"Nature can be the salvation of mankind
if we ever come to understand its workings and respect all life."
R.D. Lawrence
About R.D. Lawrence Place
In 2006, Sharon Lawrence offered the literary estate and artifacts of her husband - renowned author, journalist and naturalist R.D. Lawrence - to the Minden Hills Cultural Centre. “We were absolutely thrilled at the opportunity to receive this fascinating collection and to work with Sharon,” says director Dianne Graham, “ but we had several challenges to consider. As in most museums, space is at a premium, so we needed to come up with the best way to safely house the artifacts and then showcase them in a fun, interesting way. We learned about the Sustainable Building Program at Haliburton’s Fleming College and, not only did it offer an opportunity to acquire an environmentally-friendly building at an excellent price with no labour costs, but it fits perfectly with the philosophy of R.D. Lawrence. We think this building will truly honour his legacy.” Minden Hills Council gave the go-ahead for the building in January and work to create R.D. Lawrence Place has moved into high gear.
Who was R.D. Lawrence?
He was a university-trained biologist, an environmentalist and author of more than 30 books published in 26 countries in 15 languages. Every book he wrote was about Canada, it’s people, its animals and its environment. For more than 25 years, R.D. and his wife Sharon lived in Haliburton County and welcomed 10,000 visitors from around the world to the nature sanctuary they established. Ron was a mentor who regularly visited schools and inspired children with his talks. He was instrumental in the creation of The Wolf Centre at Haliburton Forest and welcomed opportunities to share his knowledge and philosophy with others.
"Explore, Discover, Dream, Write"
R.D. Lawrence
What will the R.D. Lawrence Place be?
Nestled into the trees at the entrance to the museum grounds, it will provide:
This building will enhance awareness of Haliburton County on an international basis and entice those readers who have loved the books of R.D. Lawrence for over forty years. Our goal is to inspire a love of reading and writing through a wide variety of activities that reflect his work and philosophy.
Sustainable Building?
This beautiful 1900 sq.ft. building will be constructed by 26 students of Fleming College who are coming from across Canada to discover and apply the latest in sustainable building techniques. Construction begins on April 23rd and visitors are welcome to come and watch as the building grows. Professor Chris Magwood advises that “the building will feature straw bale insulation, solar panels, new waste technologies, solar thermal heating, sustainable wood products, recycled materials, composting toilet, indoor wetland for water treatment and many environmentally-friendly features to provide a healthy, energy-efficient environment. For those that want to learn a little more, tours will be provided on Thursday afternoons throughout the summer.”
Raise the Roof
Our next goal is to “Raise the Roof” and 500 sections are available for purchase. At $10, it’s a real steel (roof, that is!). Your name - or a grandchild, or perhaps that of a family member you’d like to honour - will go in our commemorative history book and on a display at the Cultural Centre. It will also be featured on a virtual roof. One of our students even suggested that a $10 “piece of the roof” would be a great gift to honour a teacher at the end of the school year.
We also need major support for the roof and have 50 trusses available for sponsorship at $250. Once again, your name will be featured in our book, on a display and on our website. You will also receive a framed certificate acknowledging your part in the Place.
Donations for R.D. Lawrence Place are gratefully accepted and tax receipts are available upon request. Cheques should be made payable to Minden Hills Cultural Centre and forwarded to Box 648, 174-176 Bobcaygeon Road, Minden, Ontario, Canada K0M 2K0
Friends of R.D. Lawrence
Many thanks to the Friends of R.D. Lawrence for their enthusiasm, dedication and expertise!
Contact Us
For more information please contact:
Sheryl Loucks, Coordinator RD Lawrence Place
705-286-2298
rdlawrenceplace@mindenhills.ca
To find us please visit the Minden Hills Cultural Centre Website
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