West Lincoln receives $8K for headstone restoration
The Township of West Lincoln is pleased to announce it has been awarded $8,814 through the Ontario Genealogical Society Rehabilitation/Restoration Fund.
Funding will go towards respectfully restoring cemeteries in West Lincoln; specifically, it will fund the restoration of approximately 15 to 20 headstones at the Merritt Settlement Cemetery.
“Cemeteries are an important part of our community’s history and heritage,” says Mayor Cheryl Ganann. “This funding will help us preserve the stories and memories of those who came before us while ensuring the cemetery remains a place of reflection and remembrance for future generations.”
“Restoring these headstones is about more than preserving stone markers, it’s about honouring the individuals and families who helped shape our community,” says Cynthia Summers, Director, Community and Protective Services. “We are grateful to partner with the Ontario Genealogical Society to carry out this restoration work with the care and respect these historic sites deserve.”
“We are grateful to the Township of West Lincoln for assuming responsibility for the Merritt Settlement Cemetery and for its commitment to preserving this important historic site,” says Amanda Knapper, Chair, Niagara Peninsula Branch, Ontario Ancestors. “By restoring and stabilizing these headstones, we are helping to protect an important part of West Lincoln’s history while also making the cemetery safer and more accessible for descendants, researchers and visitors.”
Ontario Ancestors (formerly known as the Ontario Genealogical Society) serves as genealogists in order to promote and preserve family history in the old Welland and Lincoln Counties. Learn more about the Niagara Peninsula Branch of Ontario Ancestors.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Beth Audet, Communications Specialist