Celebrate Peel Archives' 30th birthday starting Thursday

The Region of Peel Archives invites you to celebrate its 30th anniversary and Archives Awareness Week with an open house on Thursday, April 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. A behind-the-scenes tour will take place at 3 p.m. Admission is free.

"Thanks to the generosity of numerous individuals over the years, the heritage of Caledon is well documented at the Archives," says David Somers, curator of the Peel Heritage Complex. "Several significant collections contain photos that tell the story of Caledon from the 1870s to the present."

Visitors to the open house can view photos from the Archives collection, including an early photo of the Forks of the Credit Trestle Bridge in Caledon.

Created by the Region in 1977, the Archives now has over 2,000 cubic feet of records. What began as a collection of government records has expanded to include business records, correspondence, deeds, maps, newspapers and more. Over 30,000 images of Peel are also available for viewing.

The Archives Association of Ontario has proclaimed April 1-7 Archives Awareness Week in recognition of the importance of archives in the province.

"Along with other archives in Ontario, the Region of Peel Archives aims to raise awareness amongst the public about the value of historical documents and resources," continued Somers.

For more information about the 30th anniversary of the Region of Peel Archives and Archives Awareness Week, visit peelheritagecomplex. org or call 905-791- 4055.

The Peel Heritage Complex is operated by the Region of Peel and is located at 9 Wellington St. E. in Brampton. The complex is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4:30 p.m.; and Thursday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission fees are $2.50 for adults; $1.50 for seniors; $1 for students and $7 for families.

The Peel Heritage Complex is made up of the Region of Peel Museum, the Art Gallery of Peel and the Region of Peel Archives. Together they collect, preserve and display a variety of materials related to Peel's heritage.