKays in 1943 and sold it to CVC in
1973), Rollo Myers (Ontario Architecture Conservancy), Wayne, Sandy and
myself. This meeting has been desired for some months, and we are
optimistic that a hearty / fulsome discussion will produce some concrete
ideas and plans for activities that will help save the historic heritage
homestead at Fallbrook Farm.
We remain focused and excited about the progress our campaign continues
to achieve. Your support and encouragement are important to us, and we
thank for all of that!
Hope we can see you on the 19th. If that is not possible, an update in
the days following will let you know how it went and what is coming
next. Stay tuned!
With sincere best wishes, and on behalf of the Friends of Fallbrook,
John Carroll
Invitation to the elders, farm
families and friends of the
fallbrook farm heritage site
The farm families of Fallbrook (McKay, Keir and Gates) wish to extend to
you a very special invitation.
After much effort the Friends of Fallbrook are well on the way to
saving the homestead and promoting the preservation of the heritage site
(its other buildings, icehouse, bridge, stone walls and Providence
Cemetery). All are classic examples of traditional Scottish
architecture and craftsmanship.
More significantly, the Fallbrook heritage site will be preserved as a
symbol of the courage, the determination and the struggles of the
pioneer families (old and new) who opened this harsh land to human
endeavour: a tribute to the
pioneers of ballinafad. We wish to reunite with you (elders,
descendants and friends of Fallbrook) and listen to your stories. Your
history will be heard, recorded and taught to future generations.
Our invitation extends to all persons interested in interrupting a
potentially significant injustice. At this moment, Credit Valley
Conservation (CVC) persists in its commitment to destroy the heritage
home. The “conservation” people have already eradicated the
spectacular Vaughan house on the property, as well as the original pine
barn (seen central-rear in the photo above). It is time for the
nonsense to end. We need your help to stop Credit Valley
Conservation from destroying what is left of Fallbrook and the proud
history and heritage it represents!
Please join us at
this special community meeting. An update on the status of the work to
save the house will be presented, an outline of the next steps will be
provided, and an open forum discussion will follow. This will be an
excellent opportunity to meet with other friends to share your stories,
memories and ideas. Refreshments will be served.
SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2008
LIMEHOUSE
COMMUNITY
HALL
NO. 22 SIDEROAD - 1 KM WEST OF TRAFALGAR ROAD
2 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Please bring your photos, letters and memorabilia
We will endeavour to accommodate those with special needs
come and
join the campaign to save fallbrook
e-mail -
fallbrook@live.ca telephone - (905) 878-8232 |
