LAKE, LAND, AND LOCAL
Huron County
Cultural Mapping 2012
HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
2012
Index Executive summary ............................................................................................................................3 1. Project Background ........................................................................................................................5 1.1 Cultural Mapping ............................................................................................................................ 6 1.2 Huron County’s Cultural Mapping Project ...................................................................................... 6 1.3 Project Timeline .............................................................................................................................. 7 1.4 Cultural Resource Framework ........................................................................................................ 8 What Did We Map?............................................................................................................................... 9 Applying a Rural Lens ...................................................................................................................... 10 The Cultural Resource Framework (Figure 1:1) .............................................................................. 11 1.5 Intangible Culture ......................................................................................................................... 12 Intangible Resource Mapping (Figure 1:2) ...................................................................................... 12 Intangible Culture (Figure 1:3) ........................................................................................................ 13 1.6 Creative Huron .............................................................................................................................. 14 Connecting the Cultural Sector ....................................................................................................... 15 1.7 Uses of the Data ............................................................................................................................ 16 Local Tourism Applications ............................................................................................................. 17 1.8 Limitations of the Data ................................................................................................................. 18 2. Project Findings............................................................................................................................19 2.1 Municipality and Resources Chart ................................................................................................ 20 Cultural Assets Map -- All ................................................................................................................ 21 2.2 General Observations ................................................................................................................... 22 Harvesting the Rural Creative Economy ......................................................................................... 23 2.3 Cultural Industries ......................................................................................................................... 24 Cultural Industries Map .................................................................................................................. 25 2.4 Cultural Heritage ........................................................................................................................... 26 Cultural Heritage Map..................................................................................................................... 27 Murals ............................................................................................................................................. 28 Is it Culture if it Happens in the Country? ....................................................................................... 29 2.5 Natural Heritage ........................................................................................................................... 30 Natural Heritage Map ..................................................................................................................... 31 2.6 Spaces & Facilities ......................................................................................................................... 32 Facilities & Spaces Map................................................................................................................... 33 Facilities Needs Assessment Update Survey ................................................................................... 34 The Cultural Arena .......................................................................................................................... 35 Hockey Hall of Fame ....................................................................................................................... 35 2.7 Organizations ................................................................................................................................ 36 Organizations Map .......................................................................................................................... 37
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Volunteers ....................................................................................................................................... 38 2.8 Festivals & Events ......................................................................................................................... 40 Festivals & Events Map ................................................................................................................... 41 2011 Annual Events Timeline (Figure 2:1) ...................................................................................... 42 3. Community Survey .......................................................................................................................43 3.1 Age Range of Respondents ........................................................................................................... 44 3.2 Level of Engagement of Respondents .......................................................................................... 44 3.3 Hours Spent on Cultural Activities in an Average Week ............................................................... 45 3.4 Types of Cultural Activities Residents are Engaged in .................................................................. 46 A Tradition of Crafts ........................................................................................................................ 47 3.5 Residents’ Use of Public Cultural Resources ................................................................................. 48 3.6 Residents’ Use of Online Resources.............................................................................................. 50 Rural Adoption of Broadband ......................................................................................................... 51 3.7 Published Resources ..................................................................................................................... 52 3.8 Member or Volunteer Support ..................................................................................................... 52 Youth Case Study ............................................................................................................................ 53 Youth Case Study pt. 2 .................................................................................................................... 54 4. Next Steps....................................................................................................................................55 4.1 Completing the Cultural Mapping Project .................................................................................... 56 The Creative Economy in Huron County ......................................................................................... 57 4.2 Municipal Cultural Mapping ......................................................................................................... 58 The Cultural Planning Process ......................................................................................................... 59 4.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................ 60 4.4 Opportunities ................................................................................................................................ 61 4.5 Project Summary........................................................................................................................... 62 Acknowledgments ...........................................................................................................................63 Appendix .........................................................................................................................................64 Glossary ........................................................................................................................................... 65 Selected Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 67 Relevant Websites .......................................................................................................................... 68 Appendix A: Cultural Resource Framework .................................................................................... 69 Appendix B: Huron County Profile .................................................................................................. 76 Municipal Maps............................................................................................................................... 77 Cultural Assets – Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh ........................................................................... 78 Cultural Assets – Bluewater ........................................................................................................... 79 Cultural Assets – Central Huron ..................................................................................................... 80 Cultural Assets – Goderich ............................................................................................................. 81 Cultural Assets – Howick ................................................................................................................. 82 Cultural Assets – Huron East .......................................................................................................... 83 Cultural Assets – Morris-Turnberry ................................................................................................ 84 Cultural Assets – North Huron ........................................................................................................ 85 Cultural Assets – South Huron ........................................................................................................ 86 Huron County Art Bank ....................................................................................................................87 2 | Lake, Land, and Local
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Executive summary The cultural mapping project identified 1,780 cultural resources in Huron County. Broken down by category the totals look like this: Cultural Resource Category Cultural Industries Cultural Heritage Natural Heritage Spaces & Facilities Organizations Festivals & Events
Total 305 454 125 222 187 132
Huron County residents are engaged in a wide variety of cultural activities: music, traditional crafts, painting and drawing, theatre, and photography and spend considerable time pursuing these activities – 3 to 20 hours per week whether amateurs or professionals.
“Along Orchard Line” by Anne Laviolette from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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The project findings point to some early opportunities for capacity building and culture-led development which include: Increasing the profile and capacity of the small and home-based businesses in the sector by connecting them to existing resources and services. Leveraging our heritage resources into new tourism products. Creating new cultural heritage resources that recognize the important role of agriculture and women in the County’s story. Promoting the recreational uses of natural heritage resources and featuring the natural heritage amenities in marketing Huron County to newcomers. Making cultural infrastructure a priority by establishing working partnerships to investigate potential funding opportunities. The report includes two recommendations for the continued development, management and sustainability of the local cultural sector: 1. Address the current gap in the understanding of the role of culture in Huron County’s economy by preparing a report that details the economic outputs and contributions of the cultural sector using data collected through the cultural mapping project and the new 2011 Canadian census data. 2. That the Cultural Services Department of the County be the lead in the development of a new Huron County Cultural Plan. The report will set out a number of strategic goals for the leveraging, management and sustainability of the cultural resources and sector within the County. An application will be made to the Creative Communities Prosperity Fund through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture for support of this initiative. The cultural resources mapped through the project play a considerable role in the quality of place and authenticity found in Huron County. They also contribute to increased levels of community satisfaction, and have the potential to be a key part of marketing initiatives aimed at attracting newcomers. The local cultural sector displays many of the hallmarks of a vibrant rural creative economy with opportunities for future growth contributing to the economic prosperity and sustainability of Huron County. “Along Huron’s Coast” by Barbara McKnight from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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1. Project Background 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8
Cultural Mapping Huron County’s Cultural Mapping Project Project Timeline Cultural Resource Framework Intangible Culture Creative Huron Uses of the Data Limitations of the Data
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING 1.1 Cultural Mapping “Cultural Resource Mapping is a systematic approach to identifying, recording and classifying a community’s cultural resources in order to describe and visualize them.” Cultural Resource Mapping: A Guide for Municipalities
In the simplest terms, cultural mapping is the creation of a central database. Cultural Mapping is the process of identifying the community resources to be included in the database and establishing the criteria for what defines a cultural resource for inclusion in that database. It is the collection of basic data (name, address, contact information) for each of the cultural resources identified, including geographic reference points or GPS coordinates so that resources can be plotted on a map to visually illustrate the database using GIS technology. The final stage of the process involves entering all of the collected data into a centralized database so the information can be easily displayed and accessed, creating a valuable new tool for quantifying the resources that combine to make up the local cultural sector. 1.2 Huron County’s Cultural Mapping Project Municipal Cultural Mapping has been a longstanding strategic priority for Huron County (see sidebar). Municipal staff and stakeholders in the cultural sector advocated for a Cultural Mapping project in Huron County realizing that although culture and the creative economy were identified as an economic pillar of the local economy there was little factual understanding of the exact size and scope of the sector within the County. Cultural Mapping was seen as the best tool to remedy the situation by providing comprehensive baseline data. In November 2010, the Cultural Services Department of The County of Huron, with Council’s approval, made a successful application for project funding to the Province of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture’s Creative Communities Prosperity Fund. The project proposal outlined a ten-month work plan, to be coordinated by a new Cultural Development Officer position within the Cultural Services Department.
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Cultural Mapping as a Strategic Priority in Huron County Cultural Mapping as strategic priority for the County was identified in a number of policy and framework documents. Huron County Cultural Plan, 2008
Key Recommendation Huron County Cultural Symposium, 2009
Stakeholders symposium organized by Huron Arts & Heritage Network to identify opportunities for development of cultural sector in the County identified Cultural Mapping as a primary project Sustainable Huron Action Plan, 2010
Priority Project: Arts and Culture Resource Hub Economic Development Blueprint, 2010
“Undertake cultural mapping/asset mapping of the creative economy resources of the County”
HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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A Project Steering Committee, made up of sector stakeholder and County staff (see Acknowledgments at end of report for listing of Project Steering Committee members), would provide guidance and input throughout the duration of the project at monthly meetings. Additional resources for the project were provided by the Planning and Development Department, Economic Development Services and Information Technology; contributing GIS services, cultural database module and website development respectively. 1.3 Project Timeline Date November, 2010
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March, 2011
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June, 2011
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July, 2011
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August, 2011
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November, 2011
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December, 2011
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January, 2012
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February, 2012
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March, 2012 April – May, 2012
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June, 2012
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Key Events Cultural Services Department makes application, with Council’s approval, for project funding to Ministry of Tourism and Culture’s “Creative Communities Prosperity Fund” (CCPF) Project funding approved. Province of Ontario provides 50% of total project costs ($45,262.00) New Cultural Development Officer position created within Cultural Services Department to coordinate the Cultural Mapping project Project Steering Committee established and begins meeting to set project parameters Project Steering Committee meets throughout duration of project to provide input on project including development of new online resource www.creativehuron.ca Collection of data on cultural resources begins. Community Survey available online and at library branches Huron County Cultural Symposium held at Blyth Festival to share details of project with sector stakeholders Dr. Robert Williams, Chair of Municipal Cultural Planning presents overview of cultural mapping Cultural module of central Economic Development Services database created and data entry begins Early project findings presented to Project Steering Committee for review and analysis Development of online database and content for www.creativehuron.ca in consultation with Project Steering Committee and Huron County staff including: Information Technologies, GIS Services and Economic Development Services Draft project report written Final project report completed and printed Continued development of online cultural database and additional content for www.creativehuron.ca. Project findings and report presented to Huron County Committee of the Whole www.creativehuron.ca and online database go live Project findings shared with community through project launch event, media releases and summary of final report 7 | Lake, Land, and Local
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1.4 Cultural Resource Framework One of the most challenging aspects of cultural mapping is what to include. What assets and resources does one map? What exactly defines a business, individual or organization as a “cultural resource”? Why is one retail store, for example, included and another not? Essentially, what is the criteria being used to make those judgments? These are questions that the discipline of municipal cultural mapping and planning has had to address as the practice has grown and developed. Culture is notoriously difficult to define; as a result Cultural Mapping projects looked very different depending on where and when they were done and on how the definition of culture was applied. Municipal cultural mapping and cultural planning are fields that actively encourage each municipality to incorporate their unique cultural characteristics into the mapping and planning process, thereby being responsive to their local heritage and identity and avoiding a “one size fits all” approach to local culture. This individualized approach led to regional variances in mapping projects in the early days of cultural mapping. The subjective approach to establishing a cultural framework for mapping was also a barrier to comparative analysis between municipalities; often a case of comparing apples to oranges. Municipal Cultural Planning (MCP) is an Ontario non-profit organization that provides leadership and support to municipalities in culture-led economic and community development. As a group, they recognized the need for consistent parameters and best practices for cultural mapping (Baeker, 2009). In 2010, they developed a new print resource, “Municipal Resource Mapping: A Guide for Municipalities”, with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, that laid out a clear and systematic process for municipal cultural mapping. The Cultural Resource Framework presented in the cultural mapping toolkit identifies a broad set of assets in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors for which there is general consensus in the field for including as a cultural resources for mapping purposes. This is the framework that we adopted for use in our project. To be included in the inventory an asset had to appear in at least one of the categories and could appear in multiple categories in the framework. (For a full listing of the Cultural Resource Framework see Appendix A).
“Memories of Yesteryear” by Gwen Smithers-Kiar from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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What Did We Map? The Cultural Resource Framework breaks the list of assets into eight subcategories (Figure 1:1). Cultural Industries: businesses and non-profit groups involved in the creation, production, manufacturing and distribution of cultural goods or services. Cultural Occupations: the labour force aspect of cultural industries; the employment in the various jobs that people perform as cultural workers. Community Organizations: organizations, usually not-for-profit, that represent arts, heritage and ethnocultural interests in the community. Cultural Facilities & Spaces: buildings and spaces that host cultural activity. Natural Heritage: green spaces, parks, gardens and areas of environmental and cultural significance. Only resources that are open for recreational use were included. Cultural Heritage: the management and exhibition of objects, buildings, and sites of historical, cultural and educational value. Events & Festivals: festivals and events in the community. Only annual events and festivals were included, with the exception of a couple of bi-annual events. Intangible Culture: non-physical assets, including stories, legends, customs and traditions (Figure 1:3). In addition to these eight categories, we chose to include three additional categories: Education: public and private schools, organizations and service providers that offer educational opportunities Places of Worship: churches and religious organizations Recreational Facilities: arenas, community and senior centres, sports fields and parks
“Fauve Forest� by Ron Walker from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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Applying a Rural Lens How culture functions and manifests in rural communities differs in significant ways from urban municipalities. In order to better capture how culture functions in Huron County we applied a rural lens to review the Cultural Resource Framework. In doing so, the following changes were made: Churches and Recreational Facilities: Recognizing that local cultural programming (concerts, productions, author readings, etc.) happens in these “non-traditional” spaces we have included these resources in the Cultural Spaces & Facilities category. Community Organizations: The Cultural Resource Framework suggested by MCPI defines this category as arts, heritage or ethno-cultural community organizations. We have broadened the definition to include service clubs, social organizations and other community service organizations, as many of the cultural festivals and events in Huron County are produced by these community organizations. Education: Availability and access (due to distance and transportation) to arts lessons and programs is a challenge for many rural children. School programming is often the only opportunity for many rural children to engage in the arts, making schools and education providers important partners in local arts and culture.
“Freight Train at Goderich” by Tristan Eekhoff from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING The Cultural Resource Framework (Figure 1:1)
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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1.5 Intangible Culture An important piece of cultural mapping is the intangible (or qualitative) cultural aspects of the community. Sometimes referred to as “community identity mapping”, this aspect of cultural mapping refers to the non-physical assets of a community: histories, customs, traditions, stories and legends that combine to define and express a community’s identity. The Project Steering Committee has identified a list of stories (Figure 1:3), covering some of the heritage, events and personalities in Huron County.
“Harbour” by Madeleine Roske from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
These stories and others will provide enhanced content on www.creativehuron.ca website as they are a great contribution to our understanding of the characteristics that make Huron County the place that it is.
The physical or tangible resources in the database also provide us with many clues as to the community’s character and values as societies tend to honour those stories or events which have resonance through physical monuments such as: cenotaphs, public art, and heritage plaques. Intangible Resource Mapping (Figure 1:2)
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Intangible Culture (Figure 1:3)
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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1.6 Creative Huron www.creativehuron.ca is the address for a new County website that will host the cultural mapping project findings. The site was developed by the County’s Economic Development Services in collaboration with the Information Technology Department, and will be a one-stop resource for the promotion and sharing of information about the cultural resources and creative economy in “Winter Birthage” by Paul Carroll from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Huron County. Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario Cultural Database The cultural database created to house the findings from the cultural mapping project is a module within the larger Huron County Economic Development Services database. This central database is what feeds the data to the online directories in the Huron County’s Economic Development micro-sites: Ontario’s West Coast, Shop in Huron, Huron Manufacturing Association. Integrating the findings from the cultural mapping project into the central database allows the data collected as part of the cultural mapping project to also populate the directories on those other websites e.g. businesses that are mapped as part of the project can also easily be uploaded to the business directory on the Shop in Huron directory if they were not already there. The cultural module of the database will be the base for a searchable online cultural directory on the Creative Huron site. The online directory will be a new public resource that will allow residents and visitors to find cultural resources available in Huron County using varied search criteria. Maintenance of the Database Staff within the Planning & Development Department of the County will take on the task of updating the records within the cultural module as part of their existing maintenance duties for the central database. Additional Site Content The site will provide benefits for members of the Huron Arts & Heritage (HAHN) organization through enhanced directory listings and enriched content similar to the benefits for Huron Tourism Association members on www.ontarioswestcoast.ca and Huron Manufacturing Association members on www.huronmanufacturing.ca. Videos, audio files and story boards that feature the stories and personalities (intangible resources) of the County will provide more robust digital content to the site. Digital copies of the cultural mapping project report, including the GIS map layers, will also be available through this site.
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“Field of Autumn Crocus” by Madeleine Roske from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
Connecting the Cultural Sector According to AuthentiCity’s “Creative Economy Strategies, Concepts” report on the mappingauthenticity.com website, one of the biggest challenges facing creative rural communities is lack of connectivity.
Social connectivity – Many people work independently and often from home making them somewhat invisible – to one another and to the larger community. Creative work thrives when people ‘bump into’ one another generating new ideas, products and services.
Business connectivity – Most creative businesses are small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) requiring collaboration and shared investment. Creative economy work often results in short term project teams assembling and disassembling. Business networking is required to form these new relationships, within collapsible alliances.
www.creativehuron.ca, can be a conduit for individuals and businesses in the County’s cultural sector to explore, locate, connect and share with peers.
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1.7 Uses of the Data The Cultural Mapping findings: Provide the baseline data on local cultural sector to measure future growth and development Illustrate the presence of cultural assets in the community and help municipal staff and decision makers adopt new ways of thinking about how to use cultural resources to achieve the municipality’s broad strategic objectives Support the local cultural sector by giving residents and visitors access to information about arts and heritage activities in the community Can be used to develop new tourism products (see page 16) Bring to light previously “invisible” or underutilized resources in the community Present information on community assets in a visual way that is easy to understand and has a strong impact Create a strong base of information about cultural resources that supports evidence-based decision-making and can be integrated into municipal plans (e.g. land use, tourism, economic development) Provide content for www.creativehuron.ca, a new online hub for culture and creative economy in Huron County, providing a “one-stop” resource for information and promotion of all of the cultural assets found in Huron’s communities Improve access to resources and services by making it easier for residents to find what is available Provide new opportunities for peer to peer business relationships, local businesses packaging products and services Promote the quality of life that exists locally to new residents
“Turning Wheat” by Catherine Weber from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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Local Tourism Applications
The data collected in the cultural mapping project presents the following opportunities:
Creation of cultural heritage tours that highlight resources from the cultural mapping project. Tour content should be developed using localized resources and knowledge base (community committees or local champions) with countywide coordination of marketing, and possible future packaging and booking by County Tourism staff, Huron Tourism Association, and Huron Arts & Heritage Network
Opportunities to connect with Regional Tourism Organization 4’s “Heritage Towns” tourism marketing campaign featuring the heritage towns and villages of Huron, Perth, Waterloo, and Wellington Counties, to get additional benefits through increased regional promotion of cultural assets in the County
Cultural assets can be utilized to enhance existing events bringing new partners and programs together. Heritage assets, tangible and intangible, could be used in the development of new events and event themes
Cultural Tourism “The Economic Impacts of Cultural and Sport Tourism in Canada 2007” report prepared by Outspan Group Inc. (March 2009) for the Department of Canadian Heritage and Industry Canada examined the impact of travellers who attended cultural events , attended sporting events , or participated in team sports in 2007. Using gross tourism receipts and net economic impact statistics the report found that tourists who attended cultural activities spent a total of $8.0 billion in 2007, while sports tourists spent $2.1 billion, about four times less than cultural tourists. The areas where cultural tourists spent the most were on transportation ($2.4 billion), accommodations ($1.6 billion), and food and beverages ($1.6 billion). Cultural tourists spent $721 million on recreation and entertainment in 2007, a figure that includes their expenditures on cultural activities. Examined differently, these figures show that cultural tourists spend at least $10 on other goods and services for every $1 that they spend on recreation and entertainment. Ontario accounted for 37% ($2.9 billion) of the total cultural tourism receipts, the highest percentage among the Canadian provinces. Measuring net economic impact, cultural tourists generated $5.1 billion of economic activity, over 110,000 full-time jobs, and $419 million in government taxes (not including income tax). The economic impacts of Gross Domestic Product impact in Ontario was $1.8 billion, again the highest among Canadian regions.
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1.8 Limitations of the Data While every effort was made to collect current and reliable data for the project, there are some gaps and areas where caution is advised against a total reliance on the data. The inventory of cultural resources in the report provides a comprehensive list, but should not be considered a complete list. Cultural mapping is an ongoing process and the inventory of resources is always evolving. Participation was voluntary. Throughout the project we relied on organizations and persons to self-identify as a resource that fit within the cultural resources framework for mapping. The information is only as good as that provided to us. The inventory and maps do not make any qualitative distinctions between static and dynamic resources. (e.g. a heritage plaque and a museum are counted equally) Cultural Occupations was one of the categories in the Cultural Resource Framework for which we had difficulty getting reliable and comprehensive data. As a result, the report recommends that additional data needs to be gathered in order to get a clearer understanding of the economic impacts of the local cultural resources. (Section 4.3 Recommendations) The data fails to capture all of the cultural heritage resources in the County. Published resources (local history books, newsletters, etc.) were not included in the recommended Cultural Resource Framework that we followed. There are also a large number of private heritage collections not captured largely because owners of those collections do not wish them to be published. Although we know that music is a large part of the local arts scene in Huron County, the inventory does not include any bands, especially in the popular music genre. Most of the musicians and musical groups in the database are instrumentalists, choirs, or orchestras. It was not an intentional decision to exclude them; they can be added to the online database as the project progresses, but more a limitation of cultural mapping in general. Cultural mapping is reliant on fixing resources to a specific geographic location and most bands are not affiliated with any one location, they perform in venues across a large area and each member of the group likely lives in a different location, which makes them challenging to deal with from a mapping point of view. “Maitland Suite, Autumn” by Ron Walker from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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2. Project Findings 2.1 Municipality and Resources Chart 2.2 General Observations 2.3 Cultural Industries 2.4 Cultural Heritage 2.5 Natural Heritage 2.6 Spaces & Facilities 2.7 Organizations 2.8 Festivals & Events
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING 2.1 Municipality and Resources Chart
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Assets Map -- All
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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2.2 General Observations Looking at the inventory of cultural resources and corresponding map a couple of general observations can be made: Size: The number of resources mapped and entered into the database provides the proof that culture is a significant sector in Huron County. With 1,780 resources identified so far and a population of 59,100, we can establish a ratio of 3 cultural resources to every 100 people (3:100), in the County. Absolute comparisons are difficult to make, as mentioned in the Cultural Resource Framework section, but to provide a rough context, municipal cultural mapping projects in Hamilton and Durham Region (both with populations over 500,000) found 2,254 (Hamilton) and 1,876 (Durham Region) cultural resources in each of those respective municipalities. Spread: Cultural resources are dispersed over most of the County. A comparison among municipalities at the four compass points - North Huron (225 resources), South Huron (222 resources), Bluewater (257 resources) and Huron East (293 resources) - shows fairly equitable distribution among the identified resources. Higher concentrations of cultural resources can be found in or clustered around the high-density populations in towns and villages. Municipalities with fewer high-density areas have a higher percentage of resources in the Cultural Heritage, Natural Heritage and Recreation categories. Diversity: The list of cultural resources contravenes a popular misconception of Huron County as ethnically and culturally homogenous. The inventory of resources reveals the varied ethnic backgrounds of Huron County settlers and residents including: Dutch, Mennonite, French Canadian, German, British, Swiss, Scottish and Irish. The list of resources also points out the distinct characteristics of the County’s different geographic regions by highlighting the important role played by local industries in the settlement and development of the different towns and villages: farming, salt production, fishing, barrel making, organ factories, railroads, mills, military bases, etc.
“Configuration” by Madeleine Roske from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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Harvesting the Rural Creative Economy There is a growing field of interest and study in rural creative economies and how creative economy strategies, largely developed with cities and urban areas in mind, manifest differently in rural areas. In “Harvesting the Rural Creative Economy” (January 2011), author Heather Hal, synthesizes the published research on creative economies in rural areas. Sections of her report are outlined below: The Creative Class & Creative Economy “At the heart of Richard Florida’s creative economy is the argument that economic growth is now dependent on the talent of a ‘creative class’ who innovate and create new ideas, new technologies, and/or creative output.... The creative class is made up of individuals employed in science, engineering, arts, culture, entertainment and knowledge based professions of management, finance, law, healthcare and education.” Urban design features like streetscaping along with vibrant downtowns and an arts and culture scene are argued to be crucial in attracting and retaining these talented individuals.” The Rural Creative Economy “Although the rural creative economy has only recently attracted attention in academic research, it is commonly argued that rural areas have many of the place-based amenities which attract creative workers. For example, Kevin Stolarick and associates at the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, state that “[m]any of the qualities that cities so often try to replicate in order to attract the creative class, such as heightened quality of place, local pristine natural amenities and unique cultural and heritage
opportunities, exist in abundance in rural communities.” They suggest that place-based marketing tactics often used to attract tourists can also be applied to attracting the creative class in rural areas.” “In their work on American rural counties, McGranahan and Wojan... find that the rural creative class is older and more likely to be married. Economic development strategies geared at improving the quality of schools may be more critical in rural areas rather than creating hip downtowns with chic cafes. They also determine that the creative class is attracted to rural areas that are rich in natural amenities, have modest density and commuting potential. They suggest that rurality itself is the main driver as people give up urban amenities for natural amenities and quality of life found in rural areas.” “In her work on artists in American rural areas, Markusen argues that artists contribute to the local consumption base of a local economy. She also believes that artists are attracted to rural areas because of the affordability, vintage architecture, isolation and sense of community. Markusen suggests occupational targeting focussed on artists as a possible rural economic development strategy.” “Bell and Jayne’s interviews with creative professionals also identified that showcasing events, networking opportunities, exhibition space and access to high-tech equipment like broadband are important support strategies in which rural communities should invest. Markusen also suggests investing in space for artists like performance spaces, live/work spaces and artists’ centres.”
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2.3 Cultural Industries The majority (80%) of the businesses in this category are small businesses with less than three staff persons. Individual artists: visual artists, writers, crafts people, musicians, and photographers, account for 28% of the resources in this category.
Cultural Industry Resources
Total: 305
Architectural Services Computer Systems & Software Design Digital & Commercial Printing Graphic Design Services Photographers Visual Artists
14 16 15 7 21 37
35 of the resources under Cultural Industries are Not-for-Profit (11.5%). Design Services: architecture, landscape, graphic, website, and software, represent one of the largest industry clusters in the County with 54 businesses (18%) offering these services. Because many of the businesses in this category are small home-based businesses with no store front and virtually no online presence, outside of a few external sites such as the Huron Business Directory, they have little visibility in the community and are off most consumers’ radars. The Corporation of The County of Huron is one of the largest stakeholders in the Cultural Industries Category. The County employs a high concentration of cultural workers, as defined in the Cultural Occupations category of the Cultural Resource Framework, and the County’s Cultural Services Department is responsible for administration of two key cultural industries – The Huron County Library with 12 Library Branches and the Huron County Museum with its four sites: Huron County Museum, Huron Historic Gaol, Marine Museum and Sky Harbour Gallery.
“Huronia Sunset” by Paul Cousteils from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Industries Map
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2.4 Cultural Heritage The high value placed on local heritage in Huron County is demonstrated in the 456 resources found in this category, which makes Cultural Heritage the largest category within the cultural database. Designated Heritage Properties and Heritage Conservation Districts, with 230 resources, make up 50% of the Cultural Heritage category. 82% of the Designated Heritage resources are located in three municipalities; Bluewater (27), Goderich (82), and Huron East (79). The County has 81 Heritage Plaques & Monuments. Most of these plaques and monuments represent an individual, history of the town’s founding, war memorial (cenotaphs) or are memorials to a torn down structure (usually a church). Of note, there are currently no heritage plaques or monuments in the County dedicated solely to a woman or women’s contributions to the local history.
Huron Heritage Fund The purpose of the Huron Heritage Fund is to encourage the preservation of heritage assets and activities of heritage importance to the County of Huron and its residents. Projects will assist in the preservation and restoration of heritage landmarks, historic buildings, and objects of historical significance not owned by the County of Huron. Heritage events and publications may also qualify for support under this program.
Agriculture, arguably the largest economic sector in the County historically and currently, interestingly does not show up in the Cultural Heritage resources. There are no heritage plaques or monuments related to agriculture and only a small handful of the designated heritage properties have ties to agricultural use.
•Projects are located within the County of Huron
Text panels or story boards that explain the cultural significance of the resource to the viewer are not widely used (a notable exception are the panels in place at the Tiger Dunlop Tomb). Not sharing the story behind the resource takes away from its importance and diminishes the original intentions behind its preservation and protection as a resource having cultural heritage significance.
•Methods of preservation and restoration are done in a historically appropriate method
Cultural Heritage Resources
Total: 454
Cemeteries Designated Heritage Conservation Districts Designated Heritage Properties Heritage Plaques & Monuments Museums Public or Outdoor Art
95 4 226 81 10 14
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•Projects have heritage significance to the County
•Projects are open to or viewable by the public •Projects have a cost-sharing component with the contribution from the Huron Heritage Fund not to exceed 50% •The maximum grant to any one project will not exceed $5,000
HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Heritage Map
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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Murals
Seaforth Mural by Allen C. Hilgendorf
Outdoor murals, similar to the one above of the Seaforth Girl’s Marching Band, are the most common form of public art found in Huron County. Examples exist in numerous communities, visually depicting the stories and events important to the town or village in which they are located. The murals are valuable community cultural resources fostering civic pride, sharing the local heritage and enhancing streetscape aesthetics.
However, their impact and accessibility are currently diminished as there is often no information about what is being depicted, outside of a title incorporated into the mural. Only those “in the know” understand the value and full story of what they are looking at. This could easily be remedied by the addition of text panels, or using QR codes that allow viewers to access text or audio recordings that tell the stories depicted in the murals by using mobile technologies.
Chemainus World Famous Murals Chemainus is a community of 3,900 on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Founded as a logging town in 1858, the town was under threat of becoming a ghost town in 1981 when the local mill, the town’s single major employer, was slated to close. Forward-thinking local government and citizens of the day came up with the idea of turning the town into an outdoor art gallery using murals that depicted the local history of the town and region. Chemainus is now world famous for its outdoor murals. This outdoor gallery has given birth to 300 businesses, including a theatre, antiques dealers, and eateries. The Chemainus murals have been used as an economic development model around the work. www.chemainus.com/arts/murals/index 28 | Lake, Land, and Local
HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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Is it Culture if it Happens in the Country? Art and cultural experiences in Huron County often take place at the personal level, cultural programming developed by neighbours for neighbours. Attending an exhibition or performance locally differs from urban cultural experiences in that many in the local audience have pre-existing social connections with the artists or performers: coworker, friend, relative or neighbour. Arts organizations in the County, cognisant of their role and responsibilities as “neighbours”, take advantage of these community social bonds by programming work that incorporates local values as part of their business model for engaging local audiences. The social and personal bonds that exist in rural communities are one of our advantages we have in developing a vibrant cultural sector. It allows for greater community engagement in local culture, by reaching residents who would not normally attend cultural activities through their social networks, and fosters strong ownership or buy-in from the local community through its close associations with residents. As a result we see strong support for local cultural programming and events from within the local community in which it is held. This close association between rural communities and its cultural expression does have one major drawback that can best be summed up as a bias “that if it’s local it cannot be any good.” Dr. Patrick Overton of the Front Porch Institute, Astoria, Oregon in his paper prepared for the Creative City Network of Canada (March 2009), “Developing and Revitalizing Rural Communities Through Arts and Creativity: United States of America” writes about how this bias takes root in rural communities, beginning as an external urban bias that becomes internalized and manifests in minimizing attitudes towards our own local culture. Two key points are outlined below:
Tendency for those outside rural/small communities to put-down local arts, heritage, and culture and impose outside cultural values
“First, that people in rural/small communities are not capable of doing what needs to be done. Second, that when it comes to arts and culture, rural/small communities do not have any. Third, that since rural communities do not know about arts and culture and do not have any of their own of any consequence, it is clear that they need to be told what is good. And, almost every time, what they are told is what people in the urban areas think is good. So this is what many people in rural/small communities think they should have- arts and culture from the urban areas.” (p.16)
Tendency of rural community citizens to “one-down” local community cultural expressions
“This tendency relates to the image people who live in rural/small communities often have of themselves. Many people in a rural/small community do not think of their own creative expressions and cultural traditions as real arts/culture but rather as just “folk arts.” Many citizens think that arts and culture are something other communities have and the only way they can enjoy them is to “import” them into their community. The sad thing about this reality is that many communities can raise substantial funds to bring in a state or regional arts group and yet cannot raise the same amount of money to support local arts, heritage and cultural needs. Until citizens of rural/small communities begin to recognize and honour their own “rural genius,” it is unlikely ever to change the external bias that exists against the quality and value of the local community arts experience.”(p.15)
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2.5 Natural Heritage The County of Huron is currently engaged, as a member of the advisory committee, in a project to create a comprehensive Natural Heritage Strategy. Huron County also has two Conservation Authorities within its borders, the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) who manage many of the natural resources. As such, this particular category is well represented at other tables. Included in the project are only natural heritage resources approved for recreational use as they are the most easily relatable to “quality of life” discussions for residents. Most of the natural heritage resources that are included in the framework are in close proximity to residential areas, providing easy access for local residents to enjoy outdoor recreational activities and the natural areas. The County and Huron Tourism Association (HTA) publish a number of tourism guides promoting the natural heritage assets in Huron County to visitors: Fishing & Paddling Guide, Hiking Guide, and Cycling Guide, and maps and links on www.ontarioswestcoast.ca. However, more work needs to be done promoting these resources to residents. Many of our urban parks are the backdrop for community festivals and events. Built performance spaces, for example band shells or gazebos in Victoria Park Seaforth, Harbour Park Goderich, Clan Gregor Square Bayfield, and Riverside Park Wingham host numerous events throughout the year. The natural heritage found in Huron County is one of our greatest assets in attracting newcomers to the area and contributing to community satisfaction for residents (see “Harvesting the Rural Creative Economy,” and textbox below).
Natural Heritage Resources Botanical Gardens & Arboretum Conservation Areas Forest Tracts/Trails Provincial Parks Nature Parks (incl. Public Beaches) Zoos
Total: 125 10 21 13 1 31 1
“Beautiful Places: The Role of Perceived Aesthetic Beauty in Community Satisfaction” Research by the Martin Prosperity Institute on quality of place as an economic driver has examined the importance of beauty and aesthetics as an attractor for creative talent. The research found that the perceived beauty or aesthetic character of a place was one of the most important factors in relation to positive community satisfaction. “Beautiful Places: The Role of Perceived Aesthetic Beauty in Community Satisfaction” Working Paper Series: Martin Prosperity Institute Florida, Mellander, Stolarick, 2009
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Natural Heritage Map
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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2.6 Spaces & Facilities
Spaces & Facilities Resources
Total: 222
The project identified 222 spaces and Archives 2 facilities where culture is either hosted Churches 92 or created. However, this number on Commercial & Public Galleries 13 its own does not accurately reflect the Libraries 12 availability or quality of the cultural Theatres 4 spaces and facilities in Huron County. Other Arts Spaces (incl. Community Centres 90 Many of the resources counted in this and Halls, Restaurants and Bars) category are “non-traditional” cultural spaces meaning they are not primarily designed to house cultural programming. Churches account for 92 (41%) of the resources listed under Spaces and Facilities. Churches are an integral part of the local cultural sector, presenting musical concerts, author readings, film screenings, and by providing performance space to external organizations to hold cultural programs. If all the non-traditional spaces; 92 Churches and 90 Other Arts Spaces - community centres/ halls and restaurants and bars that host some cultural activities but are not primarily cultural facilities, are separated from the total of 222 Spaces & Facilities identified, we are left with only 40 spaces that primarily function as cultural spaces. Lack of purpose-built performing arts facilities in the County restricts the growth of our artists and the range of programming that can be presented and can also take away from the audience’s experience. Some of the facility challenges our artists and producers deal with on a regular basis include:
Holding programs in spaces without proper lighting grids Inadequate sound systems No dressing rooms Little backstage storage Stages without sprung floors for the safety of performers
Facilities housing heritage collections in the County are also below par, citing lack of proper storage, environmental controls, and exhibition space. These infrastructure challenges exist in most of the facilities connected to heritage but are especially true for many of the privately held heritage collections. Cultural Facility challenges are not unique to Huron County. The current conditions and need for cultural infrastructure investment across the province are highlighted in the “Facilities Needs Assessment Update Survey”, page 30. Recognizing the facility challenges that our arts and heritage communities face in fulfilling their mandate and presenting their work, they are to be commended for their ingenuity in working around these barriers to deliver the high level of services and experiences they currently offer.
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Facilities & Spaces Map
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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Two new resources have recently been launched that provide best practices and strategies for communities and cultural organizations in dealing with cultural infrastructure projects. ArtsBuild Ontario Facilities Portal - www. artsbuildontario.ca/portal/ Artscapes new online do-it-yourself source for creative placemaking - www.artscapeDIY.org
Facilities Needs Assessment Update Survey ArtsBuild Ontario February, 2010 Between September and November of 2009, Ipsos Reid conducted a survey of arts organizations in Ontario on behalf of ArtsBuild Ontario, an organization that addresses the long-standing capital infrastructure needs of visual and performing small and mid-sized arts organizations. 105 arts organizations; performing arts, visual arts, and multi-disciplinary, across Ontario were surveyed (41 based in Toronto and 64 outside of Toronto) The survey findings report found that:
Three quarters (74%) of arts organizations plan at least one capital expenditure in the next three years. Two in ten (19%) plan to build or purchase a new facility or acquire land to build on in the next 3 years. Two thirds (67%) plan capital improvements to existing facilities in the next 3 years. Three quarters (72%) of the arts organizations identified insufficient access to at least one type of space to meet their needs. Among the organizations, the percentage reporting insufficient access to at least one type of space, there was higher percentage among organizations outside of Toronto (77%) opposed to in Toronto (66%).
Organizations planning a capital expenditure in the next 3 years indicate that their project will result in:
Increased programming (58%) and revenue (67%) Better working conditions for staff (73%) Attract an increased number of tourists (53%) Seven in ten (71%) indicate that their project will contribute to the economic development of the area.
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The Cultural Arena Recreation facilities were added to the Cultural Resource Framework in recognition of the role that these facilities play in hosting cultural programs but also as an indicator of the role of sports and recreation in local culture. As part of the cultural mapping project we surveyed people at the annual Celtic Roots Festival in Goderich about the intangible culture in the County. One of the questions asked was “Can you name three famous people (current or past) from Huron County?” In each completed survey there was always at least one hockey player in their list of three famous people from Huron. Notable professional hockey players from the County include: Boyd Deveraux, Albert Dewsbury, Gary Doak, Larry Jeffrey, Cal O’Reilly, Ryan O’Reilly, and Dave Mcllwain.
This close relationship with hockey is also evidenced in the number of arenas in the County. There are 13 hockey ice pads in total around the County serving a population of around 60,000. As a basis for comparison, North Bay (pop. 64,043) has 4 ice pads and Norfolk County (pop. 63,175) has 6 ice pads. If number of arenas is the yardstick, Huron County loves hockey. For many families, local arenas are the dominant forum for social and civic engagement during the hockey season; the forming of friendships, the sharing of information and civic debate all take place in the arenas during the hockey practices and games.
Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame has 251 inducted players whose distinguished contributions have been recognized through their election into Honoured Membership of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Two of those inducted players hailed from Huron County: Albert Charles "Babe" Seibert: (January 14, 1904 – August 25, 1939) Born in Plattsville but raised in Zurich, Babe Seibert was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and defenceman who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Maroons, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. He won the 1926 Stanley Cup championship with the Maroons, and was a member of the famous "S Line", and another with the Rangers in 1933. Seibert was named an all-star three times after the switch and won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1937 as a member of the Canadiens. Seibert was named the head coach of the Canadiens upon his retirement as a player in 1939. He never coached a game as he drowned in Lake Huron prior to the 1939–40 NHL season. Ralph "Cooney" Weiland: (November 5, 1904 in Seaforth, Ontario - July 3, 1985) Weiland was an NHL forward who played for the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and Detroit Red Wings. Weiland started his NHL career with Boston, where he celebrated his rookie campaign in 1928–29 with a Stanley Cup victory over the New York Rangers. It was the first Cup win in Bruins history. In his second season during 1929–30, he scored 43 goals and 73 points in 44 games aided by a rule change that season only. It shattered the NHL's single-season points record of 51 which had been set two years earlier by Montreal Canadiens legend Howie Morenz. The Bruins went to the Cup final again in 1930 but were swept by Montreal. Weiland had a brief career with Ottawa and played two seasons in Detroit, reaching the Cup final for a third time in 1934. Weiland returned to Boston in 1935 and retired in 1939 with 173 goals and 333 points in 510 career games. But he ended his NHL playing career as he had begun it; the Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs and earned their second Stanley Cup. Babe Seibert Hockey Card, 1955-56, #62. Copyright Parkhurst Hockey Cards Ralph Weiland Hockey Card, 1933-34. Copyright The Topps Company Inc.
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING 2.7 Organizations Not-for-Profit and volunteer organizations make substantial contributions to both the quality of life and infrastructure of the community. Local organizations are very adept at working in partnership, sharing resources, to accomplish many initiatives at the local level. The number of Goderich organizations that worked jointly to produce the “Out of the Storm” fundraising concert is a good example this kind of successful collaboration. Generally, those collaborations tend to stay localized within a single community. Out of the 187 organizations mapped, only 16 of those organizations have a countywide mandate, meaning they have a specific mandate to provide services and membership to all parts of the County, pointing to a need for more localized community organizations to extend their reach by partnering on projects that have broader countywide benefits. 67% of the organizations are registered not-for-profits or charitable organizations, 28% are non-formal social or membership groups and organizations and 5% are business associations (Chambers of Commerce or BIA). There are 46 Arts Organizations identified. Of those arts organizations, 20 (or almost half) are related to music: choirs, bands, and musical festivals, a reflection of Huron County resident’s love of music. The importance of agriculture in the County also appears in this category with seven agricultural societies and five organizations supporting local Farmers’ Markets. There were 19 Heritage Organizations identified, including 4 municipally appointed Heritage Advisory Committees in Bluewater, Huron East, Goderich, and South Huron. Their effectiveness in the identification and preservation of local heritage assets can be readily seen in the fact that 82% of designated heritage resources in the County come from three of those municipalities with Heritage Advisory Committees.
Organization & Group Resources Agricultural Societies Arts Organizations Farmers’ Markets Heritage Organizations and Municipal Advisory Committees Service Clubs
Service Clubs When reviewing the full list of cultural resources across the County it becomes apparent that a large number of resources (parks, buildings, events, etc.) were sponsored by local service clubs e.g. Kinsmen, Lions and Rotary Clubs. Almost every community in the County benefits from at least one local dedicated service club. A partial list of community infrastructure sponsored by local service clubs includes:
Total: 187
7 46 5
19 25
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Lioness Park, Goderich Lions Harbour Park, Goderich Kin Playground, Hensall Kinsmen Pavilion, Hensall Rotary Cove, Goderich Howick Optimist Soccer Field, Howick Auburn & District Lions Park, Auburn Optimist Ball Park, Clinton Exeter Lions Youth Centre, Exeter Seaforth Optimist Park, Seaforth Clinton Lions Park, Clinton Seaforth Lions Park, Seaforth Kinsmen Hall, Goderich Kinsmen Park, Goderich Belgrave Kinsmen Community Park, Belgrave
HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Organizations Map
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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Volunteers Volunteers are the lifeblood of our local culture. 82% of the organizations in the database are entirely volunteer run, much higher than the national average of two-thirds (66%) of arts and culture organizations being entirely run by volunteers (see textbox below). Of the remaining 18%, (those organizations with at least one paid staff position), 90% of those organizations still rely on volunteer resources within their organizational structure in some capacity. The report “Volunteers in Arts and Culture Organizations in Canada in 2007” provides data on a critical issue facing many of the our non-profit organizations (67% of organizations mapped in Huron County were non-profit), the loss of volunteer human resources due to shifts in lifestyles, motivations for volunteering and the ageing of current volunteers. The current heavy reliance on volunteers by local organizations in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors combined with the shrinking local volunteer pool is beginning to affect organizational capacity and will eventually make it impossible for some of these volunteer-based organizations to continue.
“Volunteers in Arts and Culture Organizations in Canada in 2007” Hill Strategies Research report, “Volunteers in Arts and Culture Organizations in Canada in 2007”, measures the contribution made by volunteers to arts and culture organizations on a national level (March 2010).
698,000 Canadians age 15 years or older volunteered 73.5 million hours in arts and culture organizations in 2007
The 73.5 million hours contributed to arts and culture organizations represent an average of 105 hours per volunteer.
The 73.5 million hours volunteered in arts and culture organizations is equivalent to about 38,000 full-time, year round jobs, valued at $1.1 billion.
The most common reason for volunteering in arts and culture organizations is a desire to make a contribution to one’s community (chosen by 92% of volunteers).
The report also highlights the strong competition for volunteers from other non-profit sectors and the decrease in arts and culture volunteering between 2004 and 2007.
The 698,000 volunteers in arts and culture organizations comprise only 5.6% of all Canadian volunteers. Sports and recreation, social services, education and research, and religious organizations attract the most volunteers (close to 3 million each), followed by health organizations (1.6 million) and development and housing organizations (1.2 million)
The number of arts and culture volunteers decreased by 4% from 729,000 in 2004 to 698,000 in 2007. In comparison, the number of volunteers in all types of nonprofit organizations increased from 11.8 million to 12.5 million, a 6% increase.
The average hours per arts and culture volunteer decreased from 120 to 105 between 2004 and 2007, a 13% decrease.
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Huron Arts & Heritage Network Huron Arts & Heritage Network is at the forefront of cultural development and promotion in the County. Formed in 2000 under the name Heritage and Culture Partnership, this organization began as a sub-committee of Huron Tourism Association. Huron Arts & Heritage Network recognizes the importance of the local cultural sector’s contribution to visitor and resident experiences of Huron County. Since its founding the organization has taken the lead in advocacy, promotion and development of the arts, culture and heritage sector in Huron County. With funding from project grants and membership fees, the organization has been at the forefront of sector driven initiatives including professional development workshops, cooperative marketing campaigns and the development of the Huron County Cultural Plan in 2008. They have also been the organization behind producing many new cultural events and programs including:
Doors Open Huron County Celebration of First Nations Huron County Cultural Awards EPIC Youth Communitrees/Culture Days
Newly incorporated in 2010 as a membership-based non-profit, under the name Huron Arts & Heritage Network, the organization continues its mandate of 2010 Celebration of First Nations representing the local cultural sector by providing services to its members, producing cultural programs and partnering with municipal government through Huron County Cultural Services and the Huron Tourism Association on county projects. 39 | Lake, Land, and Local
HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING 2.8 Festivals & Events
Festivals & Events Resources
The cultural mapping project looked Artist Tours & Events only at annual festivals and events, Country Fairs with a few bi-annual exceptions. Within those limits we narrowed the Heritage Tours & Events focus on mapping festivals and events Music Festivals & Events that are not considered part of the Seasonal Celebrations & Events business or organizations’ regular activities. For example, we did not Sports & Recreational Events include Huron Country Playhouse’s normal seasonal productions, because that is considered business as usual.
2012
Total: 132 7 11 7 18 45 20
The list of events and festivals speaks to the diversity found in the County. Events run the gamut from country fairs to classical music concerts. In a single day you can attend a rodeo, Celtic music festival, and antique show. Huron County really does have something for everyone. In addition to geographic mapping, the annual events from the 2011 Huron County Visitor’s Guide were plotted on a yearlong timeline (Figure 2:1) to demonstrate how events and festivals stacked up throughout the calendar year. The summer season, not surprisingly, was the busiest due to the County’s influx of seasonal residents and the high number of tourists visiting the lakeshore and beaches. Looking at the number and variety of events taking place over the summer months (June to September), a strong case can be made for packaging all of the events during that timeframe and marketing it and the County as host to one summer long cultural festival. The autumn shoulder season (perhaps better phrased as Harvest Season in Huron County) continues to offer a lot of events especially as it relates to our agricultural production. Early winter includes many local Christmas celebrations. Late winter and early spring (February to April) are the quietest time for community events reflective of local weather and possibilities of disruptive winter storms. The importance of agriculture as a local industry comes through in the 11 Country Fairs that still have livestock and crops at their core. Events like the Huron Pioneer Threshers and Hobby Show in Blyth and Dungannon Tractor Pull are also indicative of the prominence of agriculture as part of the County’s heritage and present.
“Silent Sentry” by Paul W. Sholdice from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Festivals & Events Map
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING 2011 Annual Events Timeline (Figure 2:1)
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
3. Community Survey 3.1 Age Range of Respondents 3.2 Level of Engagement of Respondents 3.3 Hours Spent on Cultural Activities in an Average Week 3.4 Types of Cultural Activities Residents are Engaged in 3.5 Residents’ Use of Public Cultural Resources 3.6 Residents’ Use of Online Resources 3.7 Published Resources 3.8 Member of Volunteer Support
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
2012
As part of the cultural mapping project we created a resident’s survey to learn more about the level of engagement of Huron County residents in local culture and how they access cultural information. Links to the online survey were posted on www.creativehuron.ca and www.huroncounty.ca and hard copies were available at all 12 branches of the Huron County Library. The survey was open from August to November, 2011. We had a total of 310 responses. 3.1 Age Range of Respondents There was representation from every age demographic among the 310 respondents. There doesn’t appear to be an age barrier for individuals participating in cultural activities. The breakdown by age group among the survey respondents closely mirrors the age group demographics for the whole of the County’s population.
(Figure 3:1) Age Range of Respondents 1% 4%
Age 0-12
11%
19%
13-19 10%
20-30 31-40
12%
41-50 51-60
23% 20%
61-70 Over 71
3.2 Level of Engagement of Respondents There was an almost 50/50 split between respondents who engage in cultural activities at the Amateur or Hobbyist level, pursuing cultural activities for personal enjoyment and recreation, and Semiprofessional and Professional, individuals who had been paid for their creative work. Professionals were defined as individuals who engage in cultural activities as their primary career and Semi-professionals were individuals who are sometimes paid for their creative work but it is not their full-time or primary career.
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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(Figure 3:2) Level of Engagment of Respondents
22%
28%
Hobbyist Amateur Semi-professional Professional
26% 24%
3.3 Hours Spent on Cultural Activities in an Average Week Whatever the level of engagement (amateur, hobbyist, semi-professional and professional) respondents to the survey spend a considerable amount time pursuing cultural activities in an average week. 68% of the respondents spend a minimum of 6 hours per week on their creative pursuits. The majority 72% fall within the 3 to 20 hours per week range. An investment of that level of time per week suggests that these creative activities are of some personal importance. (Figure 3:3) Hours Spent on Cultural Activities in an Average Week
Number of Hours
Over 31 hours
11%
21-30 hours
10%
11-20 hours
23%
6-10 hours
24%
3-5 hours
25%
Less than 2
7% 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
Percentage out of 310 respondents
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25%
30%
HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
2012
3.4 Types of Cultural Activities Residents are Engaged in The top five creative activities among the survey respondents corroborate data we discovered when mapping the tangible resources: 1. Music: The clear front runner. Residents’ level of engagement in music is supported by the number of events and organizations in the County related to music. 2. Traditional Crafts: This category includes: quilting, rug hooking, pottery, and stained glass. The cultural database includes quilters’ guilds, craft studios and rug hooking and weaving events and organizations. 3. Painting & Drawing: Huron County is home to a number of visual artists, 37 visual artists in the cultural database and 13 commercial art galleries. 4. Theatre: The County has a vibrant community theatre and 2 professional theatre companies. 5. Photography: There are a number of photography clubs and 21 professional photographers working in the County. (Figure 3:4) Types of Cultural Activities Residents are Engaged In Other
13
Multi-media
1
Design
4
Photography
38
Artistic Discipline
Film & Video
9
Writing
25
Textile Arts
4
Traditional Crafts
71
Sculpture
5
Painting & Drawing
62
Dance
5
Theatre
46
Music
119 0
20
40
60
80
Number out of 310 respondents
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100
120
HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING
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A Tradition of Crafts The “Creative Class Workers in Huron County” report (February 2011) identifies Artisans and Craftspeople as an occupation class with a concentration level higher in Huron County than the provincial average (p.7). The project supports these findings, showing 39 creative industries directly related to crafts, either as retail studios or crafting supplies retailers. There are also 5 arts organizations in Huron County that are dedicated to traditional fabric crafts: Goderich Quilters Guild, Huron Perth Quilters Guild, Heritage Quilt Committee, Huron Tract Spinners and Weavers, Y2K Rug Bugs.
The skills and knowledge handed down over generations is visible in the work of contemporary artisans working in the County. Honouring the traditions and techniques of blacksmithing, woodworking, rug hooking, quilting, pottery, weaving, and glass, these artisans and craftspeople continue to push these crafts beyond their humble origins into fine art objects.
“Hooked Rug” by Majorie Duizer
The prominence of fine crafts in Huron County is a link to our rural heritage. Traditional crafts skills were a necessity for early settlers as there was limited access to manufactured goods. Rural settlers also had to be resourceful, using all of the materials available to them and letting nothing go to waste; re-purposing old clothing and dry good sacks into quilts for example. Production of these handmade goods became a point of pride, allowing the maker to express their individual creativity and demonstrate their high-skill level.
As the aesthetic value of these items increased, requiring the investment of more time and resources, they were increasingly used as a means to mark important personal milestones (e.g. births, weddings, deaths) adding a layer of cultural and social significance to the objects created that went well beyond their utilitarian origins.
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3.5 Residents’ Use of Public Cultural Resources
(Figure 3:5) Residents' Use of Public Cultural Resources 27%
Resources Visited
Libraries 18%
Archives
84% 40% Non-local
62% 70%
Museums
63%
Historic Monuments 0%
20%
40%
60%
Local
73% 80%
100%
Percentage out of 310 respondents
(Figure 3:6) Residents' Use of Cultural Resources by Artistic Discipline 42%
Resources Visited
Photography
78% 55%
Film
76% 67%
Theatre 51%
Dance
63% 65%
Music
Non-local 88%
51%
Crafts
88%
75% 59%
Painting 0%
20%
40%
60%
79% 80%
Percentage out of 310 respondents
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100%
Local
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The two charts on the preceding page look at how survey respondents accessed cultural resources, locally (within Huron County) and non-locally (beyond Huron County borders). The upper chart (Figure 3:5) looks at public resources, generally municipally owned or operated. The lower chart (Figure 3:6) looks at resources by artistic discipline and would be interpreted to mean attendance at an exhibition or performance relating to that specific discipline. In both charts we see a preference among survey respondents to support or attend local resources (this preference is less pronounced with Museums and Historic Monuments). Looking at just one of the resource categories: Theatre, we have 88% attend Local and 67% attend Non-local, for a difference of 21% in favour of those who attend local theatre. This variance of approximately 20% in favour of Local is standard across every one of the resources related to an artistic discipline. Based on this we can surmise that residents are more apt to attend an exhibition, performance, or screening locally than if they have to travel outside the community to attend. This fact underscores the need to have cultural programs available locally. The report, “Canada’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Activities in 2010”, (Hill Strategies Research, Feb. 2011) provides data on the participation in arts, and heritage activities of Canadians over the age of 15, allowing for some comparative analysis between National and Huron County averages of participation in cultural activities. Among Canadians 15 years or older the report finds that within the twelve months of 2010:
45.7% of the national population visited an historic site 47.8 % attended a museum (including public art galleries) 44.3% attended a theatrical performance such as drama, musical theatre, dinner theatre, comedy 39.4% attended a popular music performance such as pop/rock, jazz, blues, folk, or country and western 12.6% attended a symphonic or classical music performance
In comparison, our Cultural Mapping survey of Huron County residents found much higher levels of attendance in the same categories*:
73% had visited a historic monument 70% had attended a museum 88% had attended a theatre 88% had attended a music performance or event
*Although the Cultural Mapping Survey was open to all residents of Huron County it should be pointed out that due to the nature of the survey there is an implied bias towards residents who actively participate in cultural activities. The comparisons therefore can only be viewed through a broad interpretation. Even using that broad interpretation, it does provide some evidence that suggests higher levels of cultural activity by Huron County residents. 49 | Lake, Land, and Local
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3.6 Residents’ Use of Online Resources As part of the community survey we also asked residents about accessing online resources (website visits) related to cultural resources both locally and non-locally. The results show that among those surveyed an average of 29% visited a Local website connected to a cultural resource and 35% had visited a website connected to a Non-local cultural resource, showing a slightly higher percentage of residents accessing information online for cultural resources outside of Huron County. Online viewership for content related to cultural resources whether local or non-local peaks at 46% and goes as low as 15%. Much lower percentages than for those who had accessed physical cultural resources.
(Figure 3:7) Residents' Use of Online Resources Photography
Type of Website
Film Theatre
39% 37%
27% 25%
17%
Music
37%
29%
Crafts
45%
32%
Painting
45%
29% 15%
Libraries
46%
31% 35% 35%
Archives Museums
21% 0%
10%
20%
29% 30%
40%
Percentage out of 310 respondents
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50%
Non-local Websites Local Websites
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Rural Adoption of Broadband Huron County residents’ use of online resources, hovering in the 20 to 40 percentage range, appears confusingly low in today’s much touted online information age. Despite the many benefits of broadband internet access the adoption of this technology has been slower in rural communities in comparison to urban areas. The Statistics Canada Daily noted a digital divide between rural and urban communities. Between 2007 and 2009 Internet usage was at least 10 percentage points lower in rural communities than in urban areas (Canadian Internet Use Survey, May 2010). The lack of access to reliable broadband internet used to account for much of the disparity in internet usage levels between rural and urban areas, but recent investment in broadband networks in rural areas has greatly reduced access as a factor. The provincial Rural Connections Project, 2008 set a goal to be able to serve a minimum of 75% of the people who want/request service for highspeed internet. A current estimate for broadband coverage in Huron County is 85%. The rate at which rural communities are adopting the technology is seen as a key contributing factor to the digital divide. There is still a strong
preference for traditional methods of communication among some residents of rural communities. In their work on the impacts of broadband adoption in rural New Brunswick, Marlin and Bruce (August 2006) identify rural attitudes as a key barrier to adoption of broadband internet. “Many people in rural areas still expect and appreciate a handshake or telephone call over an email” (p. 12). “The continued importance of face-to-face communications creates barriers to wide spread acceptance and use, let alone innovative use” (p. 13). We are still in a stage of transformation; broadband technology hasn’t completely replaced the friendly personal interactions that small towns were known for. Organizations and businesses in the County need to use technology; website, email and digital newsletters, along with traditional marketing methods; local newspapers advertising and printed materials, to be successful in reaching all sectors of the County’s population and those from outside the geographic region.
“Morning Light” by William Creighton from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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3.7 Published Resources Respondents were also asked how they access published resources: books, magazines and newspapers, printed or hardcopies, or electronic or digital copies. The result illustrate there is still a strong preference for printed materials among Huron County residents but the percentage of residents accessing electronic versions of the materials is high compared to Canadian averages. (Figure 3:8)
How Residents Access Published Resources 42%
Magazines
93%
34%
Books
96%
Hardcopy
57%
Newspapers 0%
20%
40%
60%
Electronic
83% 80%
100%
Percentage out of 310 respondents
A 2010 study by NADbank (Newspapers Audience Database) gives a national average of 22% of Canadians who had read a newspaper online at least once a week. Our survey percentage was almost double that at 57%. The high percentage of Huron County residents reading online newspapers may be due to our rural geographic location, which can make accessing printed copies of some national newspapers more difficult to find. 3.8 Member or Volunteer Support Of the 310 residents who responded to the survey, less than half (44%) said they were either a member or had volunteered for an arts, heritage, cultural group or organization. This demonstrates that there is room for local cultural organizations to build capacity by engaging more residents in volunteer opportunities and promoting benefits of membership. Number of Respondents That Are a Member or Volunteer of a Cultural Organization (Figure 3:9) 44% 56%
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Yes No
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Youth Case Study In December, 2011 a youth focus group was held relating to arts and culture and the cultural mapping project. There were 16 youth (19-28 years of age) in attendance. Those in attendance were asked to fill out the same survey that had been circulated to the general population thus providing a control group with which to compare how youth were engaged and accessing cultural resources. Generally there was little difference between how youth were accessing culture from how the general population accessed the same cultural resources. The chart below (Figure 3:10) compares the percentage of youth accessing local cultural resources against percentages from the general population. The percentages
for both demographics are very similar with a couple of notable exceptions. 100% of the youth (possibly due to the small sample size) reported attending a local theatre or musical concert or event as opposed to 88% from the general population in the same categories. What they do have in common is that theatre and music events remain the highest attended arts activities for both groups. Attendance at activities related to painting is much lower than that in the general survey sample; 58% for youth as opposed to 79% for general population. Film is the only other cultural activity that shows a disparity; only 50% of youth attended a film event locally as opposed to 76% in the broad sample.
(Figure 3:10) Percentage of Youth Accessing Cultural Resources vs. General Population Painting Crafts Cultural Resource
79%
58% 67%
75%
Music
88%
Theatre
88%
100% General
78% 83% 76%
Photography Film
100%
50%
Youth
70% 67%
Museums
84%
Libraries 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Percentage out of 16 respondents
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92% 100%
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Youth Case Study pt. 2 In comparing online access (website visits) to local cultural assets, again there is little difference between the youth focus group and the results from the general population. The youth percentages for website visits to local cultural resources are marginally higher with
the exception of two categories (the most popular arts activities with that group music and theatre). The members of the youth focus group visited music and theatre sites at much higher percentages than did the general survey respondents.
(Figure 3:11)
Online Cultural Resource
Percentage of Youth Accessing Online Resources vs. General Population 29% 33% 32% 25% 29%
Painting Crafts Music 17%
Theatre
42% 39%42%
Photography 21% 25% 21% 25%
Film Museums Libraries 0%
10%
20%
50% General Youth
31% 33%
30%
40%
50%
Percentage out of 16 respondents
There are many challenges for young people living in Huron County with employment and transportation being two that came up at the focus group. Access to and availability of local cultural resources however does not appear to
be a barrier. The one cultural resource that was identified by members of the focus group as missing was a licensed facility for local bands of all musical styles to perform at that could establish a hub for the local music scene.
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4. Next Steps 4.1 Completing the Cultural Mapping Project 4.2 Municipal Cultural Mapping 4.3 Recommendations 4.4 Opportunities 4.5 Project Summary
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There are still some key project deliverables to complete before the project ends in June, 2012 including the completion of the searchable database and content for www.creativehuron.ca as well as a launch event to communicate the project findings back to Huron County. The project findings also point towards some early culture-led development opportunities and the project steering committee has made two recommendations in order to advance municipal cultural planning in Huron County.
4.1 Completing the Cultural Mapping Project Share project findings with County municipalities, and sector stakeholders through distribution of project report and presentations to groups. Continue to work on www.creativehuron.ca and online directory: complete resource profiles, develop video and media content, and add photographs. Site will launch in June, 2012. Prepare final project report for the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, ensuring all funding obligations are met. Hold public launch event to share findings of cultural mapping project. Launch event will incorporate “Lake, Land, Local...Love It!” brand and use mapping as a theme with scavenger hunts and cultural treasure map contests. Event will coincide with launch of www.creativehuron.ca and printed summary reports on the project findings will be distributed. Add appropriate Huron County cultural resources to new provincial and national cultural directories including:
ArtsBuild Ontario Facilities Portal, a new resource by ArtsBuild Ontario a non-profit that supports the health of Ontario's arts organizations by creating and realizing long-term solutions for their facility challenges. Building Stories, a new online interactive inventory for historic sites in Canada developed by the Heritage Resources Centre, University of Waterloo.
“Dauphins Feed Mill” by Gwen Smithers-Kiar from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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The Creative Economy in Huron County Culture and the creative economy are identified as one of the five economic pillars in Huron County. It is well known that the cultural resources in the community enrich the quality of life for residents, but the economic benefits and potential for wealth creation of those resources are still not fully understood. The “Creative Class Workers in Huron County”, (February 2011) report by the Four County Labour Market Planning Board, provides some indicators about the role of the creative class in Huron County’s economy. Using the creative class framework developed by Dr. Richard Florida, employment data from the 2006 Canadian census was disseminated into classes of occupations to benchmark the local concentration of the creative class in Huron County. The report finds that: “This class is significantly less prominent in Huron County as it represents 21% of total employment locally compared to 34% of total employment in Ontario. The creative class has grown faster than average of all occupations in Ontario while it has declined faster that the average in Huron County.” To date, there has been in-depth analysis of the
economic impacts of the cultural sector (referred to as the super-creative core in creative economy research) as a separate sub-category of the local economy. We know that this super-creative core, (the resources found in the Cultural Industries and Cultural Occupations categories of the Cultural Resource Framework, Figure 4:1) forms the foundation of a vibrant creative economy and plays a critical role in the attraction of knowledgebased workers. Creating a vibrant creative economy and attracting knowledge-based workers are both goals compatible with Huron County’s economic development policies. Collection of information on cultural occupations in the County as part of the cultural mapping project did not yield enough data to make any credible or conclusive observations regarding the economic value of cultural occupations within the creative sector. In order to form successful economic development strategies for leveraging the cultural assets in the County, more work and analysis needs to be done to address the current gap in data on how the cultural sector, creative class and creative economy are functioning in Huron County. (Figure 4:1)
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4.2 Municipal Cultural Mapping Municipal Cultural Planning is a process both for leveraging a community’s cultural resources to support economic development and integrating culture across all facets of local planning and decision-making. Municipal Cultural Planning Partnership (MCP) defines municipal cultural planning as: “The strategic and integrated planning and use of cultural resources for economic and community development.” The cultural mapping project findings provide us with the answer to the first question of the municipal cultural planning process “Where are we now?” (Figure 4:2). The project findings identify Huron County’s cultural resources and provide the baseline data needed for the next steps of informed municipal cultural planning. Analysis of the findings provide some early clues to the direction we should go in, in order to develop effective strategies for the growth of the local cultural sector by pointing to new opportunities or through identification of gaps in existing resources. We still lack a clear vision of “Where do we want to go?” and directions for “How do we get there?” The answers to those two questions require additional community consultation, sector engagement, input from municipal staff, and support of council if we are going to be effective in leveraging the economic and community development potential of our cultural resources.
“Lake Huron Sunset” by Elizabeth Van den Broeck from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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The Cultural Planning Process (Figure 4:2)
Start-up
Phase 1: Where are we now?
Planning Context Identifying opportunities to integrate culture into municipal plans and policies Cultural Mapping Identifying cultural assets
Phase 2: Where do we want to go?
Internal Engagement Engage staff, senior management and council in defining opportunities and directions. Community Engagement Engage the community in visioning and direction setting
Prepare Draft Plan Addressing vision, roles and partnerships, strategies, and actions
Phase 3: How do we get there?
Secure Approvals Finalize plan and secure council approval Implement and Monitor Take action and continuously assess process
Source: “Rediscovering the Wealth of Places� Greg Baeker (2010)
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4.3 Recommendations The Project Steering Committee makes two recommendations
1. Understanding the economic footprint of the local cultural sector will help identify new growth areas and harness the potential of the sector to attract creative entrepreneurs and businesses, thereby expanding the rural creative economy in Huron County. Recommendation: Address the current gap in the understanding of the role of culture in Huron County’s economy by preparing a report that details the economic impacts of the cultural sector using data collected through the cultural mapping project and the new 2011 Canadian census data.
2. As outlined in Section 4.2, Municipal Cultural Planning, it is recommended that Huron County develop a new cultural plan, in partnership with sector stakeholders, which establishes strategic goals and initiatives for the growth and sustainability of the cultural assets in Huron County.
Recommendation: That the Cultural Services Department of the County be the lead in the development of a new Huron County Cultural Plan that sets out a number of strategic goals for the leveraging, management and sustainability of the cultural resources and sector within the County and that an application be made to the Creative Communities Prosperity Fund through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture for support of this initiative.
“Pumpkins in Exeter” by Elizabeth Carr from the Collection of the Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol, Goderich, Ontario
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4.4 Opportunities A new Huron County Cultural Plan will set out the action plan for cultural development. Until then there are some early opportunities for capacity building and culture-led development that the project findings support. Continue to build on the cultural database and content for www.creativehuron.ca, as a means to promote the cultural resources and unique stories and heritage of Huron County and as a link to connecting individuals and businesses in the cultural sector. Increase the profile and capacity of the small and home-based businesses in the sector by connecting them to the existing services offered by: Small Business Enterprise Centre, Huron Business Development Corporation, Huron Manufacturing Association and Economic Development Services. Existing and potential services for small and home-based businesses include: Web promotion through Huron Business Directory, Creative Huron, and municipal sites Professional development workshops through Huron Small Business Enterprise Centre Printed promotional resources e.g. Huron County Visitor’s Guide Benefits of organizational membership – Huron Arts & Heritage Network, Huron Tourism Association, and Huron Manufacturing Association Leverage our heritage resources into new tourism products including the development of tours, addition of signage and text panels, new marketing strategies and increased profile of local cultural heritage in our events and festivals as outlined on p. 12. Create new cultural heritage resources that recognize the important role of agriculture and women in the County’s story. Promote the recreational uses of natural heritage resources by including more information in municipal recreation guides or providing links to the maps and information already available through Huron Tourism Association’s or Conservation Authority websites under the recreation section on their websites. Prominently feature the natural heritage amenities in marketing Huron County to newcomers and economic development strategies. Make cultural infrastructure a priority by establishing working partnerships between local government and facility users to identify and prioritize capital projects; refurbishment and renovation of existing cultural spaces, and investigate potential funding options (private and public) for those projects. Build organizational capacity in the non-profit sector. Cultural organizations and community groups need to build their membership and volunteer base by clearly articulating the significant contributions they make to the services and programming available in local communities. 61 | Lake, Land, and Local
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4.5 Project Summary When the Project Steering Committee embarked on the cultural mapping project in June 2011, no one on the committee knew how many resources we would find or how large the cultural sector in Huron County was. There was an inkling or a belief that the County was home to a large and vibrant cultural sector, but there was no proof that anyone could have pointed to. The evidence now exists in the 1,780 cultural resources identified at the time of printing this report. Those 1,780 quantified cultural resources represent confirmation of the importance of the size, scope and diversity of the County’s cultural sector. The ability to share and connect residents and visitors to that information through www.creativehuron.ca is the practical legacy of the project. A resource that promotes the heritage, cultural assets, and artists in the County means that the project findings will never end as “another report on the shelf”, but will continue as a useful new tool. Huron County has many of the features and amenities that allow rural creative economies to flourish. The large number of heritage resources in the County provide the building blocks for the development of new tourism products. The natural heritage features - lakeshore, rivers and forest tracts - enhance our quality of place by providing an idyllic backdrop, and should be an important part of promoting Huron County as a desirable place to live. Non-profit organizations in the County are important leaders and partners with a demonstrated ability to build community capacity by collaboratively pooling resources to get the job done. And we may not be a year-round tourist destination yet, but the number and variety of events and festivals during the summer months equates to Huron County hosting one of the longest and largest arts celebrations anywhere and we need to promote that fact. There are also some challenges ahead. Our cultural spaces are not adequate, and in need of updating, so that cultural infrastructure needs to be on the radar. Our local artists and cultural organizations need the proper tools to deliver their products; without investment in cultural infrastructure their potential for contributing to the economic prosperity of the County is greatly diminished. Declining volunteerism is a troubling trend that will have an impact on the cultural and much relied on non-profit sector; with 82% of the non-profit organizations in the County being completely volunteer-run, cultural organizations will have to be adaptive and find new organizational models to cope with the decrease. The high level of engagement of County residents in cultural activities suggests that we have the “buy-in” and human resources locally to meet these challenges. Cultural Mapping was the first step in moving forward in the development, management and support of the County’s cultural resources. More work remains to be done if we are to meet the challenge of maintaining a sustainable and vibrant cultural sector in our rural communities. Having a better understanding of the economic impacts of the cultural sector is the next step and will identify economic opportunities and achievable growth targets. Now that the foundation is in place we need to chart the course for where we want to go by taking on Municipal Cultural Planning with as much input and consultation with cultural sector stakeholders as possible. Lake, Land, and Local...Love It!
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Acknowledgments Funding for this project was provided by The Province of Ontario and The Corporation of the County of Huron.
Thank you to the project steering committee for their time and effort. Stephanie Allen, GIS Specialist, Planning and Development, County of Huron David Armstrong, President, Huron County Historical Society Laurel Armstrong, Chair, Huron Arts & Heritage Network Marian Doucette, Web Architect, Information Technology, County of Huron Cindy Fisher, Tourism Coordinator, Planning and Development, County of Huron Patricia Hamilton, Curator, Huron County Museum, Cultural Services, County of Huron Tyler Hessel, Councillor Huron County Council, Councillor Bluewater Municipal Council, Small Business Owner Mark Hussey, Multi-media and Web Developer, Economic Development Services, County of Huron Wes MacVicar, Executive Director, Foundation for Education Karen Melady, Community Artist, Worth Their Salt Paul Nichol, Huron Business Development Corporation Mike Pullen, Senior Economic Development, Economic Development Services, County of Huron Rebecca Rathwell, Project Coordinator, Make Huron Home Deb Sholdice, General Manager, Blyth Festival Rick Sickinger, Cultural Development Officer, Cultural Services, County of Huron Jenna Ujiye, Tourism Marketer, County of Huron Denise Van Amersfoort, Planner, Planning and Development, County of Huron Elizabeth Van den Broeck, Visual Artist, Owner of Elizabeth’s Art Gallery Meighan Wark, County Librarian and Director of Cultural Services, County of Huron Linda Wiebe, Visual Artist, Worth Their Salt Brigitte Wolf, Visual Artist, Reflections Glass Studio Thank you to those that assisted with the work on the report and database: Jeremy Allin, Administrative Assistant, Huron County Museum, Cultural Services, County of Huron John Grace, Councillor Huron County Council, Deputy Mayor Goderich Madelaine Higgens, St. Anne’s Secondary School Cooperative Education Sarah Koopmans Sharlene Young-Bolen
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Appendix
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Glossary
Geographic Information System (GIS) - A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information. Global Positioning System (GPS) - An accurate worldwide navigational and surveying facility based on the reception of signals from an array of orbiting satellites that can determine the latitude and longitude of a location. Creative Class - The Creative Class is a socioeconomic class that economist and social scientist Richard Florida, identifies as a key driving force for economic development of post-industrial cities. Creative Economy - The creative economy refers to a range of economic activities which are concerned with the generation or exploitation of knowledge and information. Cultural Heritage - Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts (cultural property) and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. Cultural heritage includes tangible culture (such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art, and artifacts), intangible culture (such as folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge). Cultural Resources - Cultural resources encompass both tangible and intangible cultural assets that fuel local cultural vitality and contribute to defining the unique local cultural identity and sense of place. Intangible cultural assets are types of cultural expression that are not necessarily manifest in physical form. Cultural Resource Framework - The Cultural Resource Framework is a tool to help identify and classify cultural resources. It breaks resources into a set number of main categories with each main category having multiple sub-categories. Designated Heritage Conservation District – A defined area or areas of a municipality designated as a Heritage Conservation District under the Ontario Heritage Act (Part V). District Conservation enables the council of a municipality to manage and guide future change in the district, through the adoption of a district plan with policies and guidelines for conservation, protection and enhancement of the area’s special character. Designated Heritage Property – A property designated under the Ontario Heritage Act (Part IV). A property is designated if it demonstrates any of the following core values: Aesthetic, design, or physical value, historical or associative value, and/or contextual value. Designation safeguards a property from alterations that would destroy the property’s core heritage values identified in the designation process.
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Heritage Advisory Committee – A municipal council appointed advisory committee, (made up of citizen representatives and council designates), under Section 28 of the Ontario Heritage Act. A municipal heritage committee is appointed by and is responsible and accountable to municipal council. It helps its council make decisions on any matter relating to the legal designation and conservation of property of cultural heritage value or interest, including individual properties and heritage conservation districts. Municipal Cultural Mapping - Municipal Cultural Mapping is a government led systematic approach to identifying, recording and classifying a community’s cultural resources. It involves a process of collecting, analysing and synthesizing information in order to describe and visualize the cultural resources in terms of issues such as networks, links, patterns of usage, and unique character and identity of a given community. Municipal Cultural Planning - Municipal Cultural Planning (MCP) is a municipal government led process approved by Council, for identifying and leveraging a community’s cultural resources, strengthening the management of those resources, and integrating those cultural resources across all facets of municipal government planning and decision making. Natural Heritage - Natural heritage is the legacy of natural objects and intangible attributes encompassing the countryside and natural environment, including flora and fauna, scientifically known as biodiversity, and geology and landforms (geodiversity). Public Art - The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all. The term is sometimes also applied to include any art which is exhibited in a public space including publicly accessible buildings. Seasonal Celebrations - Events or festivals connected with specific calendar dates or seasons. It includes religious celebrations, Christmas and Easter, National holidays, Canada Day, New Year’s Eve and secular celebrations Halloween, Thanksgiving and Remembrance Day.
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Selected Bibliography
Baeker, Greg. “Rediscovering The Wealth of Place: Municipal Knowledge Series”. St. Thomas, ON: Municipal World Inc., 2010. Overton, Patrick. “Developing and Revitalizing Rural Communities Through Arts and Creativity: United States of America”. Vancouver, BC: Creative City Network, 2009. Hall, Heather. “Harvesting the Rural Creative Economy”. Kingston, ON: Monieson Centre, Queen’s School of Business, 2011 Rice, Dane. “Creative Class Workers in Huron County”. Goderich, ON: Four County Labour Market Planning Board, 2011 “Municipal Cultural Planning: A Toolkit for Ontario Municipalities”. Waterloo, ON: Municipal Cultural Planning Inc., 2011 “Facilities Needs Assessment Update Survey ArtsBuild Ontario”. Toronto, ON: Prepared by Ipso Reid, 2010 Florida, Richard, Mellander, Charlotta, and Stolarick, Kevin. “Beautiful Places: The Role of Perceived Aesthetic Beauty in Community Satisfaction”. Toronto, ON: Martin Prosperity Institute, University of Toronto, 2009. “Volunteers in Arts and Culture Organizations in Canada in 2007”. Hamilton, ON: Hills Strategies Research, 2010. Stolarick, Kevin, et. al. “Creativity, Tourism, Economic Development in Rural Context: the case of Prince Edward County”. Toronto, ON: Working Paper Series: Martin Prosperity Institute, University of Toronto, 2010. “The Economic Impacts of Cultural and Sport Tourism in Canada 2007”. Ottawa, ON: Department of Canadian Heritage and Industry Canada, 2009. “Canadians’ Arts, Culture and Heritage Activities in 2010”. Hamilton, ON: Hills Strategies Research, 2011. “Creativity in the Rural Economy: Challenges and Opportunities”. Toronto, ON: Martin Prosperity Institute, University of Toronto, 2010. “Canada’s Creative Corridor: Connecting Creative Urban & Rural Economies within Eastern Ontario and the Mega Region”. Toronto, ON: Miller Dickinson Blais, AuthentiCity, Martin Prosperity Institute, University of Toronto, 2009. “Cultural Resource Mapping: A Guide for Municipalities”. Waterloo, ON: Municipal Cultural Planning Inc., 2010 67 | Lake, Land, and Local
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“The NADbank 2010 Study”. Toronto, ON: Newspaper Audience Databank Inc., 2010 Baeker, Greg. “A Potential Cultural Mapping System For Ontario”. Waterloo, ON: Cultural Mapping Working Group, Municipal Cultural Planning Partnership, May 2009 Marlin, Amanda, Bruce, David.“ Transforming a Rural Society: Impacts of Broadband Adoption and Use in Rural New Brunswick Institutions”. Sackville, NB: Rural Small Town Programme, Mount Allison University, August 2006
Relevant Websites
Municipal Cultural Planning
www.ontariomcp.ca
Creative City Network
www.creativecity.ca
AuthentiCity
www.mappingauthenticity.com
Martin Prosperity Institute
www.martinprosperity.org
County of Huron
www.huroncounty.ca
Hill Strategies Research
www.hillstrategies.com
Artscape DIY
www.artscapeDIY.org
ArtsBuild Ontario
www.artsbuildontario.ca
Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture
www.mtc.gov.on.ca
Huron Tourism Association
www.ontarioswestcoast.ca
Huron Arts & Heritage Network
www.heritageandculture.on.ca
Huron Heritage Fund
www.huroncounty.ca/museum/huronheritagefund
Huron County Art Bank
www.huroncounty.ca/museum/artbank
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Appendix A: Cultural Resource Framework
Category: Cultural Industries NAICS 315299 323113 323115 323119 32312 327110 33461 41442 41444 41445 41446 448199 45121 45122 45114 453310 453920 453920 51111 51112 51113 51114 511190 51121 51211 51212 51213 61161 61161 61161 61161 711111 711112 711120 711130 711190 71131
Definition Theatrical Supplies & Costumes Commercial Screen Printing Digital Printing Other Printing (Art Works, Cards, Catalogues) Support Activities for Printing Pottery & Ceramics Sound Recording, Film & Video Support Book, Periodical & Newspaper Wholesaler-Distributors Sound Recording Wholesaler Video Cassette Wholesalers (DVD) Toy & Hobby Goods Wholesaler-Distributors Dance Supplies Bookstores Pre-Recorded Tape, Compact Disc & Record Stores Musical Instrument & Supplies Store Antiques Art Dealers/Suppliers Commercial Art Galleries Newspaper Publishers Periodical Publishers Book Publishers Directory & Mailing List Publishers Other Publishers Software Publishers Motion Pictures and Video Production Motion Pictures and Video Distribution Motion Pictures and Video Exhibition Dance Instruction Music Instruction Visual Arts Instruction Theatre Instruction Theatre Companies (Except Musical Theatres) Musical Theatre & Opera Companies Dance Companies Musical Groups Other Performing Arts Companies Promoters (Presenters) of Performing Arts 69 | Lake, Land, and Local
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING 71141 711511 711512 711513 712111 712119 712119 712190 712120 712130 54131 54132 54141 54142 54143 54149 541510 541511 541511 54181 54182 54183 54184 54185
Agents and Managers for Artists & Entertainers Visual Artists Performers & Comedians Writers & Authors Public Art Galleries Public Museums, Gardens, Heritage Institutions Commercial Museums, Gardens, Heritage Institutions Interpretive Centers Historic & Heritage Sites Botanical & Zoological Gardens Architectural Services Landscape Architectural Services Interior Design Services Industrial Design Services Graphic Designers Other Specialized Design Services – Clothing, Jewellery, Sets, Textiles Computer Software Systems Analysis & Design Services Computer Programming Services – Web Page Design Computer Programming Services – New Interactive Digital Media Advertising Agencies Public Relations Services Media Buying Agencies Media Representatives Display Advertising
Category: Cultural Occupations NOCS F021.5121 F022.5122 F022.5123 C051.2151 C052.2152 C0152.2252 F036.5136 F121.5221 F141.5241 F142.5242 F143.5243
Definition Authors and Writers Editors Journalists Architects Landscape Architects Industrial Designers Visual Artists, Painters, Sculptors Photographers Graphic Designers & Illustrators Interior Designers Fashion, Theatre & Exhibit Designers 70 | Lake, Land, and Local
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING F144.5244 F035.5135 F031.5131 F032.5132 F033.5133 F034.5134 F132.5232 F011.5111 F011.5111 F011.5111 A341.0511 A342.0512 B413.1213 B551.1451 B552.1452 C125.2225 C151.2251 C153.2253 F024.5124 F025.5125 F111.5211 F112.5212 F122.5222 F123.5223 F124.5224 F126.5226
F127.5227 F131.5231 F145.5245 H018.7218 H521.7381 J181.9471 J182.9472 J184.9474
Artisans & Craftspeople Actors & Comedians Producers, Directors & Choreographers Conductors, Composers and Arrangers Musicians & Singers Dancers Other Performers Librarians Conservators & Curators Archivist Library, Archive, Museum & Art Gallery Managers Managers in Publishing, Motion Pictures, Broadcasting, Performing Arts Supervisors, Library and related information clerks Library Clerks Correspondence, Publication & related clerks Landscape and Horticultural Technicians Architectural Technologists & Technicians Drafting Technologists & Interpreters Professional Occupations in Public Relations & Communications Translators, Terminologists & Interpreters Library and Archive Technicians & Assistants Technical Occupations related to Museums and Galleries Film & Video Camera Operators Graphic Arts Technicians Broadcast Technicians Other Technical Occupations in Motion Pictures, Broadcasting & Performing Arts Support occupations in Motion Pictures, Broadcasting & Performing Arts Announcers and other Broadcasters Patternmakers – textile, leather and fur products Supervisors, Printing & Related Occupations Printing Press Operator Printing Machine Operator Camera, Plate Making & Pre-press Operations Photographic & Film Processor
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Category: Cultural Organizations NAICS 813990 81341 813410 813410 813410 9139 913910 81399
Definition Arts Organizations Civic & Social Organizations Heritage Organizations Aboriginal Organizations Ethno-Cultural Organizations Other Local, Municipal & Regional Public Administration Municipal Advisory Organizations Other Membership Organizations
Category: Cultural Spaces & Facilities NAICS 453920 712111 712119 712119 712190 519122 71111 711311 519121 512110 515120 515210 512240 515110 541430 541511 541490 61161 611610
Definition Commercial Art Galleries Public Art Galleries Public Museums Commercial Museums, Gardens, other Heritage Institutions Other Heritage, including Nature & Interpretive Centres Archives Theatres Other Performing Arts Facilities Libraries Motion Picture, Film & Video Production Television Broadcasting Pay & Specialty Television Studios Sound Recording Studio Radio Broadcasting Graphic Design Services Digital and Media Studios Other Specialized Design Services Arts Instruction Fine Arts Schools (incl. Dance Schools)
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Category: Natural Heritage NAICS 712190 712190 712130 712190 712190 712190 712190 712190
Definition National Parks Provincial Parks Botanical & Zoological Gardens (incl. Arboreta, Conservatories) Conservation Areas Nature Parks (Reserves, Wetlands & Parklands) Nature Centres Bird & Wildlife Sanctuaries Natural Wonders (caverns, waterfalls, etc.) Scenic Destinations Farms & Orchards (Heritage Farms & Managed lands) Urban Parks Canadian Heritage Rivers Gardens & Forests
Category: Cultural Heritage Sub Category: Collections NAICS 519122 712111 712119 712115 712115 71212 71212 71212 812220 712120 712120 712120 712120 712120 712120
Definition Archives Public Art Galleries & Outdoor Public Art Public Museum Collections Museums - Specialized Museums – Local/General Designated Heritage Properties Registered Heritage Properties Heritage Conservation Districts Cemeteries Battlefields, Fortifications & Military Sites Heritage Villages Industrial & Transportation Sites Pioneer Villages Village & Farmstead Heritage Sites Archaeological Sites Historic Plaques
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Category: Cultural Events & Festivals NAICS 711311 711322 711322 711322 711322 711322 711322 711322 711311 711322 711322 711322 711322 711322 711322 711322 711322 711322 711322
Definition Gallery & Studio Tours and Events Artist or Artisan Tours & Events Craft Shows & Festivals Film Festivals & Events Literary Festivals & Events Music Festivals & Events Performing Arts Festivals & Events Public Art Tours Museum Programs & Events Interpretive Programs, Tours & Events Cultural Heritage Tours & Events Seasonal Celebrations & Events Aboriginal Festivals & Events Multicultural Festivals & Events Natural Heritage Tours & Events Sports & Recreational Events Country Fairs House & Garden Tours & Events Street Festivals
Category: Education NAICS 611110 611110 611110 611110 611210 611210 611310 611410 611420 611430 611510
Definition Elementary Schools Secondary Schools Private Schools School Boards Community Colleges E-Learning & CEGEP’s Universities & Degree Granting Institutions Business & Secretarial Schools Computer Training Professional & Management Development Training Technical & Trade Schools 74 | Lake, Land, and Local
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING 611610 611620 611630 611690 611710 611710 611710 611710
Fine Arts Schools Athletic Instruction Language Schools Other Schools & Instruction Vocational Counselling Educational Counselling Educational Testing Services Student Exchange Programs
Religious Organizations Sub Category: Places of Worship NAICS 813110 813110 813110 813110 813110
Definition Churches, Temples & Synagogues Other Places of Worship Religious Organizations Bible Societies Missions
Recreation & Sports
NAICS 713910 713930 713910 713950 713990
Definition Fitness & Recreation Centres Marinas Golf Courses Bowling Lanes Other Recreation – Lawn Bowling, Horseback Riding, Pool, Beaches, etc.
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Appendix B: Huron County Profile The County of Huron is located in south-western Ontario north of the city of London and west of the Golden Horseshoe area (see map below). The County is approximately 100 kilometres long from north to south, 50 kilometres wide from east to west. With no urban centre over 8,000 in population, a population density of just 17.7 persons per square kilometre and approximately 60% of the population living on rural farm and non-farm properties, Huron is one of the most rural regions in the province.
Due in part to its location along the Lake Huron shoreline, residents and visitors to Huron County know this region as “Ontario’s West Coast”.
Huron County was divided into nine lower-tier municipalities (map right) during the amalgamation process; Township of AshfieldColborne-Wawanosh, Municipality of Bluewater, Municipality of Central Huron, Town of Goderich, Township of Howick, Municipality of Huron East, Municipality of Morris-Turnberry, Township of North Huron, and Municipality of South Huron.
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Municipal Maps
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Cultural Assets – Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Assets – Bluewater
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Assets – Central Huron
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Assets – Goderich
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Assets – Howick
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Assets – Huron East
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Assets – Morris-Turnberry
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Assets – North Huron
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HURON COUNTY CULTURAL MAPPING Cultural Assets – South Huron
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Huron County Art Bank Images from works in the Huron County Art Bank have been used throughout the report. In 1997, a generous bequest was received by the Corporation of the County of Huron, from the Estate of Susannah Lattimer. She was a descendent of the Craig Family of former Morris Township. Although she did not spend her entire life as a County resident, Susannah Lattimer wished to remember her "Huron Roots." In 2000, one of the initiatives undertaken through her bequest was to establish the Huron County Art Bank and collect contemporary works of art created by local artists that depict Huron County. Submissions would be received for an annual art exhibition and sale organized through the Huron County Museum. Each year, a different artist, invited from outside Huron County, judged the show to select three paintings for purchase. At the conclusion of this acquisition program in 2012, thirty-six works of art will have been acquired for the Art Bank. The Lattimer Bequest has also provided an opportunity for Huron County artists to showcase their talent for appreciation by many visitors at the Museum and to offer their work for sale. Collected today for future generations to cherish, the Huron County Art Bank features a wide variety of styles and themes. These paintings are displayed in exhibitions and hang in various Huron County buildings. Please take the opportunity to view and enjoy this legacy from Susannah Lattimer, http://www.huroncounty.ca/museum/huronart.html
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