Fingal Heritage Park receives $8,500 donation to support tree planting, Indigenous artwork

A heritage park southwest of St. Thomas, Ont., has received a generous donation.

The Estate of Donna Vera Evans Bushell donated $8,500 to the Elgin St. Thomas Community Foundation in support of the Fingal Heritage Park.

The funds will be used to plant large trees, install interpretive signs to highlight local history and commission an original work by an Indigenous artist. The additions will be made in 2021.

“The number of community-enhancing projects receiving donations from this estate is remarkable,” said Southwold Township History Committee member Ross Burgar.

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To support the Indigenous component of Fingal Heritage Park, the Southwold Township History Committee has reached out to Sara Mai Chitty, the Indigenous Curriculum and Pedagogy Advisor – Office of Indigenous Initiatives at Western University, as well as Professor Neal Ferris, Lawson Chair of Canadian Archaeology at London’s Museum of Ontario Archaeology.

“It is vitally important to us that the Indigenous perspective is represented accurately in our story,” said Len Lynch, who’s also a Southwold Township History Committee member.

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“Fingal has a rich history and it starts with the earliest Indigenous inhabitants.”

Consultant for the Estate of Donna Bushell Andrew Gunn says tree planting and supporting local culture have been two of the main goals of the Estate.

“There is opportunity to prompt visitors to the park to contemplate how this region has transformed over time,” he said. “We hope that the park continues to grow and develop, and becomes a place that sparks conversations and friendships for many years to come.

Fingal Heritage Park is built on a historically significant site once home to the town’s pioneer manufacturing industry and later the Fingal ball diamond, which was replaced in the 1970s.

Southwold Township History Committee says the $8,500 donation will transform the park into a welcome spot for residents and visitors to enjoy a walk, chat with neighbours, and gain knowledge about significant aspects of the area history.

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