The Cultural Heritage Landscapes of Centre Wellington
Introduction
The following story map provides a brief summary of the results of the Centre Wellington Cultural Heritage Landscape Study. The Cultural Heritage Landscape Study was initiated to identify, evaluate, inventory, and map significant cultural heritage landscapes throughout the Township.
Scroll down with your mouse or keyboard to advance through the story and learn about: the Township of Centre Wellington; definition for cultural heritage landscapes; the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study; and the significant cultural heritage landscapes that have been identified as part of the Study.
All content presented in this story is based on research and analysis prepared as part of the Centre Wellington Cultural Heritage Landscape Study, prepared by Archaeological Services Inc. (ASI), in collaboration with The Landplan Studio Inc., and Fotenn Planning + Design. The information presented here should be read in conjunction with the Study. A final draft report of the Study (November 2020) is available for review and comment on Connect CW .
All illustrative maps and photographic documentation are credited to ASI unless otherwise noted.
Special thanks to the Wellington County Museum and Archives for the use of their archival images.
The Township
The Township of Centre Wellington was formed in 1999 with the amalgamation of the Town of Fergus, the Village of Elora, and portions of Nichol, Pilkington, West Garafraxa, and Eramosa Townships. Despite its recent formation, Centre Wellington has a rich history that dates back thousands of years and is filled with unique cultural and natural features.
The Grand River, a Canadian Heritage River, forms the heart and backbone of Centre Wellington. The Township is further characterized by a broad range of spaces and places that form the hallmarks of the municipality, that contribute to the character of the different communities within the Township, and are places for tourism, environmental stewardship, recreation, community collaboration, and remembrance.
The Township is distinguished by historical downtowns as well as historical rural landscapes, by dramatic geological features as well as streetscapes of limestone buildings, by mill ruins as well as more recent industrial complexes, and by accounts of Mississauga encampments as well as early Black settlement. These spaces and places create a type of heritage form called a cultural heritage landscape, one that is distinctive from that of its constituent parts.
Image: Grand River
Cultural Heritage Landscape Definition
A cultural heritage landscape is a "defined geographical area that may have been modified by human activity and is identified as having cultural heritage value or interest by a community, including an Indigenous community. The area may include features such as buildings, structures, spaces, views, archaeological sites or natural elements that are valued together for their interrelationship, meaning or association. Cultural heritage landscapes may be properties that have been determined to have cultural heritage value or interest under the Ontario Heritage Act, or have been included on federal and/or international registers, and/or protected through official plan, zoning by-law, or other land use planning mechanisms." (PPS 2020)
Image: Templin Gardens, Fergus. Templin Gardens is a cultural heritage landscape designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
The United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) identifies three categories of cultural landscapes:
a) Designed landscapes
b) Organically evolved landscapes, including both relict (fossil) landscapes and continuing landscapes
c) Associative landscapes
Image: Grounds of the Wellington County Museum and Archives. The Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge is a National Historic Site of Canada .
Cultural Heritage Landscape Study
In 2019-2020, Centre Wellington undertook a Cultural Heritage Landscape Study to identify, evaluate, inventory, and map significant cultural heritage landscapes throughout the Township. The study, which included a community and Indigenous engagement program, resulted in the recommendation that 18 areas be considered significant cultural heritage landscapes. The areas range in scale and age from the Grand River Corridor which extends the width of the township and represents thousands of years of human activity to the Churchill Crescent Neighbourhood which developed in the post-Second World War period and demonstrates the continued growth of the village of Fergus before it was incorporated as a town. Overall, the significant cultural heritage landscapes have cultural heritage value, retain historical integrity, and have distinct community value.
Cultural Heritage Landscape Categories
Cultural heritage landscapes can be organized by UNESCO category, as well as by type, theme, and layout. The following maps are organized by spatial pattern types. Spatial pattern categorization addresses the composition or pattern of the cultural heritage landscapes in terms of scale, configuration, and layout. Cultural heritage landscapes can be of different scales and can sometimes overlap.
Explore the interactive maps below to find information on location, associated historical themes, and UNESCO category for each cultural heritage landscape. Historical images of the landscapes provide a glimpse into the past.
It is important to note that all cultural heritage landscape boundaries are preliminary and may be refined as part of future studies.
Areas
Areas, such as districts and neighbourhoods, tend to be complex environments with many intersecting streets or roadways and many property-uses.
Areas
Linear Corridors
Linear corridors, such as pathways, waterways and roads, are defined by their organization of sites arranged along a line, such as transportation routes.
Linear Corridors
Nodes
Nodes and specific properties tend to be contained to a more confined site with a more direct historical, cultural or physical evolution of the site.
Nodes
A Snapshot of the Cultural Heritage Landscapes
Take a tour of the identified cultural heritage landscapes to get a glimpse of why they are valued. The cultural heritage landscapes were found to to have cultural heritage value or interest, community value, and historical integrity.
Each snapshot includes images and a map showing the proposed boundary of the landscape. It is important to note that all cultural heritage landscape boundaries are preliminary and may be refined as part of future studies.
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Cultural Heritage Landscapes...
- are hallmarks of a municipality
- contribute to the character of a community, help tell the story of a community, and enrich its identity
- are places for tourism, environmental stewardship, recreation, and community collaboration
Identifying and understanding cultural heritage landscapes is the first step in the conservation process to ensure these special places are protected for future generations to enjoy.
