4 Friday, May 21, 2021 brooklintowncrier.com Brooklin Heritage Society Cullen Gardens By Cassia Hudgins If you visit Niagara Falls today, you may stumble on a tourist attraction that would bring up nostalgic feelings. At the Floral Showhouse, an art installation was designed called "Life on Display." It was created with the restored miniatures from one of Ontario's most iconic tourist destinations: Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village in Whitby. Its visionary founder was Leonard Cullen. Years before the miniature village's opening on May 30, 1980, he dreamed of creating a show garden open to the public. In 1947, he purchased the John A. Weall Landscaping Company and expanded it into five renamed Weall and Cullen Nurseries in the Toronto area. He used the profits to help fund his dream and worked to gain the necessary experience in part by building Edwards Gardens in Toronto. Seven years later, with a need for land to supply his nurseries, Len and his brother Ken bought a 22 acre property on Baldwin Street, north of Taunton Road. In 1966, the nursery farm added another 100 acres of stock and 50 of wooded valley. The following year, he built a log cabin where the family spent its summers helping to construct the park. Len and his wife Connie travelled regularly, researching show gardens and tourist attractions around the world. Taking shape While locals often referred to the park as "Len's Folly," the dream began to take shape in 1976. The Jones-Puckrin house on the property was transformed into a gift shop and the old barn from 1850 was torn down and replaced by a restaurant. Beams from the demolition were used to build the Kissing Bridge. Local tradesmen damned up a pond, established lawns, and built a theatre. The village grew to encompass a 300-foot train track, 110 miniature buildings, 150 model vehicles, and over 600 tiny handmade people. Although Cullen Gardens officially closed in 2006, Leonard Cullen's legacy lives on. The miniature village's buildings were initially stored, but were purchased by the Niagara Falls Parks Commission in 2012. Some have been displayed in various shows, however, it was not until 2017 that the miniatures were restored and exhibited in Life on Display. The land itself, where the gardens and miniature village flourished for a quarter of a century, is now Cullen Central Park, purchased by the Town of Whitby in January, 2006. A ceremony for the unveiling of a statue of Len Cullen was held on June 22, 2019, as a memorial. It was gifted to the Town by his daughter, Sue, and her husband Bryan Green and designed by award-winning Canadian sculptor Ruth Abernethy. With the opening of the Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village, Len saw his long-awaited plans come to fruition. With more than 300,000 annual visitors, it became an integral part of the community for years. Leonard Cullen died on August 15, 2006 at the age of 81, having fulfilled his dream. Durham Recruiting Vision Zero Youth Ambassadors As part of its commitment to Durham Vision Zero and road safety, The Regional Municipality of Durham is happy to announce the award-winning Teens Learn to Drive (TL2D) Team is currently recruiting high school students from across Ontario, including Durham Region, to become Vision Zero Youth Network (VZYN) Ambassadors during the 2021-2022 school year. Vision Zero Youth Network is a free program that enables selected ambassadors to work with the TL2D Team, police and other partners to close the knowledge gap for young drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, making Ontario roads safer. This program also provides many benefits for student participants, such as a $500 scholarship, hands-on experience and access to mentoring, while earning 40 hours of community service. Why this is important: In 2019, according to Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) data, 62 per cent of new drivers did not take a driver education course but instead learned from parents and friends who may not have been aware of the current best practices, vehicle safety features or road designs. Sponsored by 407 ETR, students can apply to become an ambassador by visiting TeensLearnToDrive. com and filling out this form: teenslearntodrive.com/vzyn/#Form. Note: This initiative is in support of Durham Vision Zero, a long-term, multi-agency strategy to create safer roads for all users including drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. Learn more at durham.ca/VisionZero.