A major part of Collingwood’s history is finally being recognized as such this weekend.
The Heritage Community Church at 310 Seventh St. will be holding an open house and presentation of a new plaque on Sunday, Aug. 20 at 2 p.m.
For 153 years, the church has stood as a sanctuary to all members of the community and holds ties to the history of the Black community as a gathering place for worship, unity, strength and identity.
Sisters Carolynn and Sylvia Wilson are the current directors of the church and sought a formal heritage designation to preserve the history and the property's connection to Black history dating back to the 1870s.
“It feels like we’ve been recognized in the community for all the years we’ve worked hard. It’s nice to be recognized. It feels good for our forefathers and those who were part of the church and established it, are important to Collingwood,” Carolynn Wilson told CollingwoodToday in February when the designation was approved by town council. “It’s wonderful.”
In 1870, the Black community in Collingwood — and supportive white neighbours — collectively raised $15 to purchase the property on Seventh Street with the purpose of building a church.
The original church burned down, but a second was built in the same spot in the 1920s. The current church was rebuilt in 1976 and incorporated as the Heritage Community Church, and has undergone additional renovations over the last few years.
According to the heritage report completed by Su Murdoch Historical Consulting for the town, the property is a significant landmark of direct descendants of freedmen, freedwomen, freedom seekers, the enslaved, and fugitives who established a flourishing Black settlement in Collingwood, also known as a northern terminus for the Underground Railroad.
Some of the benefits of a heritage designation include owners becoming eligible for incentive programs such as grants for restoration/maintenance, a public acknowledgement of a property’s cultural heritage value and ensuring built cultural heritage is maintained long-term.
Sunday’s festivities will include a presentation of the Town of Collingwood heritage designation plaque and the unveiling of a sign sharing the history of the church. Guest speaker Elise Harding-Davis, a Canadian Heritage Consultant and former curator of the Amherstburg Museum, will speak to the importance of the designation and building awareness of Canada’s Black history. Gospel singer Gael Miller-Jackson will provide a musical selection, and remarks will be shared by members of the community and representatives from each level of government.
For more on the history of Heritage Community Church, click here.
