Southampton 150th Anniversary
News

NEWS RELEASE For release Dec. 5, 2008

150th anniversary committee has projects to finish, audit to submit

Southampton, Ont., Dec. 5, 2008 -- The 150th anniversary's big celebrations of August are over but the 150th Anniversary Committee is still at work completing the Cottage Life Project and finalizing the reporting to Canadian Heritage.

PROJECTS TO FINISH

One of the legacies of the 150th anniversary celebrations is a set of permanent markers erected at historic sites in Southampton. These are the product of the Cottage Life Project, a joint effort by volunteers Brenda Sharpe, Sam Klaman, Jane Kramer, Margaret Large-Cardoso and Arlene Letheren.

The Knowles Block, the first historical plaque, was unveiled on Aug. 30, 2008. See "Plaque honours Southampton's father of tourism", www.familyhelper.net/150/news/080822knowles.html.

The second historical plaque -- The Old Train Station -- has been completed. A third plaque on the history of the river harbour is being manufactured.

Two more plaques are in the design stage and will be manufactured and delivered in January. The last four plaques will be installed in the spring.

A Cottage Life booklet is now ready for printing, incorporating all the personal history and pictures provided by owners of historical cottages. This history by cottagers will be archived at the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre and go on sale there.

REPORT AND AUDIT

A full report on 150th activities has been put together by the 150th Anniversary Committee and runs to three large binders. In addition, as required by the federal Department of Canadian Heritage, an audit is under way of all expenditures and revenues.

Once the projects and audit are complete, the final report can be submitted to Canadian Heritage. The Committee expects it will take several months for the department to complete its review and release the final 10% holdback of funds.

Treasurer Tim Andersen says he expects the final financial picture will be clear only after hearing from Canadian Heritage.

"We are still receiving invoices and have to consolidate them against income," he explained.

The grant from the Department of Canadian Heritage, under the program Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage, is described at "Federal grant of $94,800 for 150th anniversary celebrations", www.familyhelper.net/150/news/080320federalgrant.html.

SOUTHAMPTON BOOK STILL AVAILABLE

Another legacy of the 150th, the book Southampton Remembered, is still available at Bayberry's on High Street. In the New Year the few remaining copies will be sold at the Gift Shop of the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre.

In 120 pages Southampton Remembered presents the memories that people have of Southampton over the years, complemented by a superb collection of period photographs. For more on the book, see "Launch of Southampton Remembered book," www.familyhelper.net/150/news/080808book.html.

- 30 - For more: Dunc McCallum, 519-797-2043, mccalld1@aol.com.

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THE 2008 CELEBRATIONS

For all news releases, see www.familyhelper.net/150/news

To see all 150th anniversary events, visit www.familyhelper.net/150/events.html

2008 marks 150 years since Southampton was incorporated as a village on July 24, 1858. For more about Southampton's 150th Anniversary, see www.saugeenshores.ca/southampton150

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The Southampton 150th Anniversary Committee is composed of volunteers and is a sub-committee of the Saugeen Shores Chamber of Commerce.