CENTRE WELLINGTON – Pierpoint Park will not be getting a historical designation.
The Township of Centre Wellington voted 4-3 in opposition of Coun. Stephen Kitras’ motion to make award the park a historical designation at a meeting on Monday.
Mayor Kelly Linton and councillors Ian Macrae, Steven VanLeeuwen, and Neil Dunsmore were opposed to the motion, while councillors Bob Foster, Kitras and Kirk McElwain were in favour.
At the Feb. 28 council meeting, Kitras brought a notice of motion on the possibility of working with the Ontario Historical Society, the Guelph Black Heritage, Canadian and Ontario Heritage Archives and concerned citizens to outline the area of historical designation of Pierpoint Park.
Kitras noted that the township doesn’t know how big Pierpoint’s land actually is, and is calling for the township to work with the respective organizations to figure out the historical designated lands.
Once figured out, he wants to add the park to Centre Wellington’s heritage cultural landscape, and designate the park on the Official Plan as a park and recreational lands.
“I’ve been a big fan of Richard Pierpoint since I started my research on the war of 1812, and how really, without Indigenous peoples helping us we wouldn’t be Canada. It was a real surprise to me when I first started reading about him that I did not know he was a Fergus guy and he was one of the most important figures in Canadian history,” explained Kitras during the meeting.
“The Pierpoint neighbourhood group presented to council the important concerns with the county transportation road plan concerning Anderson Street and the bridge crossing in County Road 29. They introduced many points that needed to be preserved.”
At Monday’s meeting, the Pierpoint neighbourhood group along with the Guelph Black Heritage Society spoke as delegates for Kitras’ motion.
Denise Francis, president and treasurer of GBHS, and Kween, executive director of GBHS, made points on the importance of Pierpoint Park as a black heritage site to Canadian history, with Francis noting that to eradicate the park is eradicating Canadian history, “we all know that black history is Canadian history.”
“I believe this motion addresses the diversity, inclusivity and equity concerns this community has in a very substantial and beneficial way for all citizens of Centre Wellington,” said Kitras.
Council deferred Kitras’ motion as Linton, Dunsmore, VanLeeuwen, MacRae and McElwain did not like the wording of parts three and four of the motion: designating the park on the Official Plan, incorporating a historical recognition, and allocating funds to purchase lands.
However, they were in support of parts one and two of Kitras’ motion: outlining the area of historical designation, and plan for adding to Centre Wellington Heritage Cultural Landscape.
Many of the councillors were offended of Kitras’ wording, with Dunsmore noting, “we’re tiptoeing on a fine line here and I’m not comfortable with this motion and I take offence to the fact that it’s insinuated that if we don’t vote for it, we’re opposed to Black heritage.”
“I will vote for this, the second you take three and four off it. If it turns out the park is bigger, the next council who gets that next information gets to make their decision at that time. But it’s irresponsible for the council to talk about purchasing land in an open meeting.”
Kitras amended the motion by removing number four. However, the rest of council was still opposed to it as they believe that number three, which is purchasing further land and designating it on the Official Plan is irresponsible.
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