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3 Thursday , Septem ber 2, 2010 O A KVILLE BEA V ER w w w .o akvillebeaver .co m beams, apparently hand crafted from trees cut down in the immediate area, exposed. Besides keeping the superstructure, Marit said he is also trying to recreate the board and batten siding, along the front section of the house, which would have been appropriate to the original barn design. Its an interesting project, said Marit. It takes a lot of patience. While efforts are being made to keep the homes historical character, there are some changes Susie is eager to see put in place. One change involves using insulation to replace the straw, which was used for insula- tion in some parts of the house. Susie said the straw probably resulted in some of the houses heating bills topping $1,000 during the winter. The entire second floor is also being reno- vated to allow for the construction of four bed- rooms for the Griffins four children. While simply knocking the house down and starting over may have been easier and cheap- er, Susie said her family was not interested in that option. Demolition was possible because the house is not on the Towns Heritage Register and is not a designated property under the Ontario Heritage Act. My husband and I did think for a little while about tearing it down because this piece of property is beautiful and then we both real- ly thought that it wasnt really ours to tear down, said Susie. Were more custodians than owners in some ways because it is so historical. Having lived in the UK for seven years and growing up in Holland and Belgium I think I really appre- ciate this old architecture. Its just so interest- ing and while new houses are gorgeous any- body can do that. This one is going to be far more fun and interesting to live in. The Griffins decision to maintain portions of the barn is being applauded by Oakvilles heritage community with the Trafalgar Township Historical Societys Michelle Knoll praising the project. When people can find ways to retain por- tions of a heritage home thats fantastic for us, she said. Its great to preserve our heritage while still finding ways to accommodate mod- ern needs. The Griffins home is not the only historical curiosity in the area with the Wedgewood Cemetery located right next to the property. The cemetery, which was established in 1833, contains the graves of many early set- tlers of Trafalgar Township, including several children. While some may have worries about such neighbours, Susie said she is not among them stating she has faith that those beneath the graves made their way to the afterlife a long time ago. Heritage home owners call themselves custodians Continued from page 6 ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER HER OLD HOUSE: Susie Griffin stands behind the double doors that lead into the kitchen. My husband and I did think for a little while about tearing it down because this piece of property is beautiful and then we both really thought that it wasnt really ours to tear down . Susie Griffin, homeowner me to the people of Ward 6 as they expressed their concern for the pro- posed power plant to the south of their homes, schools and recreational areas. What I have heard over and over is a frustration with their local representa- tion and an active encouragement for me to step forward, which I am doing. MacKenzie, a semi-retired interna- tional executive in the green energy business, has lived in Oakville for 41 years with his wife Bettie and has raised three sons. In addition to playing a leadership role in C4CA, MacKenzie said he has been active in local affairs aimed at making the community better. He said these activities include serv- ing as campaign chair for the United Way of Oakville, serving as Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospitals fundrais- ing committee chair, working with St. John Ambulance and working with Junior Achievement locally and nation- ally. MacKenzie said his work against the power plant has exposed him to the inner workings of the Town. This has shown him the need for some balance in the way things are done. Protecting and advancing the quali- ty of life we share is the fundamental desire of the residents of Ward 6 with a realistic eye always on the financial well being of our Town, said MacKenzie. Our local government continues to spend too much, doesnt do enough to find efficiencies, property taxes contin- ue to rise and there is no plan to create employment opportunities or grow the local economy. I believe that it is irre- sponsible and unfair to leave a legacy of debt to our children. MacKenzie is calling for an open dia- logue council that will achieve better and more sustainable results on every- thing from protecting the natural envi- ronment and green spaces to establish- ing sound fiscal management and smarter spending. Specific policy recommendations are expected to come from MacKenzies campaign in the coming weeks. MacKenzie said stepping down as leader of C4CA was necessary to enter the political arena as the group has pledged not to support one particular candidate directly. A successor to the groups presiden- cy has yet to be chosen although MacKenzie has not ruled out the possi- bility of returning if politics does not work out. Under MacKenzies leadership, C4CA has gained considerable momentum in their fight against the power plant with rallies and protests often attracting hundreds of people. The group has also raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote its cause through advertisements in vari- ous newspapers, on the sides of buses and elsewhere. For more information, visit www.DougMacKenzie.ca. Mackenzie challenging incumbent Adams Continued from page 1 Doug MacKenzie