May 20, 2007

Heritage Legislation Review Report, May 2007

UNB Law students, Brian Perry and Matt Hiltz, working in the Pro Bono Students Canada program at UNB's Law School, and under the supervision of Professor Richard Bird, undertook a review of the heritage legislation of nine Canadian jurisdictions recommended to the Trust by the Heritage Canada Foundation in Ottawa (www.heritagecanada.org).

This booklet is the result, and the Trust thanks Prof. Bird and Matt and Brian for their very useful work. Any quotations from this work should acknowledge the authors, title and date of publication, and the web URL. The booklet is available to interested parties at no charge.

Innovation in Heritage Preservation: A Study of Nine Canadian Communities


Please Note:The report is in Adobe Acrobat (pdf). To view it you will need the Acrobat Reader.

Get Acrobat Reader - it's free

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February 04, 2007

The Fredericton Heritage Trust tribute to William Wellington (Bill) Thorpe

A founder of the Trust in 1972, who died on December 21, 2006

Fredericton Heritage Trust Award to Bill Thorpe
Annual General Meeting, November 16, 2006 (Beaverbrook Art Gallery)

Your Honour, Madame President, Mr. Riordon, Ladies and Gentleman.

In addition to promoting the importance of our heritage resources - particularly our significant buildings - Fredericton Heritage Trust also tries to make a point of recognizing individuals who are a part of this process.

Our award recipient tonight is known to many Frederictonians for many things.

Some will know him as an educator, with an extensive career at Fredericton High School as a teacher and assistant principal.

Others will know him as a sports enthusiast and participant, particularly with respect to playing, coaching and promoting rugby.

Others still, will know him as a municipal politician, serving as city councilor and deputy mayor of Fredericton.

Many others will know him as an advocate of walking trails throughout our city and province.

Indeed, Bill Thorpe is a man of many interests and talents.

For the past 10 or 12 years, I have known Bill as a fellow member of the board of Fredericton Heritage Trust, where his passion for history and heritage has always come to the fore, whether it entailed escorting the Prince of Wales on a motor vehicle tour of our heritage buildings here in Fredericton, or staunchly advocating the rehabilitation of the York Street train station. [On a personal note, Bill, and another Trust colleague – Bob Dallison – initiated me into the Trust's "plaques and awards" committee. Prior to setting out to review the candidate buildings, the committee convened at a local pub to review our notes. At the end of this session, I - as the "rookie" - was called upon by Bill and Bob to pay the tab. Additionally, my working knowledge of the proper procedures for conducting meetings (as vice-president/president of the Trust) was not very extensive, but Bill could be counted on return me to the correct course.]

In the 1970's and 80's, Bill was a key figure in preserving the very core of downtown Fredericton from less-than-sensitive developers. Part of our display in the lobby includes an article from a (fall) 1980 issue of Maclean’s magazine, outlining the events/outcome surrounding development pressures in Fredericton which many thought threatened the core of the downtown area. The article ends with a quote from Bill (as deputy mayor): "Downtown Canada is a little richer for this decision." Fredericton is much richer for people such as Bill Thorpe.

Please join me in a round of applause for Bill.

Posted by editor at 10:31 PM | Comments (0)

President's Report for 2005-2006

Submitted to the Annual General Meeting at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, November 16, 2006

The Trust operates now in a fast-moving, well-connected, multi-skilled national network of organizations and individuals. The challenges we have to meet are societally significant. As one of our chief colleagues, the Heritage Canada Foundation (HCF) in Ottawa (www.heritagecanada.org) argues, we face "four important aspects of heritage conservation today: the economics of heritage preservation - showing that heritage pays, heritage tourism - a fast growing phenomenon, heritage preservation in the sustainable development context, and the heritage workforce - a human resources issue."(www.advocacyaction.org)

Fredericton therefore may continue to celebrate and use its remaining magnificent inheritance of a built environment, on both sides of the river, but it is evident from many conversations I had around Fredericton that we, as citizens of a growing city, could be more pro-active, especially with education, research and advocacy efforts. The 22nd century's legacy of built heritage is being constructed now, so how might such construction literally build in heritage components to link the past and the future? Children are growing into adults, but with what understanding of how a visible respect for heritage helps create their communal and individual identities? How might the various 21st century generations respectfully enhance, via policies and incentives, our built legacy opportunities? Mindful of such questions, the Trust designed a programme for 2006 to address some of them and to strengthen partnerships with other organisations.

The Trust and the Provincial Archives teamed up to provide a workshop (January 11) on how to research a privately owned heritage property. In late January, we hosted a short visit to the city by the new Executive Director of Heritage Canada Foundation, the internationally respected Natalie Bull (ex NB).

February 16, 2006 saw the celebration of Heritage Week with the Lt. Governor presenting the Trust's Awards for outstanding heritage work, with the Trust's gift to the City for the planting of ten large trees during Arbor Day in May, and a talk by the Clerk of the Legislature about the heritage restoration work in the Legislature she continues to supervise.

March 18 and April 29 saw a duo of well-attended, well-presented lecture/workshops by Dr. Renee Losier on design and colour issues for heritage interiors and exteriors.

In May, for Arbor Day, the Trust, with the City's Recreation Department and Parks and Trees Division, held a successful tree planting on both sides of the river followed by heritage quizzes about the bridge and surrounding houses and the unveiling of new heritage photographs for the Trail Hub building on Station St. The Provincial Archives was a third partner for the trail project.

From April to June the Board worked on arrangements for the first, community-wide heritage photo contest. November16th is the finale -- the prize giving. The top 28 images will be exhibited publicly, beginning in the City Hall Gallery. The contest attracted 80 entrants with 150 (approx) images eligible for judging.

In July, the Garden Tour was again a sell-out, thanks to the work of Barbara Hughes Campbell, John Welling, and garden owners.

The fall period saw intensive, partnership-based planning with the Heritage Branch for the Provincial Heritage Forum, November 1-3. Noteworthy in that event were the ideas and experience that experts from across Canada brought and what they took away; for example, admiration for the Legislature and Old Government House restorations and their hopes that more heritage-minded citizens of Fredericton will assert the economic and cultural importance of heritage. One key result from the Forum was the intention to explore the planning for a provincial heritage trust umbrella organisation, thus bringing NB into the ambits of similar organizations across Canada.

Regarding information sources, the website (www.heritagefredericton.org) continues to garner praise. Thanks to several Trust members, and especially John Leroux, a revised edition of Building capital was prepared and copies printed for sale on/after November 16th.

A review of Heritage Canada Foundation recommended heritage legislation from municipalities and a few provinces is now underway, thanks to the UNB Law School's pro bono programme. Prof. Richard Bird is supervising two Law students, with input from Trust members.

The 2007 year will see more activity that builds on what is needed here and what is happening across Canada. Today’s technology helps us enormously in learning how to mesh with the national scene, but it also raises the bar somewhat in terms of keeping up with new ideas and designing realistic strategies for heritage as community economics, heritage as local tourism, and heritage as regional sustainable community development.

Many people worked hard this year to create what you've just read about. Thank you, and especially to Board members, for those great contributions. In particular, and because of the Trust's award to him on November 15, I pay particular tribute to Bill Thorpe, who never hesitated to respond to my requests for advice or help, and whose keen eye on the clock and the conversations kept Trust Board meetings moving along most expeditiously.

Liz Burge

Posted by editor at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)

November 24, 2006

Heritage Photo Contest July to Sept., 2006

Fredericton Heritage Trust Inc. www.heritagefredericton.org


The "Top 28" images: Congratulations to all the photographers!


ADULT Section

1st prize
Chantal Arseneau
Cityscape at sunset

2nd prize Howard Fritz
Northside pier of old Carleton St. bridge on Devonshire Drive.

3rd prize
Kathleen Breau
Vibrant in the night


Honourable Mentions

Howard Fritz
Recycling: Railway becomes walking trail and
Cotton Mill becomes office building.

Janet Crawford
Aldona at True Food Organics, 207 Charlotte St.

Gladys Jeffery
Your tax dollars at work

Robert Clarke
Busy buses

Natalie Dubé
Eager to play

Dylan Buell
Sunday's best (All Saint's Anglican Church, Canada St.)

Christopher Melanson
Helping a vibrant past live on

Chantal Arseneau
The hill

Tony Parks
Railway Station, York St.

Leigh Merritt
Grey matter from Bailey Drive

Carol Hamilton
Hint of the past (St. Mary's St.)

Janet Crawford
Yellow door at 122 Waterloo Row

Adele Brewer
History to be proud of

Karen Casey
St. John St.

Adele Brewer
Then and now: Intersection with Cotton Mill in background

Anne Marie Bennett
Respecting their heritage (Balas St.)

Leigh Merritt
Looking back, Bridge St.

Pam Nelson
Charlotte St. large family home & four exact houses—the four sisters

Pam Nelson
Aberdeen St.: brick façade of old warehouse near train station

Pam Nelson
Gibson St.: City Spring Service Ltd owner holding up new spring

Anita Newling
Cupola of Charlotte St. Arts Centre

Joanna Everett
Stone bridge, Fredericton


Youth section

1st prize

Taylor Nelson
Hartt Shoe factory with cement truck in front

2nd prize

Taylor Nelson
River Street, Marysville: white house in front of Marysville Place …


3rd prize

Maxime Damecour
Heritaged gables (Marysville)

Posted by editor at 10:59 PM | Comments (0)

March 10, 2006

Building Fredericton's Natural Heritage

Fredericton Heritage Trusts' recent gift to the City of Fredericton is a donation towards the planting of five heritage tree species. Information about each species (below) is taken from material given by the City Forester, Don Murray.

The "Trusts' trees" are planted and "unveiled" in May 2006 simultaneously at each of two sites in Carleton Park (northside) and near the walking bridge on the Green (southside).

Species to be planted:

Red Oak:
Quercus rubra L.
Family: Fagaceae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 18-27m Stem diameter: 40-90 cm

Red oak in New Brunswick grows mostly on the slopes of river valleys where it is mixed with other hardwoods and occasional softwoods. It can become established in shade, but requires good access to light to grow to maturity. Its acorns take two summers to mature.

The wood is heavy, hard and strong, and can be used for flooring, furniture, interior trim, and for barrels to hold dry goods. The leaves turn red to purplish-red in autumn; this adds to the appeal of red oak as an ornamental species.


Bur Oak:
Quercus macrocarpa Michx.
Family: Fagaceae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 15-20 m Stem diameter: 30-40 cm

A rare species in New Brunswick being restricted to the lower Saint John River valley, where it grows with other hardwood species of richer bottomland sites. It is intermediate in shade tolerance, requiring good access to light once fully established. Its acorns mature in one season.

Because the tree is seldom found in New Brunswick, it has no specific use here. Elsewhere its hard, strong wood is used for furniture, interior trim, boat building, wine casks, and barrels for storing liquids. Bur oak is a useful ornamental, especially as it withstands city environments well.


Sugar Maple:
Acer saccharum Marsh.
Family: Aceraceae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 23-27 m Stem diameter: 50-70 cm

Typical of hillside and hilltop forests in New Brunswick. Occurs commonly with beech and yellow birch. Shade tolerant but grows faster in open conditions.

Produces heavy, hard wood (hard maple or rock maple) used in furniture, flooring and specialty goods such as bowling pins or woodenware. Sometimes flecks or flares occur in the wood which can then be used for ìbirdís-eye- mapleî or ìfiddlebackî products. Rising sap is often tapped in spring and used for maple syrup and maple syrup products.


Red Maple
Acer rubrum L.
Family: Aceracae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 16-25 m Stem diameter: 30-60 cm

Grows in association with many species, both shade tolerant and shade intolerant, and on both wet and dry sites. Red maple itself can tolerate considerable shade when young but requires abundant light later. Regeneration often occurs by sprouting from stumps, so clumps of red maple stems are common.

Produces a moderately hard wood (which is called soft maple) used to some extent in furniture, veneer, boxes, and pulpwood. Flowers are produced before the leaves, and fruits, which are red when young, are shed in June. The leaves turn a bright red in autumn. Red maple is frequently grown as an ornamental tree.


White Ash
Fraxinus americana L.
Family: Oleaceae
Deciduous hardwood Height: 18-23 m Stem diameter: 50-70 cm

White ash commonly occurs as a scattered individual in mixture with beech and sugar maple, basswood and butternut, or with some conifers. It withstands some shade when young, but requires good light later if it is to do well.

The wood is hard, strong, tough, and takes bending well. These features made it suitable for snow shoes, tool handles, sporting goods and furniture where strength is required. White ash is occasionally planted as an ornamental.

Further information may be found at the Canadian Forestry Service
http://www.atl.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/index-e/index-e.html
Click on 'Handbook of Maritime Trees'.

Posted by editor at 01:43 PM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2006

2006 FHT Awards

Fredericton Heritage Trust Inc. is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2006 Heritage Awards. These awards were presented by Herménégilde Chiasson, Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, as part of the Heritage Week celebration at the Legislative Library on Thursday, February 16, 2006. The 2006 Recipients are:


* Fredericton Non-Profit Housing Corporation, Renovation of 7 Bridge St, Marysville

Previously known as Marysville Place Apartments (or more typically the Marysville Hotel), 7 Bridge Street was built in the 'textile town design' by Alexander "Boss" Gibson in 1886. Originally, the first floor consisted of living quarters for the manager (left side, back of building) with kitchen facilities and dining room on the right side, to the back. The front was a lounge for the building's occupants. The top two floors were taken up with rooms for 12 boarders.

Canadian Cottons Ltd. changed it to a boarding house for single or widowed women. It was sold in 1954, along with the other local holdings of Canadian Cottons Ltd.

Under private ownership, the condition of the building deteriorated, to the extent that tenants had to be removed due to health concerns resulting from pigeons nesting in the attic. It remained unoccupied for several years, incurring extensive fire damage in September, 2002, at which time it narrowly avoided demolition.

Ongoing negotiations and interventions by numerous parties helped 'buy time' until the Fredericton Non-Profit Housing Corporation stepped forward. With assistance from all three levels of government and community support, the structure was substantially rebuilt to provide six, one bedroom and two, two bedroom apartments, officially opened in the summer of 2005.


* Elizabeth Hubley, Renovation of 258 Church Street

This house at the corner of Charlotte St was constructed in 1906 by prominent businessman James S. Neill, for his daughter Agnes S. (Neill) Foster and her husband Berton C. Foster. While the Neill family resided on the other side of Church St, the family carriage house is thought to have been on the property adjacent to 258 (towards Queen's Square).

The first and only principal at the first Fredericton High School (York St, now known as York House), Dr. Foster, after 35 years in that position, remains the longest serving principal in the history of FHS. He was also the first president of the New Brunswick Teachers Association.

It is believed that the house remained in the Foster family until Agnes' death in 1957, after which time it was briefly owned by the Hughes family, whose initials can still be seen etched in the glass of the inner porch door. During the 1970's it was owned by the University of New Brunswick for use as a student residence, known as Foster House, and later, under private ownership continued as an apartment/rooming house.

In 2005, it was purchased by Elizabeth Hubley, who immediately started renovations, including new roofing, selective clapboard replacement, exterior painting and extensive interior work, returning it to a single family residence.


* 4 Engineer Support Regiment, For Renovations to Charlotte St Arts Centre

4 Engineer Support Regiment (4ESR) was activated in December 1992 at CFB Gagetown, with the amalgamation of 22 Field Squadron from CFB Gagetown and 4 Combat Engineer Regiment from CFB Lahr (Germany). 4 ESR consists of 41 Construction Squadron, 42 General Support Squadron, 48 Administration Squadron and a Regimental Headquarters Troop.

4 ESR's operational role is to provide general support to the Canadian Army both at home and abroad. In peacetime, 4 ESR also provides field engineer and field engineer equipment support to CFB Gagetown and Land Force Atlantic Area.

Further review of the regiment's website reveals deployment to a variety locations, including Croatia, Rwanda, Haiti, Ethiopia, Winnipeg (1997 flood relief) and Nova Scotia (Swiss Air Disaster).

4 ESR has recently completed another important mission, somewhat closer to home, and certainly much appreciated by many citizens of Fredericton. Without their 'hands-on approach' to various aspects of renovations to the Charlotte Street Arts Centre, this project might still be at the planning stage.


* Fredericton Arts & Learning Inc, for the Charlotte St Arts Centre

A dream ten years in the making (and not quite finished yet), the transformation of the former Charlotte St School into an Arts Centre, represents a collective vision and effort on the part of many committed groups and individuals, as well as financial support from all three levels of government and the community at large. Central to this effort was the dedication of the Board of Fredericton Arts & Learning Inc.


* Dr. Ellen MacGillivray, for Long-term Commitment to Built and Natural Heritage

Ellen (MacLaggan) MacGillivray was born in South Devon (Fredericton) and attended the University of New Brunswick (Honorary Degree, 1981), University of Michigan, and University of Leiden in the Netherlands, where she graduated in 1958. She has written over 75 scientific papers and reports published in national and international journals. Her research, centered on the taxonomy and ecology of aphids, earned her a worldwide reputation and presidency (the first woman so named) of the Entomological Society of Canada, and was later named a Fellow of that Society.

Dr. MacGillivray has been active in many local organizations, including the Fredericton Society of St. Andrew, Nature Trust of NB, Canadian Forestry Association, Fredericton Fish and Game Association, and the Royal NB Rifle Association to name just a few, and was recognized by the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce as a recipient of their 2000 Distinguished Citizen Award.

Dr. MacGillivray is a charter member of Fredericton Heritage Trust (1971), serving on the Board of Directors from 1971-74, and vice-president from 1973-74. During this time she was directly involved in efforts to dissuade city hall from demolishing many of the heritage buildings on the river side of Queen St (including City Hall itself, the Justice Building and the Sports Hall of Fame), by taking several days off work to petition people along Queen St and making a presentation before City Council. She was also active in the Old Burial Ground Sub-committee (Secretary 1986-1998) which promoted the idea of, and was instrumental in fund-raising for the fencing which now protects that site. Ellen has also been active on the City of Fredericton Tree Commission (1961-2002), which is a perfect tie-in for one of the Fredericton Heritage Trust 2006 activities to be announced later today.

Posted by editor at 05:55 AM | Comments (0)

November 02, 2005

FHT Submission to City of Fredericton re:Municipal Plan Review

City of Fredericton
Development Services Department

Attention: Mr. Bill DeGrace
Manager, Heritage & Cultural Affairs Division

City Hall, 397 Queen Street
P O Box 130
Fredericton N B E3B 4Y7

 

Dear Mr. DeGrace,

This submission is in response to the Capital City Municipal Plan Review 2003, CulturalSection (Section 3.11). While it is appreciated that a number of heritage planning issues are worthy of discussion, this submission will deal almost exclusively with the issue of "The Tool of Heritage Designation" [pp 40-41 of Technical Background Report].

Heritage designation (of individual buildings, streetscapes and/or neighbourhoods) is seen as one of the most tangible and most effective means of promoting and realizing heritage preservation and has been a policy of many jurisdictions since the late 1960's.

While Fredericton has a heritage preservation area (St. Anne's Point Heritage Preservation Area), it encompasses a relatively small component (approximately 340 properties out of the nearly 1400 properties included in the city's Municipal Heritage Inventory) of our built heritage. As a result, many properties that may be worthy of designation are subject to real and potential degradation or loss due to either unsympathetic renovation or actual demolition.

Since the inception of the St. Anne's Point Heritage Preservation Area in 1984 (more than 20 years ago) it has undergone only one expansion, in 1997. While the current Capital City Municipal City Plan (December, 1991) identified 9 potential heritage preservation areas for study [see Attachment 1], only 2 of those areas (or parts of them) have received municipal heritage designation. (While Historic Marysville has been declared a National Historic District, that designation carries no conditions restricting demolition or inappropriate renovation of properties therein and does not fall under the jurisdiction of the City of Fredericton with respect to heritage.) Draft/proposed revisions to the Capital City Municipal Plan suggest 8 "Proposed Study Areas, Heritage Designation" [see Schedule "A", Attachment 2], which is for the most part simply a slight reconfiguration of the areas identified in the 1991 Municipal Plan.

Fredericton Heritage Trust (FHT) appreciates that the "boundaries" suggested by the shading of these proposed study areas are not necessarily "set in stone" and may vary somewhat when the actual study/inventory occurs, however it is our firm belief that an entirely different configuration is warranted for those areas adjacent York Street. In the course of public concern associated with the announcement of the proposed demolition of York House (former Fredericton High School No.1, located on the westerly side of York St., between Brunswick and George), it was realized that the portion of York St. starting at the St. John River/City Hall end, and extending almost to Dundonald St. contains a multitude of heritage buildings representative of a cross-section of Fredericton's past. These buildings encompass civic/government (City Hall, Justice Building), commercial (most of the buildings between Queen and George - in both commercial buildings and in former residential buildings), industrial (Hartt Shoe, Chestnut Canoe), transportation (York St. Train Station), religious (Brunswick St. Baptist Church, St. Paul's United Church), institutional ( York House/former Fredericton High) as well as many fine residential properties. We believe that a more formal, concerted emphasis should be placed on recognizing, preserving and promoting this area, which FHT has identified as "the York St. Historic Corridor", which might be considered second in importance only to Queen St. as the most continuous and divergent heritage streetscape in Fredericton.

It is therefore urged that the "Proposed Study Areas, Heritage Designation" as contained in the Capital City Municipal Plan Review 2003, be modified/revised to recognize York St., from the St. John River to Dundonald St. as a "proposed study area". [See "Revised Proposed Study Areas, Heritage Designation", Attachment 3]. Recognition of "the York St. Historic Corridor" has the benefit of bridging/incorporating elements of 4 of the 5 "proposed study areas" previously identified in the draft plan, as well as including both sides of the York St. streetscape, rather than splitting it down the middle and possibly having "unregulated" unsympathetic design on one side compromise the historic integrity of the other. (As a general principle, FHT believes that the centre lines of streets should not be used as "boundaries" for proposed Heritage Preservation Areas, as 2 adjacent areas on opposite sides of a street might not receive designation at the same time [as happened at George St., resulting in an "unfortunate" renovation to the Roberts/Limerick House at 734 George]. The preference would be to use rear property boundaries to separate study/preservation areas from each other and/or other adjacent areas.) Further to this recommendation that centerlines of streets not be used as boundaries, it is urged that the boundaries of the other study areas be modified to follow rear property boundaries as much as possible. [See Attachment 3]

Identification of "Proposed Study Areas for Heritage Designation" is one matter, but to actuallycarry through with the studies (within a reasonable timeframe), and to actually designate additional properties/areas, is quite another matter. As indicated earlier, a heritage preservation area comprising of only approximately 340 properties (and some of those properties not of "legitimate heritage vintage or detail") is not very significant when considered over the 20 year time frame. Whether areas/properties ultimately receive heritage designation status or not, the inventory/research processes should be an ongoing activity so that particular buildings/neighbourhoods don't "slip through the cracks of bureaucracy" and be unsympathetically renovated or demolished before their heritage value has had a chance to be reviewed/established. Research after the fact will do nothing to bring heritage resources back from the wrecker's grave. It is hereby recommended that any pre 1914 structure seeking a demolition permit require a review of its heritage value, according to Preservation Review Board guidelines and procedures.

It is the understanding of FHT that a "scheduling/prioritizing process" for research/inventory of properties in the various "proposed study areas" has been in preparation by the City as of June 2004 (subsequent to City denial of formal request by the Queen Square Neighbourhood Association for inclusion in the St. Anne's Point Heritage Preservation Area), but there had not been a consensus or sense of priority on what area(s) to start with first. It would be a sad commentary if such a stasis were to persist, leading to the thought that there might be no real interest on the part of the City to seriously partake in the process, but to date, FHT has not been informed by the City of the proposed scheduling. If the City is looking for input on this matter, there are several "yardsticks" that might be appropriate, such as:

  1. Study/designate the area(s) with the largest number of (perceived/actual) heritage properties.
  2. Study the area(s) perceived to be under the greatest threat (from development, neglect or unsympathetic renovation).
  3. Study/designate the area(s) where the residents/property owners show the most interest for inclusion in a heritage preservation area.

If the map of "Revised Proposed Study Areas, Heritage Designation [Attachment 3] is adopted/referenced, there would be a total of 6 "study areas", 3 in Fredericton South, 2 in Fredericton North and 1 in Marysville. It should not be difficult for at least one, if not two study areas to be "evaluated" each year, taking a maximum of 6 years and as few as 3 years to complete. In terms of the order/sequence in which the areas could/should be "evaluated", one possible scenario is that:

It is emphasized that the discussion immediately above only suggests one of many potential scenarios with respect to a "scheduling/prioritizing process" for areas already identified by the City as Proposed Study Areas for Heritage Designation, and does not in any way suggest that other areas of the city are not worthy of similar consideration. However, the "bottom line" remains that most of these identified areas have been "on the books" for almost 15 years and have seen little serious action on the part of the City. If the City hopes to retain credibility in the realm of heritage preservation, it must address this issue (and these areas) immediately.

It has been suggested by City staff that part of the reason for (apparent) City inaction on the issue of expanded heritage designation/heritage inventory has been a lack of City resources in terms of personnel and finances. While these are certainly considerations, the argument could be made that many other City departments and initiatives do not seem to have gone lacking to the same extent. In the past, Fredericton Heritage Trust has "informally" (verbally) suggested some possible means of being of assistance to the City/Preservation Review Board in this matter, and will reiterate this offer here, as well as offer the following other suggestions:

Fredericton Heritage Trust looks forward to receiving your response to this submission with the expectation that the valuable, but often underappreciated heritage assets of our wonderful city may benefit from the recommendations here-in.

Sincerely,

Ian Robertson,
President, Fredericton Heritage Trust

 

cc. Office of the City Clerk

Preservation Review Board
Queen's Square Neighbourhood Association
Carleton St. Neighbourhood Association|
West Plat Neighbourhood Association
St. Mary's Neighbourhood Association
South Devon Neighbourhood Association
Marysville Heritage Committee

Posted by editor at 06:08 PM | Comments (0)