Heritage plaques for 19 historic buildings in Bala presented August 18, 2022
On behalf of the Muskoka Lakes Township, local Port Carling historian Susan Daglish with Courtney Provan of the Muskoka Lakes Museum recognized 19 buildings in Bala as being over 100 years in age last week. Chamber Executive Director Norah Fountain also lent a hand in delivering plaques to owners or previous owners of these buildings that serve as stellar examples of Bala’s heritage. (See List of Plaques Presented at the end of this post).
Historian Susan Daglish, the Chamber’s Norah Fountain, and Courtney Provan of Muskoka Lakes Museum presented plaques for 19 historic buildings
The plaque presentations to present owners was made at Margaret Burgess Park in front of the Bala United Church on Thursday, August 18. Township Councillors Ruth Ellen Nishikawa, Glenn Zavitz and Peter Kelley were also at the presentation ceremony, along with Parry Sound- Muskoka MP Scott Aitchison.
“Susan Daglish did all the work, and deserves great applause as it wasn’t easy,” says Fountain. “All the Chamber did was connect her with great people passionate about preserving heritage in Bala: people like Jane Templeton, our former Chamber Manager, and architect Jesse Bol so we were surprised to be included in the presentation ceremony.”
She adds, it was fun watching Susan and Jesse pour over maps, history books about Bala and old community drawings in our office. “Susan led the charge and spent months knocking on doors to engage the community and make sure she was getting facts straight. Those efforts included revisiting the Bala historic walk and checking other sites with Jane.”
All buildings recognized were built before 1935 and remain pretty much as they were back then, according to Courtney Provan of the Muskoka Lakes Museum. The plaques display the year the home was built, as well as the name and profession of the original owner.
MP Scott Aitchison, historian Susan Daglish and Muskoka Lakes Councillor in front of Bala United Church for historic plaaque presentations
In 2021, 10 century plus homes in Port Carling were recognized as being historically significant and now sport their own plaques. There are plans to repeat the plaque project in Windermere next year.
Thank you, Susan Daglish andCourtney Provan of Muskoka Lakes Museum and the Township of Muskoka Lakes for helping keep history alive in Bala.
List of buildings and homes over 100 years in Bala, including year and original occupants:
