O'Hara Mill looks forward to another year

Posted Jan 26, 2012 By Gail Paquette

EMC Lifestyles -Madoc - O'Hara Mill Volunteer Association chair Dave Little welcomed a room full of people to their annual general meeting at Arts Centre Hastings, Wednesday evening.

"Once again, I am thoroughly amazed at the accom-plishments of our volunteers since last spring. We have had highly successful heritage events, completed the new dam, a restoration project of the existing homestead buildings, expansion of the hiking trails and the list goes on and on. So many visitors, from far and wide, continually comment on how well the O'Hara grounds and buildings are maintained, a further credit to the many folk who give so freely of their time and talent."

The O'Hara Volunteers Association is an incorporated registered charitable organization. They are are a non-profit organization which is dedicated to preserving heritage.

"I want to express my sincere thanks to all who have been a part of the O'Hara Mill Homestead in 2011. Your commitment is appreciated and you should be proud of your achievements."

Little spoke to those who attended about the accomplishments of the volunteers and welcomed Hastings Warden Terry Clemens, Centre Hastings Reeve Owen Ketcheson and Madoc Township Reeve Bob Sager. All three had nothing but words of praise for the work and accomplishments of the volunteer group.

"Everyone talks about you," commented Reeve Sager. "O'Hara Mill is a showplace of dedication and accomplishments for the Township of Madoc."

A video and slide show produced by volunteer Peter Sporring highlighted the restoration of the dam and sawmill carriage repairs, repair and painting of the museum house, extending of the heritage gardens and hiking trails through the 85-acre property.

"One of the many examples of our volunteers quickly addressing structural problems that occur on this heritage site using your donations and monies from our fund-raising events was the new roof on the saw mill. In taking refuge while facing the dam with limestone we noticed the old cedar shake roof had sprung leaks in hundreds of places. All of the new material purchased to build the scaffolding for the project, as well as much of the forming lumber from the dam restoration, was reused to build the new workshop in the south machinery shed. We recycle," commented Sporring. With the completion of a heated workshop the volunteers are able to begin restoring old machinery that has been donated to them.

"We often get donations and possibly the oldest is the 'stone and stump puller.' With our new workshop we can begin to beautifully restore this heritage machinery," said Little.

Projected plans for 2012 include the construction of a covered bridge over the dam." Plans are being drawn up by the engineer for Quinte Conservation and the timbers will be sawed early spring," said Sporring.

From membership fees, donated materials and fund raising to volunteers with skills and machinery O'Hara Mill has come along way. Ten years ago the site faced being destroyed because the buildings were dilapidated and fields were overgrown.

"I am happy to say we have attracted two new members to our fold," said Little. "One of those, Gord Faramount, lives right across the road and I noticed the other day he had a great looking tractor with a front end loader."

"You can be sure we will get a lot of use from that," he joked.

The accomplishments up until this point have been done with two 1948 tractors.

"We are a bunch of old boys with a bunch of old toys," said Little with a laugh. "But I know I speak for all of us when I say we have a lot of fun together and have accomplished amazing things."

After the presentation the room was filled with a hearty round of applause. "I am going home with a very good feeling tonight," said Little.