Full court press to protect the Naismith and McKenzie legacy

The Mill of Kintail stores a monument to two of Canada’s greatest minds

LAURIE WEIR

OPINION — The Mill of Kintail isn’t just a pretty spot on a hiking map. It’s where the stories of two remarkable Canadian men, Dr. James Naismith and Dr. R. Tait McKenzie, live on. This heritage site, tucked in the woods near Almonte, is at risk of losing the very collections that give it meaning. And if we let that happen, we’ve lost more than bronze casts and yellowed paper. We’ve lost a part of ourselves.

I’ve walked the grounds. I’ve marvelled at the building’s beauty, felt the hush of the woods, and imagined the weight of history pressing in from every hand-chiselled wall. And as a journalist, a lifelong basketball fan, and someone who cares deeply about preserving the stories that shaped us, I wanted to talk about this one.

It’s not because the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) is doing something wrong. They’re trying to do the right thing in an era of tough trade-offs. Conservation authorities across Ontario have been pushed to tighten up, refocus, and meet new core mandates under provincial direction. In MVCA’s case, that means prioritizing flood mitigation, water control and climate adaptation work, known as Category 1 programming, over cultural and community assets like museums.

So, when MVCA property manager Scott Lawryk says, “It literally comes down to a financial issue,” he’s not wrong. They’re stuck. Museums don’t qualify for levy funding anymore. The current five-year agreement with member municipalities is halfway through and already stretched thin. And yet, MVCA is still showing up. They’re still running exhibits. Still painting the building. Still keeping the doors open for families, students and visitors. They had 7,000 of them last year.

The Mill of Kintail Conservation Area near Almonte houses nationally significant collections honouring Dr. James Naismith, inventor of basketball, and Dr. R. Tait McKenzie, a renowned sculptor and pioneer in sports medicine. Mississippi Mills photo.

But a backup plan is being developed. The writing is on the millstone.

This is where others need to step in. If the province can’t, or won’t, reclassify cultural assets like the mill, then it’s time for the feds, heritage groups, sports organizations, foundations, and even everyday citizens to find a workaround.

There are people with deep pockets who revere James Naismith. His name is known around the world. Dr. Tait McKenzie, too, deserves his place in the national conversation. He was a physician, soldier, educator, and brilliant sculptor whose bronze works capture the human body in motion and in grace. They were friends who shaped the mill with their presence.

We can talk about legacy, but if we don’t fund it, we’re just letting the past fade.

There’s room here for innovation. Shared stewardship models. Endowment funds. National heritage status. Even partnerships with universities, museums or athletic associations. The key is not to wait until the artifacts are boxed up and shipped out.

Preserving the Mill of Kintail is a commitment to telling the full story of who we are, and who we could still become. This is about identity, resilience and responsibility.

As Mississippi Mills councillors said on Tuesday, they have every faith in their mayor, Christa Lowry, to lead the conversation.

Related coverage on this story

Part One: National push urged to protect Mill of Kintail’s Naismith, McKenzie collections
Part Two: Funding gap forces MVCA to weigh new future for Mill of Kintail Museum

For more insight from Laurie Weir, you can read other opinion pieces here.