Ontario Heritage Trust facts for kids

The Ontario Heritage Centre at 10 Adelaide Street East in Toronto is the main office of the Ontario Heritage Trust.

The Ontario Heritage Trust (also known as Fiducie du patrimoine ontarien in French) is a special group that works to protect and celebrate Ontario's history. It's a non-profit agency, which means it doesn't try to make money. Instead, it focuses on keeping important buildings, natural places, and cultural stories safe for everyone in Ontario, Canada's biggest province.

Discovering Ontario's Past

The Ontario Heritage Trust has been around for a long time, helping to keep Ontario's history alive.

How the Trust Started

In the 1950s, this group was first known as the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board. Their job was to look after old places and important historical spots. In 1967, the government of Ontario officially made it the Ontario Heritage Foundation. Then, in 2005, its name changed again to the Ontario Heritage Trust. This new name was part of an update to the Ontario Heritage Act, which is a law that helps protect heritage.

Famous Blue and Gold Plaques

One of the most famous things the Trust does is the Provincial Plaque Program. Since 1956, they have put up over 1,200 special blue and gold plaques. You can see these plaques all over Ontario. They mark important places, events, and people in history. Some of these plaques are even in other countries like the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, marking places connected to Ontario's past.

The Trust's Headquarters

The main office for the Ontario Heritage Trust is in a building called the Ontario Heritage Centre. It's also known as the Birkbeck Building and is located at 10 Adelaide Street East in Toronto. This historic building helps the Trust do its important work every day.

Historic Buildings Owned by the Trust

The Ontario Heritage Trust owns many historic buildings and sites across Ontario. They look after these places to make sure they are preserved for future generations to learn from and enjoy.

Celebrating Sports Achievements

The Ontario Heritage Trust also recognizes amazing achievements in sports. In 1965, they started honoring sports stars. By 1975, they officially created the Ontario Sport Awards Program to celebrate athletes and their accomplishments in the province.