Mayor Ann Lawlor's May 2023 Message

We Have Heritage Heroes!

Maintaining and celebrating our special community identity is a key goal of our Halton Hills Town Council that goes with our residents having a huge sense of pride in our Town. Preservation of heritage buildings is one of the ways that mission is accomplished and right now our staff and committees are laser focused to make that happen.

The Province has introduced rules which diminish our capacity to save historic structures and the Town is racing, before it’s too late, to identify the best of our special heritage buildings and designate them for future generations.

Fortunately, we have in our town, private homeowners who are sharing their cherished residences with the community by having their properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. We also have a local volunteer organization which saved a Town owned heritage building from demolition, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and then restored and retrofitted it for community uses.

Council recently reviewed several designation reports regarding 3 private residences and an old armoury. The properties included a highly decorated Victorian style home with ornate carved wood and century stained glass windows;  a simple Gothic Revival red brick residence; a clapboard mill workers’ cottage and the former drill shed where Georgetown troops rallied for military causes.

Located in Glen Williams, Acton and Georgetown, the properties contribute to our public streetscapes and help create a unique sense of place and neighbourhood character.

Thank you, Heritage Heroes who are investing in and preserving our unique buildings. Halton Hills Town Council appreciates the benefit that our whole community shares.

Readers can check out the detailed reports about these buildings on the Town website under the May 8, 2023 Council Agenda.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

In addition to the streets with heritage buildings that make for a great tour, our Town has board walks in the Georgetown Hungry Hollow Ravine for a pleasant nature-based stroll. Residents can walk along the just completed seven km trail from downtown Georgetown to Norval. Walkers will cover diverse natural areas that include native forests, a boardwalk through sensitive wetland areas and bridge river crossings.

Trail maps can be downloaded on our trails webpage. Enjoy that Spring has Sprung and the Grass is Green!