PUBLIC RELATIONS 



Public relations are an important task of every Conservation Authority. The 

 Authority has the problem of informing the public of why the Authority was 

 formed, what are its objectives, and how the objectives can be met. The Authority 

 must also show people why their conservation expenditures require tax dollars 

 from watershed residents. The nature of conservation problems and the need for 

 co-operation among a number of governing bodies must be pointed out. 



Authorities use every means of publicity and education that is available. 

 These include the standard media of radio, television and press, as well as exhibits, 

 demonstrations and field days. Authority staff and representatives give frequent 

 talks to service clubs and other interested bodies. Authorities inaugurate and help 

 carry out soil judging competitions. In the spring they hold tree planting days, 

 competitions for school children, boy scout and girl guide organizations. During 

 the school year they organize conservation scrap book competitions, bird house 

 building competitions and leaf collections. 



Several Conservation Authorities have had films made of their watershed 

 and their conservation projects. Notable among these films are the Metropolitan 

 Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's "A Town and its River", "Legacy 

 of the Valley" and "Pioneer Village". A number of Authorities have published 

 summaries of their activities for public distribution. 



HISTORY 



During the course of acquisition of lands for conservation purposes a number 

 of Authorities have obtained control of historic sites and buildings. In order to 

 preserve these, several Authorities have developed historic villages or restored old 

 mills and buildings and made them accessible to the public. 



Examples of historic buildings which have been restored by Conservation 

 Authorities include the mill in the O'Hara Conservation Area near Madoc. This 

 sawmill, originally built in 1846-47, is unique in Ontario. It is now the property 

 of the Moira River Conservation Authority. The Big Creek Conservation Authority 

 has acquired and restored the old grist mill in the Backus Conservation Area in 

 Norfolk County. 



Three Authorities, the Metropolitan Toronto and Region, the Upper Thames 

 and the Grand Valley, have undertaken development of pioneer villages. The 

 largest and most ambitious of these is Pioneer Village, in the Black Creek 

 Conservation Area in northwest Toronto, developed by the Metropolitan Toronto 

 and Region Conservation Authority. That Authority plans to complete develop- 

 ment of this typical agricultural community of pre-Confederation days by Canada's 

 centenary year, 1967. 



The pioneer village in the Fanshawe Park near London has been a project 

 of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. It represents a village of 

 the 1830's and its buildings are typical of southwestern Ontario of that date. 

 The Grand Valley Conservation Authority provided the site for the Doon Pioneer 

 Village at the Doon Conservation Area. The actual development of the village 

 itself has been financed and directed by the Ontario Pioneer Community 

 Foundation of Waterloo County. 



The development of historic sites and villages in the Authorities has attracted 

 much public attention. In 1962 over 150,000 people visited these various sites. 

 A significant number of those attending were children. 



Historic sites and pioneer villages are financed entirely by the Authorities 

 from their municipal revenues. Such developments do not receive Provincial grants. 



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