The Great Ontario Communities Series (Country Heritage Park)

 During the past 14+ years, Judi and I have visited over 300 Ontario community festivals and events. The majority have been planned and managed by dedicated community volunteers. As a salute to these wonderful communities and their hard-working residents, I will be writing a series of blogs entitled “Great Ontario Communities”. These blogs describe the communities we have visited and will tell you about some of the interesting things we have experienced and the people we have met. The sixteenth article is about Country Heritage Park. I am including this "Heritage Park" and others (Pioneer Villages) like it because I feel that they represent what communities and community life was and is all about.

COUNTRY HERITAGE PARK - You wouldn’t know it but hidden in the shadows of the Niagara Escarpment in Milton lies one of the best interactive heritage parks we’ve visited.  The park is called the “County Heritage Park” and if you look closely and quickly you can catch a glimpse of it from Hwy. #401, just west of Milton.  Don’t blink or you'll missed it. However, if you are looking for a really fun adventure with the whole family, the Country Heritage Park is the place to go.  The park depicts agriculture and rural life over the last 150 years.  The park is located on 80 acres and has 30 exhibit buildings and 20,000 artifacts.  Make sure, when you do go, that you take a good pair of walking shoes. Also, go early so you don’t miss anything.  Over the year the park has a number of special events, each highlighting different aspects of the park.

In addition to the historic buildings, the Country Heritage Park boasts a number of outstanding collections.  These include tractors, carriages, steam engines, cars, milking equipment and much more.  This is a special place, especially for those of us who enjoy experiencing and studying Canada's and Ontario's past!