City of Thorold Wins
The Prince of Wales Prize for
Municipal Heritage Leadership – 2017

The City of Thorold is located approximately in the centre of the Region of Niagara. Thorold includes Allanburg, Port Robinson, St. Johns and Beaverdams.

This award is delivered through the National Trust for Canada. The City of Thorold has been informed that the independent awards jury was unanimous in its decision to honour Thorold for its long standing commitment to heritage policies and programs that help preserve and celebrate its rich industrial history. Prince Charles himself reviewed and endorsed the jury’s recommendation, and wrote the congratulatory message which was read at the Awards event.

Established in 1999 under the generous patronage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, this Prize honours a municipal government for exemplary commitment to the preservation of heritage, identity and sense of place within its boundaries.

Previous recipients include: Quebec City, Quebec; Perth, Ontario; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia; Markham, Ontario; Victoria, British Columbia; Saint John, New Brunswick; St. John’s, Newfoundland; Aurora, Ontario; Edmonton, Alberta; Oakville, Ontario; Saguenay (Arvida) Quebec; Grimsby, Ontario; Owen Sound, Ontario; Bonavista, Newfoundland; and Richmond, British Columbia.

Thorold’s Municipal Heritage Committee consists of 10 members (including 1 Council representative) who have a full Agenda and concrete plans for the future of the City. Six of the members have designated homes. There is a Downtown Streetscape Master Plan in place which includes plans for the designation of the downtown as a Heritage Conservation District. Thorold, having recognized its past industrial history, is now moving ahead and is considered by all to be a “heritage destination”. Thorold has over 50 sites designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, which is considered an excellent number for the population of this city (approximately 19,000). The City of Thorold’s programs and policies, Mayor and Council, fully support the efforts of the heritage committee in their work; they are consulted on many facets of municipal management, and the Planning Department (with whom they work) is helpful and fully aware of the importance of the heritage of the City to its future. Heritage is one of the three attractions emphasized for the visitation of tourists to the City – i.e. Welland Canal, Cycling and Heritage. Recent studies show that tourists are seeking out – not world class tourists sites, but a cultural heritage experience.

Education is one of the mandates of the committee, and heritage conservation is now understood to be of prime importance to Thorold by politicians, City staff, residents and visitors to the City

The Prize was formally awarded at the National Heritage Awards Ceremony which took place on Friday, October 13th, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. at the Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts, 310 St. Patrick Street, Ottawa, Ontario. This was held during the National Trust’s annual conference in Ottawa, Ontario – “CAPITALizing on Heritage”, at the Westin Ottawa and Fairmont Chateau Laurier, October 11th to 14th, 2017.

City of Thorold
Awards 2017 – Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO)

1. “The Post Office” Shannon & Michael Passero
Paul Oberman Award for adaptive re-use

2. Report – “Beaverdams – A Cultural Heritage Landscape”
by Sarah King Head – Thorold City Historian
The Margaret & Nicholas Hill Cultural Heritage Landscape Award

These were presented at Osgoode Hall, Toronto, Friday, October 20th, 2017.