The 2010 Ontario Heritage Conference – Chatham-Kent
The 2010 Ontario Heritage Conference organisers and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent look forward to welcoming you from June 11th to 13th as together we explore 200 years of rural architecture through “Rural Roots” and “Rural Routes”.
We have built our programme following three main themes: “Places of Worship: Restoration, Renovation and Reuse”, “Barns and Agricultural Outbuildings”, “Langley to Storey: 150 Years of Kent County Architecture”. Added to this will be an on-the-edge Youth Programme (in which anyone can participate), heritage bicycle excursions, two architectural photographic safaris plus a Partners’ Programme for friends and family accompanying delegates. Scheduling allows you either to concentrate on one issue or learn something about each of the three conference topics.
Our presenters range from retired internationally renowned experts to PhD candidates at the brink of heritage-related careers. Most presentations on-campus at University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus last an hour with half an hour allocated for audience participation. Excursion lectures are planned to allow not only longer discussions but also a chance to see some of the Chatham-Kent countryside, Rondeau Provincial Park and some of the scattered communities within our community.
Local produce will be a feature of all meals while you are in Chatham-Kent not only giving you the freshest food possible but also keeping the conference footprint to a minimum. The emphasis will be on making this as green an event as possible so consider coming to us by train, bus or car pool. Car pooling and busing will be facilitated while you are here.
Some delegates will be staying in the Ridgetown Campus dormitories. Others will experience local hospitality at our Bed & Breakfasts, boutique hotels, rented cottages or even campsites. Perhaps you will consider coming early or staying on after the conference is over – or planning a future trip to enjoy the variety of Chatham-Kent activities: birding, boating and biking.
The Ontario Heritage Conference is held under the auspices of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and Community Heritage Ontario. The 2010 edition is grateful for strong support from the Ontario Heritage Trust who have organised a number of sessions and from the Ministry of Culture who have organised several expert speakers.
We thank our generous sponsors who have supported us with cash and in-kind donations. Please visit our sponsors’ page and where possible give your patronage to those businesses which helped make our ambitious programme possible. We are particularly grateful for major grants from The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and from the Chatham-Kent Community Futures Development Corporation. We also thank Chatham-Kent municipal staff for advice, support and facilities – in particular the Departments of Tourism and of Economic Development.
The organising team for the 2010 Ontario Heritage Conference looks forward to meeting you during your stay with us.
Warm regards
John S. Taylor – Conference Chair
Marlee Percival Robinson – Conference Co-Chair (ACO)
Lisa Gilbert – Conference Co-Chair (CHO)