Heritage Centre Wellington has recognized a group of local business owners, residents, and the township for helping preserve some historic structures.
Last Thursday members of the committee and township councillors toured the township handing out certificates of excellence at six buildings.
They're all places that "enrich, inspire and enlighten" the community, while helping guide its growth and development, said HCW chair Kathy Baranski.
The certificates are a way of recognizing the people who've done a good job of preserving the heritage aspect of building while making renovations, acknowledging the time and money they've spent to do that, she said.
Heritage Week, which was last week, was the perfect time to recognize the area's history and heritage, Baranski said.
"The idea is to encourage people to be aware of their heritage, and how important your culture and built heritage is to the community," she said.
The group started at the Elora Library, renovated last year by Wellington County with a refurbished interior that preserved the Carnegie library's historic look, while building an addition for more programming and community space.
At the Fergus Grand Theatre, the group heard about some $640,000 in grant and municipal money invested in the building in the past year.
A new reflective roof with new HVAC units will mean more efficient heating, quieter performances, and an end to roof leak problems, parks and recreation director Andy Goldie said. Repointing of the exterior brick and repairs to the front canopy were among the most visible work.
Goldie also announced the township has been successful in getting a $280,000 Cultural Spaces Canada grant - which will be used to upgrade stage lighting, replacing carpeting, and for new theatre seating. The work is expected to be done this summer, he said.
A $40,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant has gone to training for volunteers of theatre groups who rent the space and new stage curtains.
At Wellington North Tire on St. Patrick Street in Fergus, heritage committee members were impressed by the new stone-fronted office space on the  west side of the building, and how well it fits in with nearby buildings on in the area.
Certificates were also handed out to the Elora Drill Shed (the Elora LCBO outlet), the Rafferty Insurance building in downtown Fergus, and the Ralph Basset Associates renovation and expansion on St. Andrew Street East, which created the new "Stone Gable Hall."