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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who Are The Friends?

The Friends of Wesleyville Village, Ontario is a non-profit charitable corporation with about 250 members and supporters who share a vision of preserving and revitalizing this formerly abandoned community for 21st Century uses and heritage education.

The FOWV Board is chaired by Kathy Dennis and the directors are: Kathryn McHolm, Bree Nixon, Sue Stickley, Scott Meldrum, Scott Bradley, Beverley Caswell, Leslie Benson and Robert Sculthorpe.

When Was The Village Settled?

Long, long ago in Anishinaabe territory, hunting was good and the people walked the path near the Lake of Shining Waters to gather and harvest the plentiful fish in the streams and rivers. Lakeshore Road was the trail used by Indigenous peoples. Archaeological evidence has been found of ancient villages just north of Wesleyville.

By 1800 the trail became the “King’s Road” from York (Toronto) to Smith’s Creek (Port Hope). In May 1801 the crown granted 300 acres in lot 30 Hope Township to John Willcocks, who may have been one of the surveyors. The settlement of neighbouring properties followed soon afterward.

By the 1860’s Wesleyville was thriving with homes and farmsteads fronting on both sides of Lakeshore Road and scattered north-south along the road allowance between the cemetery and the Y-House. The Church, school, and post-office served a community stretching from Port Britain to Port Granby. There was a blacksmith’s shop, a tavern, a cobbler, a carpenter, a machine shop, and a barrel manufacturer.

Why Was Wesleyville Almost Abandoned?

Both the Church and school were closed in the late 1960’s, concurrent with Ontario Hydro’s acquisition of almost 2,000 acres as a site for generation and transmission of electricity.

Gradually the village became abandoned as properties were acquired and houses forsaken and eventually demolished by Ontario Hydro. By 2009 when the Friends of Wesleyville Village was formed only the Oughtred (or "Y") house was occupied.

After Ontario Hydro was divided into several public corporations including Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Hydro One, ownership of the remaining village buildings transferred to OPG.

The exception was the 1860 Wesley Church (still owned by the United Church of Canada) and its cemetery (managed by a local Board and still open).

What Protection Is There For The Remaining Wesleyville 7.5 Acre Village?

In 1990 Hope Township designated the 1860 Church under the Ontario Heritage Act.

A 49-year lease with the United Church of Canada protecting the Wesleyville Church property was signed by The Friends of Wesleyville Village in March 2025.

The cemetery is protected under the Cemeteries Act and managed by a local board..

In 2016, 7.5 acres including the School, the Oughtred House, the Barrowclough House and two barns were listed by the Province of Ontario as a Provincial Heritage Property of local significance – a “cultural heritage landscape”.

The FOWV signed a 20-year lease with OPG for the school, barn and Oughtred House in January 2018.

OPG has conducted a Heritage Conservation Plan for its property and a Heritage Impact Assessment on the Barrowclough house and barn property.

The future of all the OPG-owned Wesleyville area property (over 1330 acres) rests with the Government of Ontario.

What’s Happening In 2024?

An Ontario Trillium Foundation capital grant of $97,500 for the church restoration and accessibility features is now underway.

This spring/summer we will be restoring the windows and entrance to the church facility.

With a long-term lease for the church property, funds donated for church fire recovery can be securely invested in the church as a community use facility. This spring/summer, we will be using reserved fire recovery funds to restore the stained-glass windows and heritage entrance to the church facility.

Fundraising continues for the restoration of all Wesleyville buildings for community use. Restoration plans by architect P.H. Carter for all four heritage buildings are being implemented as funds are raised.

This summer, the newly-refurbished reception area/office on the east side of the "Y-House" will be used for events, tour headquarters, and meetings. The main portion of the "Y-House" remains off-limits to the public as it is the private residence of our caretaker.

Structural/waterproofing repairs to the Schoolhouse have been completed and interior refurbishing is ongoing. Reconnecting electricity to this facility is our current project.

Natural heritage conservation and development of interpretive features including a publicly accessible nature trail continues.

Creating a sustainable and resilient organization is the goal of a two-year $45,900 project approved by the Ontario Trillium

Foundation in March, 2024. Our new Community Program Coordinator is developing plans to connect with volunteers and donors.

Events will take place all year. Please check our Events calendar. New ideas are welcome.

What’s In The Future Of The Village?

FOWV will work with OPG, the Municipality of Port Hope and the Province of Ontario to conserve and share our cultural and natural heritage for the benefit of future generations.

Continued community uses and facility rentals for appropriate events.

Visitors', and especially cyclists’, needs will be accommodated.

A live-in caretaker will maintain the property and provide much-needed security.

Natural and cultural heritage conservation education and volunteer activities will be the village focus. The aim is to revitalize our rural identity through the conservation of a Provincial Heritage Site.

Reduction of our environmental footprint by the adaptive reuse of abandoned structures and actively pursuing a zero garbage operations goal.

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