Heritage Outreach

Our community has a deep-rooted connection to its heritage and legacy that deserves both celebration and preservation. Explore the captivating stories that have shaped our region, as well as the diverse array of activities designed to foster a deeper understanding of our collective past.

Understanding and embracing our heritage is more than a nostalgic journey; it is a key to unlocking a sense of identity and belonging. Whether you're a lifelong resident or a newcomer, our Heritage Outreach initiatives provide a gateway to connecting with our collective past. All of us play a role in preserving and promoting the unique heritage that makes Kawartha Lakes a special place to live, work, and thrive. 

Emily Turner

Every other year, the City of Kawartha Lakes Municipal Heritage Committee hosts the Osprey Heritage Awards. These awards are given out to members of the community who have made exemplary contributions to the preservation and promotion of heritage in Kawartha Lakes.

The next Osprey Heritage Awards will take place in 2025. Information regarding nomination process is posted in early September of the year of the awards. Check back here for more information or explore our award categories below:

Publication & Research

Non-fiction work about Kawartha Lakes archeological, built, cultural and/or natural heritage (example: exhibits, books, articles, etc.)

Community Heritage

A volunteer-based organization or individual that promotes and/or protects heritage in the City of Kawartha Lakes

Heritage Restoration / Adaptive Reuse

An award for:

Preservation work that protects, maintains and stabilizes the original form, material and integrity of a historic place

Rehabilitation work involving sensitive adaptation of an historic place or individual component for a continuing or compatible contemporary use

Restoration work that reveals, recovers or represents the state of an historic place or individual component as it appeared at a particular period in its history

Property and buildings well maintained

The City of Kawartha Lakes is excited to announce that the Municipal Heritage Committee will be further celebrating community heritage with a new award, the Heritage Milestone Award. This award acknowledges, in 25 year increments, the dedication of heritage organizations within the City of Kawartha Lakes.

This award will be presented to the heritage organization recipient(s) the same date as the Osprey Heritage Awards. Heritage organizations are defined as community museums, archives and historical societies.

Nomination Process

Nominations will be accepted for any individual, organization or businesses in Kawartha Lakes that has had an impact on local heritage in one of the award categories.

Nominees must be informed of and consent to the nomination. You may self-nominate.

Individual nominees must reside, work or invest in the City of Kawartha Lakes

Business and organization nominees must have a location in the City of Kawartha Lakes

Projects and programs being nominated must be completed before they are eligible for an award.

Award Eligibility

All property uses are eligible (residential, commercial, institutional, private, public, etc.)

All heritage categories are eligible (archeological, built, cultural, and/or natural, etc.)

Active members of the City of Kawartha Lakes Municipal Heritage Committee and all related committees and working groups are not eligible for award nomination.

The nominations will be adjudicated by a panel of judges that consist of members of the Municipal Heritage Committee and the Outreach Subcommittee. The judges have the discretion to place any entry into an alternate category with the nominator’s permission. The judges who have submitted nominations will recuse themselves from that particular nomination decision. All decisions are final.

2018

Architectural Heritage
Jim O’Reilly, Old Lindsay Post

Archaeology History
Tim Mohr

Community Heritage
Ian McKechnie

Business Leader Heritage
Aaron Young, Pie Eyed Monk Brewery

Heritage Vision
Lisa Hart

2023

Publication and Research
Sarah Walker Howe for Historic Citizens of Kawartha Lakes

Community Heritage
Manvers Township Historical Society

Heritage Preservation/Adaptive Re-Use
Paulette Sopoci for Primrose Hill Manor

Heritage Milestone Award
A. Sheila Boyd Foundation/Boyd Heritage Museum (25 years)

The City of Kawartha Lakes has participated in Doors Open for over a decade. The event has been organized and run by various groups throughout the years but, since 2019, has been primarily organized by the Kawartha Lakes Municipal Heritage Committee and has taken place on the second Sunday in September. A subcommittee is formed to act as the organizing Committee for the event and are supported by Economic Development staff. The City hosts Doors Open Ontario biannually (alternates with Osprey Heritage Awards).

Please contact us if you have any questions regarding upcoming or past Doors Open events.