by Nancy Oakley
Heritage buildings on Gilmour. The heritage homes and buildings of a neighbourhood contribute to its character, give it a sense of history, and preserve individuality. (Photo: Robert Smythe)
One of the biggest challenges to conserving our heritage resources is our own planning. Communities across the province have seen their heritage character eroded by insensitive development when heritage is not effectively incorporated into planning processes. It sounds simple, but this “death from a thousand cuts” can be avoided when planning is based on accurate information and a balanced framework. The proposed Community Design Plan (CDP) for Centretown is an opportunity to update the vision for our neighbourhood. It will help guide future planning and development and will have an impact on how our heritage resources are conserved.
Heritage conservation and development are often seen as conflicting forces, when in fact they work well together. When done right, the goals of intensification and heritage conservation can be met through adaptive reuse or sensitive infill. Heritage also has the added bonus of contributing to sustainable, liveable cities—after all, the greenest building is the one already standing.
Knowledge is half the battle. Before an informed decision can be made about a proposed development, it is important to understand how it may impact the character of an area—and what that character is. Centretown is home to a variety of heritage resources, from monumental institutions like the Canadian Museum of Nature, to quiet streets featuring turn of the century brick homes.
These resources, along with much of Ottawa’s built heritage, are identified on the City’s Heritage Reference List. The list includes properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, as well as undesignated properties identified as having historic interest. The Reference List isn’t complete by any means, but is useful for “flagging” possible heritage concerns with any proposed development, and is one tool available to our City Planners. Many resources on the list have been categorized according to perceived significance—a “category one” building has great heritage value and is worthy of individual designation under the Ontario Heritage Act, while a “category four” building has limited heritage value. There are also several ‘Listed’ buildings, which have been identified, but whose heritage significance has not yet been established.
In the proposed CDP, the scope of what is considered heritage differs from the Centretown Secondary Plan. While the Secondary Plan takes a broad approach to heritage as being any building with architectural or historical significance, or which contributes to the area’s character, the CDP only recognizes the “best” heritage resources, which have received a category one or two rating.
This is problematic for a few reasons.
These “best” heritage assets represent only one part of Centretown’s heritage character. More common historic homes may not warrant category one or two designations, yet taken together form a significant part of what makes our neighbourhood unique. This isn’t considered in the CDP, and the “disconnect” between what exists on the ground and what is considered in planning and development decisions could have a major impact on how the neighbourhood’s built heritage is protected and conserved in the future.
The CDP also takes a “street-by-street” approach to the area’s heritage character. Without a broader vision of Centretown’s heritage, this approach could lead to further erosion of the neighbourhood’s historic character, especially in the residential area north of Somerset and west of Bank, as well as the Golden Triangle, both of which are slated for upzoning. The feat is that should one incompatible development sneak through on a street, it could be used to justify the redevelopment of the entire block at the expense of the area’s existing heritage character.
A final concern is how the CDP incorporates existing guidance for Centretown’s heritage. The Heritage Overlay is a special zoning applied to Centretown’s two Heritage Conservation Districts, in addition to the area around Dundonald Park. While the CDP supports the retention of the Heritage Overlay, it is also too critical, stating that the overlay is a “disincentive for investment and improvements.” Like the Heritage Reference List, the Heritage Overlay is another planning tool available to the City to ensure sustainable development in keeping with the area’s character. It encourages the retention and reuse of existing buildings, but also ensures that our heritage planners are included in any applicable development decisions.
Centretown is one of Ottawa’s oldest neighbourhoods. Our community boasts a 35+ year commitment to a proactive, comprehensive approach to heritage, and it’s important that our CDP incorporates this legacy.