Preserving Almonte heritage while planning for the future
ALMONTE — What’s in a name, a brand, or even a sign? A lot, actually. And Mississippi Mills is now considering how it portrays itself.
The Heritage Advisory Committee has begun discussing Almonte heritage and whether the municipality should define itself more clearly as a heritage community. Members agreed it was better to raise the question early in the planning process rather than after decisions are made.
The conversation followed an Oct. 1 update on two planning projects now underway — the downtown secondary plan and the public realm plan. Both are being prepared by consultants and will be released soon for public consultation.
Senior planner Drew Brennan said the secondary plan will guide how downtown Almonte grows while preserving Almonte heritage and its existing character. “Mill Street in particular is almost like a beautiful smile, but the thing with that is we do have a few missing teeth there,” he said. “The intent is to make sure that those veneers match the existing smile that we already have.”
The public realm plan will focus on sidewalks, streetscapes and public spaces such as Ottawa Street. It will set out design ideas to apply as redevelopment occurs, with wayfinding, accessibility and heritage integration among the priorities.
Coun. Jane Torrance asked whether the municipality should market itself around Almonte heritage, noting that heritage could shape signage and branding. She said she has heard arguments that heritage branding appeals mainly to retirees, but added, “I think it’s pretty cool to be heritage these days.”
Committee member Janet Carlisle, a museum professional, warned against relying too heavily on heritage. “I think that heritage is a really good money-maker right now,” she said. “But if you look at what happened to Merrickville, it had gone heritage overboard, and then it just died. And I would be frightened of that happening here if Almonte banked everything on heritage.”
Other members suggested that signage could help visitors discover downtown Almonte more easily and that consistent branding across communities such as Blakeney, Appleton and Almonte would help reinforce a shared identity.
Committee chair Michael Rikley-Lancaster noted that decisions about branding may ultimately be tied to broader economic development strategies.
Draft plans are expected to be circulated shortly to council’s committee of the whole. “Once you guys do get the draft plans, like, please bust out those red pens and mark it up as you see fit,” Brennan told the committee. “Any feedback is more than welcome.”
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