Festival at The Fort 2011

Saturday, September 17, 2011

The festival was a great success again this year, despite the loss of the City of Barrie's support and involvement.

Over 1050 students from various Simcoe County schools and home school groups passed throught the site on Friday and took part in the many activities and learning oppurtunities.  Feedback, in the form of a number of letters from teachers, was overwhelmingly positive.

On Saturday the site had 550 visitors, including over 40 hikers, who arrived in a group in mid afternoon.  The activities were featured on City TV news that evening.

We hope to build on our success again next year as we begin the Bi-Centennial celebrations of the War of 1812.  Check this site again for upcoming events in 2012.

Bernie Longson Memorial Pavillion

With the generous help of local Rotarions and a generous donation from the Longson family, and after three years of planning, we are about to start construction of a pavillion at the site which, when complete, allow us to invite large groups to the site for educational programs and other events.

The pavillion is to be named for Bernie Longson, head of the Fort Willow Improvement Group, whose years of dedicated work created the site as it now exists and will honour the memory of both Bernie and his wife, who passed away in May and June 2010.  The frame of the pavillion will be erected in November and the floor poured in the spring of 2012. 

Valued Volunteer Leaves

Our master gardener, Ileen Sabean, has moved on to other endeavours.  While she was with us over the last several years, Ileen was responsible for maintaining our Three Sisters Garden.  She also re-introduced a number of native species to the Fort, in an effort to more accurately recreate the natural look of the area in the period when Europeans first arrived.

Thanks, Ilene!  We'll miss you!