Bert Duclos of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport, points out the communities with active Heritage Committees. He was in Petrolia Thursday explaining to Lambton County groups what they can do to help local councils preserve the community’s heritage buildings and land masses.

Of Ontario’s 414 municipalities, 152 are actively working to preserve their community’s heritage and five of those are in Lambton County.

“I would say Lambton County is active in heritage preservation,” says Petrolia Councilor Liz Welch one of the organizers of a recent workshop.

About 60 volunteers from Heritage Committees from Petrolia, Oil Springs, Plympton-Wyoming, Lambton Shores and Sarnia were at Victoria Hall Thursday to listen to exactly what Heritage Committees can do under the Ontario Heritage Act.

“Until you are able to walk the walk and talk the talk, it will be hard to convince people of the importance of cultural heritage,” says Bert Duclos of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport who lead the workshop.

“You are choosing to make your community a better place to live,” he told them. “The role that you play as volunteers is important. Your role is to make decision makers comfortable when making decisions…you are helping them make those decisions.

“Conservation of heritage resources are as important as …infrastructure…as part of a sustainable community.”