LAURIE WEIR
Rideau Lakes Township has received over $100,000 in community grant requests for 2025—three times the amount allocated in 2024.
Among the applicants, the Delta Mill Society (DMS) presented its case for $40,000 in funding to sustain operations and ensure the continued preservation of key heritage sites in Delta.
“This is what we need to stay open,” said Ken Watson, historian and long-time member of DMS, during a presentation to the municipal services committee on Monday, Nov. 25.
Founded in 1963, the volunteer-run Delta Mill Society owns and maintains three iconic heritage structures in Delta: the Old Stone Mill, Old Town Hall, and the Blacksmith Shop. Over the past six decades, the society has invested $2 million into their preservation and restoration projects.
“The Old Stone Mill is one of only two public museums in the township and in 2024, it was the only one open seven days a week during peak tourism season,” Watson said. “This kind of accessibility supports tourism, a key economic driver for Rideau Lakes Township.”
Watson underscored the organization’s unique offerings, including living history demonstrations of milling and blacksmithing. These activities not only attract visitors but also provide educational and employment opportunities for local students.
The Old Stone Mill, designated a National Historic Site, is the township’s oldest building still standing in its original form. Built in 1810, it served as an agricultural hub, grinding grain for local farmers in the 19th century. “Our prime mandate is to preserve and present this incredible site,” Watson said. “Experts from the Canadian Museum Association and the Rideau Canal Heritage Planner have praised the mill as one of Canada’s best-preserved heritage sites.”
The society’s impact extends beyond the mill itself. Watson noted that DMS collaborates with other heritage organizations, such as the Rideau Lakes History Centre and the Portland on the Rideau Historical Society, donating artifacts and offering expertise on collections management.
Watson highlighted DMS’s role in Delta’s economic revitalization. “The Old Stone Mill is a cornerstone of Delta’s heritage district, which also includes greenspaces, Millstream Park, and other historic buildings,” he said. “It’s a significant cultural asset not only for Delta but for the entire township.”
He also pointed to the mill’s national recognition, including its feature on a Canadian stamp in 2010, as evidence of its importance.
In making his case, Watson drew comparisons to other heritage organizations in the township that receive municipal support. “The township provides $38,000 annually to two groups in Portland as a line item in the budget and supports the Elgin and District Historic Society by maintaining the Red Brick School House, even though it’s not a public museum. Delta deserves equal consideration for its public museum and community hall,” he said.
Watson emphasized the society’s commitment to protecting and presenting the Old Stone Mill. He indicated that it would be money well spent to invest in Delta’s heritage and tourism economy.
Discussion over community grants will take place soon when allocations will be decided.
REQUESTS EQUAL $105,860
- Delta Agricultural Society, $7,500 for interactive display boards.
- Elgin Disco Rollerskating, $1,000 for adding more skates to weekly events (no funding last year).
- Forfar Community Hall, $3,000 for operating costs
- Girls Inc. of Upper Canada, $1,500, to support girls in Rideau Lakes (school-based programming to families in need.
- Lombardy Agricultural Society, $6,200 to hardwire fans for better ventilation in barns.
- Lombardy Public School, $3,000 to help sustain and enhance nutrition program (no funding last year).
- Newboro and Area Heritage Society, $1,700 for interactive, informative, inviting museum space.
- North Leeds Soccer, $1,500 to help offset program cost for participants.
- Portland on the Rideau Historical Society, $500 for advertising Three Sisters Market.
- Rideau Environmental Action League, $1,000 to implement projects (no funding last year).
- Rideau Sewing Club, $500 for quilts and pillowcases (for patients undergoing chemo and dialysis and mattress covers for newborns).
- Delta Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 207, $10,000 for insulation and heat, and $30,000 for roof and facia.
- Secondhand Stories, $3,460 (chicken rescue), to develop and implement education program.
- Westport Rideau Lakes Canada Day, $2,500 for next year’s activities on Canada Day.
