Ladner’s Hawthorne Grove Park will soon be home to a display barn that will pay homage to Delta’s agricultural heritage.
At a recent Delta council meeting, civic politicians awarded $78,000 to the Kirkland House Foundation for construction of the project.
The agricultural display barn, which will be located just beyond the grove of nut trees behind the historic Kirkland House, will enable the foundation to store and display farm equipment that has a historical connection to Delta.
According to the foundation, many pieces of heritage farming equipment are being stored in farmers’ barns throughout the community or have been moved to other communities where Delta residents have no access to them.
The foundation, which rehabilitated the Kirkland House, has sought the assistance of Unitech Construction Management to oversee the project and act as a prime contractor while the non-profit group will provide the labour to construct the building.
Foundation spokesperson Colin Campbell said it has taken more than two years to get to this stage.
“Unitech has been very busy with other project, namely school projects, so we expect to start construction by the middle of September,” said Campbell. “I’d like it done before Christmas so we can equip it in January.”
Campbell said access to the display barn will be consistent with the hours that the park is open to the public — 7 a.m. to dusk. Inside the display barn will be working equipment, while outside will be pieces that kids can climb on, he said.
Displays will be set up with informational placards providing a bit of history with the idea to have a diverse array of equipment on view.
“The display barn will showcase what agriculture has meant to Delta,” he said.
This week the TV thriller The Crossing, set to air in the fall on ABC, is being filmed at Kirkland House.
Campbell said the funds from that rental will go towards the barn project.
“They have been a fabulous group to work with,” Campbell added.
