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

www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, February 25, 2016 | 12 Kaitting Parkette is a tribute to local farming past by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff Oakville's Planning and Development council made what Mayor Rob Burton called "the best of a bad situation" recently by voting to designate the remains of the historic Kaitting House under the Ontario Heritage Act. A suspicious fire in 2009 gutted the vacant 19th century farmhouse located at 237 Dundas St. W. A portion of the structure's west and south brick walls was salvaged and a brick wall, made from the remnants, is now part of a Town of Oakville parkette established at 257 Ellen Davidson Dr. in 2014 and about 50 metres from the former Kaitting House site. Built in 1848, the one-and-a-half-storey brick Our Services We take care of your health! · Massage · Acupuncture · Reflexology · Chinese Massage · Fertility Acupuncture · Physiotherapy · · · · The original house was one of many farmhouses that once dotted the former agricultural landscape of Trafalgar Township and was a significant site along Dundas Street, one of the earliest travel routes in Upper Canada. The salvaged remnants of the house and commemorative features in the parkette are an important reminder of this rural history. Town of Oakville heritage planner Carolyn Van Sligtenhorst 1395 Abbeywood Drive, Unit 14, Oakville Open 7 days a week house was originally part of a 200-acre farm. Heritage groups considered its architecture significant as a local variation of an "Ontario Vernacular" brick, gable-roofed farmhouse with elements of neoclassical and Gothic revival styles. The Kaitting House is now commemorated through landscaping in the parkette. Besides the salvaged wall, the parkette includes ornamental fruit trees, planted to the east of the wall, to commemorate the orchard that was historically located to the east of the farmhouse. A pedestrian path with a curved design references the original curved lane on the farm and a plaque has been erected outlining the Kaitting House's heritage significance. The property is also named the Kaitting House Parkette and surrounding streets bear the names of the residence's historical occupants. "The Kaitting Parkette is contextually significant as a reminder of the former Kaitting House, which was located nearby," said Carolyn Van Sligtenhorst, heritage planner, in a report to council. "The original house was one of many farmhouses that once dotted the former agricultural landscape of Trafalgar Township and was a significant site along Dundas Street, one of the earliest travel routes in Upper Canada. The salvaged remnants of the house and commemorative features in the parkette are an important reminder of this rural history. "These elements within the parkette, along with historical street names used nearby, allow the public to learn about and appreciate Oakville's rural past," she added. oakville.ca Tell us what you think! Lakeshore Road Reconstruction and Streetscape Project After hearing from you through the Downtown Transportation Study, the town chose a contemporary theme for the downtown streetscape design. Now it's time to choose the materials and furnishings. This is an important step in the street design process and we want to hear from you. Join us on Tuesday, March 1 Public Meeting 6 ­ 8 p.m. South Atrium, Town Hall We'd like to get your opinion on two contemporary design palettes. Some sample streetscape materials and furnishings such as pavers, benches, bike rings, recycling stations, and lights will be on display for viewing and comment. These materials will also be used going forward as other streets in Downtown Oakville are reconstructed. Can't make this meeting? View and comment online Visit our online photo library and tell us what you think at oakville.ca. Online feedback open until March 18, 2016. Ash tree removals continue in town woodlands Temporary trail closures expected Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has had a devastating effect on our woodlands. Most, if not all of the town's 43,000 woodland ash trees are now dead or dying. The town is following best forest management practices to remove dead and dying ash trees to reduce the risk to the public and to help our woodlands regrow. Within the next few weeks, as weather and ground conditions permit, the town will begin year two of the Woodlands Hazard Abatement program. Woodlands and trails, or portions of them, will be temporarily closed as tree removals take place. For a map of properties in this year's program and for more information, visit the Trees and Woodlands page at oakville.ca or contact ServiceOakville at serviceoakville@oakville.ca or 905-845-6601.