ACO compiles list of questions for your municipal candidates

A candidate for mayor in Toronto recently released her positions on architecture and heritage; she is quoted in the Star as saying “I’m so sick of boring, glass, concrete blocks. I want to encourage developers to build buildings that will (aesthetically) last for centuries.I think when long-term thinking is applied, beauty and savings can be had.” She also "would give a heritage designation to every city-owned building that predates 1920."

It would be great if we could, as a group, support candidates who make such statements, but we cannot; registered charities operate under very strict rules and cannot get involved in election campaigns. But as individual citizens we can ask questions and offer support. The ACO has collected suggested questions regarding heritage from a number of groups and consolidated them into a document you can download or copy from the blog here. The dealbreaker for me remains, "Would you list or designate a building over the objections of the owner?"

Download a word doc here. Download Municipal Candiate Questionnaire

This questionnaire is intended for use at the local level to ask questions and raise awareness of issues in the forthcoming municipal election. Questions have been arranged in groups. We suggest that to avoid a questionnaire that is too lengthy, you include no more than one or possibly two questions from each group.

Introduction

Old ideas can sometime use new buildings. New ideas must use old buildings – Jane Jacobs

The greenest building is the one that's already built. – Carl Elephante, US National Trust for Historic Preservation

Property Rights

Under the Ontario Heritage Act, listing and protecting heritage properties is a municipal responsibility, not a private responsibility. A heritage property may be designated by the municipality over an owner’s objection, and the owner may appeal the designation to the Conservation Review Board (for individual property designations) or the Ontario Municipal Board (for heritage district designations).

Do you agree that a municipal council should act if necessary to designate heritage property even where the owner disagrees?

Adequacy of Protection

Do you think there is adequate protection for built heritage in Ontario? Do you think that the balance is tilted to protection or destruction of heritage?
How will you balance development pressures against the need to preserve archeological and heritage structures and neighbourhoods?
Do you think that [insert your community]’s built and natural heritage features are: a) adequately identified, and b) adequately protected? If not, what do you think should be done to improve the situation?

Role of Municipality

Under Ontario law, listing and protecting heritage property is primarily a
municipal responsibility.

What role should municipalities play in identifying and protecting heritage?
Would you change how heritage in [insert your community] is protected? If so, how?
What do you think is the single most important action the municipal government could undertake to encourage heritage preservation in [insert your community]?
How do you think [insert your city] compares to other North American cities in its efforts to preserve its heritage? And do you have any examples of best practices that [insert your community] could adopt?

Financial Incentives

Given the large amount of public support for heritage preservation, will you support funding, laws, policy, and appointments that encourage it? Please list any specific initiatives that you would propose.
Will you support city funding of infrastructure improvements in heritage neighbourhoods including such things as banner poles, distinctive street signs, redesigned sidewalks, and reproduction street lights?
Will you support financial assistance and advice to those who seek to conserve and restore their heritage properties?

Adaptive Reuse

As our communities change, it may no longer be practical to use heritage buildings such as schools or churches for their original purpose.

Would you encourage the adaptive reuse of [insert your community]’s built heritage when its traditional uses are no longer feasible?

Heritage Conservation Districts

The Ontario Heritage Act enables municipal councils to protect not only individual properties but also districts of cultural heritage value or interest. Part V of the Act, entitled ''Heritage Conservation Districts'', deals with the protection and enhancement of an aggregate of buildings, streets and open spaces that as a group, represent a collective asset to a community in much the same way as an individually designated property.

Do you think that Heritage Conservation Districts help communities?
Do you have examples in your community of loss of heritage that you think should have been saved? If so, what would have been needed to change the outcome? If you live in a Heritage Conservation District (HCD), do you think that the HCD designation has provided your neighbourhood with the protection that you anticipated?

Personal Commitment

This question addresses your personal involvement in heritage preservation.

What do you see as the value to the community of preservation of heritage properties? What have you done to save built heritage in [insert your community]?
Why is the preservation of heritage buildings important to you?

Return responses by [DATE] to:
[contact person]