I had the honour of attending the opening for the Auchmar Manor, which is a historic building in my riding. The Auchmar Manor was built in 1855 by Sir Isaac Buchanan, a political leader who represented Hamilton in the Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario pre-Confederation.

The manor is just one of the magnificent buildings in the area that are an important legacy of our history. Walking through Hamilton, Dundas, Ancaster, you can visit historic locations like Dundurn Castle, once the family home of Queen Camilla’s great-great-grandmother. Everywhere you go, there’s a celebration of the pairing between food and heritage. You can grab a bite at the Collins Brewhouse, built in 1840, dine at Quatrefoil, built in the 1860s, grab a beer at the Coach and Lantern, built in the 1700s and used during the War of 1812, or meet friends at the vibrant Café Domestique, which was built in 1911.

The organization that hosted me is Doors Open Hamilton, who prepare these buildings for tours, offer walking tours and do advocacy for their preservation locally and here at Queen’s Park. I want to thank the organizers who gave their time, especially local historians Stan Nowak, Diane Dent, Richard Allen, Shannon Kyles and the many, many others, the many volunteers who give their time to honour and preserve these great buildings to make sure that they are standing for many future generations to enjoy. Thank you so much for all that you do in the riding of Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas.