Part 1: Heritage Committee Advances Commemoration, Indigenous Representation, and Designation Ahead of 2027 Deadline - 11/06/2025

The meeting opened as a virtual session, with Chair Valrie Porter confirming the agenda, approving previous minutes, and noting there were no declarations of pecuniary interest. The meeting was livestreamed and recorded, and the tone from the start was focused but conversational.

Photo: PEC Council/ YouTube

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Early on, Bob Waldon flagged two upcoming dates of significance, November 8 Indigenous Veterans Day and November 11 Remembrance Day, setting the stage for later discussion around commemoration and veterans recognition. The first substantive agenda item was an update on the Indigenous Cultural Sculpture and Gazebo near the Old Boys Memorial entrance in Picton.

Staff confirmed that the gazebo has already been removed and that the Inuksuk will be relocated before Remembrance Day to the Community Centre near the Huff’s Estate Arena. The relocation is intended to better align the sculpture with its original commemorative context. Committee members generally supported the move, with questions focusing on how the original site would be restored and landscaped.

The meeting then moved into a lengthy discussion on the proposed Remembrance and Commemoration of Prince Edward County Veterans Task Team. Staff presented the report and draft terms of reference. The committee debated workload, terminology, quorum challenges, and how the task team would function without overburdening existing members. After discussion, volunteers stepped forward, and the committee agreed to forward the task team proposal and terms of reference to Council for approval.

Next, the committee received a comprehensive presentation on Indigenous heritage representation in the County. Museum staff outlined the success of the permanent exhibit A Path Forward, highlighting its provincial award recognition and strong uptake by local school boards. Educational programming has already reached more than 1,300 students last year, with growing demand this year.

The presentation expanded to cover the County’s Public Art Program, emphasizing Indigenous self determination, co creation, trauma informed commemoration, and respectful storytelling as guiding principles. The committee received the update positively, with interest in future collaboration.

The committee then considered a heritage designation recommendation for the Morrison Point property at 355B Morrison Point Road, also known as the Kerr farm complex. Discussion focused heavily on ensuring the designation clearly covers the entire farm complex, including outbuildings and stone fences, rather than just the main house. Heritage consultant Ernie Marketson participated directly, emphasizing the importance of clear language to protect the site long term. The committee voted to recommend designation to Council, with staff directed to refine the bylaw wording.

Attention then shifted to the Heritage Conservation District signage project for Picton and Wellington. Committee members expressed frustration with administrative delays, budget uncertainty, and procurement requirements that slowed progress. After discussion, the committee approved a motion recommending immediate funding for public engagement and design work in 2025, and inclusion of installation funding in the 2026 budget.

Later agenda items included updates from task teams and working groups, review of the heritage permit master list, and decisions on two specific heritage permit applications. One application at 133 Main Street was not supported due to poor design and premature purchases. Another at 290 Wellington Main Street was praised as a strong example of heritage sensitive improvement and endorsed.

The meeting closed with discussion about the work plan, upcoming election year constraints, fewer meetings in 2026, and growing urgency around heritage designations ahead of the January 2027 deadline, when listed properties lose interim protection. The meeting adjourned with confirmation of the next meeting in December.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 1:24:056. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.