GuelphToday received the following Letter to the Editor from Yorklands Green Hub Chair Norah Chaloner in regards to tourism:
Yorklands Green Hub is a citzens’ non-profit group working to secure part of the landmark, heritage Ontario Reformatory (OR) for shared use as an environmental sustainability hub and parkland. Our success depends on community support.
This unique forward-thinking institution started in 1910 under the concept of reform with inmate labour through outdoor work, additional education and trades training. Our organization of volunteers, over the past 9 years, has gathered much research about its past and the future possibilities at the former OR site in Guelph that needs consideration now that the province is selling off this public property.
Over the years we have held workshops, classes, walks and talks at countless events and have established our key programs to build resilience to climate stress through an onsite sustainable environments centre. This would continue the culture of public use and enjoyment of this unique, heritage landscape.
Past activities have included Jane’s Walks, five annual "Yorklands Artspirations”, three Plein Airs, Open Doors, monthly Second Sunday walks and talks plus Biodiversity Days and Noticing Nature activities on site. Our public events have included Heritage, Food, Water and Energy talks that brought "full house" interest in the history of this site and the possibilities for re-purposing it for citizen use. We have captured some of this in our 21 Green Door Newsletters (on our website). And last fall, we held a special event to celebrate the 110th Anniversary of the origins of our OR with speakers, walks and talks all day at the site. This unique landmark institution is now a part of Guelph’s cultural and natural history.
We have worked with many other groups and classes from University of Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier University and University of Guelph on many aspects of opportunities for repurposing this site. We have benefited from these classes of students at various levels and various departments who have researched for us. Some of that research is on our website along with themed videos.
Local artists like Sharyn Siebert, have sold many beautiful works of art depicting the natural beauty of the OR with its unique stone features and trails around the ponds and meadows. Irene Hanuta created a history “Colouring Yorklands” book that is now going to a second edition. The late Karl Grottenthaler, former deputy superintendent, wrote a book “The House on the Hill” about its history. Part of it is on our website.
Kingston Prison has become a very popular tourist attraction since 2015 and has pumped millions of dollars into the city. Guelph could offer similar inside tours coupled with outdoor walks along the trails among the wonderful landscape and stone features built by the inmates. A great weekend outing would boost Guelph tourism.
The City of Guelph is inviting people to Have Your Say at their website. With continuing public support the OR could be a wonderful regional tourist destination along with re-purposed buildings for education, research, entrepreneurial skills and businesses to support urban resilience to climate stress. Many groups could shape interesting events and festivals at this parkland site that would inspire travellers to visit our city.
We invite people to enjoy our weekend walks for May and June and take part in the fun of our second "We ❤️ Yorklands Walkathon."
The city wants your stories and ideas. Now is the time to send them in. And if you copy them to us, we will add them to our archives.
Norah Chaloner
Chair
Yorklands Green Hub
