Posts Tagged conservation

Photo Credit: Laura Waldie

I was emailed today with what I thought was a neat question. Derek from St. John’s asked me “What building is in your gravatar? It looks quite old.” It is an old building actually. Well, old by Canadian standards I suppose. It is the Black Swan Guesthouse on Peasholme Green in York, England. It was built in 1417 for William Bowes who became Lord Mayor of York that same year. The Bowes went on to make quite a name for themselves as a family of goldsmiths to the Tudor Kings and Queens and William’s son Martin became Lord Mayor of London. Martin was also an advid heritage conservationist! He intervened in the proposed demolition of several medieval churches in York, including St. Cuthbert’s and the York Rectory, by arguing that these buildings were still in great shape and were links to the City’s historic past and should be saved. He then went on to restore the Church so it could be passed down to us in good condition today. But the real reason I use this building pictured above as my gravatar is its Canadian connections…. (more…)

McIntosh Castle in Kingston, Ontario

It’s always nice hearing from readers who have questions about my posts or if they are looking for specific information to something….and even when they are setting me straight on something! I got a great email from Judi in Kingston in response to my Casa Loma story telling me there was a castle I didn’t mention. So in this post, I will tell you a little bit about this castle which is also a perfect stepping off point to launch a new series dedicated to Canadian architects who have built some of this country’s most beautiful public and private buildings. The first architects to be profiled are John Power, and his son Joseph, who built many impressive dwellings in nineteenth and early twentieth century Kingston, Ontario.   (more…)

Photo Credit: K. Manning

So, you own a home that was built prior to 1940 and you’re listening to all the hype out there from window companies about how great vinyl windows are at saving you money on your heating bills. You want to rip out those old “nasty” windows and put in some vinyl instead. Should you do it? There was a workshop I attended on November 20^th that was sponsored by the Aurora Heritage Advisory Committee that addressed the prevailing attitudes about our society’s need to abandon the old and adopt the new when it comes to replacing windows in older homes. You may save a few dollars in the first few years, but that will eventually change. Quite simply, you could be causing your home more long term damage if you replace those old wood windows with vinyl. An alternative you should consider is repairing your original windows instead.  (more…)

Photo Credit: Laura Waldie, 2010

It’s been a busy month here at “History to the People” and I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you about some seminars and workshops I have taken part in recently that have been both helpful and have given me further knowledge in this wonderful world of built heritage and cultural landscapes.

The first event was a four day workshop hosted by the University of Waterloo’s Heritage Resources Centre which took place at the beautiful Museum of Steam and Technology in Hamilton, Ontario from October 23-24 and November 6-7, 2010. Here, Professor Robert Shipley and his staff led a series of lectures, group discussions, and team exercises on the world of heritage planning. As someone who eventually wants to become a heritage planner, I had literally been waiting all year for this workshop to take place, and it was worth the wait!  (more…)

Photo Credit: Urban Toronto

We have come to the final chapter of our series on Canadian Castles and we end with the youngest of them all, Toronto’s Casa Loma. Since its construction, Casa Loma has been a tourist attraction and prominent landmark in the city of Toronto. It was built as a dream castle for wealthy financier and military man Sir Henry Pellatt and his wife, Lady Mary Pellatt. When construction began on the castle in 1911, Pellatt had amassed a vast fortune by investing in a number of Canadian businesses which included the Toronto Electric Light Company, the Home Bank of Canada and Cobalt Lake Mining. At the height of his financial success, Pellatt was the Chairman of 21 companies and through his own personal investments, he was in control of 25% of the Canadian economy. But before he even moved into his “dream home on the hill”, the seeds for his downfall were being sewn. Unlike his fellow Canadian Castle owners, Pellatt was forced to vacate his property less than a decade after he moved in.  (more…)

Photo Credit: Activehistory.ca

For those of you who are involved in municipal heritage planning or preservation, no matter where in Canada you are, you have surely heard about the demolition of 41 historic buildings along Colborne Street in Brantford, Ontario. This was a demolition of monumental proportions because of the history and heritage lost which affects not just Brantford history, but Canadian history and heritage. Why is it such a hot debate? Among these buildings were some of the most complete pre-Confederation buildings in Canada as well as the office of Alexander Graham Bell and one of the first grocery stores in Ontario. They ranged in architectural style from Italianate, Georgian Gothic, Victorian and Edwardian. It is not necessarily the loss of these architectural styles, or the personal history in these buildings, that holds the key to future appreciation of built heritage structures. It is, however, the loss of potential re-adaptive use. It must be acknowledged that these buildings, for the most part, had been neglected over the last couple of decades. Yet that doesn’t mean they could not have been revitalized and brought back to life through a marriage of past styles and modern functions to create a new environmental and corporate friendly existence.

Photo Credit: Brantford Heritage Committee. Reprinted in the Natonal Post, June 8 2010; nationalpost.com

The City of Brantford took control of the block of buildings along south Colborne Street in 2009 and applied to Ottawa for a Federal stimulus package worth $1.38 million to tear down the structures. There was no plan at that time as to what to do with the cleared site other than use it as a source of future economic development. Heritage groups, individual advocates and national foundations did what they could to stop the project. The project was halted briefly while City Council discussed the matter. In the end, demolition went ahead on June 8, 2010.

One positive thing that has come from this event is more and more city mayoral candidates in Ontario are being asked by the public their views on heritage preservation in their cities. In fact, similar questions are being asked all across Canada this fall as Colborne Street is not an isolated case. Every part of Canada sees some sort of significant loss of heritage sites and/or buildings every year. On October 7th, 2010 the Brantford Expositor published a story about how Brantford mayoral and ward councilor candidates are facing the public’s questions about Colborne Street and their views about heritage preservation and adaptive re-use of historic buildings. Heritage preservation and adaptive re-use is becoming an important topic of debate as many citizens are becoming more aware of their community’s history as well as the positive economic impact of adapting older buildings for new purposes.

Photo Credit: Activehistory.ca

There is still a long way to go in educating the politicians and the public in general. But at least debate is a step in the right direction. If you would like to read the full Expositor article, please click the link below.

Expositor Article by Michael-Allan Marion

Photo Credit: Laura Waldie

If you love a good story about a person’s rise from rags to riches yet never loses their kindness and compassion for others, then the third instalment of the “Canadian Castles” series is for you. Nestled in the heart of Baden Ontario, is a stunning Italianate home that was built in 1877 for James Livingston, a flax and linseed oil industrialist whose empire stretched as far west as Manitoba and south into the United States. On the home’s exterior, Livingston had been criticised for its “plainness” yet, on the inside, it boasted one of the finest collections of ceiling paintings and handcrafted local furniture anywhere in Canada. Considered the “Jewel of Wilmot Township”, Castle Kilbride was the Livingston family home for four generations and represented a little piece of Scotland that was so dear to James Livingston.   (more…)

Have you ever wondered how the economics of heritage preservation works and what new strategies are out there that you can use in your community? From public-private partnerships to urban revitilisation, it can all seem a little daunting. Heritage Strategies International in Washington DC provides professional information and technical assistance that encourages the economically productive use of heritage resources. They also have a webinar series that allows heritage professionals from all over the globe to learn and share their experiences with others. There are three webinars coming up and here is a description of each.

Session 3 – Incentives for Heritage Conservation
September 16, 2010 10:00am ESDT / 3:00pm GMT
In even the richest countries in the world, there are not sufficient public or NGO resources to conserve all the built heritage that merits saving. That means, by default, it is necessary to look to the private sector. But heritage investments are often perceived by the private sector as risky and encumbered with complex regulations. Therefore it is often necessary to use the “carrots” of incentives along with the “sticks” of regulations. This session will cover how incentives work, who might provide them, and give examples of alternative incentive systems established in different countries in the world.

Session 4 – Heritage Conservation and Public-Private Partnerships
October 14, 2010 10:00am EST / 3:00pm GMT
For many valid reasons, public-private partnerships are often viewed with suspicion by the heritage conservation community. This session will detail when a PPP should be considered, the risks to both the heritage resource and the sponsoring agency, and suggest ways to mitigate both risks.

Session 5 – Emerging approaches in documenting benefits of heritage conservation
November 18, 2010 10:00am EST / 3:00pm GMT
As more interest has been paid in recent years to the economics of heritage conservation, innovative scholars, public sector analysts, and heritage advocates have begun to experiment with new methodologies and approaches. Some of these have attempted to quantify what had formerly been seen as non-quantifiable values such as “quality of life” and “strengthened local communities.” This final session will look at these new approaches, how they are conducted, and some of the findings that have been reached.

Pricing
Pricing has been established according to the World Bank Economic Categories. Since Canada is considered a high income nation, sessions are $30 each.

If you wish to register, or get more information, please visit the Heritage Strategies International webinar page. The first two sessions in June and July have passed, but it is not too late to take part in the upcoming three. They are well worth the effort.

Photo Credit: Laura Waldie

Despite the heavy rains that came on June 6, the Doors Open Ottawa weekend was a great success. Nearly 60,000 people came out on June 5 and 6 to visit the 119 cultural and historic venues all around the city and surrounding area. As a historian who loves anything to do with heritage, I decided to sign up as a volunteer and really get involved. On June 5, I was at the Parks Canada Conservation Laboratories on Walkley Rd, and boy what a great day that was! If you thought Parks Canada was just about parks and good looking uniformed rangers politely telling you to put your campfire out, than think again and read on! (more…)