Cullen Gardens Miniature Village

The Entrance Hall

When my two sons were little, their father and I took them to Cullen Gardens Miniature Village once or twice a year.  

I thought it might be an idea to to see whatever happened to that beautiful and wondrous place known as 'Miniature Village'.  It was a place where little people lived together in a tiny village where everyone seemed to be so happy.  

Even as an adult I was lost in the imaginative world of the miniature people, so I can imagine how it must have been for children.

Entering the village

Some pretty bullrushes

Miniature Village was set in a very adult world of breathtakingly beautiful displays of flowers and gardens.  In the summertime, the lawns were of an deep emerald colour never before seen and the trees were manicured to take on shapes of animals or birds.  

 Everything was meticulously arranged to create a small town feel in a real world setting.  In a word, it was adorable. 

A beavers doing

Sadly, as children grow up and change, so does the world around them, and we must let go of the old to make room for the new.  So, on January 1, 2006 Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village closed for good.  The land is still accessible and these pictures were taken quite recently.  It is still used by joggers and photographers alike.  Although the property is owned by the Town of Whitby, it is a municipal park for now.  Although the gardens are modestly maintained, it isn't to the extent as it once was under the former owners.  

Mind you, Cullen Gardens was in the business of selling flora, shrubs, and landscaping services; therefore their business was on display as well as their gardens.  The town of Whitby does not have the same purpose.  

a lovely creek

I don't know exactly what will happen with this land, but there are several scenarios.  One is that it may link up with the Heber Downs Conservation Area (this I hope holds true).  If you check it out on a map, it really is the best way to use the land as Heber Downs Conservation area is only a few kilometres north.   

The Lynde House - circa 1812

After a little reading up, I easily found out that May 14, 2013 (no I didn't plan this) is the closing date of the Purchase and Sale Agreement between the Town of Whitby and the Auberge et Spa Le Nordki Inn. (owners: Chelsea, Quebec).  

It appears, much to the dismay of the locals, they have bought 3 hectares of land located on the 34 hectare property formerly owned by the Cullens.  There are still 31 hectares of property left remaining.  The good news (to me) is that the current buildings will be utilized again. I would have preferred to see it as a historical site, but apparently they are transporting a few of the older buildings to a museum site (ie the Lynde house and the log cabin).  This is a great scenario.  The spa will open all year with two restaurants and a retail boutique, all within existing dwellings.  This isn't my cup of tea, but at least the area will come alive again with a new generation of people to enjoy its surroundings.

Just like yesterday's memories, we found it nostalgic that someone had stuck a poppy in the wooded bridge, so I took a picture of it to say I remember too.