Last week I asked for notes from members around the Province regarding the elections. Here are a few of the highlights: (two from St. Thomas)
In Mississauga, MHC member Jim Tovey was elected Ward One Councillor (Port Credit). I'm sure a few of you will know him from the conferences.
Eric Rogers
In St. Thomas, the anti-heritage mayor was defeated by a 34 year old member of the municipal heritage committee. She is one of those who fought the demolition order for Alma College as an alderman, so will be in a better position now to champion our cause.
Nancy Mayberry
In St. Thomas, alderman Heather Jackson-Chapman was elected mayor, defeating Cliff Barwick. Heather has been the council representative on the municipal heritage committee and chair of Doors Open St. Thomas for the past two years. Heather personally gave tours of St. Thomas City Hall during Doors Open and steered the Doors Open budget through the council approval process.
Laurence Grant
London has a new mayor, Joe Fontana, one-time Liberal MPP and once a member of City Council. He ran on a platform of no tax increase for the next four years and development to provide an increase in tax revenue. Four of the five councillors who have consistently supported heritage issues were re-elected but they will have a tough time getting anything related to heritage preservation (if it costs more than a penny) through the new City Council.
Julia Beck
I am not sure what Jeff Lehman's win as mayor of Barrie will mean to heritage there, but I can fairly confidently say that with Barb Baguley as the new mayor of Innisfil, things should look up considerably on the heritage front. She is (was) a member of the Heritage Committee and was the only one to push things forward in spite of a resisitant and reluctant committee and Council.
The old Council with its single-minded focus on development and jobs - the one that was responsible for the destruction of two marvellous stone heritage farmhouses - has largely been consigned to the rubbish heap. Only three old members remain and they are mostly all pro heritage.
David Steele
41 Buildings of Obvious Heritage and Archaeological Significance Meet The Wrecking Ball in Brantford
As you read this, the first of 41 heritage buildings that could
have been the core of a major historic redevelopment of one of
Ontario's most important main streets has been torn down, the rest soon
to follow. I can't tell you how disturbing it was to watch Council
"debate" this issue, how they crapped all over the Federal Government's
FedDev for actually following the rules, how they suddenly became
libertarians who were going to reject federal and provincial funding
from now on; one councillor, who was previously against demolition,
switched his vote because he was outraged that the Federal Government
had the nerve to come out against demolition!
41 Buildings of Obvious Heritage and Archaeological Significance Meet The Wrecking Ball in Brantford
As you read this, the first of 41 heritage buildings that could
have been the core of a major historic redevelopment of one of
Ontario's most important main streets has been torn down, the rest soon
to follow. I can't tell you how disturbing it was to watch Council
"debate" this issue, how they crapped all over the Federal Government's
FedDev for actually following the rules, how they suddenly became
libertarians who were going to reject federal and provincial funding
from now on; one councillor, who was previously against demolition,
switched his vote because he was outraged that the Federal Government
had the nerve to come out against demolition!
Lessons from Brantford
1. We need better communication
They have been discussing Colborne Street in Brantford for thirty years. Last year when hearings were taking place over the expropriation, questions could have been raised. The people of Brantford didn't know that there were groups like the ACO, the Heritage Canada Foundation or even people at the Ministry of Tourism and Culture that could have helped them, so we all come in, as Councillor Littell notes, "at the 11th hour and 59th minute." We all should have been there a lot sooner.
2. We need to know what is out there.
Nobody knows; until a building gets listed, there is no database that says it is important. It is a catch 22; in Brantford, they can say with a straight face that the buildings are not historic because they have never been listed, but they refused to take the advice of the Heritage Committee and list the buildings. We are losing too many buildings not only because nobody is watching, but because nobody knows what to watch.
The Role of the Mainstream Media
Fantastic graphic from National Post by Richard Johnon and
Jonathon Rivait
I want to acknowledge those in the media who have
helped us raise the profile of heritage and the crisis in Brantford,
turning the spotlight on their Littell little world and turning
into a national story. In particular, Chris Hume of the Star personally
drove out and photographed Colborne Street himself and wrote about it months ago. The National Post has consistently been
on the right side of heritage issues and did a glorious full page
spread yesterday. I have lost track of the number of times I have
cancelled my Post subscription in a rage, but may have to start it
again. As for the fishwrap that is the Brantford Expositor, and their role
as cheerleader in all this, they should be ashamed of themselves.
In New York City They Have a Hard Time with Heritage Districts Too
new construction in proposed heritage district
Robin Pogrebin writes in the New York Times how quickly things changed when a Heritage District is proposed:
In January 2007 the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission received a proposal for the creation of a new South Village Historic District to protect what advocates say is an area important for its architecture and its place in the city’s heritage.
In the months after, as the commission studied the proposal, owners of buildings in the area began filing for permits to alter or demolish their properties. At 12 Leroy Street, an 1835 town house with elements of both the Federal and Greek Revival styles, the owner obtained a permit to alter the existing two-family home; part of the facade has already been destroyed.
More in the New York Times
OMB Refuses to Review Decision on Port Dalhousie
The Ontario Municipal Board has rejected the request to review the decision approving a seventeen storey tower in Port Dalhousie. You can Download the decision here.
The St. Catherines Standard covered the story:
Continue reading "OMB Refuses to Review Decision on Port Dalhousie" »
The ACO is on Twitter
Twitter is a useful service for being kept up to date without taking up a lot of time- entries are short. But it is growing in popularity and we will be updating on it regularly. follow as at @arconserve
