Heritage

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Canadian Fire Fighters Museum signs lease and makes plans for a new home in old arena

Canadian Fire Fighters Museum Chair Michelle Hainey-Kileeg and Treasurer Dickson Wood

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

In 2018, the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum in Port Hope closed its doors. It was a fixture in the town for 34 years. Its collection was one of the most extensive in the country, with a long list of items that captured glimpses of the history of firefighting. Besides several trucks, the museum features a range of items and documents that continue to grow. Sadly, the collection has been in storage for the past five years. Continue Reading →

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The Murray Canal’s history is one of fierce lobbying, immense pressure and a lucky election victory

Murray Canal

The show:

The full show with bonus material:

Just outside of Brighton, along County Road 64, is the beautiful Murray Canal. Today, it is a recreational waterway that takes boaters from Presqu’ile Bay to the Bay of Quinte. Most people use it to get to the Trent-Severn Waterway or to Kingston by boat. However, in the 19th century, businesspeople, residents, and politicians saw it as a vital route for commerce, national security, and safety. While the Welland and Rideau canals were built in the mid-1800s, the Murray Canal was consistently delayed. Continue Reading →

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Port Hope resident Angela Grogan shares passion for significance of local Black History

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

Port Hope resident Angela Grogan recently discovered former municipal councillor and journalist Larry Hall. Hall died in 2014. Hall grew up in Garden Hill and explored his personal history during his lifetime. His great-grandparents were fugitive slaves who fled the United States for Canada along the Underground Railroad. Hall was regularly seen at the Port Hope Public Library each year, giving presentations on the history of black people in Northumberland County. Continue Reading →

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Port Hope resident holds out hope to save old hospital as developer seeks tribunal hearing

Old Port Hope Hospital 1930

The show:

The full interview with bonus material, including Dan Schneider, a provincial expert on cultural heritage policy.*

It is a cliché to say lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for. Yet, for Tony Jenkins, it could be his motto. Jenkins hopes to convince the Ontario Land Tribunal and anyone else not to grant a demolition permit to Southbridge. The developer wants to remove several heritage buildings from its Ward Street property. In June, it received a Minister’s Zoning Order, or an MZO, allowing it to build a seven-storey, 192-bed long-term care home on the site. Continue Reading →

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Port Hope reviewing cultural plan from festivals to kids arts camp to Capitol Theatre

Cultivate Festival

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

In 2012, Port Hope town council adopted a cultural plan with five strategic goals. The municipality would support cultural assets, raise awareness and build on existing assets, strengthen emerging cultural groups, increase cultural participation, and respond to cultural space needs. These lofty objectives have guided the town for the past decade. Now, they are being reviewed by town staff to figure out what should be happening for the next decade. Leslie Murray, Manager of Community Recreation and Culture, is reaching out to the public to get input on what should happen within Port Hope. Continue Reading →

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Northumberland Land Trust dedicated to preserving natural areas across county

CHUBB POINT RESERVE

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The full interview with bonus material:

Driving through Northumberland County, it is easy to spot various lots with woods or forests. It is one of the great attractions of living here. But the pressure to develop properties is constant. Many rural municipalities are overwhelmed by the number of building applications on these lands. Many times, it involves clearcutting the lot to build. Continue Reading →

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The Hon. James Cockburn recalls Quebec Conference in 1864

ROB FRANKLIN AS JAMES COCKBURN

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

There is a lot of discussion going on right now about our history. Much of it is being contested by Indigenous people, who got lost in the accounts of what took place so long ago. And yet, most of us barely know our own history very well, either. On Monday, August 2, 2021, it is James Cockburn Day. We acknowledge Cockburn because he represented Northumberland back when Confederation was taking place. Continue Reading →

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Port Hope house tour gets a makeover due to pandemic with a virtual event and walking tours

 

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

One of the signature aspects of Port Hope is its architecture. Movie studios use it to create a 19th-century backdrop. Some of the homes are iconic examples of various styles of architecture from the past. People from all over come to see both the outside and inside of these gorgeous buildings. More than 1,000 people annually attend each fall. Continue Reading →

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The future of former youth detention centre, including historic mansion, still to be determined

Sitting on the edge of a 70-acre piece of prime real estate on King Street, in the east end of Cobourg, sits Strathmore House. You might know it as the administration building for the Brookside Youth Detention Centre. It is one of the last palatial historic homes from the 19th century in Cobourg. It was built in the mid-1870s by a local lawyer and county court judge, George M. Clark. He was born in Belleville and moved to Cobourg as a young man to start apprentice as a lawyer. Continue Reading →

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Lena Fisher and other historic figures discussed with museum rep

Cobourg Museum representative Stanley Isherwood talks about the Sifton-Cook Heritage Centre, local historic figures and Canada 150 during Consider This Live, part of the Drive Time on Northumberland 89.7 FM Continue Reading →

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