By Joe Barkovich, Scribbler-at-large
A twin-bill program focusing on items of interest from Welland’s past was held Saturday afternoon. It was sponsored by the City of Welland Heritage Advisory Committee.
First was the unveiling of a plaque at the Welland Canal Second Aqueduct, located behind city hall. It was followed by release of a new booklet, Places That Were. The latter is a 2023-24 project of the Heritage Advisory Committee with writing and editing credit going to Nora A. Reid, the committee’s secretary/treasurer and researcher, and Rose Dzugan, chair of the Welland Historical Museum board.
The booklet is almost certain to become prized by collectors and devotees of local history and heritage. It has 40 photos of “places that were” – some well known and others perhaps not so much. Each photo is accompanied by text that provides historical, cultural and background information about the property profiled.
“This booklet showcases memorable lost properties built on the foresight, toil, and perseverance of our forebearers,” a short introduction to the book says. A case for its publication is made by information from the National Trust for Canada: over the past 30 years Canada has lost 23 percent of its historic buildings in urban areas and 21 percent in rural areas. “This rate of destruction is disturbing in terms of lost heritage, increased environmental waste and loss of tourist dollars.”
The stone aqueduct that was plaqued Saturday afternoon was constructed of “thousands of ashlar cut stones weighing approximately one ton each.” It was designed by Irish-born engineers Walter and Francis Shanly and built by contractor Samuel Zimmerman. It was built between 1842 and 1850 during construction of the Second Welland Canal.
According to the booklet, the aqueduct became redundant after completion of the Fourth Welland Canal and in 1946 was converted into a swimming pool “where generations of children learned to swim.” In 1948 it was the largest filtered pool in Canada.
More coverage and photos will appear Monday, September 23.
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