PAGE 10, WEDNESDAY JULY 2, 1980. WHITBY FREE PRESS Our historical heritage By EUGENE HENRY, -WItby's foremost historian L Most of rny fellow citizens will probably agree that, the Town of Whltby is developing a fine, well- conceived, modern and highly useful recreational area at the top of Whitby flarbor, in the vlcinity of Henry and Victoria Streets. Progress at the sports plex, including the most recent, lighted outdoors faciities has been both remarkable and good in recent years. Much has been done, but on-going additions to the area wiil be needed i the future, in order to not only complete the Harbor Park but to concurrently develop v natural and viable linkage between harbor develop- merzits and the evolving spor- ts plex/gallery area north of Victoria Street. 214 Dundos St. E., Whutby 668-7797 HOURS: Mon. - Sat. & Evsnings By Appointment OnIy e ets Sae.& eric 408DunasStretWes 240 anose Ae e.. o. Toront Henry urges Whitby to.... Develop a heritage village mn parlk ~>Ju Surely it would be the best of teaching tools for students and ail concerned with our local history. I arn not proposing the ex- penditure of taxpayer funds for capital investment i the proposed project in these days of restraint. I arn, however, asking that this proposai be given sorne study and consideration. A prelizninary exarnination of its feasibility and its inherent values should be undertaken. Located as I arn, at the corner of Charles and Vie- torla Streets opposite the county jail and wîth a willlngness to integratemy planning for the adjoining vacant land on Victoria Street, I would be pleased to play an appropriate for- mative role in these in- vestigations. Before planning for the town, south of Highway 401 get toc> far advanced, May 1 offer a development pïîvposal for the north-east sector 0f our harbor Park, ai-und the public utilities station and directly across the street from the art gaLiery. May I suggest that it is the prime site for a living rnuseumn of heritage buildings-smal barns, shops and bouses typical of the 1850's in the Whtby Area. Some rnight corne frorn the old Port Whitby comrnunlty nearby,' sorne frorn other parts of the rnunicipality and sorne might be built over time to a plan that would be approved before any sod would be tur- ned for the first structure. This is not a new or in- novative idea because Up- per Canada Village. Just down the road at Morrisburg and Black Creek Pioneer Village on the Metro Toron- to perirneter a few miles away are already tourist at- tractions with a proven popular pull. Closer to home, there is the Pickering Museum at Greenwood, a truly remarkable and beautiful tourist asset of the Durham Region. The proposed heritage structures would be natural to our harbor development because it was there that economic prosperity prevailed for much of the l9th century because of Canada/U.S. trade in grain and other export products. The proposed cluster of heritage buildings would be an attraction for young and old. alike, eye catching for I i Heri*tage main street This is Heritage Street, the main street in the Pickering ýGreenwood Museum project. The structures here are stores with their owner's living quarters in the rear. According to Eugene Henry, "Pickering has done a remarkable job in nrioving these structures from Brougham to Greenwood. " The rnoney for the relocation project was from the sale of the old museum site at the time of the expropriation for the now, all but shelved, Pickering Airport, according to Henry. It has becomne Henry's desire to see Whitby establish a heritage village along the same lines in the Harbour Park area.