1. Conserving our Built Heritage: Making a Recession Work For Ontario's Community Landmarks
Catherine Nasmith, President Architectural Conservancy of Ontario

The Alton Mill, a CHPIF funded project

In times of recession governments turn to investing in infrastructure, and that often translates into investment in sewers, roads, and sometimes other community facilities.

Everyone remembers the great investments that the U.S. and Canadian governments made during the depression in highways. Few remember that it was during these times that both government also chose to make major investments in the development of National Park systems, and in preserving the nation’s heritage landmarks. Often these parks included National Historic Sites.

As the stock markets run amok many are now calling on governments to use their powers to invest in public projects, to use this time to build the infrastructure for the 21st century and beyond. Its time we reminded our governments that heritage and environment projects are worthy contenders for that public investment.

Let’s speculate on what would happen if we transferred even 1% of Ontario’s road-building budget into heritage conservation. Reports on the Ministry of Transportation website show that Ontario spends approximately 1 billion dollars a year building and repairing highways in Ontario. 1% of that would be ten million dollars per year.

Before the program was cancelled by the first Harper government, the national Commercial Heritage Properties Investment Fund distributed a modest 25.1 million dollars over the approximately 3 year period that it was active. For the sake of argument lets say it spent more or less ten million a year. According to Mesmin Pierre Director National Historic Sites Planning and Programs Branch, the program funded 46 projects, or about 15 projects a year. Some projects received the maximum grant of 1 million, but most received less.

The final report on the program will not be available for about a year, but early anecdotal reports indicate that the government investment is expected to come back in tax revenue within five years, and that for every dollar invested by government, the private sector invested about eight.

The fund was set up to pay 20% of all project costs, soft and hard included, up to a maximum of $1M dollars. To be eligible for funding the properties had to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places and work had to be done in accordance with the “Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada.” For the most part these standards are just plain good building science, preserving construction methods that predate the petroleum economy – building science that is by today’s standards very light on the land. Investing in older buildings conserves all the cultural and environmental resources embodied in those buildings…and keeps our landmarks out of landfill.

Many of the property owners who applied had been unable to make their projects financially viable without the assistance of CHPIF. The program enabled them to restore heritage sites, bringing them back from varying states of demolition by neglect and returning them to utility, often with ensuing economic development spin-offs in their communities.

Two projects in Ontario that benefitted from the CHPIF program were the Distillery District in Toronto, and the Alton Mill, near Orangeville. The Distillery District is now one of Toronto’s premier arts address and tourist attraction.

Jordan Grant, the owner of the Alton Mill is on record as saying that project “could never have happened without CHPIF”. For the record, I am the project architect for the Alton Mill so have had a ringside seat. The project is still not quite finished, but already is spurring investment in other near derelict properties in the village of Alton.

For over two years a crew of ½ dozen people have been employed full time in the restoration, along with many subcontractors and a large team of consultants. The owner estimates the project cost $200.00/ square foot soft and hard costs included, but also notes that it would have been impossible to create anything of similar quality for that amount. At a recent ribbon cutting ceremony the Mayor, MP, MPP and many friends, tenants were present.

So lets imagine that Ontario decided to set up a modest 10 million dollar a year program to invest in Ontario’s heritage properties. The CHPIF success suggests such an investment could make the difference between landmark and landfill for at least 15 projects each year. That is a lot of happy occasions, and lots of chances a year for taking political bows. When was the last time any of us went to a ribbon cutting for a new overpass?

Investment in heritage is not only an investment in community pride, it generates more jobs than investment in new construction. New construction involves a much higher level of energy use, spent not only in construction but resource extraction, manufacturing of materials, transportation of materials, and the use of heavy equipment. Heritage conservation generally needs much more labour…employing more highly skilled people than any other form of construction.

All in all, heritage investment is a win for everyone involved, environmentally responsible with spin off economic development. Such investment in the U.S. has revived many small communities.

The time has come to remind governments that investing in our heritage is not charity, but an important investment in community identity, cultural and tourism facilities, and green job creation.

2. The Don Jail: A jail without bars?
Jane Burgess

Bridgepoint Hospital has requested all bars be removed from the Gerrard Street portion of the Main Block. City Staff  recommended the bars remain as per the City's Heritage Easement Agreement. Bridgepoint has indicated that they feel the bars are detrimental to the well being of their patients and not in keeping with the image of adaptive reuse of the building as a 'wellness centre'. The "jail" building is not being used for patient care, but for administrative offices.

The Preservation Board passed a motion allowing the bars to be removed from all the elevations of the Gerrard St. main block with the exception of the five windows surrounding the front door.

It is anticipated that this matter will come before Community Council on Tuesday November 18th. It is also anticipated that Bridgepoint will continue to argue at that meeting for the removal of all bars. Only two delegates showed up to speak for the retention of the bars at the Preservation Board while Bridgepoint Hospital were represented by legal council, the CEO, their architect, and urban designer and their heritage consultant Michael McCelland.

It is important if these bars are to be retained that strong representation is made at the Community Council and that people contact their members on the council.

3. Decision on Historic Properties
Nova Scotia Heritage Trust Release

The fate of a number of English Canada's oldest buildings will be decided on Tuesday afternoon, when Halifax Regional Council considers whether they should be mostly demolished to make way for a nine-storey office building in the heart of downtown Halifax.

The matter was deferred on September 30 so that discussions could occur between the developer, Armour Group Limited, and the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia.

During public hearings 45 citizens recommended rejection of the proposal for the central block of Historic Properties and another 693 persons signed a petition against it on Natal Day weekend.

On Wednesday, October 15, representatives of the Heritage Trust and of Armour Group Limited met. Present were A.M. McCrea, chairman, and Doug MacIsaac, president, of Armour, Phil Pacey, Peter Delefes, and Paul Erickson, representing the Trust, and Paul Dunphy and Kelly Denty of HRM staff.

A land exchange is a potential solution to this situation.

Armour indicated that they may consider this after Council has made a decision on the current applications. The Trust is prepared to work with other land owners in the area to find a suitable exchange. There are a million square feet of vacant land in downtown Halifax. An example is the former Birks site on
Barrington Street.

Sale of the land is another option. The Trust is prepared to assist with sale of the buildings individually or as a group.

The Trust is willing to seek provincial and federal assistance for retention of the buildings.

The Trust indicated that major alterations would not be necessary if an educational use or other compatible use were found for the upper storeys of the buildings.

"The Trust suggested and will support a modest development that is consistent with the policies in the Municipal Planning Strategy," said Phil Pacey, president of the Trust.

At the meeting, the Trust repeated its request that independent experts be allowed to inspect the interiors of the buildings to ascertain their condition. Armour refused to allow this before the decision of Council, but indicated this could be possible after Council makes a decision on the present application.

"The Trust does not support the original Armour application or the modifications suggested in Armour's letter of September 26," said Mr. Pacey. "The proposed development remains out-of-scale with the historical buildings. It would disrupt one of the largest contiguous groups of historical buildings in English Canada. The proposals are not consistent with Policy CH-1 in the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy, a policy passed by this Council to deal specifically with developments involving heritage properties."

"The Trust will work with Council and Armour Group to find a different development option for Armour Group and to ensure the future of these pivotal buildings," said Mr. Pacey.

Here is the wording of parts (i) and (ii) of Policy CH-1(f):  "that redevelopment of a municipally registered heritage property, or any additions thereto shall respect and be subordinate to any municipally registered heritage property on the site by:

(i) conserving the heritage value and character-defining elements such that any new work is physically and visually compatible with, subordinate to and distinguishable from the heritage property;

(ii) maintaining the essential form and integrity of the heritage property such that they would not be impaired if the new work was to be removed in the future;"

Some of the "character defining elements" were listed in Attachment B of the original staff report. These include, for example, the roofs of all the buildings and the freestone north and south walls of the Harrington Building, etc. Schedules F, G and H of the draft development agreement show that the development would
not "conserve" these "character-defining elements".

"The development would not 'maintain the essential form and integrity of the heritage property'", said Mr. Pacey. "The nine-storey development would not be 'subordinate to' the heritage properties."

Contact:
Phil Pacey 494 3334, 237 1375.

-30-

Update Below from Phillip Pacey

We won on Tuesday, a 9-9 vote, which meant the project was defeated.
   
The Premier is talking about overturning the decision, but the opposition
parties won't agree. We have a minority legislature, so the legislation will not pass.

We are trying to convince level heads in the government to do something
helpful.

Editor's Note:
It is unbelievable that private groups have to go to so much trouble to defend our heritage from inappropriate development. This is particularly egregious because of the existing protection.

4. Fort York to be revitalized for bicentennial celebration
Councillor Paula Fletcher's Newsletter

Iconic View of Downtown Toronto from the Fort Gates

[Toronto City] Council approved plans for the City’s Bicentennial Commemoration of the War of 1812 and the transformation of Toronto as an urban centre.

The celebrations will be spread throughout 2012 and 2013, and serve as a catalyst to revitalize this national historic site.

Fort York is the only authentic fort from the war in Canada, and was the first site of a provincial parliament building. Some of the plans include work to secure funding support for the revitalization from the federal and provincial governments, as well as the private sector through fund-raising.

Included in the plans are: a new visitor information centre, a new pedestrian/cycling bridge from Stanley Park over the rail lands to the fort and waterfront, full restoration of the fort buildings and the addition of new exhibits, a heritage trail established noting sites of significance in Toronto during the war, and nomination of the fort as a UNESCO heritage site.

The site revitalization will increase the fort’s profile as a major tourist destination.

5. Globe and Mail: Approval of Additions to Parkin's 3 George Place
Katherine Laidlaw

OLD GEORGE PLACE: NEIGHBOURS VOW TO STOP THE PROJECT

Rosedale is not amused

Toronto has approved sweeping renovations to a heritage home designed by the architect who helped create new City Hall

North Rosedale is famous for fiercely guarding heritage properties.

To wit: More than 50 volunteers spent years digging up and cataloguing the back stories of all 917 homes in the area in their quest to get the neighbourhood special preservation status. Their efforts paid off, and in 2004 the city enacted rules that made it virtually impossible to alter a home in North Rosedale - until now.

In a surprise move this month, the Toronto and East York Community Council approved a glass-walled addition to 3 Old George Pl., one of only seven homes in the North Rosedale district with an "A" rating, which usually makes a property untouchable.

In fact, the acting manager of the Toronto Preservation Board believes the city has never before approved such a sweeping renovation to an A-rated property in Rosedale. Now some incensed Rosedalians are vowing to halt the project.

"The message here is that if this is happening to this house, every other house is toast. Nowhere is safe," says Alexander Younger, who lives with his wife Sarah and two young daughters at 1 Old George Pl. "Everyone who wants to redevelop an 'A' property will cite this example now and council will have to say yes."

Click here for Link

6. St. Thomas Times: Heritage Tax implemented in Central Elgin
Kyle Rea, forwarded by Dawn Doty

Heritage tax relief approved by C.E.

Heritage property owners in Central Elgin could soon have some tax relief on the way.

That's thanks to a heritage property tax relief program which passed its first test before Central Elgin council Monday night.

In a 4-3 vote, with Coun. Gerald Reu, Coun. Dave Marr and Deputy Mayor Tom Marks voting against, council endorsed the plan which would see property owners receive a rebate of up to 30 per cent on taxes payable on the designated portion of a property.

Mayor Sylvia Hofhuis explained that the tax program would be an optional one for the 12 designated buildings in the municipality. Even if everyone signed on, it would cost an estimated $7,000.

"We seem to be losing a lot of our heritage," Hofhuis said. "These 12

people have spent a lot of time managing their homes and the province has encouraged us to give some relief to those homeowners."

Sharon Larmour, finance director for the municipality explained that she'll now take Monday's report and draft a bylaw, application and monitoring process for the tax program.

First highlighted as a priority for 2008 last year, Larmour said a plan was proposed and sent to staff for a report last November.

She noted that the program was started by the province under the Municipal Act to maintain heritage and encourage heritage preservation.

"The province gave a stick and a carrot. The stick is the new property standards that they can apply against heritage properties. But the carrot is, municipalities can choose to do a heritage tax relief program that will give owners of heritage properties some kind of a heritage tax relief."

It's completely optionally for a municipality and homeowners to undertake such a program.

Continued After Advertisement Below

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"It's a very time-consuming job," Larmour said, noting the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation has to look at the property, a building inspection by the municipality is required to ensure standards are being kept and there's plenty of paperwork, too.

In addition, Central Elgin plans to establish a "threshold," meaning any rebates under $200 wouldn't be considered.

Editor's Note:
It is nice to see more discussion of tax relief, it is the only game in town so far. In Peterborough it has made a big difference. However, both the province and the federal government could and should do more.

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7. Owen Sound Sun Times: Owen Sound Reopens Heritage Tax Debate
Denis Langlois, forwarded by Henry Simpson

City to revisit heritage tax breaks

City to revisit heritage tax breaks
Owners of designated properties would pay less, would have to protect building features
Posted By DENIS LANGLOIS, SUN TIMES STAFF
Posted 3 days ago


City council will soon revive a debate about providing tax breaks for owners of historic buildings.

A heritage tax relief program was brought forward in 2001, but has never been approved by council because of the cost. City councillors voted Wednesday to bring the issue back to the table at service analysis, set for Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

Coun. Deb Haswell, a supporter of the program, said she is "cautiously optimistic" it will finally be passed.

"I think it's a really good initiative for the city to encourage the designation of residential heritage properties, but also the preservation," said Haswell, chairwoman of the community planning and heritage committee.

The program, developed by the province, allows municipalities to provide tax relief or a tax rebate to owners of designated heritage properties. It can equal 10 to 40 per cent of the municipal property tax portion. The provincial government matches the tax break, taking off the equal percentage from the education portion.

A maximum monetary amount can be set. Haswell said Grey County would also be asked to participate in the program by providing an equal break in their tax portion.

A property would have to be designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Designation requires the property's owner to receive council's approval before altering its historic character or demolishing the structure.

Under the program, the building's owner would sign an agreement with the city, vowing to protect its heritage features in exchange for the tax break.

Coun. Tom Pink said the program would provide only a few hundred dollars in savings to the owner of an average- sized Owen Sound home. But it could be enough to encourage heritage preservation.

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8. St. Catharines Standard: Group wants city to buy Thorold church
Tiffany Mayer

A group keen to restore Beaverdams Church is praying for some divine intervention from the City of Thorold. The Beaverdams Church Restoration Committee hopes it comes in the form of the city buying the 176-year-old building from the Niagara presbytery of the United Church of Canada - an idea that was pitched to council Tuesday night. The rationale, committee member Mal Woodhouse told councillors, is that fundraising for restoration would be easier. City ownership would allow for a non-denominational community centre board to be established to lead the efforts and tax receipts could be issued using the city's charity status.

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9. St. Catharine's Standard: Entrance to First Welland Canal Located
TIFFANY MAYER

Protect canal site, councillor urges

Williamson suggests lobbying feds, province for funding to preserve Port Dalhousie gateways

Ateam of archeologists who unearthed the entrance of the first Welland Canal last week may have sunk their trowels into the city's next tourist attraction and national historic site.

That is, if all goes according to St. Catharines Coun. Bruce Williamson's plan.

Monday night, the Port Dalhousie ward councillor gave a brief presentation to his colleagues on the team's find -- timber beams and supports on the east and west walls of the canal -- in

Lakeside Park last Thursday.

He suggested lobbying Ottawa and the province to obtain funding to preserve the site.

He added that since it is strongly believed the gateways to the second and third canals are also in the vicinity, the portion of the popular park extending from the lake to just behind the carousel could be designated a national historic site.

"Maybe before the 200th anniversary of the canal, we could have something in place," Williamson said.

After the meeting, Williamson elaborated he would like the channel's ingress restored.

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10. Niagara Advance: Willowbank director wins prestigious award for lifetime achievement-but he's not done yet
Penny Coles

Julian Smith, now executive director of Willowbank, has won a prestigious award for heritage conservation. On receiving The Gabrielle Leger Award for lifetime achievement, Smith said he's not finished yet-good news for Willowbank and the School of Restoration Arts, to which Smith is devoting the next stage of his life. The Gabrielle Leger Award is Canada's premier honour for individual achievement in heritage. As a university professor and practicing architect, Smith established one of the first graduate programs in heritage conservation in Canada at Carleton University in Ottawa, and became a mentor to many working in the field today-that continues in Queenston, as the first crop of students near graduation. Smith has served as chief conservation architect for the national historic sites program for Parks Canada, where he co-ordinated all national historic site design and development projects. He has established a national and international reputation for his work in conservation, restoration and adaptive reuses of historic properties as an architect, and is noted for his sensitive designs for contemporary work in historic settings.

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11. Hamilton Spectator: Council Defers Decision on City Hall Cladding

City Hall reno decision postponed

Hamilton city council last night postponed a decision on replacing the marble cladding on City Hall.

An economic development committee recommendation to use precast concrete panels in place of marble was referred back to the City Hall renovations committee, which originally called for concrete.

The renovations committee said concrete would be $2.5 million cheaper than limestone, suggested as a more durable substitute for marble. Councillor Lloyd Ferguson, committee chair, says new marble would cost $6 million to $8 million.

Council also received a letter from the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario Council, saying concrete would downgrade the city's image, and one from the heritage consultant to the construction consortium in charge of the renovations, saying concrete would reduce the building's appearance "to that of a low-cost corporate office headquarters."

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12. Metro News Ottawa: Mayfair Theatre now heritage site
TIM WIECLAWSKI

A Depression-era theatre in Old Ottawa South gained heritage status yesterday, barring an appeal by the owners. Council approved heritage building designation for the Mayfair Theatre on Bank Street, but John Calvert, of the Ottawa South Historical Society, said it's not yet a done deal because the owners have 30 days to appeal the decision to the province's Conservation Review Board. However, if an appeal does not happen or if it fails, the theatre would then essentially remain as it has been since it opened in the 1930's - even if it no longer shows movies.

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13. The Ottawa Citizen: State of Canada's National Historic Sites
Don Butler

Lack of funding imperils historic sites

Lack of funding imperils historic sites
70% of 689 not federally managed are in fair or poor shape: survey

While two-thirds have spent money on major capital projects in the past five years, in the same period, almost six in 10 had to shelve a desired major project. Almost all say a lack of secured funding was a barrier.

Just more than half of owners expect their site's condition to improve within three to five years, but one in seven thinks it will deteriorate. Again, lack of funding is far and away the biggest barrier to improvement, the survey found.

The non-federal sites aren't the only ones under threat. A 2003 report by the auditor general evaluated 43 historic sites operated by Parks Canada. It found many were deteriorating and in urgent need of protective work.

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14. Stratford Beacon Herald: Modern sign at old church rankles neighbour - A new sign with a digitized message board
LAURA CUDWORTH

The chair of Heritage Stratford is "incensed" over a new sign on the lawn of St. James Anglican Church. Sandra Huntley, who is not a member of the congregation but lives nearby, was upset yesterday when she saw part of the sign has a changing digital message. "It was fine until the digitized part of it was put on. It's just vulgar," she said. She said she's unhappy about the sign both as a neighbour on Caledonia Street and as someone involved in local heritage. "As chair of Heritage Stratford I'm incensed," she said. The church received approval from city hall before the sign was erected this week. The sign conforms to the height, size and other regulations laid out by the city including a stipulation that the LED display board be turned off by 11 p.m.

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15. London Free Press: Wrecking ball strikes 'Wick day before talks about its fate
NORMAN DE BONO

Demolition crews began tearing down the Brunswick Hotel yesterday, just as the city and the architectural heritage committee were to meet today to discuss the building's fate. Much of the rear of the building at York and Talbot streets was torn open and piles of debris stood in the parking lot after crews went to work in the morning -- even though the property wasn't fenced off and the building still had electricity. The swinging of the wrecking ball on a Sunday angered Coun. Judy Bryant, planning committee chairperson, who said owner Dan Dencev has tried to pre-empt what appeared to be a growing movement to save the bar, which dates to 1855 and has played an important role in the cultural fabric of the community. "I am angry . . . because he must have known we would be discussing this at planning. Not too many people start demolition on a Sunday morning," Bryant said. But Dencev's lawyer, Allan Patton, said the city never told them of the meeting. And demolition of a property on a Sunday has occurred before, when the city itself demolished the old Talbot Inn, he said.

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16. Owen Sound Sun Times: Council calls for church plan
DENIS LANGLOIS

Church:Group given until Oct. 29 to draft plan for stabilization

The historic gothic church at Mennonite Corners could collapse under the weight of another Grey County snowfall. Georgian Bluffs has declared the 120-year-old wooden building unsafe and is prohibiting access. Engineers say the roof and walls of the structure need to be stabilized. A local group, Heritage Georgian Bluffs, is scrambling to co-ordinate the work before it's too late. The building's collapse would destroy a vital piece of both Mennonite and Grey County history, said group founder John Harrison. "It's an extraordinary little gem of historical gothic architecture," he said in an interview.

Editor's Note:
I understand negotiations are in progress for the local ACO branch to take over this building and restore it.

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17. Northumberland News - Cobourg: Brighton creates heritage advisory committee
Ray Yurkowski

Group will work to maintain downtown heritage

BRIGHTON - The Municipality of Brighton is looking for people to help preserve its heritage. The Heritage Advisory Committee, a first for Brighton, will be made up of a minimum of five and a maximum of eight voting members from as many categories as possible including a member of council, citizens from urban and rural areas who have a demonstrated interest in heritage preservation and/or local history, citizens with a background or interest in the construction or renovation trades and an East Northumberland Secondary School student. As well, a non-voting representative from the municipal planning staff and a recording secretary will sit on the committee.";The committee is very important because its appointment, with a clear mandate from council, confirms a commitment to heritage preservation as a vital contributor to the social and economic well-being of our community," said Councillor Dave Cutler.

Editor's Note:
This is a real coup for local ACO Branch which was formed to advocate for the formation of a Municipal Heritage Committee.

Click here for Link

18. Huntsville Forester: Death of Barb Paterson
forwarded by Heather Coupland

Muskoka loses beloved historian, genealogist

Barbara Paterson was a walking encyclopedia on many subjects, but most especially when it came to heritage and genealogy issues.

“She brought the stories of people who were here before us to life. She would use all available methods to get information and bring to life the stories of people many had forgotten,” said her daughter, Carolyn, at the Paterson home on Bella Lake.

An award-winning and respected historian, Mrs. Paterson passed away on Oct. 7, 2008 after a brief battle with cancer. She was one day short of her 81st birthday.

Mrs. Paterson was predeceased by her husband, Bill (Sept. 2003), and is survived by her four children, John (Jeannette Hanson) Paterson of Bella Lake, Bill Paterson, of Huntsville, Rob (Tracy) Paterson of Lake of Bays, and Carolyn Paterson of Bracebridge.

She is further survived by her brother Donald Boake of Creemore, Ont., sister Nancy Winder of Orton, Ont., and brother John Boake, also of Creemore, Ont., and three grandchildren, Sean, Reid and Amanda.

Barbara Carolyn (Boake) Paterson was born Oct. 8, 1927 to Ersyll and Ivadell Boake and was the eldest of four children.

She completed her high school education in 1945 at the age of 18 just at the end of the Second World War. According to her autobiography, which remains unfinished, Mrs. Paterson had a difficult time deciding on her future career: teaching or nursing.

She chose nursing and applied to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto from where she graduated in 1949. Mrs. Paterson continued working at the hospital until her marriage to Bill Paterson in 1950.

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19. Kipling Citizen (SK): The original homestead including the Bell Barn in the late 1880
Darcie Thom

>In all but one late afternoon, history unraveled itself in the office of The Kipling Citizen. Bette Klein, a Kipling local, brought a small piece of her family's history in the form of a letter, better yet a real pioneer story, to our attention in the newsroom. Just as luck would have it, Klein had a piece of history that would date back to a time when some of Saskatchewan's biggest history was made. This particular memoir was written by Klein’s grandmother (Marion Dash) about her father (Klein's great-grandfather) Walter Merryfield, an English immigrant but more importantly, a true Saskatchewan pioneer who took part in the Louis Riel trials, pioneer farming and ironic to this story, the building of Bell Barn. Walter Merryfield was said to be a man of few words and like many of the other men working on the Bell Farm, didn't realize the history that was to become when building the round Bell Barn. His daughter, Marion, wrote memoirs of the many years spent at this particularly large farm located near (present) Indian Head. The Merryfield family, along with over 20 other families, were supplied with small gardens, a small barn for their horse(s) and resided in cottages that Major William Bell had built for his hired hands.

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20. Moncton Times & Transcript: Boarded-up windows, worries about water damage cause heritage board to appeal to city for help
Aloma Jardine

Heritage supporters in Moncton are hoping the city may be able to do something to improve the lot of the Higgins Block. While the first floor of the building is in good repair, the upper floors are boarded up and in need of much work. Moncton City Councillor Paulette Theriault says it is an eyesore at a very visible corner and hopes something can be done to restore what she calls a "beautiful building." The Higgins Block is located at the northwest corner of Main and Botsford Streets and currently houses Mexicali Rosa's and Terra Verde on the ground level. Built in 1901, it was originally home to Lester H. Higgins' shoe and boot business, but has also housed the Moncton Public Library, the Canadian Bank of Commerce, and Metropolitan Life Insurance. It is considered Main Street's best example of commercial Italianate architecture from the early 20th century. Theriault was concerned enough about the state of the building to bring it up during the councillor's remarks portion of Monday's city council meeting. "My understanding is this has been an issue for some time," she says. "The problem is that the building is apparently not properly maintained." Concerns about the building were brought to Theriault by the Moncton Heritage Preservation Review Board.

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21. Halifax Chronicle-Herald: Historic houses torn down
AMY PUGSLEY FRASER

No one took up developer

A trio of Victorian homes in Halifax met with the wrecking ball this weekend after a developer was unable to find someone to relocate them. The homes at 1441, 1455 and 1467 South Park St. were scheduled to be demolished to make room for the 19-storey Trillium condominium project W.M. Fares Group will build. But the company said it would put the money earmarked for the demolition, pegged at about $30,000, into the cost of relocation. For the past six weeks, groups like the Ecology Action Centre, Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia and the Spring Garden Area Business Association attempted to find new sites for the homes, all of which were built from 1860 to 1890. Time ran out, said Heritage Trust president Phil Pacey.

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22. Moncton Times & Transcript: Do heritage bylaws offer enough protection?
Aloma Jardine

Interior heritage of Metro properties threatened by renovation

Plans for a major renovation to the interior of Castle Manor are currently on hold. Business located in heritage properties are often torn between making a space functional and preserving its historic value. Concerns were most recently raised about the Higgins Block at the corner of Main and Botsford Streets. The upper two floors are in need of repair and there are worries it will fall into such a state as to cause permanent damage to the building. Then there are the heritage homes in downtown Moncton that are too often renovated to oblivion and the plans in the works for a major overhaul of the interior of Castle Manor that would impact much of its interior heritage value. Although the City of Moncton has a heritage bylaw in place, for lovers of historic places it often seems it doesn't do nearly enough to protect what's left of the city's architectural heritage. The bylaw only deals with a building's exterior, for example. There is nothing in place to protect the interior heritage of a structure. Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc says the city's hands are tied in that respect. "I think the reason for that, so far as I can tell, is (the bylaw) gets its jurisdiction from the provincial act," he says. "We get our authority under the provincial heritage bylaw and it is directed to the exterior of the building and that is why we are limited to the exterior of buildings." LeBlanc says it is a good example of why some municipalities, including Moncton, would like to see a little more power to make decisions put in their hands. "As far as heritage goes, the inside is as vital and important as the outside," he says.

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23. Halifax Chronicle Herald: Premier may veto Halifax waterfront decision - MacDonald asks staff to find way for Waterside Centre development to proceed
DAVID JACKSON and AMY PUGSLEY FRASER

from the Historic Properties web site

Premier Rodney MacDonald is trying to overrule Halifax regional council's rejection of a proposed downtown office building. He said Thursday he has directed staff to find a way to make the Armour Group's proposed Waterside Centre project happen because growth in the downtown is important for both Halifax and Nova Scotia. "It's our intention to do everything we can to see this development move forward," the premier said after a cabinet meeting. He didn't talk specifics but said officials are looking at regulations and legislation. Mr. MacDonald, who has been championing downtown development since last year, said he didn't like the Waterside Centre project being defeated on a tie vote, particularly since it didn't include new councillors elected in last Saturday's municipal election. He said the timing of the rejection could hardly be worse, given the economic turmoil around the world. "We have a situation where financial service companies and others (are) wanting to come to Halifax," he said. "We have growth opportunities, we have multimillion dollars of investment (wanting) to come here to Halifax, to come to Nova Scotia." "We're sending the wrong message to the business community. We're sending the wrong message if we want to see growth in our economy." If legislation is necessary, Mr. MacDonald's minority government would need opposition support to get it passed. MLAs start the fall session next week. "I find it an extraordinary thing for a premier to intervene in a particular decision of a particular municipal government," NDP Leader Darrell Dexter said.

Editor's Note:
It is bad enough for a provincial government to fail to protect heritage but to be in the business of actively destroying it is a new low for Canadian conservation. Halifax has plenty of places where such a development would fit in nicely. A little creativity is needed here.

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24. Calgary Sun: Saving history costs money - Synagogue restoration offers ray of hope for reality at Heritage Park
MICHAEL PLATT

To all but the most discerning student of western prairie architectural history, it's impossible to tell. Real or fake is a game you could play all day long at Calgary's Heritage Park, and unless your hobby is spotting genuine Victorian mansard roofing at 50 metres, you're going to end up losing. The park's historic building replication is that good, be it an old hotel, town hall or Chinese cafe. The buildings might be newer than the minivan you arrived in, but the details, from creaky floors to fading wallpaper and yellow varnish, help fool visitors into believing they're antiques. Between century-old relics and two-year-old replicas, there's little to choose from. And that's not a good thing if you love history. This week, Heritage Park announced the procurement of its first, genuine historic building in 23 years. The 1916 synagogue from Sibbald, 40 km west of Calgary, couldn't be more basic -- it looks like a little yellow house with extra windows -- but it's the first, real heritage to be added to Heritage Park in nearly a quarter century.

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25. Victoria Times - Colonist: Can we learn from our mistakes of past neglect?
Nick Russell

Review of CRD's historic houses is badly needed before more are lost forever

It's too late to stop the demolition of a handsome house designed by Samuel Maclure, in the heart of Victoria. But how is it possible to destroy a house designed by Victoria's finest residential architect? The doomed house is at 1016 Richardson St. Samuel Maclure designed it in 1910 for Cecil Cookson. (He used a similar style for a house at 1025 Moss St.) Like many fine buildings of the era, its owners eventually couldn't afford the servants to maintain it or the fuel to heat it. So 1016 was divided into suites, and the downward spiral began. Gradually, the house and its large yard were neglected and it became virtually invisible behind the wilderness. Recently, the homeless camped in the fine rooms with their ornate fireplaces. In the 1970s, Victoria had begun an inventory of buildings for a heritage registry. But they missed the Cookson house, hidden in the urban forest. It's also missing from the fine University of Victoria archive of Maclure house plans and from every book devoted to Maclure. So when a developer was looking recently for unloved properties to build townhouses, he spotted 1016 Richardson, and submitted plans for redevelopment. Heritage people protested to the city and the developer was shocked: He thought he was doing the community a favour, cleaning up the mess. He investigated moving the building, or even restoring it, but neither fitted the budget he had for his project. So now, almost a century old, the house is to be demolished. As a fundamental principle, we should not demolish buildings designed by Samuel Maclure. (Any more than we would destroy a Rattenbury -- or a Cezanne painting.) Yet Victoria has -- over the years -- already lost at least 10 Maclures.

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26. Winnipeg Free Press: Historic Buildings committee spares Kelly House
Dave Connors

The Kelly House has been given a reprieve. David Rich, the owner of the last intact house from the city's Exchange District building boom of 1882, had asked the city to remove its Grade III status as a heritage building in order to pave the way for demolition. But Jenny Gerbasi, chairwoman of the city's historic buildings committee, said Friday the committe has decided not to delist the property. "It still retains its heritage value," she said, adding an engineer found the house to be structurally sound. The issue next goes before the planning and property development committe. If they overturn the ruling, it then would eventually go before city council. "But they usually listen to us," Gerbassi said. Cindy Tugwell of Heritage Winnipeg is encouraged by the historic buildings committee's decision.

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27. New York Times: Death of Defender of Grand Central Station
David W. Dunlap, forwarded by Adam Sobolak

Dorothy Miner, 72, Legal Innovator, Dies

Dorothy Marie Miner, who developed legal protection for historic landmarks nationwide in her longtime role as counsel to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, died on Tuesday in Manhattan. She was 72 and lived in Morningside Heights.

The cause was complications of lung disease, said her brother Dr. Robert Dwight Miner.

She played an important role in the critical 1978 case of Penn Central Transportation Company v. New York City, which upheld the landmark status of Grand Central Terminal and set national precedents.

Intimately familiar with preservation law, Ms. Miner was meticulous when making her case — another way to put it was that she was a fierce, immovable stickler — and could infuriate allies as well as adversaries with her insistence on principle and procedure.

“We spent eight hours arguing over every sentence,” Leonard Koerner, the chief assistant corporation counsel of New York City, said in recalling what it was like to work with Ms. Miner at the print shop on the legal briefs in the Penn Central case.

Eventually, the United States Supreme Court upheld the landmark designation of the terminal against a challenge by Penn Central, which owned the building and asserted that landmark status effectively amounted to an unconstitutional taking of property by the government.

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28. Los Angeles Times: Ambassador Hotel loss a waste of resources
Diane Keaton

The Ambassador Hotel lesson

Demolishing such iconic buildings not only destroys history, it wastes resources.

Last week, I drove past the 22-acre vacant lot once known as the Ambassador Hotel. As I looked at the rubble of our lost cause, I pulled over, sat back and gave in to a feeling I can only describe as guilt. I thought about my connection to the once-iconic hotel, about why places like it are so difficult to save, and about what it takes to be a better, more effective advocate for historic buildings.

I was just a little girl the first time I visited the Ambassador. My father held my hand and led me down a long hallway before we stopped in front of an ornate facade. I remember Dad's smile as he slowly opened the door to ... the fabulous Cocoanut Grove nightclub! In the magic of a perfect moment, I looked up and saw a parade of dreams etched across the face of the man I loved more than anyone in the world. It was at that moment that something clicked inside my little 9-year-old brain, something that helps me, even today, believe in the ability of the built world to change the trajectory of our lives.

In our battle against the Los Angeles Unified School District's decision to tear down the Ambassador and put up a new school, we made many arguments. We focused on "reuse" as an economic incentive. The LAUSD wasn't buying it. We hired a team of architects to come up with options that would transform Myron Hunt's 350,000-square-foot building into a series of classrooms, administrative offices and low- and moderate-income housing. That didn't fly either. Neither did the argument that the Ambassador was a national landmark, or that six Oscar ceremonies had been hosted there, or that Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and even Barbra Streisand broke hearts on the stage of the Cocoanut Grove. It didn't matter. Nothing stopped the Ambassador from becoming another little death of no consequence.

Preservation has always been a hard sell in Los Angeles. But maybe in the years ahead it won't be as hard as it used to be, considering several new facts. No. 1, as my Dad would have said, a building represents an enormous investment of energy -- much bigger than we thought when we were fighting to save the Ambassador. No. 2, we now know that construction of new structures alone consumes 40% of the raw materials that enter our economy every year. No. 3, according to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the resources required to manufacture these materials and transport them to a site and assemble them into a structure is the equivalent of consuming 5 to 15 gallons of oil per square foot. No. 4, a Brookings Institution study indicates that the construction of new buildings alone will destroy one-third of our existing building stock by 2030. And finally, No. 5, the energy used to destroy older buildings in addition to the energy used to build new ones could power the entire state of California for 10 years, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

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29. Expression of Interest - Doors Open Waterloo Region 2009
Kate Hagerman

We are looking for a consultant/coordinator with knowledge of local heritage resources, media and promotion skills, and proven ability to plan and coordinate events. Submissions are due on Monday November 17, 2008 Please contact me for a copy of the Expression of Interest document. Kate Hagerman, Cultural Heritage Principal Planner