Willowbank to run field school at historic Midland site

Willowbank will mark its 10th anniversary by hitting the road this June.

The school of restoration arts in Queenston will run a three-week field school at Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons, in Midland, Ont., from June 10 to 30.

Known as one of the first sites of contact between the Wendat people and settlers, Sainte-Marie is a National Historic Site dating back to the 1600s.

The immersive field school, the first ever offered by Willowbank, will focus on the materials, conservation and interpretive nature of the site.

The main focus will be the conservation of a 1639 stone fireplace on the grounds, used by Jesuit missionaries and recognized as the earliest European masonry located in Ontario.

“This field school allows Willowbank to develop conservation skills training through a cultural landscape lens here in Ontario,” said Willowbank executive director Crystal Bossio.

Located in a restored 19th-century estate and former elementary school in Queenston, Willowbank is an independent educational institution which offers a threeyear diploma in heritage conservation.

The field school will be led by Willowbank faculty associate Keith Blades, one of the country’s leading stone conservationists.

“The approach, selection of materials and the implementation of repair techniques present particular challenges,” he said. “Where compatibility, reversibility and durability all have to be carefully balanced in order to achieve a viable solution to the long-term preservation of the stonework.”

Blades has been involved in the conservation of the Saint-Marie stonework since the mid-90s, and last year led a team of Willowbank alumni and students on a conservation project for one of the fireplaces.

Tuition for the field school is $3,100, which includes lodging, most meals and extra-curricular events. To register, visit www.willowbank.ca.

Deadline is May 15.