The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

MI 8 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday. June 8, 199 Flower say it buet 487 Laurier Ave., 878-2881 "Fxu8ymwnxd Jlrexer30 yeex" *CWenwion ù i ,iWhen smithy sp»ruced up it shouki s3park interest Bv IRENE GENTLE The Champion lilhe fitrethanks to the efforts of the Milton Historical Society. The society is hosting a historic homes tour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 12, with the proceeds going toward fixing up Uhc dilapidated Waldie Blacksmith Shop. Six beautiful residences - five in thc downtown core - will open their doors for Uic tour. The sixth home is on the town's eest- ern fringe. AIl tbe homes were built between 1840 and 1890 and have been cerefially restored and maintained to give a true feeling of l9th century architectura. Costumed guides wilI provide tour- goers with a history of flot just the homes, but also the people who once lived in them. As well, a Moffat area blacksmith will be on hand with his portable forge to demonstrat the magic of the old art. MWats the art that camred on for years at the Waldie shop. Locatad on James Street the shop has been in the hands of Milton's Waldie feznily froin the time its doors opened in 1865. Those doors closed for the lest time in the late 1970s. Blacksanithing back Sinca then there have been sporadic efforts to rejuvenete die shop, which isl one of the few remaining blacksmith shops in Ontario. The structure itself is post and beem timber, with a rubble atone infill. Renewed intereat in sprucing up the smiùthy has come hand in liand wîth a regenerated interast in blacksmîthing 1tef. said Mersha Waklie. Blecksmith associations have sprung upacross the nation, helping to fuel the efforts of the Waldie shop' s renewal, she said. It hes had a resurgence lately," she said. The entire structure will ha worked over, said Ms Weldie. ..It needs everything," she said. "If you were bomn in 1865, you'd have to have everything done, too." Thougli no price lias been attachad te the restoration as yet, Milton residents have already sliown their intarest in the project by making a seraes of în-kind donations. Aside fromn voluntering their time, rasidents have donated concrete, baen- board and roofing materiels for the restored sliop. Recently, 27 volunteers gatlierad ta empty the shop of instruments sucli as the blacksmith's forge end anvil in preparation for the badly needed restorations. "We've lied e lot of people corne out of the woodwork and dedicete their tima," seid the society's Mandy Sadgwick. It lias kind of picked up its own momentum." Mma society is hoping tia restoreflon will ha complete within two years. Ki wili take it in once it's hack in woring order, dia sliop will likely serve as a tourist attrac- tion and education facility for scliool chldran. Feelars have been sent out to use tha rapairad shop as a training facility for dia Ontario Blacksmidis Association. Thare is elso dia hope diet one of dia associations will use it for dieir annuel, waekand long blacksmithing compati- tion. The restored shop could bring tourism to Milton, suggested Ms Sadgwick. -Weve got a reelly nice town liera," she seid. "So meny people go ta Niagara On The Lake but we have a pond and e nice downtown." Tickets for die avent are $15 and cen ha purchased et Bergsma' s Paint end Wallpapar, Harris Stationary, Delacouxt's and Kelena Flowers, aIl in downtown Milton. Peggy's et dia Milton MalI and Old Is Beautiful Antiques in Moffat, as well as Fromt Our Farm Country Shoppa on Fourth Lina are also selling tickets. Finally, tickets can be obtained by calling Helen et 876-1872, or Mendy at 1878-4197. File pihoto by GRAHAM PAINE Although the old Waldie blecksmlth shop la badly mun down et present, the Milton Historlcal Society seau a brlght future for the faclllty once It se revlitallzed. Çhamber plans to market area through a new group By KAREN SMITH The Champion A major tourism promotion for Milton and surrounding areas was leunclied racently by the Milton Chamhar of Commerce. Escarpment Country, haing marketed as a tourist desti- nation that features attractions from a racetrack and an ostricli ferm ta conservation areas and eatenies, was offi- cially kicked off during a ceremnony et Hugli Foster Hall. TIse launcli is the culmination of more than two years of planning and work by a chanihar voluntear committee that formed a marketing alliance of 45 local tounism des- tination businesses and services. Escarpmant Country, a registered trademaic, unveiled its naw visitors' guida, rural destination signage prograns and diverse pertnership roster. The marketing alliance includes Conservation Halton and its 9,000 acres of perkland cantrad on the Niagara Escarpment, Mohiawk Racaway and the Ontario Jockey Club. It's also made up of seesonal festivals, pick-your- own ferms, museums, sports venues, eateries, accommo- dations and spacialty shopping. Strength in numbers The destinations have joined to create a powerful pool of resources for joint projects in advertising, marketing, signage and trade show participation, said Escarpment Country committee chair Ken Moore. "Together we are a major source of employment and an aven bigger source of revenue to the community dirougli the visitors thet we draw to the area," hae said. "It mekes sense to join forces to become a major southemn Ontario destination." Studies show that the ares now defined as Escarpment Country draws in axcess of 1.2 million touriats each year. Milton's E.scerpment Country encompasses the hanilets of Caniphalîvilla. Moffat and Homby end the 380 square kilometres norts and south of dia Hwy. 401 corridor. 199 T-Bird 1999 upeb or $267imo** or $349j ASKIJSABOIJT *Pistaxes, anduxdie *Lease piee5asedon 36 MOS.$.0 s5dowxplustfrSt & et. sec. deP. 18000 ~TEkniVear plus taxes, licencin + tees. t Dealer cash has bxxx appied plus treigtt taxes and tees. < 0 WALUNI 1 1E ED e65,5 MAIN ST. E., MILTON * 875-36733 .$4698991 or $7571mo* 1997 Taurus sHu $23,995 or 8o*