Breathing new life into Windfields Farm
City council will vote later this month on whether to provide UOIT with $38,000 to fund an audit of building conditions and conduct historical research reports on Windfields Farm, the home of famous racehorse Northern Dancer.
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
Pending final approval from city council, a consultant will be looking into the feasibility of repurposing some of the historic features at Windfields Farm.
If the decision passes through council’s meeting on Oct. 19, the city will be providing nearly $38,000 to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology to fund a consultant to undertake a buildings condition audit and historical research reports for some of the core buildings at the home of famous racehorse Northern Dancer.
The features in the core farm area, a portion of which UOIT owns, include the stallion and foaling barns, Barn 6, the arena as well as the Northern Dancer cemetery. Buildings in this area date back to the 1920s and 1930s.
“It’s really exciting that UOIT and the city will be working together to look into the possibility of keeping these incredibly important buildings,” says Diane Stephen, the chair of Heritage Oshawa.
The cemetery includes the remains of not only historic racing horse Northern Dancer, but 11 other horses as well.
The study of the area follows on the heels of the historic designation of the Trillium Cemetery back in June.
According to the city’s report on the subject, “the results of the report are intended to provide valuable historic information and inform the overall approach to the conservation of cultural heritage resources and any opportunity to repurpose certain buildings and potential costs.”
Councillor Doug Sanders, while in support of the studies, questioned why the city was fronting the entire cost of the reports.
“If the university wants us to partner with them, they should have skin in the game also,” he said.
However, according to Ken Bright, a director in the office of campus infrastructure and stability at UOIT, the funds just aren’t there.
“Quite frankly, we don’t have the funds at this time for this type of initiative,” he said.
The recommendation carried unanimously through committee.
The funds for the project will be taken from a $150,000 donation given to the city from Minto Metropia Windfields in 2012.