heather asquith
Holland Marsh: roads
farm plots and settlement patterns
hydrology
The five-acre plot, laid out on the reclaimed land in organised plots defined by drainage canals, provided a framework for settlement. The module was a manageable size for a single family to farm. Roads were built along the canals and provided an instant transportation network. Houses nestled themselves directly on the five acre plot perched like small islands in the mucky soil. An urban fabric emerged on entirely new land. Settled mainly by Dutch immigrants, the settlement created a community of farmers that lived within the marsh boundaries, dependant on one another to maintain a water level for their home and livelihood. A small town centre developed, Ansnorveldt, complete with school, church and small main street. The family owned plots were successful farming models and persisted for years. They endured Hurricane Hazel in 1954 that flooded the entire marsh. This event sparked a more organised drainage association, and today the marsh is governed by the Holland Marsh Drainage System Joint Municipal Services board that continues improvements to protect the marsh against flooding, and addresses environmental issues with respect to the marsh and its affects on the surrounding watershed. The density of these individually owned, small-scale market gardens that established the marsh as a community has proven a challenging model in today’s food distribution system. Over time, the original five acre plots began to merge to give way to larger farms. Supermarket demand for large scale supply meant farmers needed to supply larger volumes to compete. Although within close proximity to a large city centre, a large percentage of its produce is now sold to more widespread markets. A farming powerhouse this close to the city centre could feed its inhabitants, but like so many communities founded on resource extraction the product is an exported commodity.
#1982-R165-26-181 - Toronto - Guelph project [1982] (Archives of Ontario, RG 1-628-1)
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