Bruce County Heritage Documentary Project

It's an exciting time for Bruce County history. The county's 150th anniversary is in 2017 and the historical society is celebrating by launching a documentary covering over 150 years of history. The three-part series will get its television debut on TVOntario in 2017 and be available on DVD and Blu-ray disc. Schools in Bruce County will get free discs, a course guide connected to the Ontario curriculum and free digital access to streaming content.

Donation from the Power Workers' Union for Documentary Project

The Bruce County Historical Society is pleased to announce that the Power Workers' Union has donated $1,500 towards our heritage documentary project "Bruce County - Southern Ontario's Last Frontier". The documentary, which will be featured on TVO, and is in the pre-production phase with filming to begin later this year.  The documentary also will be made available to county schools. It conforms with Ontario's curriculum and will include lesson plans.

	Larry Alderdice, Sector Rep. of the PWU presents the donation to BCHS President, Irene Howe.

Donation from Ontario Power Generation for Documentary Project

The Bruce County Historical Society (BCHS) are very grateful for the support that Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has given our documentary video project ”Bruce County - Southern Ontario’s Last Frontier”. This cheque presented today brings their total support to $10,000.00. OPG has been a proud corporate member of this community since Ontario Hydro purchased the land around Point Douglas in the 50’s to bring nuclear power to the province. The businesses and people employed by the industry now goes back three generations.

Pictured (from L to R) Lisa Robertson-Taylor, OPG; Irene Howe, President, BCHS; Heather Convay, OPG; Dorne Fitzsimmons, Treasurer, BCHS. (photo by Lynda Cain, OPG Senior Communications Advisor /Corporate Relations and Communications)

We Need Your Help Making a Documentary Film

It's an exciting time for Bruce County history. The county's 150th anniversary is in 2017 and the historical society will celebrate by launching a documentary covering over 150 years of history. The three -part series will get its television debut on TVOntario in 2017 and be available on DVD and Blu-ray disc. Schools in Bruce County will get free discs, a course guide connected to the Ontario curriculum and free digital access to streaming content.

We call the series "Bruce County, Southern Ontario's Last Frontier", because in southern Ontario the last area to be settled was Bruce County.

Filming starts in 2016 and continues into next year. We'll tell the county's story with interviews, location filming, re-enactments of historical events and historical photographs and film.

Our story starts with the Saugeen Ojibway, because the land which became Bruce County was part of their ancestral territory. Then we'll cover Métis and European fur traders, fishermen and settlers, lumbering, farming, nuclear power, tourism and much more.

An ambitious project like this would not be possible without professional filmmakers. For the Bruce County project the Historical Society is drawing on the filmmaking expertise of producer Yvonne Drebert and director Zach Melnick, whose documentaries have been featured on TVOntario.

Help us to develop the story line. Send in your story ideas or volunteer for one of the jobs in front of or behind the camera. We want the whole community to join in.

First Nations elders, Métis and local historians can tell the stories of their community. A high school volunteer program will let local students take part as production assistants behind the scenes—a unique opportunity to be involved in high-end documentary film production. A casting call will go out to theatre groups and drama classes for roles in front of the camera. Actors are needed to re-create famous events in Bruce County history.

We are also seeking community partners to help with funding. If your company or organization can donate to the project, or wants to receive a presentation from us, contact our head of fundraising, Ross Lamont, Bruce County Heritage Documentary Project, 519-832-5162, ross.lamont16@gmail.com. To get involved on an individual level, call Dorne Fitzsimmons, 519-368-7186, dcf@bmts.com.

This ambitious project is a great way to recognize Bruce County’s 150th anniversary. And it's our way of leaving a legacy which will educate future generations about who we were. Do volunteer and help bring the county’s history alive like never before.