Grey County is no longer planning to build a transportation depot at the Old Durham Road Black Pioneer Cemetery.
In May, the county was making plans to construct a transportation shed on the property located south of Highway 4 in Priceville.
However, descendants of those who are buried there and the committee who now takes care of the cemetery expressed their public opposition to the plan, and told Grey County council the plan devalued the important cemetery burial grounds, those who are buried there, and those who worked hard to recover the cemetery after it was plowed into a farmer's field.
At a May council meeting, the county CAO said staff was not aware of the significance of the site or the committee who cares for it.
According to a news release issued this week, staff are now not recommending a transportation depot at the site as it would "not be compatible with the historic and sensitive nature of the cemetery."
“I commend the members of the [Old Durham Road Black Pioneer Cemetery] Committee for their passion and commitment to preserving the cemetery and raising awareness of its significance,” said Grey County Warden Selwyn Hicks in the news release. “We share a belief in the importance of honouring and interpreting the history of Black settlers to the county.”
The chair of the Old Durham Road Black Pioneer Cemetery Committee said the group will support the county in increasing awareness of the area's Black History with county staff.
“We acknowledge and support the County’s resolve to work with us and other organizations to increase the visibility of the county's Black history, raise awareness, nurture, and support community group efforts in this regard, and bring better heritage awareness to all its staff and departments,” said Naomi Norquay, Chair of the Old Durham Road Black Pioneer Cemetery Committee, stated in a news release. “We will support their efforts to this end.”
Grey County Council will discuss other options and next steps for the transportation depot project at their June 24 meeting.
