The Association

The Dry Stone Walling Association of Canada (Dry Stone Canada) is a not-for-profit company registered in Canada to advance the art, craft, and science of dry stone walling. We have an annual membership of ~60-80 people nationally and internationally with an active interest in dry stone walling.

Our Objectives

  • promote and assist in the advancement of the art, craft and science of dry stone walling and dry stone features in Canada amongst amateurs and professionals;

  • promote competence of individuals in the practice of dry stone walling and dry stone features in Canada;

  • promote the advancement and conservation of dry stone walling and dry stone features through education, research, public relations and volunteerism;

  • represent its members, as hereinafter defined, before other groups, organizations and entities;

  • provide continuing education to its members in the art, craft, science and practice of dry stone walling and dry stone features;

  • provide administrative and academic expertise to assist in the training and education of individuals in dry stone walling and dry stone features; and

  • promote the professional welfare and interest of the association.

Strategic Direction

Develop and support projects and careers in dry stone construction in Canada  and to promote excellence in drystone craft

Objectives

  • Promote the competence of individuals in the practice of dry stone walling and dry stone features in Canada
  • Education in proper restoration techniques, and how and when they apply
  • Partner with colleges and trades programs re: dry stone workshops as part of curriculum
  • Establish organizational relationships with relevant professional associations in order to develop expertise through complex builds and increase the legitimacy of dry stone work

Be the leading organization for hosting dry stone construction experiences for a full range of wallers and other interested groups in Canada  

Objectives

  • Seek new sources of stone on-site and also reclaimed to ensure variety of stone to work with, to vary type of stone and type of construction, and to incorporate regional styles and local materials
  • Establish a variety of ways to deliver a “stone experience”
  • Explore the idea of starting a facility for dry stone construction (e.g., Amherst Island)

Be a leading steward for the built legacy of dry stone craft in Canada, both through Dry Stone Canada-supported builds and the restoration of existing sites

Objectives

  • To deliberately maintain a balanced emphasis on both traditional and contemporary/creative dry stone work 
  • Provide positive, lasting impressions to public/members that there is importance around the craft in Canada
  • Host at least one workshop a year on heritage site/structure
  • Promote the advancement and conservation of dry stone walling and dry stone features through education, research, public relations, and volunteerism
  • Recognize the land and encourage involvement of First Nations and Indigenous youth and elders in talking/sharing the history of the stone and walls in each area where we are present

Ensure that the creative spirit of the craft of dry stone construction flourishes

Objectives

  • To deliberately maintain a balanced emphasis on both traditional and contemporary/creative dry stone work
  • Conduct Interviews with creative designers, craftspeople, landscape architects, and wallers on specific projects and their practice and highlight them on the blog/website
  • Collaborate with other groups internationally to learn new/different styles and techniques (for example: France, Ireland, Spain, Japan, Italy, Peru)

Raise public and professional awareness of dry stone craft in Canada

Objectives

  • Communicate on a regular basis in a predictable format with members and the broader public
  • Create digital documentation of events and use website to share this documentation
  • Update website to ensure high-quality images, documentation, and story sharing of past and present activity; apply for funding to support this project
  • Create a media package to help promotion and raise awareness of DSC
  • Represent its members before other groups, organizations, and entities

Ensure organizational excellence, professionalism, environmental legacy, integrity, and inclusiveness in our operations

Objectives

  • Create an implement a long term funding strategy
  • Create a committee to provide support for family wallers giving time during our events, and activities to get children and youth involved in stone
  • Continue to organize festival builds in beautiful places, and include smaller events to build beautiful stonework in no-so-beautiful and unexpected places

Key Activities: Supporting our Strategic Direction

In 2017, Strategic Planning Retreat participants identified activities completed in the past or to be aimed at in the future that were then grouped into the following areas:

Host at least one dry stone festival a year including a major build, workshops, networking, professional development, sustainable partnerships, volunteer support, and adequate resources

Activities

  • What we did
  • Another thing we did
  • Another thing we did

Host workshops on dry stone walling with a focus on technical skill development and appropriate practices for dry stone wall restoration

Activities

  • What we did
  • Another thing we did
  • Another thing we did

Host and participate in public presentations and professional association events

Activities

  • What we did
  • Another thing we did
  • Another thing we did

Support dry stone focused events involving travel to dry stone sites at the local and regional level and beyond

Activities

  • What we did
  • Another thing we did
  • Another thing we did

reate a systematic approach to marketing and promotion of Dry Stone Canada activities

Activities

  • What we did
  • Another thing we did
  • Another thing we did

Establish strong core financial and human resources, ensure volunteers are supported, ensure professional development and membership supports are built and maintained, and integrate environmental sustainability and stewardship throughout the activities of the organization

Activities

  • What we did
  • Another thing we did
  • Another thing we did

Investigate and assess options for a permanent site to host dry stone training and events

Activities

  • What we did
  • Another thing we did
  • Another thing we did

In 2021, we redesigned our website to reflect our growth and development planned for 2022.

This includes Advanced Skills, a focus on Legacy through our multi-year builds achieved through a decade of workshops and festivals involving new and historic sites, Young Wallers, an updated list of certified wallers in Canada, a Members Spotlight series, and two new Bursary programs: The Joseph Boterman Bursary and the Ireland-Canada learning exchange.

We also  launched key Committees to support key areas of our strategic direction, including Membership development. 

2020 was our first year of SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic. While some organizations continued to host events as possible, Dry Stone Canada’s board made the decision to halt workshops and other in-person gatherings due to public health risk and the rapidly shifting situation through the year. 

*Pull from annual report presentation at 2021 AGM. 

This was a pretty good year. Again, pull from the Annual Report categories.

Start of the strategic plan cycle.

Look at 2018 AGM report. Festival got more attention after that 2017 one, which followed the burnout of 2016 mega build in Perth.