The Harrington Community &…

The Harrington Community & Historical Preservation Club, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation which does business as the “Harrington & Area Community Association”, and is known throughout our area as “HACA”. HACA has worked in partnership with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) since 1999, focused on management and enhancement of the Harrington Conservation Area and restoration of its grist mill.

The partnership between HACA and UTRCA stands out as a best practice model for how conservation authorities can best serve their communities by working with effective and committed non-profit organizations. The partnership has been very local and, in large part, owes its success to the ability of individuals from both parties being able to share a common vision, communicate effectively and resolve differences.

The sustainability of our precious watersheds is dependent upon maintaining a healthy relationship with humans who interact with them. HACA’s activities over the last quarter-century, in partnership with UTRCA, have served to inform and foster positive interactions with “our” portion of Trout Creek, a tributary of the Thames River, flowing into Wildwood Lake and upstream from St. Marys.

In 1999, when UTRCA was looking to divest itself of Harrington’s historic but derelict grist mill, HACA stepped in to restore the mill and take on a management role in the conservation area surrounding the mill pond. To this end, HACA has raised approx. $450,000, obtained through donations, grants and event revenues. UTRCA holds approx. $40,000 in trust for grist mill needs, money raised by HACA activities. (Zorra Township holds another approx. $100,000 raised by HACA for conservation area needs.) For example, HACA is currently building and paying for a $70,000 bridge to complete a loop trail around the mill pond, with project management by UTRCA.

Our community, non-profit participation in projects that enhance the conservation area has inspired the donation of time and money from individuals and companies that are much less likely to give to government. The partnership between UTRCA and HACA has been tremendously productive and successful, nurturing a cultural landscape (as certified in a 2021 CHER study) that serves its visitors/users, its watershed and its cultural heritage.

This partnership is entirely dependent on our ability to communicate effectively with each other. Consolidation of so many CAs into a mega-CA is highly likely to weaken the ties that bind us. HACA is concerned that communication with a more distant Conservation Authority will be damaging to the good that we have accomplished and may yet accomplish. We have been looking forward to the next step in an Environmental Assessment process that will include developing a Master Plan for the Harrington Conservation Area and Harrington Grist Mill. This was to include considerable community involvement. HACA has hopes that a Master Plan will be developed and that HACA and our community will be involved in every step of the process.

HACA’s request in regard to the proposed consolidation is that, if it must take place, that the boundaries be such that hyper-local partnerships such as that of HACA with UTRCA remain viable. In fact, we propose that our relationship be held up as a best practice model so that similar partnerships will develop across the province. We believe that this can only happen if CAs are as local as possible.

Respectfully,
Board of Directors
Harrington and Area Community Association