1. Four Season's Hotel Proposal impinges on Dignity of Ontario Legislature
Catherine Nasmith

Current view of the Ontario Legislature

Last winter there was an “Oh No” moment in the Centre for Landscape Research Lab at the University of Toronto, as Professor John Danahy, Councillor Adam Vaughan, and urban designer Robert Allsopp realized that a proposal for a very high tower on the site of the Four Season’s Hotel on Avenue Road would have major impacts on the classic view of the Ontario Legislature from University Avenue. The three had been using the computer lab to examine the impacts of some proposed development in Councillor Vaughan's ward.

Councillor Vaughan returned to his office and contacted the area planner. He was told they were also concerned about the impacts on this important view, and that staff at the province were already involved in discussions. Since then, negotiations between the City of Toronto and the developer have continued. The current even higher proposal will be unveiled at a public meeting on September 22 at the Church of the Redeemer, at 7 o’clock. The City planning department is opposed to the development, but that may not be enough to stop it.

The Sergeant at Arms of the Legislature and also the Ontario Heritage Trust have written to the City expressing their concern about the impact the development will have on the views of the Legislature. The greatest impacts are on the ceremonial approach from the south. Computer modelling done for a lower pair of towers than currently proposed showed that from Queen Street the tower will appear to be three times as high as the legislature, from Dundas Street twice as high. The encroachment on the skyline doesn’t disappear from view until the viewer is north of College Street.

The current proposal will be two towers, one 170 m (48 stories) to the top of the roofline, 178 m to the top of the penthouse, the second tower will be 157m (44 stories), 166m to the top of the penthouse. The project requires both an Official Plan Amendment and a rezoning.

Professor John Danahy and Robert Allsopp of du Toit Allsopp Hillier (DTAH) were the team who had developed computer-modeling tools in the early 1990’s to develop height controls to protect the views of the parliament buildings in Ottawa. The potential disaster posed by this development was immediately apparent to them.

When the Ottawa study was done computer simulation technology was in its infancy, now similar programming is available for desktop computers.

Over a period of two to three years a model of all of downtown Ottawa was built, including the complex terrain of the capital, river and the opposite river banks. Using the model the team was able to test the impact of buildings of different heights on some key views of the parliament buildings. Determining what the key vantage points were was one of the key preliminary exercises. The other key exercise was determining what constituted the “National Symbols” and what level of development behind them compromised that silhouette – the famous view that was on the back of every Canadian dollar bill. They determined that any building that could be seen above the roofline compromised the integrity of that view.

The National Capital Commission commissioned the Ottawa heights study after an unfortunate tall development had been permitted, compromising longstanding height controls intended to protect the primacy of parliament on the Ottawa skyline. The NCC does not have jurisdiction over the City of Ottawa in planning matters, but nonetheless commissioned the study to better understand the impact of potential development. The City co-operated. Happily the Ottawa adopted agreed upon height controls including a provision that the City would automatically appeal any exemptions to the height regime granted by the Committee of Adjustment to the Ontario Municipal Board. Touch wood, those height controls have successfully controlled development in Ottawa since then.

Unfortunately, at this time no such study has been done to protect the Ontario Legislature. At the moment there are height controls in place to protect the University of Toronto district, including views of Queen’s Park, but the developer is claiming that because their development is outside of the University of Toronto those controls do not apply to them.

The City has already approved development that breaks the roofline of the Legislature but nowhere near as much as is being proposed. The buildings behind the legislature are most noticeable at night, when Queen’s Park roofline is lit up as a beacon at the head of University Avenue.

Bill Greer, a former staff member of the Toronto Historical Board recalled that the THB had concerns about the existing Four Seasons Hotel when it was planned because of the impact it would have on the views of Queen’s Park.

The City has commissioned a views study from consultants Urban Strategies, but whatever protection may be recommended will not be in place until after the current application has gone to the OMB. The letters from the province may influence the OMB, but no one can predict what will happen.

If this tower is permitted, then other projects will surely follow. The province must get involved at the highest level. Once the damage has been done there will be no going back.

Ontario’s Legislative Buildings deserve the same protection as Ottawa’s parliament buildings.

Lets hope it is not too late.

What you can do:

Attend the meeting on the 22nd
Write to the Premier
Write to your MPP
Write to the Mayor
Write to your City Councillor

2. Alton Mill: A Landmark brought back from the Brink
Press Release: Alton Mill

Interior showing new replacement windows, and original plaster

A Painstaking Rehabilitation Breathes new Life into Alton Mill

Skeletons of stone mills line the riverbanks of southern Ontario and stare through empty windows at an uncertain future. A few have been saved as museums and other tourist attractions. Now a grand old mill is opening the second phase of its rehabilitation on the banks of Shaw's Creek in the Village of Alton, southwest of Orangeville Ontario, with plans to be a vital part of the rejuvenation of the local economy.

Alton is a village in the town of Caledon. Alton Mill was built in 1881 to process wool into fleece lined long underwear that was sold across Canada. Its machinery was powered by Shaw's Creek and the strength of the dam and weir is credited with saving lives in the devastating flood of 1889. From 1935 to 1982, the Western Rubber Company occupied the mill, producing beach balls and punch balls for Shell and other gas stations, balloons for Disney, as well as surgeon's gloves, prophylactics during World War Two and flexible rubber ear cones to protect the hearing of Canadian and British
artillerymen.
For nearly twenty years, Alton Mill and its outbuildings sat empty, slowly sagging back to the ground as rain leaked through the roof, timbers rotted, and mortar crumbled. The Seaton Group purchased the vacant buildings as part of a comprehensive development planned for the village, stopped by the economic downturn of the times.

A woodworker, looking for an interesting place to set up shop, was the spark that began the process of bringing Alton Mill back. He resurrected part of the building in return for rent and, while he has moved on, the renovation now houses studios and galleries for several artists.

The rebuilding of the rest of the mill is a painstaking process and Seaton Group has invested $5 million in the task with assistance from the federal and provincial governments through R.E.D. (Rural Economic Development) and C.H.P.I.F. (Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund).

They have brought in expert help. The architect for the project is Catherine Nasmith, President of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. She was instrumental in obtaining designation as a heritage structure by the Town of Caledon and getting Alton Mill placed on the Canadian Registry of Historical Places. J.D. Strachan of King City is construction manager. Strachan has worked on the restoration of many Ontario historical structures including Fort York, Osgoode Hall, University of Toronto Buildings and Queen’s Park. J. D. Strachan vice president Don Hutchinson says "Nothing in this reconstruction shocked me. We were familiar with everything that came up and knew what to do about it but there was three times as much structural restoration as we first thought."
Some of the undertakings seem monumental. Sections of the two-foot-thick walls in the two-storey building had deteriorated to the point that the construction team had to chisel out the mortar between each stone to a depth of five inches – inside and out – and repoint with new mortar. To fill voids where the mortar had washed away from the centre of the walls, they drilled a checkerboard of holes and injected new grout. They lowered the basement floor up to eighteen inches through bedrock; replaced tottering posts with
laminated fir; made the walls and lower windows strong enough to withstand
the wall of water from another “100 year” flood, and now Phase Two at the
Alton Mill is set to re-open. When the ribbon is cut during the opening ceremonies on September 27, 2008,< guests will be able to appreciate the extraordinary combination of old fashioned workmanship and modern design. Interior walls are set apart from the laminated posts so as not to hide the wood and antique hardware. Windows in the interior walls and open space or glass above them let natural light shine right to the centre of the space. New hardwood floors look like the might have been built more than a century ago and a modern lift answers today's need for accessibility. In the Turbine Room, heritage power equipment will recall antique technology. Under the floor, the millrace will still run, visible through glass lenses. Looking up in the stairwell, visitors will see a wooden water tower - an extinguisher system built after a fire destroyed the mill’s third floor in 1908.

The Alton Mill space created by this restoration will be available for galleries, studios, offices and other space for creative pursuits, ranging in size from 290 to 1150 square feet with rents from $500 to $1800. Half of these suites will overlook the waters of Shaw’s Creek and the waterfall over the dam.
"For more than 100 years, Alton Mill was not just a building," said Jeremy Grant, vice president of planning and development for the Seaton Group. "It has provided a livelihood for hundreds of people who worked there and lived in the community. Tenants in the Alton Mill will buy bread and pies at the bakery across the street, get gas in the local station, milk at the corner store and help attract visitors back to this historical village."
The official opening of Alton Mill takes place Saturday September 27, 2008. An open house begins at 10:00 a.m. for tours of the building and studios, with a reception at 5:00 p.m. and opening ceremonies at 6:00 p.m. Alton Mill is at 1402 Queen Street in Alton, Ontario.

For leasing information interviews or to request photographs for publication please contact Margi Taylor Self at 519 940-0935.

Editor's Note:
As you may have noted from the text Catherine Nasmith Architect has had the privilege of working on this project. It has taken nearly ten years from the first contact by the client until such time as sufficient financial assistance was available to make this project viable. Imagine all the lovely landmarks that could be brought back to usefullness if such funding were re-instated. Canada is the only developed country that does not have financial incentives in place. Stephen Harper's government cut the only fledgling program going. This mill is one of the few Ontario projects to benefit from the CHPIF program. If I do say so myself, it is a huge good news story for the program and for government assistance for heritage. I hope you will consider coming to the opening celebrations. Sadly, Minister John Baird won't be there to take a bow for his program's achievements, he declined the invitation even before the writ was dropped.

3. Letter to Aileen Carroll: Lack of Action/Leadership on Alma College
Robert F.Foster

I've had several letters published regarding possible land designation for the Alma College property, in the London Free Press, the Barrie Examiner, and St.Thomas Times-Journal, also Jim Coyle from the Toronto Star,has written on 2 seperate occasions about this very issue, also you have been sent hundreds of e-mails,and a petition with over 4,000 signatures,that was read aloud in the Ontario legislature,and your response to possible land designation has been,to keep silent all together.

Thousands of people struggled to save the college, we followed every government rule, in regards to getting our petitions read, and still absolutely nothing has been done to protect the college, before (or) after the horrific fire, that brought down the main structure.

The 2 structures that remained standing, are still being neglected. The land is full of debris from all the buildings the owner has knocked down on the property during the past 10 years.

Our heritage act was supposedly strengthened, to deal with situations exactly like this, but you have FAILED TO ENFORCE IT, during this entire debacle.

May I ask what it would take, for you to notice the Alma College property. The main structure was set ablaze on May 28th, 2008 at 12 noon. Thousands of people in the City of St.Thomas watched in horror, as this magnificent building was lost forever. It was covered on all the major news broadcast throughout Ontario, and still our Minister of Culture has not even lifted a finger to save what remains of the Alma College legacy. So let me sum it up for you, we have a heritage act, that has been strengthened, but is useless, a Minister of Culture who is afraid to stand up for our heritage, and a premier who is content to allow this lack of leadership to continue, in this ministry.

I will continue to write to all the major news organizations about the Ministry of Culture and the failures of the McGuinty government to enforce it's own heritage act. It's becoming a popular trend these days, for governments to "put it in writing", which is all well and good, however there is one problem, it's not worth the paper it's written on.

I leave you with this thought. 100 years from now, when people are looking back on what Minister Carroll accomplished during her time in office, you can be sure they will utter the words "what the hell was she thinking" when they realize that the number one endangered building in all of Canada was left to fend for itself as you stood by and did absolutely nothing.

Now that's one legacy I would not want my name attached to...

Please watch the following news footage:

http://www.atv.ca/london/news_61363.aspx

4. Ontario and Quebec Defend the Value of Culture
Aileen Carroll and Christine St.-Pierre

As ministers of culture for Quebec and Ontario, we want to convey our deep disappointment about the recent cuts to federal arts and culture programs. In so doing, we are joining countless Canadian artists and arts organizations who have publicly expressed their grave concern.

We understand that at least seven programs that provide crucial support to Canada’s cultural sector have already been cut. We have now learned that the federal government intends to continue this ill-advised course of action, abolishing or severely reducing the budgets of essential initiatives.

Our artists make unique, important and necessary contributions to the cultural, social, economic and political development of our vibrant society. They act as ambassadors for our culture abroad and here at home. The excellence and the originality of their work witness and mirror to the world the modernity, dynamism and vitality of our country. They are the creative engines of our knowledge-based economy.

The culture sector plays a vital role in the Canadian economy. In Quebec and Ontario, the sector contributes close to $30 billion to both provinces’ GDP, which represents 68 per cent of the national cultural sector. The sector also employs roughly 616,000 people across the country of whom 68 per cent call Quebec and Ontario home.

Culture is one of Canada’s fastest growing economic sectors. It’s spin-off benefits include growth and diversification in tourism and local economies, and skills development for the knowledge economy. Investing in our home-grown talent on the international stage encourages foreign investment, opens new markets for export and promotes our country as a cultural tourism destination.

Equally vital, culture helps us define who we are, describes where we have been and signals where we are going. Culture is an essential ingredient to the cohesiveness of our society and to the promotion of our identity.

This is not the time for the federal government to reduce support for culture. Governments need to invest in the people and businesses that make up our cultural industries so that Canada’s economy will reap the benefits. The governments of Quebec and Ontario understand this and have targeted the cultural sector for investment to generate future growth in our economy. Given the context of globalization, now is the time for each province to promote Canadian culture. Our governments recognize the power of culture in the conduct of international affairs, which is essential for a country like Canada.

By cutting these federal programs, without any notice or consultation, the federal government has put the future of organizations and initiatives across the country at serious risk. These programs, primarily for international development, film, video and new media, have complemented Quebec and Ontario programs in priority areas. They promote our artists touring abroad and support the work of such prestigious institutions as the Society for Arts and Technology and the Institut national de l’image et du son, Hot Docs and the Canadian Film Centre. These cuts will compromise years of work on the part of organizations, artists and governments to make culture a sector of excellence recognized throughout the world.

To grow a stronger economy and put Canada on the international stage, we will need to work together. Quebec and Ontario will be raising this issue at the Sept. 25-26 meeting of federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for culture and heritage in Quebec City. We hope that our colleagues from across Canada will join us in urging the federal government to reinstate these programs and reinvigorate federal funding in arts and culture. We both have asked federal Heritage Minister Josée Verner to meet with us and to work together to ensure that Canadian arts and culture remains a powerful contributor to the development of our creative society, our economic diversity and future prosperity.

It is one thing to review programs to make sure funding is there for those who need it; it is quite another to scrap an entire program because of an ideological aversion to a handful of ideas.

Aileen Carroll is Ontario’s Minister of Culture and Minister responsible for Seniors.
Christine St-Pierre is Quebec’s Minister of Culture, Communications and Women’s issues.

Editor's Note:
Congratulations to both Ministers for their quick responses to this federal cut. Unfortunately, when similar cuts were made to the Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund there was no such outcry from the provinces.

5. Bulletin: Trust Report on the Moore House will be released
Donna Moore

Moore Farmhouse soon to be a fancy garage

I just got a call from the Information and Privacy Commission to say that my request to have the Ontario Heritage Report on Moore house released has been approved.

Ms. Dianne Hall mentioned that this is a direct result of the Lister Block order.   Ms. Hall advised that future requests of this nature will be approved unless there is some hitch, e.g. personal information in the report, and then the Information and Privacy Commission office will need to seek approval from the individuals mentioned. I asked about the Alma report, and Ms. Hall said that will be released too.

I'll let you know as soon as I receive the report, which should be in about 2-3 weeks.

Editor's Note:
I am including an edited version of Donna Moore's email to me. A more detailed article on this important break through will be included in the next issue of Built Heritage News. Great work from all who put this pressure on.

6. Muskoka ACO supports Bala residents in concerns about hydro dam
Linda and Jack Hutton

Burgess Church Bala, overlooks the gorge

The Muskoka branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario  is paying close attention to how blasting for a proposed new hydro dam at the Bala Falls may affect two nearby heritage sites. The Burgess Memorial Church, known as the stone church, and located next to the falls, was the first building in the Township of Muskoka Lakes to receive heritage status under the Ontario Heritage Act. Nearby is Purk's Place, a property identified by the Township of Muskoka Lakes on its list of resources, the Heritage Inventory.

A letter of concern, signed by newly elected branch president Ruth
Nishikawa, was presented to Muskoka District Council on Sept. 2nd. It asked
that "the impact of the project be assessed for its potential threat to
these important heritage buildings. Any damage to them (by blasting) would
be a great loss to the community."

Council members voted to defer approval for the hydro project after hearing
from three Bala business owners who said the project would mean economic
suicide for the small resort town as well as destroying the look of the
falls.

Swift River Energy Limited, the lone bidder for the contract awarded by the
Ministry of Natural Resources, has faced steady criticism from local
residents. The latest concern is that a water intake pipe will be blasted
through at 45 to 50 feet deep and 30 feet across to channel water to the
facility. This will leave Bala's North Falls virtually dry and create
another island in downtown Bala . A further risk will be to the young people
who use the nearby train bridge to jump and swim from, scuba divers who use
that part of Bala Bay for diving and the potential loss of the Town Dock and
Bala Aquatic Regatta because of increased current and dangers for swimming.

Brad Burgess, a Bala accountant and great-grandson of the town's first
permanent settler, said that construction traffic will have to pass across a
one-lane Bailey Bridge in the centre of town, sending tourism elsewhere . He
predicted that several businesses will not survive. He also warned of the
visual impact of the project with high chain link fences, booms across the
falls and the loss of picnic areas.

Real estate agency owner Mark Gidley, also a great-grandson of the town's
founder, said the need to maintain a profit will force Swift River to create
high water levels to make electricity and a guaranteed profit. Gidley
predicted that Bala will no longer be a summer mecca if this happens.

Bill Purkis, co-owner of Purk's Place, which began more than 100 years as a
boat livery, said both tourists and local residents oppose the development.
"They see it as a David and Goliath struggle between a small town and an
outside developer," he says.

On Oct. 14th, the entire Muskoka District Council will visit Bala for an
on-site inspection. A newly-formed community group known as Save the Bala
Falls will hold a public forum Sept. 14 to express its concerns.

7. Reclaimed Window to be Restored by Willowbank Students
Catherine Nasmith

Window enroute to Brickworks

The small heritage story of the summer was the work of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario to save the dramatic roundheaded window from the former 719-21 Yonge Street, the former Coles Bakery.

The update is the window was successfully removed and transported to the Brickworks where it is waiting for restoration and to find a final home (yet to be found).

The latest turn in the story has been a proposal from John Wilcox to Willowbank to have students at the restoration school restore the window.

Many thanks to Priestly, Baziz developments, the Brickworks, for their co-operation and enthusiasm in saving this window. Also thanks to Gus Butterfield, Kevin Carter and John Wilcox who all donated time and advice.

8. SaultThisWeek.com: Vandals hit Searchmont Station, destroying heritage building
BOB DIOTTE

Back in 2000, the Searchmont Station, once the pride of the Algoma Central Railway, was declared a heritage building by the federal government. But in June, it was trashed by vandals and it appears that not too many people really care. At least not too many officials at Canadian National who now own and operate the Algoma Central Railway, which ships passengers and freight between the Sault and Hearst. Although the vandalism occurred in June, no one from the railway had secured the building as of last week and we were able to enter the building via a wide open back door.

Click here for Link

9. The Independent (UK): 'Hollow Tooth' peace symbol of Berlin faces deadly decay threat
Tony Paterson

The ruined belfry of Berlin's Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church is falling apart

Its jagged, bomb-shattered belfry towers above the busy streets at the centre of west Berlin like an enormous broken tusk -a ruin that remains one of the most famous and potent symbols of the horrors of war in Europe. But now Berlin's landmark Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church, nicknamed the "Hollow Tooth" by Berliners, is threatened with closure unless at least 4m euro (£3.2m) can be found to restore its rapidly disintegrating neo-gothic facades. City officials admitted yesterday that the 113-year-old building, which is a top tourist attraction, was crumbling so badly as a result of traffic vibration that chunks of it threatened to drop off and hit pedestrians.

Click here for Link

10. Condé Nast; portfolio.com: Russian Rubbleby
Troy McMullen

Moscow's building boom may be driving the city's architectural heritage into ruin.

The Red October chocolate factory has been producing confections on the banks of the Moscow River for more than 130 years. Opened in 1867, the factory was given its present name after the Bolshevik Revolution, in 1917. During the Second World War, it churned out emergency food rations for Red Army soldiers. Today, the redbrick building is one of the city's most recognizable and best-loved landmarks. The five-story structure's next incarnation won't be as illustrious. Like a number of historic Moscow buildings, it is slated to be refashioned into luxury condominiums. The property sits in a desirable district near the Kremlin, and apartments could fetch as much as $30,000 per square meter (nearly $3,000 per square foot), according to local real estate brokers.

Click here for Link

11. Toronto Star: Loblaw's revamp of Maple Leaf Gardens on hold - Grocery chain dismisses talk of historic rink's engineering challenges
Vanessa Lu

Rendering Maple Leaf Gardens

Nearly a decade after the Maple Leafs left their old arena, it looks like the doors to Maple Leaf Gardens will stay shut for some time. Loblaw Companies Ltd. bought the property and has repeatedly touted plans to turn it into a flagship store, while keeping the facade of Canada's oldest hockey shrine. Yet more than a year after the supermarket chain held its annual analyst meeting at the historic rink to signal the future location, no construction has begun.

Click here for Link

12. Hamilton Spectator: Don't cheapen City Hall's heritage value
Evelyn Myrie

It is not an easy decision to make. The city is cash strapped and has to cut costs to meet its budget. The cost of renovating City Hall has gone beyond its budget by approximately $8.5 million, and tough decisions will have to be made. Taxpayers want to know that their elected councillors, stewards of our public purse, are keeping a watchful eye on the city coffers. Earlier this week we Hamiltonians learned that the budget for renovating the heritage building is beyond its approved cost of $50 million. To trim this overrun the city is planning to replace the building's marble exterior with precast concrete.

Click here for Link

13. Hamilton Spectator: Building coming down - 123 James St. N. too dangerous
Rachel De Lazzer

A heritage building on James Street North will be demolished by the end of the month. The owner said he is just waiting to hear from the city how much time he has. It was built in 1883.

Click here for Link

14. Hamilton Spectator: Architects pan 'cheap' revisions
Nicole Macintyre

The man who first designed Hamilton City Hall and the architect in charge of its future both oppose plans to downgrade the heritage building's renovation. Stanley Roscoe, who fought for the civic centre to have a marble facade nearly 50 years ago, says switching to concrete will take away from the building's design."It's a bad idea,"the 86-year-old said yesterday. Trevor Garwood-Jones, the architect behind the current renovation, agrees. Concrete and aluminum, instead of stone panels and stainless steel, will look "cheap," he said. "We want a quality building," he said, noting councillors must remember the building will outlast their political careers. "City Hall is a prestige building."

Click here for Link

15. Hamilton Spectator: Preservationist dogged in determination
Jim Coyle

Once upon a time, before there was Facebook, young people had pen pals. Usually, these pen pals were other young people, never met, from distant parts of the world. The two would be put in touch, often by a teacher, and through correspondence would learn about the people, values and passions in lands other than their own. Ontario Culture Minister Aileen Carroll has a modern-day pen pal of sorts. His name is Robert Foster. He lives in Brampton. If there are more prolific producers of correspondence in Ontario, the list would be short. And if there are more ardent advocates for heritage preservation, we have yet to hear of them.

Editor's Note:
Local activists are fuming that the Alma College site is sitting exactly as it did after the fire, with two buildings still unprotected.

Click here for Link

16. Windsor Star: Green light could give WSO new home by 2013
Ted Shaw

Symphony raised $90,000 to pay for feasibility report

>Windsor Symphony Orchestra could have a new home by 2013 if a feasibility study announced Wednesday gives it the green light. Vicky Kyriaco-Wilson, WSO board president, said she is ";cautiously optimistic" Webb Management Services Inc. will recommend converting the old downtown armouries into a world-class concert hall. "If that happens," she said, "then we could have opening night (at the new hall) five years from now." New York City-based Webb Management was picked over six other firms bidding to conduct a feasibility study for converting the University Avenue East structure into a symphony venue along the lines of Vienna's Musikverein and Boston's Symphony Hall.

Editor's Note:
Interesting idea, there are many such structures in Canada

Click here for Link

17. Windsor Star: Reuse bank's facade, says heritage group
Garry Rennie

After almost a decade in storage, the marble facade of the historic Toronto Dominion Bank building could be used to showcase a proposed $10-million-plus development on Ouellette Avenue at Pitt Street. Believing a new bank could be locating there, the city's heritage advisory committee has asked local developer Dave Petretta to pitch the reuse of the facade to clients for his proposed commercial building. The facade was part of the TD Bank branch that anchored the Riverside Drive and Ouellette corner of the Norwich Block until its demolition by the city to make way for the Candarel Stoneridge Equity Group development. Petretta wants to demolish the former Manning Hotel at the southeast corner of Ouellette and Pitt, which has been mostly vacant since the Royal Bank moved to a new building.

Editor's Note:
Not mentioned in this article is the fact that this facade comes from a structure designed by one of America's foremost Beaux-Art firms the prominent New York based architectural firm of Carrere & Hastings. This building was the smallest one designed by this firm of the handful erected in Canada. You can look up their individual biographies at, http://www.sah.org/index.phpsrc=gendocs&ref=BiographiesArchitects&category=Resources http://www.sah.org/index.php src=gendocs&ref=BiographiesArchitects&category=Resources

Click here for Link

18. Waterloo Record: Heritage buildings are worth listing
Editorial

Waterloo city council may have been wise to defer a final decision on creating a heritage list because the subject is controversial, but the principle behind the list is valid. Once the city's councillors can deal with questions raised about the list they should be able to formally approve it. City staff in a report for council recommended 35 buildings be placed on the list. All of the buildings on the proposed list were constructed before 1857, the year Waterloo officially became a village.

Click here for Link

19. Waterloo Record: Council defers heritage list
Liz Monteiro

After a heated discussion last night on whether to establish a list of heritage buildings in Waterloo, councillors voted to defer the plan. The decision came after some property owners said recognizing their buildings as having any historical or cultural significance could hurt property values.

Click here for Link

20. Heritage Oshawa: Designation Information on Rundle House, Oshawa
c.n.

Rundle House to be demolished

BHN received a letter to the editor advising that Rundle House is to be demolished, but unfortunately the letter was not signed, so we are unable to run it. If the author is a subscriber please get in touch by email to cnasmith@sympatico.ca and we will run your letter in the next edition.

Click here for Link

21. Waterloo Record / TheRecord.com: Aging industrial site could be demolished
Liz Monteiro

Waterloo - The owner of a downtown factory dating back to the First World War wants to tear it down and build a 19-storey condominium building. A development proposal to rezone 21 Allen St. W. from industrial to multi-residential is before city planners. The three-storey building is now home to Ontario Table and Chair Co. It's owned by Randy Kinat, who did not return phone calls from The Record yesterday. Dale Wideman, chair of the city's heritage committee, said he's concerned about the proposal to tear down the red brick building, which was erected in 1913. The old factory, not far from the Bauer lofts development, is not designated as a heritage property, nor is it recognized for its heritage or cultural value. ...The building is considered a mill construction with sturdy beams and posts, said Marg Rowell, city heritage committee member. Rowell said the lack of designation does not mean the building isn't of significant value. "There is nothing I can do especially with the attitude of council right now,' Wideman said."It's a foregone conclusion that it (the building) will be removed.'

Click here for Link

22. Waterloo Record: Push made to recycle, rather than demolish aging factory
Liz Monteiro

Becky Shaw and Lindsay Bast bought an older house in the city's core area, wanting to live in an older, established neighbourhood. They liked the mixed community of older homes and newer townhouses and businesses. "We bought in this neighbourhood because of its historical significance,' said Shaw, who purchased 141 Allen St. in January and moved into the two-storey home in April after $50,000 in renovations. But their neighbourhood could be changing. Across the street, a development proposal before the city suggests erecting a 16-storey, 145-unit condominium building along with nine three-storey townhouses.

Click here for Link

23. Owen Sound Sun Times: Hail to the hall - Lt.-Gov. Onley on hand to mark building's 100th year
DENIS LANGLOIS SUN

Meaford Hall

The $6 million restoration of Meaford Hall is a reflection of a community that takes pride in its historic buildings, says Ontario Lt.-Gov. David Onley. As the Queen's representative in Ontario, Onley attended the town's centre-piece Saturday to help mark its 100th birthday. After touring the building, the Midland native spoke to reporters about the importance of preserving Ontario's building heritage. "We can't understand where we are as a people . . . unless we really understand where we come from," said the author and former television broadcaster. The 100-year-old town hall is a physical symbol of Meaford's history, he said in an interview. Onley, along with local politicians, Meaford Hall representatives and a large crowd of residents, attended the ceremony to celebrate the milestone.

Click here for Link

24. Meaford Express: Old Fire Hall sale not so easy
Chris Fell

Meaford council's plans to sell the old Fire Hall next to Meaford Hall have hit a significant snag. Municipal officials learned recently that the old Fire Hall has been designated a historical building via a bylaw passed by a previous town council several years ago. Such a designation means the exterior of the building can't be significantly changed and could affect the price a buyer is willing to pay.

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25. Peterborough Examiner: Market Hall a cultural cathedral in city's core
ANDREW ELLIOTT

Market Hall, Peterborough

Over the years, Market Hall has been many things to many people. Those who designed and built the building had the foresight to make it a place that would inspire those who would use it. From the 1889 ceremony surrounding the laying of the cornerstone to the thriving farmers' market that lasted into the early 1950s, it was a hub of activity. When the market moved out, the large interior hall space was used for 20 years by a local badminton club. In the early 1970s, with the nearby construction of Peterborough Square, the building became an adjunct to the mall. From the early 1980s to the present, it has been a key location for Peterborough arts groups. For a short while in the 1970s, however, Market Hall was threatened. A plan was brought into place to demolish it and all the buildings adjoining market square, and build a shopping centre in their stead. A campaign to save these historic buildings, spearheaded by historian Martha Ann Kidd and other community members, ended in a compromise: While the other buildings would come down, Market Hall would be saved, renovated, and become part of the new mall. In 1975, something else came out of the campaign to save Market Hall: the establishment of the Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee. Through its efforts, on June 6, 1978, Market Hall was designated -along with four other buildings -a heritage structure by the City of Peterborough. Since then, many other properties have been designated by PACAC.

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26. Georgina Advocate: Developer pledges to keep telescope, observatory, heritage buildings intact
Adam McLean

After months of speculation, the University of Toronto announced the sale of the David Dunlap Observatory and lands to York Region developer Metrus Development for $70 million. It ended a guessing game amongst concerned Richmond Hill residents and observatory activists that was reminiscent of a "who shot JR" debate. It also turned the page to a new question. What does Metrus plan to do with its new purchase? According to company spokesperson Jim Maclean, Metrus plans to keep the observatory, its telescope, the administration building dating from 1935 and the Alexander Marsh farmhouse dating from the 1850s as is. It will do this regardless of a possible heritage designation by the Conservation Review Board, which has yet to hold hearings on the matter.

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27. Northumberlandtoday.com: Friends to refurbish heritage church - Between $10,000 and $20,000 needed to repair roof
Jeanne Beneteau

PORT HOPE - The church ceiling restoration marks the first stage of a long-term vision to preserve the architecture and natural environment of a local heritage village, located on the shores of Lake Ontario, says an Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) - Port Hope branch spokeswoman. . . Although owned by the United Church of Canada, the local ACO has insured the heritage church for 20 years and has always supported preservation of the village, said ACO education committee member Sue Stickley. About five years ago, the ACO, with financial assistance from Ontario Power Generation, commissioned the Wesleyville Study, an extensive heritage and environmental examination of the village's buildings and surrounding land. The report recommended conservation and restoration of the village's buildings - the Wesleyville United Church, the school house, the Barrowclough house and barns, the Y House - and preservation of the marsh area located south of the church extending to the Lake Ontario shoreline, Ms. Stickley explained.

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28. Northumberlandtoday.com: National system needed to preserve buildings, heritage expert says
VALERIE MACDONALD

The message from Heritage Canada Foundation executive director Natalie Bull mirrors that of local heritage conservationists: developers prefer to knock down old buildings rather than save them. A national heritage trust system is needed to preserve these heritage buildings across Canada and to encourage redevelopment instead, Ms. Bull is quoted as saying. Former developer Malcolm Wardman, head of the Cobourg chapter of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO), agrees. "When I was in business I renovated old buildings and there were always unexpected (and costly) problems," he acknowledged. But opportunities are lost when demolition is the option to reusing heritage structures like Cobourg's last industrial building constructed in the 1830s -- the former woolen mill located on Tremaine Street, Mr. Wardman said.

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29. Sudbury Star: Old convent in Chelmsford should be spared demolition

A building in Chelmsford that was home to Catholic nuns for more than 80 years should be declared a heritage building and saved from demolition, city staff is recommending. In a report city councillors will debate at their regular meeting Wednesday, staff said the building at 3616 Errington Ave. is owned by Sudbury's French-language school board. It is located just to the north of the existing St. Joseph Church. Le Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario has given notice it wants to tear the building down. To save it form demolition, city council must designate it a heritage building under the Ontario Heritage Act, the report said.

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30. Grand River Sachem: Preservation for Braund House
Jim Knisley

Dunnville's historic Braund House will live to see another year after Haldimand County Council opted Monday for preservation rather than demolition. County council instructed county staff to meet with representatives from the Dunnville Culture and Heritage Foundation to develop a five-year lease arrangement for the county-owned building. There would also be a review of the lease after one year and the establishment of benchmarks to measure the progress of the foundation's fundraising and restoration efforts.

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31. London Free Press: Slanting shop threatened
JONATHAN SHER

A building that's marked a gateway to London's core for 135 years may fall prey to a wrecking ball put in motion by a complaint to city hall. The wood-framed building, distinguished by its red siding, houses The Antiquities Shoppe on the west side of Wellington Street north of the Thames River. It's nearly as old as Christ Anglican Church across the road, and for as long as observers remember, the building has leaned to the north -- not the precipitous angle of Pisa's famous tower but evident just the same.

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32. Owen Sound Sun-Times: Separate board objects to St. Mary's designation
Don Crosby

The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board is objecting to Owen Sound's plan to designate the 1891 section of St. Mary's High School as a heritage building. An August 14 letter to the city clerk acknowledged the city's interest in heritage preservation but noted that the school board doesn’t receive education funding for heritage spending. "We invite the City to consider funding this project as part of the City's ongoing heritage preservation goals," says the letter, signed by board chair Norman Bethune and director of education Bruce MacPherson. "We've made it clear that we don't have the funds to do that. The ministry (of education) funding is set up in such a way (that) they don't fund boards (of education) to heritage standards," Cathy Colton, superintendent of business, said after a board meeting on Tuesday.

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33. The Annex Guardian: After 130 years historic Exhibition Place can still amaze
LIAM LAHEY

As the grand old lady celebrates her 130th year, the Canadian National Exhibition has never looked so good. Despite the razzle-dazzle the annual exhibition offers, sometimes it's the subtle and historic relevance of Exhibition Place itself that provides the biggest rush. Originally founded as the Toronto Industrial Exhibition in 1879, the 197-acre area was informally renamed the CNE in 1904, formerly in 1912. True, it would be impossible to properly explore The Ex's history in-depth within the confines of one story. But just as a stroll through the grounds can conjure up vivid daydreams of exhibitions past, perhaps a short read on the subject will whet your appetite to take advantage of the CNE's living history at your own leisure.

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34. Cambridge Now: City Of Cambridge Preserves Mansion On The Hill As Potential Heritage Building - 65 Concession Street Galt
Thomas Hagey

"Staff purchased the property with the intent to resell it and to have the new owner designate it under the Ontario Heritage Act," says Steven Fairweather , Commissioner of Corporate Services.

WOW! What An Opportunity. The City of Cambridge took possession of an important cultural heritage property ensuring the house will be saved for future generations. To guarantee the city landmark is protected, City Council gave direction to spend $150,000 on the property located at 65 Concession Street . This could easily become one of the finest homes in the city. Cambridge NOW visited the property and took a walk around the property with a video camera to give you a peek at what is there. It is oozing with potential, and once restored would be the envy of your house guests.

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35. Ottawa Citizen: Wanted - an ironclad way to save heritage buildings
Maria Cook

One in five of Canada's pre-1920 heritage buildings has been ripped down in the last 30 years. As Maria Cook writes, serious moves are now under way to end the destruction.

The Cattle Castle, built in 1898 as an exhibition centre for agricultural fairs, is one of the great buildings of Ottawa. Its delicate steel structure vaults over an acre of clear space that easily accommodated the rink where the Silver Seven won the Stanley Cup in 1904. Ottawa boys filed through to sign up to serve in the Second World War. Inspired perhaps in equal measure by the great railway stations of Victorian London and churches of the Italian Renaissance, its exuberant architecture reflects the boldness of the founders of Ottawa. Yet, in 1991, facing restoration costs of about $5 million, Ottawa council voted to knock it down. The public made saving the Aberdeen Pavilion (its official name) an election issue. A last-minute cost-sharing deal between the city, the federal and provincial governments saved the building from imminent destruction. "It was a shocking example of how close a national historic site can come to being lost forever," says Natalie Bull, executive director of the Heritage Canada Foundation, a national preservation organization based in Ottawa.

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36. The Independent Online (Brighton): Firefighters battle the blaze at 2 Ontario Street on Sunday afternoon.
Ray Yurkowski

house was "built, circa 1830

Fire in Brighton

A piece of Brighton history was ravaged by fire last weekend. Firefighters from both Brighton and Cramahe Township were called to the Georgian-style home at 2 Ontario Street, at Main Street, to battle the blaze at about 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. There was nobody inside the building at the time. It didn't take long for the newly-formed local branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario to add the building to its list of significant buildings of heritage interest in the Municipality of Brighton. "In discussions with the owner, he was aware of the historic and architectural significance," said ACO branch president Nanci Anderson.

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37. Belleville Intelligencer: Tweed church undergoing renovations to become arts centre by fall 2009
STEPHEN PETRICK

Receives $42,252 grant from province

The church is this hamlet north of Tweed has sat dormant for years. But its marble walls make it a rare gem in Canada and the perfect place to showcase the character and creativity of a community dripping in culture, say those behind a movement to turn Actinolite United Church into an arts centre. The plan, in the works for about a year now, is closer to becoming a reality. The provincial government announced $42,252 recently to help the Tweed and Area Arts Council refurbish the historic building, believed to be the only marble church in Canada.

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38. Owen Sound Sun Times: Woman tries to save historic building
Denis Langlois

Brampton-based developers plan to demolish former brothel, restaurant on city

A petition has been launched to save a historically significant 19th-century Owen Sound building before its owners demolish it for future commercial development. Vaughan-based Villarboit Development Corp. plans to raze Branningham Grove, which was built around 1864 and once served as a brothel and more recently Louis' Steakhouse restaurant. Company spokesman Barry Browning confirmed the plans in a statement Thursday, saying the building is in such a poor state of repair "that it is a hazard to anyone entering the door." Preserving it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, he said. Aly Boltman, an antiques appraiser and Grey County Historical Society board member who also writes a column for The Sun Times, is leading the charge to save the grand brick building at 1610 16th St. E. She has launched an online petition, calling on Owen Sound city council to designate Branningham Grove under the Ontario Heritage Act. Designation would stop any developer from demolishing it without council's consent.

Editor's Note:
the petition URL as published was incomplete. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savebranninghamgrove/ The building does NOT "appear"to be about to fall down any time soon. see, http://myphotos.owensoundsuntimes.com/mycapture/photos/Album.aspx EventID=586400&CategoryID=32729&TB_iframe=true&width=820&height=400

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39. Halifax Chronicle Herald: Anybody want a big, free house? The catch: you
AMY PUGSLEY

historic houses on South Park Street in Halifax that a developer wants to move instead of demolish to make way for a 19-storey building

Instead of tearing down three homes that stand in the way of a downtown highrise, a developer is offering them up free of charge. The three historic houses at 1441, 1455 and 1467 South Park St. could be yours. All you have to do is move them off the site by next month. And to sweeten the pot, the W.M. Fares group is willing to contribute to the shipping charges. Cesar Saleh, the group's director of operations, confirmed Wednesday that the company would kick in a total of $30,000 toward the big move. "We're exploring options right now to see if there is someone out there who would like to relocate them instead of demolishing them," he said in an interview. The firm received proposals recently about how much the demolition and disposal of three houses would cost and decided instead to put that money toward moving them.

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40. The Owen Sound Sun Times: Shallow Lake's shining heritage example
Scott Dunn

The poor old King Edward Hotel, with its peeling white paint and weedy yard, faced the same fate as Owen Sound’s Queen’s Hotel a few years ago.

By the summer of 2006 it sat vacant and shabby, with old Christmas decorations still hanging from its walls to greet motorists along busy Highway 6.

Prohibitive repair costs and declining membership prompted the Shallow Lake Legion to put the building up for sale after occupying it for 44 years, and join Hepworth’s Legion.

The same summer the King Edward was up for sale, the Queen’s Hotel in neighbouring Owen Sound was being torn down.

But for the late Bev Shouldice, who advised his sons Robert and Doug to buy a building of such local historical interest, it might have been demolished too.

The Shouldices have deep roots in the Shallow Lake area stretching back to the 1800s. William Shouldice arrived there with an Indian guide in 1862, though his relationship with the current Shouldices is unclear. Saving this building was a matter of pride for them.

The King Edward hotel was built amid Shallow Lake’s short-lived cement manufacturing boom, using marl deposits from the bottom of the seasonal lake there. By 1895, more than 200 men were employed in the cement works. By 1899 arrangements to build the hotel were set.

“The King Edward Hotel, with J.J. Finch as proprietor, did a thriving business as a general hotel, barber shop and pool room,” according to “Beautiful Stoney Keppel,” the 1986 history book the former Keppel Township.

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41. Owen Sound Sun-Times: Two faces of Meaford council
Kerry Riley

Editor: Either the heat of the summer has gotten to Meaford Council or it is just a convenient time to ignore important issues while most folks are on vacation. One week council toots its (and the community's) horn for the 100th centenary of Meaford Hall celebrating its renovation/renaissance. The next week it is selling off the municipally owned Victorian firehall. Both buildings are designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Isn't this a strange disconnect? With all the constant photo ops, one could think that "saving" the town hall has happened under Mayor Richardson's watch. Wrong. Fortunately, the thrust for restoring the old town hall into a cultural centre happened under the watch of Mayor Gerald Shortt -- the one lone dissenter on this current council who opposes the sale of the historical fire hall. At the Meaford Hall centenary Mayor Richardson stated that this is "a remarkable achievement in our modern world where things are thrown away too quickly." Selling the heritage fire hall is happening on your watch, Mayor Richardson. Where is the collective brain of this council? In 2006 it passed a new comprehensive official plan with high heritage priniciples, emphatically encouraging retention of all heritage resources whether architectural, archaeological or natural. Council is seemingly ignoring this plan. The official plan further states that an "inventory of Heritage buildings shall be maintained". Obviously due diligence has not been observed by staff/council, hence the surprise of finding out that the firehall is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.

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42. Globe and Mail: Demolition by Neglect in Canada
Josh Wingrove

An Ounce of Preservation is worth a Ton of History

With heritage sites across Canada increasingly at risk of being torn down, advocates call for a national trust of endangered buildings

It was in Fort Langley about 150 years ago that British Columbia was first claimed for Britain.

The fort was the first of its kind on the West Coast. It's still standing, a prized piece of Canada's past sitting just east of Vancouver.

There are about 7,200 such heritage sites across the country. They're finicky old dames requiring complex maintenance and upkeep, and while Britain and the United States have broad-based programs for preserving "built heritage" - a national trust and tax credits, respectively - Canada has none.

But a solution may soon come from, fittingly, Fort Langley. The region's MP, Mark Warawa, is spending the next few months speaking with people across the country in an effort to develop Canada's own National Heritage Trust.

"We're looking at what models work, and what's positive with the models in, for example, England, the United States," Mr. Warawa says.

Mr. Warawa is parliamentary secretary to Minister of Environment John Baird, who oversees Parks Canada and the portfolio for heritage preservation.

A national heritage trust system, advocates say, is badly needed. Heritage buildings are "endangered" in Canada, says Natalie Bull, executive director of the Heritage Canada Foundation, because developers often prefer to knock them down and start new.

It's easier, Ms. Bull says, to throw up a cookie-cutter development - such as a new condo - than to take time to work within an existing, antiquated heritage site with its own "quirks," or "problems."

"Oh, it's much more difficult," says Tom Payne, founding partner of Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg, a Toronto architecture firm that has worked on the city's highest-profile heritage sites, including the new National Ballet School and the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. "But I think the results are much richer and more interesting."

Restoring a medium-sized heritage residential building costs $169 a square foot, according to a 2006 University of Waterloo report. A similarly sized new residential building costs $155 a square foot. And the upkeep of a heritage site is sporadic and unpredictable, while new buildings have set maintenance schedules.

"It's just a different approach," says Catherine Nasmith, president of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, which advocates for the preservation of heritage sites. "There always seems to be money for capital budgets, but maintenance is just not so sexy."

There's a green element to saving heritage buildings, too. Canada has lost 20 per cent of its pre-1920 buildings in the past 30 years, Ms. Bull of Heritage Canada Foundation says. Such demolished buildings account for a full third of the garbage in landfills, the foundation says.

"I think that we have a responsibility, especially in the context of a greener world, to use things effectively that are here now, and to try and minimize demolition and landfill," says Mr. Payne, the architect.

But to compensate for the inconveniences and extra costs of heritage properties, developers look for incentives - such as those that would be offered by a national heritage trust.

Canada once had such a program: the Canadian Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund. Founded in 2003 with $30-million from the Liberal government, it offered funds for revitalizing buildings, ultimately helping preserve 52 buildings totalling $181-million in nine provinces. The Conservatives didn't renew it, but are considering incorporating it in the new national trust, for which they've so far pledged $5-million.

Currently, it falls to cities and provinces to fight for heritage sites. Victoria offers a 10-year tax exemption for heritage buildings to be turned into housing. It has prompted $137-million in investment so far, but the city is looking for help bearing the cost.

"The municipalities really are struggling on their own all across Canada to try and make heritage conservation work," says Steve Barber, Victoria's heritage planner. "It is a huge problem all across the country."

Editor's Note:
This was a fantastic piece, on the 3rd page of the Globe and Mail. It also included the full list of Canada's Top Ten Most Endangered Places, including Toronto's Riverdale Hospital. To see the full article you will need to pay a fee.

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43. Cornwall Standard Freeholder: $1M repair bill for St. Columban
MICHAEL PEELING

Facing $1 million in repairs, the Patrons of St. Columban Foundation has issued a plea to the public to help keep the church open for future generations with the promise of entertainment and heritage preservation. Walking by the church at 36 Fourth St. West, anyone can see the front of the building is undergoing major work as scaffolding has obscured the front tower. Property manager Duncan Hamilton said that if the Foundation hadn't taken steps to start the masonry work required of the damaged stone, part of the church would have been condemned by now. The work is just the beginning of a five-year plan, estimated to cost more than $1 million, to put the church back in good repair, but as Hamilton pointed out, maintaining aging buildings is a neverending struggle. . . Even though the church was built in 1894, when Cornwall was still known as Johnstown, it doesn't carry a provincial heritage building designation. "There are so many heritage buildings in Ontario that little funding is available for new ones," Hamilton said. "It becomes the complete responsibility of managers to preserve buildings like this and that's totally unfair."

Editor's Note:
Designated or not there is no money for heritage buildings in Ontario or in Canada.

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44. Lethbridge Herald: Two local buildings designated as historic
Dave Mabell

A pair of local buildings will live out their senior years in comfort after being designated municipal historic resources by city council Tuesday. The two structures - the Annandale residence and the old Spudnut shop - are the first in Lethbridge to be protected under new provincial law. Jean Johnstone, chair of the city's Historical Advisory Committee, says the group plans to return to council with more nominations in the fall. "These are our first," she adds. "We expect to have more later." Historical information is being prepared for about 25 local sites, she said before council met Tuesday. Most are in the city's downtown core.

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45. Peace Country Sun (Alberta): Historic barn getting a new lease on life
Alexis Kienlen

A unique barn is being preserved in the Peace, thanks to the actions of the Worsley Historical and Cultural Association. The Brettle barn was donated to the association by George Brettle, his wife, Elleanor, and his brother, Bud, in 2005 and is being renovated and restored . The barn was originally located eight miles out of Worsley on property owned by Robert Brettle. It was relocated to a historical preservation site located in the hamlet of Worsley in 2006. Construction on the original structure began in 1936 and it was completed in 1946, while Bud and George were away serving in World War II. The provincial government provided the Worsley Historical and Cultural Association with a grant of $75,000 to restore the barn. The Worsley Historical and Cultural Association, which has about 25 members, matched funds provided by the government in order to restore the barn. Funds were presented to the historical association by minister Hector Goudreau last September.

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46. Edmonton Journal: Historical, modern buildings show off their charms
Clara Ho

Weekend tours include peek into city's French quarter

A stroll down the city's French quarter near Bonnie Doon or the theatre district in Old Strathcona is likely to elicit oohs and aahs from passersby, marvelling at the impressive architecture in these older parts of town. Adriana Davies, executive director of the Heritage Community Foundation, is happy to see people appreciating the beauty of Edmonton's various buildings, some of them local landmarks. But she also wants people to see their cultural value and the role they play in the city today. That's the aim of the Doors Open Edmonton Festival, the city's annual architectural celebration, which runs today and Sunday. In its eighth year, the festival is celebrated in 21 communities across Alberta and showcases buildings that contribute to the culture, history and flavour of the community.

Editor's Note:
Doors Open: What a difference this program has made, and it is less than 10 years old in Canada!

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47. Victoria Times Colonist: Tattered heritage buildings for sale
Richard Watts

The Janion and Northern Junk properties attract high local interest

The Janion and Northern Junk Buildings, two of downtown Victoria's most high-profile heritage properties, are on the market and attracting interest. "We have quite a few people interested and we do have offers," said Ron Macdonald of Pemberton Holmes. Macdonald, the listed agent for both properties, added that all offers have come from local business people. The Janion, at 1612-1614 Store St., is listed for $2.48 million, and $1.975 million is being asked for the designated-heritage Northern Junk Buildings at 1314 and 1316-1318 Wharf St. Both date back more than 100 years and have sat boarded up for decades, raising concerns among some Victoria city councillors that the buildings are being destroyed through neglect.

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48. Victoria Times Colonist: Developer urges incentives for heritage restoration
Richard Watts

The revamping of heritage buildings, like the landmark Janion and Northern Junk buildings, would accelerate if builders were given better incentives, the redeveloper of several historic properties said yesterday. Chris LeFevre, developer of properties on Herald, Chatham and Yates Streets and the owner of the old Morley Soda Water Factory on Waddington Alley, said a "density transfer program" would catalyze the redevelopment of historic Victoria. Density transfer works by allowing a developer to transfer density forgone when redeveloping a heritage building to another site. For example, in return for preserving a low-storey heritage building, a developer might be allowed to build extra floors on an apartment tower elsewhere. Density is value," said LeFevre in a telephone interview. Victoria now offers as much as $50,000 grants to redevelopers of heritage buildings and gives them a 10-year tax holiday. Both programs are helpful, LeFevre said.

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49. Halifax Chronicle-Herald: N.S. history 'carted away in a Dumpster'
CHRIS LAMBIE

Scholar aghast that Government House

Centuries-old plaster walls at Government House are being replaced with drywall during a $5.7-million renovation project. The work has raised the ire of a professor at St. Francis Xavier University who recently wrote to the lieutenant-governor's office, among others, to complain about the situation. . . Built between 1799 and 1805, the stately stone mansion is the oldest official government residence in Canada. Mr. Langille equated the ongoing work with vandalism and said it "would be unthinkable in a country that values its past." He pointed to England, where organizations such as the National Trust take great pains to restore buildings that are much older and more fragile than the lieutenant-governor's residence on Barrington Street. "Sadly, in the less noble city of Halifax, where heritage groups are treated with derision, history is carted away in a Dumpster, without public outcry,"Mr. Langille wrote.

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50. Halifax Chronicle-Herald: Heritage, vibrancy compatible partners in downtown vision
By PETER DELEFES, Nova Scotia

THE SUPPORTERS of heritage in the HRM and across Nova Scotia envision a vibrant and beautiful Halifax. We differ strongly from the Halifax by Design plan proponents who want to achieve their ends through a process which favours speculative development and high buildings; we want to focus on our unique built heritage as the cornerstone of economic and cultural revitalization of the downtown. Halifax is one of the great historic cities from the age of sail along the East Coast of North America. Its natural topography of a hill crowned by the Citadel sloping down to a magnificent harbour is one of the outstanding features of the downtown area. There is still a visible connection to the water which must be maintained. The other remarkable feature is a unique collection of heritage buildings: 70 per cent of all the buildings in the central business district are heritage buildings or would merit heritage designation. It's the most historic square kilometre in English Canada.

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51. Canadian Jewish News: Expats return to bid farewell to historic shul
DAVID BALE

erected in 1856 and first used as a church

SAINT JOHN, N.B. -"Yaamod re-vee-ee," intoned the gabbai, calling up the next aliyah. Shaarei Zedek Synagogue in Saint John, N.B. Then he added what you don't usually hear in a Shabbat Torah service. "Ontario," he called out. Then, what seemed like half the congregation ascended to the bimah. Like a sea of red plaid, they surrounded the Torah. The red plaid refers to the kippot that were specially created for this day, bearing the provincial tartan of New Brunswick. Wearing them proudly, a reunited Saint John Jewish community was called up for aliyot in groups by the geographic regions where they now reside. The swarm of Ontarians comprised the largest contingent to make the physical, as well as symbolic, ascent of returning home to say shalom -goodbye - to the venerable building of Shaarei Zedek Synagogue, their hometown's one and only shul. The service was part of a three-day reunion held over the August long weekend that saw more than 150 former Saint John Jews arrive from all over Canada and the United States, and from as far away as Australia. The reunion was one last hurrah before the closing of their beloved shul. The historic building had been the epicentre of their close-knit, small-town communal lives for generations. Located just blocks from the Saint John Harbour, Shaarei Zedek was sold recently to the city of Saint John. The deal also included the adjacent Saint John Jewish Historical Museum, which before 1986 served as a Jewish community centre and Hebrew school. Both buildings will cease operation in November and are slated for demolition to make way for an urban renewal project.

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52. Montreal Gazette: A smashing historic residence
ALAN HUSTAK

residence

The graffiti-splattered greystone mansion with broken windows sits on Overdale Ave. at the edge of a huge parking lot just north of the Lucien L'Allier on a large tract of land that has been vacant for more than 20 years. The three-storey house was once the residence of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, who, along with Robert Baldwin, served as prime minister of the British colonial government of the United Canadas.

Editor's Note:
What kind of country allows it's monuments to get into such a state?

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53. Winnipeg Free Press: Condos slated for Portage Ave. - Saskatoon company buys building
Murray mcNeill

An out-of-province saviour may have been found for one of the leading symbols of downtown decay -- the Avenue Building on Portage Avenue. A Saskatoon developer -- Kingdom Ventures Corp. -- has reached a tenative deal to buy the long-vacant Portage Avenue office building for approximately $600,000. Kingdom co-owner David Johnston said the deal should be complete by the middle of September, and that he hopes to begin redeveloping the six-storey building before the end of the year. Johnston said he plans to convert the top four floors into executive condominiums priced at $200,000 and up, the second floor into office space, and the ground floor into indoor parking stalls at the rear and a lobby area and perhaps a small coffee shop at the front of the building facing onto Portage. He declined to reveal how much he expects to spend on renovations, saying he's still negotiating with local contractors. Kingdom is the second developer to take a run at saving the 104-year-old Avenue Building, which has been targetted for redevelopment by the city's downtown development agency -- CentreVenture Development Corp.

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54. Canadian Press: Quebec Citadelle fortress in need of $100 million in repairs and upgrades

Citadelle Quebec

It has been called the Gibraltar of the Americas. But a newly released federal report suggests the historic Citadelle fortress in Quebec City is badly in need of reinforcement. A strategic plan, penned by the army, estimated as much as $100 million will be needed over 10 years to refurbish the redoubt, the foundations of which were laid in the 17th century when King Louis XIV still ruled New France. The federal government was warned in 2003 in an exhaustive study that the Citadelle, the only historic site in Canada still garrisoned by a regular military unit, would need extensive repairs. The staggering estimate does not include the costs to bring buildings and ramparts up to ";code," said the army's 2007 strategic plan, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

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55. Halifax Chronicle-Herald: Time to stop razing heritage buildings
AMY PUGSLEY FRASER

Halifax should stop issuing demolition permits for registered heritage buildings, says a heritage advocate. "It';s so easy to demolish a building that's been there for 100 or 150 years; we just don't value them," Clary Kempton said in an interview Tuesday. "Buildings are dropping everywhere, and it's just criminal." Mr. Kempton, a designer and a member of council's volunteer downtown planning advisory committee, has drafted a heritage plan for the municipality. It will get an airing at city hall's heritage advisory committee when members meet today.

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56. Halifax Chronicle-Herald: Downtown plan balances rich past, vibrant future
DALE GODSOE, chair, Urban Design Task Force.

HRM BY DESIGN has engaged the public in a democratic, community-led process to determine the vision for our downtown and to establish new policy that will make the vision a reality. Over the past two years, the citizen-led Urban Design Task Force has consulted, engaged and communicated with thousands of members of the public to ensure that the resulting plan creates a vibrant, exciting and beautiful downtown for residents and visitors. It is a plan that balances our rich past with a vibrant and beautiful future. Without this plan, we will continue to see parking lots on our waterfront, vacant and underused properties throughout the downtown, crumbling heritage resources in need of support through legislation and incentives for restoration, and an ongoing out-migration of young, highly skilled workers looking for a dynamic and progressive place to live and work.

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57. Halifax News Net: Sambro lighthouse faces 'demolition by neglect'
RICK HOWE (HOWE NOW)

'Demolition by neglect." That is how a riled up Chris Mills describes the state of one of the earliest landmarks in Halifax's storied history. The Sambro Island lighthouse, just outside the entrance to Halifax Harbour, is 250 years old this year. It is the oldest operational lighthouse in the America's, according to Mills, a former lighthouse keeper and all-round lighthouse fanatic. The Ketch Harbour resident has penned books on the subject and given lectures in both Canada and the United States. He is worried this national historic site is not being properly maintained, that it's significance to Nova Scotian or even Canadian history is not appreciated by the bureaucrats who control the public purse. "It was the first thing seen as immigrants sailed into the harbour, and the last site of home for those sailing away," says Mills of the lighthouse. Freshly painted white with red stripes, the lighthouse itself "looks awesome" says Mills. "I heard they got $50,000 to paint it for this year's anniversary." Mill says the rest of the place "is falling apart."

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58. The Daily Record (Parsippany, NJ); Old Greystone is an aging reminder of another time - U.S. asylums falling victim to change and neglect
TOM BREEN, Associated Press

PARSIPPANY -- Equal parts graceful and eerie, massive brick-and-stone asylums once loomed over towns from Maine to California as the 19th century's ideal for the humane treatment of the mentally ill. Ornate facades, turrets, sprawling grounds and sheer palatial size belied the name "mental hospital." Known as Kirkbride buildings, for the Pennsylvania physician who inspired them, they flourished for half a century. Today the forces of age and neglect, together with a century of changes in treating mental illness, have slashed the ranks of Kirkbride asylums to a handful that will need ambitious developers to save them from collapse. Many of the surviving buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places, but restoring them is not easy. One of the most successful renovations is at the former Athens State Hospital in Ohio, which was taken over by Ohio University in 1988. But many of the colossal structures face a slow demolition by decay because of the enormous cost of maintenance, let alone renovation.

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59. Reuters: Ancient Pompeii site faces modern threats
Silvia Aloisi

POMPEII, Italy (Reuters) - Nearly 2,000 years after it was buried and preserved under a volcanic eruption, the ancient Roman town of Pompeii is being steadily worn away by modern woes. Decades of neglect, millions of trampling visitors and the ravages of sunlight and rain are threatening to wipe out for good one of the world's most famous archaeological sites and Italy's top tourist attraction. Archaeologists and art historians have long complained about the poor upkeep of the Pompeii treasures, warning that its fading frescoes, leaky roofs and crumbling walls would not survive the test of time.

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60. Interesting and Amusing Collection of Quotes on Architecture
Ergo Architecture, San Diego

I came across this site searching for the origin of the quote, "Architecture is frozen music". These were collected by a private San Diego architecture firm. It has a quite a list of interesting quotes, some flattering, some critical, all pointed.

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61. Someone to Report on APT Conference in Montreal?
Catherine Nasmith

I will be attending both the Heritage Canada and ICOMOS conferences in Quebec City, but unable to go to the Association of Preservation Technology International conference in Montreal in September. Are any readers going, if so perhaps you could cover for BHN readers. Please let me know if you are willing to report, we may be able to get some concessions on conference registration for "press". cnasmith@sympatico.ca