A Guide for Municipalities in Preserving our Past - Planning Our Future Newfoundland and Labrador.

              A Guide for
Municipalities in
ASSOCIATION
£!: HERITAGE
INDUSTRIES
NEWPOIJNDLAND 4: LAllltAUOa
Author
Jerry Dick, Executive Director, AHI
Produced by
THE ASSOCIATION OF HERITAGE INDUSTRIES, NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR
St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador
April, 2004
Graphic Design by Anita Singh
ISBN # 0-9733193-1-3
ASSOCIATION
2!: HERITAGE
INDUSTRIES
NEWFO UNDLAND 6; LABstADOll
© The Assoc iation of He ritage Industries, Newfoundl a nd & Labrador, 2004
PRESERVING OUR PAST PLANNING OUR FUTURE
A Guide for Municipalities in Newfoundland & Labrador
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PREFACE
CHAPTER 1 - MAKING THE CASE FOR HERITAGE
Wha t Are Your Community's He ritage Resources'?
\Vh a t He ritage Res ources can do for your Community
CHAPTER 2 - RAISING AWARENESS AND BUILDING COMMUNITY SUPPORT
He ritage Awar e ness Ra is ing S trategies
Building Community S upport fo r He ritage Initia tives
CHAPTER 3 - STEWARDSHIP &: PROTECTION
OF YOUR COMMUNITY'S HERITAGE RESOURCES
He ritage Desig na ti on
He ritage Advi sory Committees
Protecting He ritage in the Munic ipal Pla n & Developme nt Regula ti ons
Acq ui s iti on of H eritage Resources by Council
Munic ipa l He ritage Incentives
CHAPTER 4 - ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES £;( APPROACHES
FOR PRESERVING YOUR COMMUNITY'S HERITAGE
E s ta bli s hing a H e ritage Commillee of Counc il
Hiring a Community He ritage Coo rdina to r
Pa rtn eri ng with Neighbouri ng Co mllluni t i e ~
S tra tegies fi)!· Re vitilizin g a ll His toric Community Co re
Additi ona l Ways that Munic ipa liti es can S upport their Heritage
A Few \Vo rcls a b out COllllllunity E conomic Developme nt
CHAPTER 5 - DESIGN ISSUES IN HISTORIC TOWNSCAPES/LANDSCAPES
Res toration . Re novation or Demoli t io n?
)nfil in He ritage Dis tric ts a nd Communities
S ig nage in He ritage Di s tri c ts
Working with Local Deve lop e rs & Contrac tors
P ro tecti on of Vi ews
Pu b lic Improvements & Infras tru cture
Work with Desig n Profe ss iona ls
CHAPTER 6 - HERITAGE TOURISM
Princ ip les for Effective and S ustainable He ritage Touri sm
Wha t Muni cipa l Counc ils Ca n Do to Encourage He ritage Touri sm
2
3
15
25
37
51
65
AHI • A HERITAGE WORKBOOK FOR MUNICIPALITIES IN NEWFOUNDLAND 6t LABRADOR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This manual has been prepared for the Association of Heritage
Industries (AHI) based in St. 10hn's, Newfoundland & Labrador.
AHI wishes to acknowledge the generous financial assistance of
the Comprehensive Economic De velopment Agreement for making
this project possible .
We would also like to thank the following individuals for their
feedback on this manual:
Dr. Jo Shawyer
Dr. Shane O'Dea
Dale Jarvis
Elaine Mitchell
Ken O 'Brien
Kim Blanchard
Edward Versteeg
David Bradley
Thanks also to the many individuals who provided information,
case studies, and photographs.
AHI • A HERITAGE WORKBOOK FOR MUNICIPALITIES IN NEWFOUNDLAND lit LABRADOR
2
PREFACE
This manual is intended primarily as a resource for nlLlnic ipal councillors
and staff in Newfoundland and Labrador who are inte rested in
protecting and developing the ir community's he ritage . It begins by
making the case for municipal involveme nt in he ritage . \Vhy should municipal
govern ments devote time and e ne rgy to heritage protection? How can heritage
development help communities by strengthening community ide ntity, improving
quality of life and cl·eating economic opportunities·? It is inte nded to provide
useful information and tools that mun ic ipalities can put into prac tice. Hence,
it contai ns nu merous case stud ies from around the provi nce that show how
comrnunities have successfully undertaken heritage initiatives and put
protection measures in place.
The cultural and natural he ritage resources of Newfoundland and Labrador
- buildings, landscapes. natural areas, artifacts and docume nts . traditional
s kills and knowledge - are some of the most important resources that we
possess. If carefully safeguarded and developed they are a re newable
resource that can bring very s ignificant be nefits to res ide nts of this province
for generations to come. Munic ipalities, as the le vel of government closest to
most of the province's citizens, have a crucial role to play. They have available
to them a number of planning tools for heritage protection and can play
both a leadership and a supportive role in encouraging the de velopment and
inte rpre tation of local he ritage.
At a time when so many communities in the province are unde rgoing change
- rapid development or, the opposite, out-migration and the loss of traditional
jobs and industries - he ritage resources are more important than ever. They
can help to maintain a sense of ide ntity, pride, and quality of life; they can
provide a way to diversify the local economy and create jobs for young people .
In many ways our past is our future
This lTIallual is meant to be a companion to the Heritage Planning Guidefor
Nu.tural and Cultural Heritage Projects in Newfoundla.nd & Labra.dor produced
by AHI in 2003. Readers will note several refe rences to the Guide in this
manual and are encouraged to rele r to it. A complete copy of the Herita.ge
Pla.nning Guide can be found on the AHI we bsite: www.ahinLorg .
We invite you to share your expe rie nce in working with the He ritage Manual
for Munic ipalities and to provide some of your own case studies. We hope to
work these into future we b ve rsions of the manuaL For additional information
or assistance please contact the Association of Heritage Industries at:
P.O. Box 2064, Stn C
St. John's, NL
AIC 5R6
TeL 709-738-4345
Email: ahi@nftd.net
We bs ite : www.ahinLorg
AHI • A HERITAGE WORKBOOK FOR MUNICIPALITIES IN NEWFOUNDLAND 6t LABRADOR
MAKING THE CASE FOR HERITAGE
MAKING THE CASE FOR HERITAGE
1. INTRODUCTION
Most commun ities in Newfoundland and Labrador are
curre ntly experiencing a high le vel of change. Many have
been affected by the downturn in the inshore fishery,
resulting in lost jobs, out-migration and an aging population. In
others, particularly in and around St. John's, there has been rapid
growth, res ulting in changing community landscapes. In both
ins tances, the re have been pressures on he ritage resources. In
many smaller communities, heritage resources - older buildings
and natural and cultural landscap e e leme nts - are suffe ring
from decay, under-utilizat ion, and a lack of resources to preserve
the m. In the case of growing communities, heritage resources are
often negatively impac ted or lost whe n ne w developme nt occurs: a
wetland area is affected by new developme nt; heritage structures
or landscapes are engul1ed by new housing developme nts or
bulldozed to make way for the new; historic commercial areas
struggle to survive as they are by-passed by malls, box s tores, or
s hopping plazas on the outskirts of town. With some residents of
the province th ere is still a tendency - pe rhaps foste red by the
"burn your boats" philosophy of the Smallwood years - to see life
ill the past as something that was "backward" or something to be
left behind.
Recognizing the value and be nefits of the ir h e ritage resources,
numerous cOlllmunities ill the province have taken steps to protect,
preserve and de velop th em. The results have been sign ificant
in terms of maintaining community ide ntity, building pride,
and creating economic opportunity. The town of Bonavista has
seen nearly 100 new jobs c reated, as people come to ex perience
the rich he ritage of this historic community. Historic sites like
Ferryland, Trinity, Red Bay and othe rs have become significant
regional touri s m destinations by developing their he ritage
resources. In many smalle r communities, the preservation of
an historic building or natural area or the development of a new
museum has increased community pride .
Two o/several hOlLses in B onavista
that have been restored as part 0/ a
community- run heritage restoration
progralu.
CHAPTER 1 • MAKING THE CASE FOR HERITAGE 3
Trinity
Fresluvo.f.er, Conception Bay
Change Islands
Change Islands
A community's built heritage includes
not only important buildings like
churches and institutional buildings bnt
simple dwellings, commercial bnildings,
fishing stages and stores, and root cellars
to name afew.
The purpose of this workbook is to provide some compelling
reasons why municipalities should be involved in the protection
and development of the ir he ritage and to highlight numerous
case studies, tools and approaches that de monstrate practical
initiatives that communities can undertake. It is intended to be
a companion piece to the Heritage Planning Guidefor Natural
and Cultural Heritage Projects in Newji:mndla.nd a.nd Labrador
recently completed by AHI. Numerous refe re nces will be made
to the Heritage Pla.nning Guide in this docume nt. A copy of the
Guide can be ordered from AHI (tel. 709-738-4345, email:
ahi@lnfld.net. A full version of the guide can also be found 011
AHI's website: www.ahinl.org.
2. WHAT ARE YOUR COMMUNITY'S
HERITAGE RESOURCES?
Every community, regardless of its age, has a he ritage:
elements that ide lltify a special place that is the product
of a unique set of circumstances alld development. The
geography of a community - water features. h ills, cliffs, beaches,
soils - affect how it developed physically (e .g., road and building
lot patterns). The economic history of a place will have influenced
the types of buildings that were constructed (e .g .. fishing sheds
and stores, factory build ings) and the era in wh ich 1110st buildings
we re erected.
When considering the ir he ritage, residents of a COl111l1un ity often
think of things such as old buildings or artif~lctS. There are,
however, a wide range of othe r heritage resources that communities
s hould consider:
a) Built Heritage - A community's built he ritage includes
structures of all kinds, from landmark building such as
me rchant's houses, churches, institutional/civic buildings,
to common ones like fisherman's dwellings, outbuildings,
industrial and commercial structures, fish ing stores and
stages, and root cellars. It also includes such elements as
fences, traditional roads or pathways. All oJ these elements
contribute to a unique sense of 'place' and characterize the
social, cultural and economic de velopme nt of a community.
It is th is un ique sense of place that makes a community
interesting to tourists and reinforces community identity.
4 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
b) Cultural Lalldscapes - Our communities are defined
by more than just the bu iidings that have been e rected in
th em. They include settlement patterns (think of how a
Newfoundland outport with its winding roads strung out
along a harbour contrasts with a prairie town laid out in a
regular grid patte rn), vegetation (both natural and planted
by humans), gardens, cemete ries, parks, fountains and
monuments, town squares, natllralleatures such as rive rs or
lakes or hills located within a community, and scenic views.
A cuIturallandscape can also be a site of past historical
significance s llch as a battle field, an abandoned community.
or a site used by ancient cultures. In some cases. perhaps
most notably with Aboriginal groups, cultural landscapes
comprise natural areas or features that are of special
spiritual or historical significance (e .g., rive rs, mountains).
A cultural landscape can consist of a specific site (e.g.,
a historic house togethe r with its garden and landscape
elements). a district (of historic homes, churches or
institutional buildings), an e ntire community or a region.
Individual heritage features are generally much more
meaningful if they are interpre ted as part of a larger cultural
landscape that provides them with a context.
c) Archival & Genealogical Resources - Records.
documents, maps, and old photos are invaluable in providing
an unde rstanding of the past. They can be useful not only
for hi s torians but It)!' me d ical researche rs, people tracing
their family history, writers and playwrights, or lawye rs
attempting to deal with land and boundary disputes.
Municipal records (minutes, tax rolls, corresponde nce)
often comprise some of the most important records in a
community, providing useful information about building/
land ownership, changes to a property and residents. Pape r
documents are, howeve r, very vulnerable . They are easily
damaged or destroyed by wet or damp conditions, regular
use, or fire. In some cases resid e nts clon't fully appreciate
the importance of archival mate rials and discard or dispose
of them outside of the commun ity.
Cable Avenue, Bay Roberts
Elements sitch as street patterns and
the way bllild/:ngs relate to the street
help to create Ct particular community
"character". New construction should,
especially in older areas of a town,
conform to such established patterns.
The Trinit:r Historical Society Archives
aU-wets a significant number of people
doing genealogica1 research every year,
which translates into overnight stays at
local bed and breakfast establishments
and local spending. The highly
successful Trinity Pageant - which
attracts thousctnds of visitors to Trinity
every year - drew extensively on the local
archivesfor its material.
CHAPTER 1 • MAKING THE CASE FOR HERITAGE 5
Placentia has embarked on an
ambitious archaeology program
to reveal its important histor:r as
Newfoundland's French capital, It
is anticipated that such efforts will
translate into considerable growth in
the lo cal tourism industry.
d) Archa.eologica.l Resources - As is becoming increasingly
apparent, Newfoundland and Labrador has a wealth of
archaeological resources from all cie nt fossil sites, to pre­historic
Aboriginal settlements to early European New World
sites. These provide an incredibly rich and important record
of the past and have strong potential to draw tourists and
to create economic opportunities. Municipalities often have
an important role to play in protecting the ir archaeological
resources. One of the most basic steps a municipality can
take is to notify the Provincial Archaeologist when doing
any digging work in areas that might have archaeological
re mains. It can do the same for private construction projects.
Municipalities can also help to educate residents about
provincial re gulations concerning archae ological remains
which, by law, are the property of the provincial government.
e) Artifacts - Objects from the past are useful in helping
people to understand how previous generations lived. These
include collections of household items, equipment from old
h ctories or businesses and items related to the traditional
inshore fishery or agriculture, to name a few. While it
was particularly the case in the past, even today, valuable
collections of artifacts are all too frequently discarded
in the local dump or sold for a few dollars to the antique
picker from the mainland. Sometimes these items are of
considerable monetary value; in other cases, they could
help to explain the history of the community (i.e ., in an
inte rpre tive display). Municipal officials can playa role,
particularly in cases where an old business is being closed
or a resident dies who is known to have a collection of
artifacts or archival materials, by notifying a local or
provincial he ritage organization or institution.
IGNORANCE LEADS TO LOSS OF IMPORTANT ARTIFACTS
In one particularly unfortunate example in the province, a community
set about to restore a heritage residence as a museum that would inter­pret
an important local personage who had lived there. Before begin­ning
work on the bUilding, the work crew stripped out all of the con­tents
- furn ishings and household items - and took them to the dump.
When work began on developing the interpretation for the structure,
someone had to go back to the dump to see what could be salvaged.
6 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
f) Intallgible Culinralllerilage - Many of the aspects
that define the culture of Newfoundland and Labrador and
of our communities are not physical in terms of an object or
a structure. Rathe r, th ey are the traditions that have been
passed down from ge neration to ge ne ration . They include
such things as knowledge (locations of fishing grounds and
coastal features, sacred elements in the landscape ), skills
(how to build a boat or a root ce llar, pre pare traditional
foods), music (SOllgS, and performance), language
(dialects), stories and legends. With the many changes that
Newfoundland and Labrador has undergone ove r the past
decade or two, many aspects of our intangible heritage are
at risk of being lost.
The Me morial Unive rsity Folklore Archives (MUNFLA) is
a valuable resource for learning more about our intangible
cultural he ritage .
WINTERTON MUSEUM
PRESERVES BOAT BUILDING TRADITION
With the decline of the inshore fishery the boat building skills - once
widespread - are quickly disappearing. The community of Winterton is
reviving and preserving these ski lls through its Boat Building Museum .
Not only does the museum include displays on the building of boats
but incorporates demonstrations and a program for passing on skills
to a younger generation. An excellent website includes photo galleries
that document the construction of a traditional motor boat. See:
hhtp:/ /www.woodenboat.ca/d iscover.p h p
The G ua.rdian. ~
THE BAY ROBERTS MUSEUM
HIGHLIGHTS THE TOWN'S
COMMERCIAL HISTORY
When planning for a new museum,
the Bay Roberts Historical Society
actively encouraged individuals
and companies to donate
collections of old equipment and
tools related to the commercial/
industrial history of the town. One
man saved all the equipment and
fixtures from his father's blacksmith
shop. A local lumber firm donated
various coopering machines
and tools. Another family gave a
complete print sop with machinery
that dated from the early 1900s.
These have been used to create
a highly successful museum
that interprets the business
development of the community.
CHAPTER 1 • MAKING THE CASE FOR HERITAGE 7
The town of Winterland has desig na ted
a 2000 acre n ature reserve within the
town bOlLn dari es. A 5 km walking trail
with interpretation panels has prOl'en /.0
be pop ul ar /Ilith both visitors and area
residents alike.
I Clen iVl u.rray, mayor of Winnipeg
speaking at the Creative Spaces + Places
confe ren ce in Toron to, October 2003
g) Natural H e ritage - Newfoundland and La brador is
ble ssed with an inc re dible number and variety of natural
heritage tre a sures that, if properly cared for and managed,
can bring many be ne fits to communities including: tourism
development; recreation and educational opportunities; and
an over a ll e nha ncement of the quality of life. Among othe rs,
these resources include :
• coa s tlines
• wa te r features s uc h as rive rs, ponds, a nd we tla nds
• forests
• plant species including ra re specime ns
• wildlife
• ecosys te ms
• land forl1ls, rock forma tions, fossils
3. WHAT HERITAGE RESOURCES
CAN DO FOR YOUR COMMUNITY
I t is safe to say tha t most municipal politic ia ns in
Newfound la nd a nd Labrador s pend the majority of the ir time
dealing with issues involving the provis ion of bas ic services,
some times refe rred to as the 3 "Ps': p olice, pav in g, a nd pipes.
While the se are real concerns for politicians and tax paye rs alike ,
councils mus t be careful to avoid being caught in the "utilitarian'
rut. At a nationa l confe rence on the arts in Toronto Glen Murray,
the mayor of Winnipeg, s tate d, ""If a counc il is only concerned with
the 3 Ps they a re dead in the wa ter because th is is a game that
they can never win. The re will likely neve r be e nou gh re ve nue s to
totally solve infrastruc ture problems ." He went on to suggest that
in orde r to e nsure that communities offe r a good qua lity of life ,
it is important for munic ipa l politicians to cons ide r the needs of
the "whole pe rson" and to adopt a more c re ative , fi)rward looking
approach that cons ide rs a r ange of quality of life issues and the
cultural needs of citize ns .!
A utilitarian ap proach makes it hard to justify spe nding on
heritage and c ulture . A c re ative approach sees he ritage as a
resource - one of a community's most valua ble - that can provide
nume rous community bene fits if prope rly care d fo r and developed.
He ritage offe rs opportunities : for c reating bus inesses and jobs ;
for incre a s ing community spirit, pride and qua lity of life ; for
attracting ne w reside nts ; and fo r increa s ing ta x re venues. Many
communities in the province have recognized the value of their
heritage resources a nd have unde rta ken creative and decisive
s teps to preserve and de ve lop them. You will find ma ny examples
throughout th is manual.
8 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
a) Enhance Your Community's Spirit
and Quality of Life
Often, what should be important community asse ts are viewed as
a liability. Vacant or dilapidated older structures - comme rcial
buildings, fishe rie s-related structures, industrial buildings, and
residence s - all too ofte n become an eye sore and a hazard. In
that c ondition th ey symbolize to re side nts and visitors alike , the
economic de cline of a district or a whole community. As such,
they are a psychological drag on the community. Howeve r, tearing
down these structures isn't a solution for it usually only results
in a lot of holes in the townscape . This furth e r re inforces the
message that things are going down hill.
Similarly, natural areas such as wetlands or barrens are often
see n as "waste land". The re are se veral ins tances whe re
communities have sought to fill in wetland areas or, through
de velopme nt, ne gatively impacted them. As well, rivers and
streams are covered over or impac ted by the loss of wate rshed
vegetation. The costs of such actions are: the loss of wildlife
habitat; e nvironmental degradation often leading to serious
problems of flooding; ancllost opportunities for e ducation,
recreation, tourism development and community green space.
Alternately, re vitilize d heritage structures and districts, as
well as natural areas, provide a positive psychological lift for a
community: the past has value ; the re is life here. Even a single
re stored structure can have a positive impact on a community.
There is lots of evide nce that communities that preserve their
heritage are seen as more livable places that provide a good
quality of life. They are more likely to keep existing residents and
to attrac t new ones - with new ideas, skills, and e ntre pre ne urial
know how - who can bring new life blood to our communities.
One of the leading American writers on cities, Richard Florida,
says that older buildings and historic urban cores are crucial for
attracting pe ople who are cre ative and innovative - two conditions
that contribute to community growth and development. 2
lobs alone , e spe cially those in traditional seasonal industries,
will not succeed in keeping most young people in their small
communities. Many are looking for meaningful caree rs, a
good quality of life, and a stimulating environment. The latest
research, by p e ople such as Florida, suggests that the prese nce
of a strong cultural scene in a community, is a "strong pre dictor
of e ve rything from a region's high-technology base to its overall
population and employment growth."3 He also belie ves that the
key factor in creating economic opportunities are the presence
of cre ative pe ople , whom he de scribes as the 'creative class'.4
Old commercial structnres that have
outlived their original functions are
often torn down as was this interesting
building in Joe Batts Arm. lV/any
residents just see them as " eye sores"
and fail to see the potential for re - nse.
( Photo courtes:r: Heritage Foundation of
Newfoundland and Labrador)
2 Florida. Richard. "The Geography of
Bohemia"
3 Florida, Richard. The Rise of the
Creative Class, p.260
.IThe so - called creative class represents
approximately 300/0 of the workforce and
is responsiblefor the generation of500/0
of all economic a ctivity. It consists t:!f
a wide variety of professions inclnding
scientists, engineers. designers,
educators, and those in the cultural fi eld
who are engaged in the creation of new
ideas, technologies or creative content.
CHAPTER 1 • MAKING THE CASE FOR HERITAGE 9
With the demise o/the Fishermen's
Protective Union in Port Union, many
0/ the struc/.ures that d efined this unique
I.ollln/ell into disuse . Through the Coaker
Foundation, restora.tion work has begun
on some o/these buildings which, it is
a.nticipated, will help to revitalize this
once thriving community.
So, if a community can c reate a good quality of life with cultural
amenities and a d istinctive sense of place, it will be be tter
able to keep and a ttract the kind of c reative people who will be
committed to the place and most likely to generate new economic
opportunities. There are examples of communities all around
North America, large and small, that have made themselves
a ttractive to creative, dynamic people .
A community's natural he ritage can also provide an important
focal point and source of pride . Many communities have seen
the benefits of habitat preservation ancltrail construction along
ponds, st reams, ocean shorelines, wetlands, or in natural areas
i II and adjace nt to the mun ic ipality. The commun ity is beautified
and there is an attractive place to walk which many reside nts take
advantage of for health be ne fits.
CASE STUDY TORBAY
PRESERVING NATURAL HERITAGE RESOURCES
In 2001, the Trails & Environment Committee (a subcommittee of the
town of Torbay) embarked on the development of a strategic plan
for the protection of the Gully, a wetland area in the middle of town.
The Gully forms an important green space in this rapidly growing
community as well as a natural sponge for run-off. The strategy seeks
to protect and enhance the area through : inventories and monitoring
the plant life, wildlife and water flows; educational and interpretive
activities (two schools overlook the Gully); as well as the development
of recreational and tourism opportunities. The work of the committee
is critical as plans to divert one of the Gully's feeder ponds to the
town's water supply would, essentia lly, dry up the Gully's wetland .
Plans call for the erection of a dam to co ntrol water levels in the
wetland .
b) Preserve Your Community's Identity
When one looks at an historic photo of a Newfoundland or
Labrador community one generally ge ts a n unmistakable sense of
a distinctive place. The buildings and various man-made fe atures
juxtapose with the landscape to create communities that can be
found nowhe re else. Often we find these old pictures appealing;
somehow the place just looks right. Nostalgia aside, one of the
reasons that traditional Newfoundland townscapes look appealing
is that there is a certain harmony: there are clear patterns
in terms of building types, materials used (e.g., clapboard,
wooden shingles), and architectural detailing. Comme rcial and
in stitutional buildings bespeak a strong sense of civic pride.
10 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
Unfortunately, many modern buildings lack any sense of
connection to Newfoundland and Labrador. This is particularly
true of most commercial, in stitutional, and government buildings
that are found on the highway strips or the outskirts of our
communities. They contribute to what some have described as "the
geography of nowhere ." Most are little more than fun ctional boxes
that, as a collection, lack any visual harmony or sense of pattern.
Such building designs have often been imported from somewhere
else and do not "fit" into tile community's style.
The highway strip. that has developed along the edges of several of
Newfoundland and Labrador':; larger towns, has been des cribed by some as
"the geography of nowhere . .. Buildings h ere Q,re generally cheap to constru.ct.
ofstandardi=ed design (e.g .• f or chain stores) and have no sense of trying to
fit in with the character of a co nunlU/,ity.
[n the case of natural areas, public access to natural features such
as waterways, shorelines, forests and green spaces is an important
aspect of community identity in most of Newfoundland and
Labrador: providing the opportunity to walk along a s horeline, to
go trouting a t a local pond, to pick b erries on the barre ns, to hike
on a point of land, or simply to see the ocean from one's home .
Lack of careful planning by a community can lead to the loss of
such access for its citize lls.
Preserving a community's he ritage is illlportant for maintaining a
unique ide ntity. In fact, if a community is interested in developing
a local touri sm base , it is pretty well a requirement.
Three examples of historic post ofJice
buildings in the province (top Carbonear;
middle Greenspond. lower North Shore
Conception Bay). It is interesting to
contrast these with the generic brick
b o:~es that replaced them .
CHAPTER 1 • MAKING THE CASE FOR HERITAGE 11
The active restoration scene on the
Bonavista Peninsula and elsewhere
in the province has created new
opportunities for companies such as
Patterson WoodlVorking in Upper
Amherst. CO'l'e. 111, addit.ion to traditional
style jiLrniture the company produces
tradition(tZlreproduction building
components (windows. doors, trim. etc.).
Restoration is labour-int.ensive
compared to new constructionlVhich is
more materials-intensive. This results
in greater economic benefits to the
community. Here workers restore lVindows
on an old schoolhouse in Bonaz,ista.
c) Create Jobs and Businesses
for your Community
AHI's study, Economic and Social Benefits of Heritage Industries
in Neu10nndland and Labrador; demonstrated that heritage plays
a significant role in the provincial economy. Approximately 3,000
to 4,000 jobs are created directly and indirectly through heritage
activities and there is a GDP contribution in the range of $50-
70 million dollars annually. In some communities and regions of
the province, heritage-related activities are important economic
generators. In communities like Trinity, Red Bay, Brigus,
Newtown, Ferryland and Bonavista, heritage translates into
significant economic benefits. Through such things as building
preservation, artifact conservation, and cultural tourism they
achieve considerable employment and business activity.
Cultural tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the tourism
industry as a whole. This reflects an aging North American
population that is more interested in 'soft' forms of tourism than
younger generations that are often attracted to adventure tourism.
Those communities with a strong, developed natural or cultural
heritage base stand to benefit the most from h e ritage tourism.
It is estimated that the Colony of Avalon generates close to
$840,000 annually in personal and business income (GDP) for the
communities around Ferryland and 30 person-years of employme nt
which translates into 101 seasonal jobs.
It is also recogn izecl that the preservation of buildings creates
more local jobs than new construction. New construction
requires large inputs of materials (usually l11anul~lctured out of
the community) while re novation and restoration is more labour
- intensive . For example, the restoration of the historic SUF Hall
in Heart's Content provided employment for 32 people and injected
nearly $90,000 into the community.
Similarly, numerous communities have seen jobs created through
the protection and development of natural heritage resources.
Visitors with specialized interests such as geology, birding, and
botany will travel to out-of-the-way places to learn and explore.
These are generally individuals with high income and e ducational
levels, and good spending power - just the kind of tourist that most
of us want to attract.
d) Increase Your Community's Tax Base
The upgrading and re -use of heritage buildings makes economic
sense for municipalities. Let's face it, vacant olde r buildings
generate little in the way of tax revenue. By encouraging
the preservation and redevelopment of he ritage structures,
communities can increase their tax base and save themselves the
added costs of building new services. A study prepared in the state
12 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
of South Carolina de monstrated tha t properties located within a
designated historic district are , "in ge neral worth more, appreciate
fast er, and retain more of the ir value than properties located
outside the distric t."s According to Building magazine, renovation
is adding more to the ne t mun icipal tax base more quickly than
new construction. An article in Time magazine suggests that
re novation has become the instrument of choice for money­conscious
municipalities in the United States.6
A trend that is being seen in many smaller communities in the
province is the influx of out-of-province summer res ide nts who
are attracted by older/heritage prope rties, very affordable real
estate prices, great scenery and a good quality of life . There
are several positive aspects of this trend. Many historic homes
have been preserved creating business for local carpenters and
building supply companies and increasing municipal tax re ve nues.
In addition, su mme r residents spend money on local goods and
services, and often bring fresh ideas, skills, and even businesses
to a commun ity. There can also be down sides. The commun it y
can become alrnost a ghost town outside of the summer,and there
is the potential for conflicting values with long-time residents (i.e .,
about access to and traclitionaluses of land). The se can, hopefully,
be min imized by e ducating new resid e nts about community
traditions and values, by reach ing out to them and making th em
feel welcome , and by engaging them in the life of the community.
e) Maximize Your Community's
Existing Infrastructure
It is ironic that many North American communities continue to
invest in e xpe nsive new infrastructure (i.e., wa ter, sewer, roads
and parks) for reside ntial and commercial developme nt while
serviced areas languish through unde r-use . It is far more cost­effective
to revitalize older, unde r- utilized commercial, industrial,
SUMMER RESIDENT CREATES
A BUSINESS ON CHANGE ISLANDS
Herb Bowen and Maureen Woodrow, residents of Ottawa, fell in
love with the community of Change Islands when they first visited
it several years ago. They purchased and renovated an older home
which they use as a summer residence. Recognizing local craft skills
and the need for local residents to increase family incomes, the
couple established 'Stages &; Stores', an e-commerce company that
manufactures and markets locally made craft items . Herb has also
become involved with the Stages and Stores Heritage Foundation,
which is preserving some of the fishing stages and stores that line
the community's waterfront. Check out their website at: http:
/ /www.stagesandstores.com/
BRIG US SEES INCREASED
TAX REVENUES THROUGH
HERITAGE PRESERVATION
The town of Brigus has seen
definite pay-offs for its efforts to
preserve its historic homes and
townscape. Property assessments
(and tax revenues) on historic
properties have increased steadily
over the last decade at a time when
tax assessments in many other
small communities in the province
have remained steady or declined .
According to the Municipal
Assessment Agency, it is the older
properties in the centre of the
community that have increased,
while there has been little change
in the rest of the town. As well,
there has been a fair amount of
new residential construction within
the older part of the town - adding
to tax revenues - as people are
attracted to the historic qualities
of the area. Increased assessments
mean increased tax revenue for the
town council which has been able
to hold the line on taxes over the
last 7 or 8 years.
Sill/iley, Harry. Smiling Faces Historic
Places: The Economic Ben efits of
Historic Preservation in South Carolina.
6Time Magazine, November 4, 1987
CHAPTER 1 • MAKING THE CASE FOR HERITAGE 13
EXPLORATIONS
1. Discuss amongst council the
degree to which it has become
totally wrapped up in the
provision of basic services.
How often do culture of quality
of life issues get discussed?
2. Do a simple survey of residents
to see how they view their
community, particularly the
older section . Do the historic
parts of the community add to
the people's pride or are they
a source of embarrassment?
Such a survey could take the
form of a mail-in, web-based
surveyor focus (d iscussion)
groups.
3. Investigate the number of
jobs in your community
generated by tourism and by
heritage industries. Discuss
the potential for increasing
employment in these areas.
4 . Do a survey of your
community to see how much
infrastructure (buildings,
public services, land) is under­utilized
or vacant within the
established areas of your town .
Contrast this with how much
new land has been developed
over the past few years and the
cost of new se rvice s.
or residential areas that already have infrastructu re than to build
new. In order to make older neighbourhoods more attractive for
redevelopment it is often necessary for a municipality to put
special incentives in place, to invest in anchor projects (i.e.,
redevelopment of a heritage structure for a public use), or to
upgrade infrastructure (street/waterfront beautification).
f) Help Your Community's
Natural Environment
It is an accepted f~lct that the re novation of existing buildings
makes fewe r resource demands (i.e ., on forests, mineral, energy
and wate r supplies) than new construction. This is, of course, good
for the environment. But even more compelling for municipalities
is the f~lct that re-using older buildings saves on land-Jill costs .
Tearing a bu ilding down puts a lot of solid stream waste in to local
landfill sites. In fact, according to Statistics Canada, one-third
of all wastes hauled to Canadian landfills is used construction
materiaL
Natural heritage features such as watersheds and wetlands
are extremely important for communities. They act as natural
sponges, absorbing rain and melting snow, and help to prevent
flooding. Many commun ities have seen the consequences of habitat
destruction in the form of frequent floods.
INVESTMENT IN BONAVISTA'S INFRASTRUCTURE PAYS OFF
The town of Bonavista has seen a major investment in its downtown
area and in its heritage resources generally. The restoration and
interpretation of the Ryan Fish Merchant's Premises by Parks Canada,
together with an ambitious heritage bu ilding restoration program
and main street revital ization, is credited with injecting new life in the
community. This historic fishing community, which had been seriously
impacted by the moratorium on northern cod, is once again seeing
renewed growth. Permits for new construction are once again reaching
historic highs.
14 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
HOW YOUR COMMUNITY CAN RAISE AWARENESS OF AND BUILD SUPPORT
How Your Community Can Raise
Awareness of and Build Support
for Heritage
1. INTRODUCTION
O h en the first step necessary for a community to protect and
capitalize on its he ritage resources is to raise awareness
of the ir value. Environmental conse rvation groups have
long understood that education is key to changing attitudes and
getting people to take pe rsonal respons ibility for stewardsh ip. When
res idents of a community have an appreciation for th e ir heritage
th e re is more support for municipal action on he ritage protection
and for p ersonal stewardship of he ritage resources.
Often, at the beginning or a community he ritage illitiative, it is
useful to get a sense of a community's attitudes and values toward
its heritage . This can help to gauge current levels of awareness and
to see if th ere is support Ii)r a particular heritage in itiati ve . Often
the best way to do this is to unde rtake some sort of survey. A similar
survey can be re peated in the future to see if there have been
positive changes in attitudes and, the reby, to gauge how e ffec tive
awareness activities or ca mpaigns have been. For more information
on conducting a community survey see the Heritage Planning
Guide, pp. 30-31.
2. HERITAGE AWARENESS RAISING
STRATEGIES
There are a variety of different tools and approac hes that a
cOlllmunity can use to raise awareness about its he ritage
resources. Those that involve a certain amount of seU'­discovery
are often the most eflective and fun. A number of these
are outlined below:
a) COlILllwnity Walkabout - this involves holding a day-long
workshop in which reside nts of a community, often with a few
outside resource people, explore the ir environment noting
such things as the features/patte rns that characterize the
community and unattractive /problem areas. It is a good way to
get people to take a second look at the ir community. A sample
worksheet can be found at the end of this section. For more
information on conducting a Community Walkabout see the
Heritage Planning Gnide, pp. 33-34).
b) Learning about local Wildlife - a community walkabout
could be expanded or adapted to encompass the natural
heritage of a community. Work with local naturalists or
science teachers to develop th is. Ot he r act ivities can include:
bird counts (an annual community count of birdlife ); plant/
wildlife inve ntory projects; and public lectures.
CHAPTER 2 • HOW YOUR COMMUNITY CAN RAISE AWARENESS AND BUILD SUPPORT 17
The Doors Open program is a great way
to ra.ise awareness about a community's
built h eritage. Here visitors line up to
visit the Presentation House Convent. St.
}ohn\.
c) Doo,.s Open -launched fi)r the first time in St. 10hn's in
2003, this program provides an opportunity for citizens
to explore a community's hidden historical, architectural,
and cultural buildings and sites. It can include not only
the architectural "gems" but places of worship and places
of work. Examples of the latter could include a tour of
a local paper mill or fish plant, or the opportunity to
see how the local newspaper is produced. Doors Open
usually takes place over the course of a single weekend
and provides access (often with a guided tour) of homes,
religious structures, institutional, and commercial/industrial
buildings that aren't normally open to the general public.
The first St. John's Open Doors, held in early September,
2003, attracted more than 25,000 visits to 16 participating
buildings. According to one participant, "I learned more in
this weekend about Newfoundland history than I have in my
whole 78 years." For more information about Doors Open
contact the Newfoundland Historic Trust at: generalmanager
@historictrust.com (TeL 709-739-7870).
d) Tou,.s/Lectu,.es by Historians and othe,.lIe,.itage
Professionals - invite an historian or heritage professional
to provide a public lecture or, bette r yet, to provide a tour
of the community, highlighting the significal\ce of your
community's cultural heritage .
e) Educational brochu,.ehnap/poster - a brochure
that highlights a community's heritage resources can be
prepared (this could be a good collaboration between
the local heritage society and a local high school) for
distribution through the community. It could highlight
buildings, sites and collections of significance in the
community and highlight some of the things that make the
community unique (e.g., building and landscape forms).
Ideally, it should contain notions about heritage stewardship
and suggest actions that residents can take to preserve
their heritage. Some cOllllllunities have developed maps
highlighting natural and cultural heritage resources. These
are useful fin' tourism promotion purposes.
A local artist or graphic designer may be willing to help out.
f) Wo,.king with Schools and Youth G,.oups - the
encouragement of strong values about heritage stewardship
starts with the young. Work with local heritage
organizations, schools and youth organizations to develop
special educational programs and activities about heritage
that use the community as a classroom. Check out the
following resources for ideas:
18 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
For cultnral heritage and communities:
The Heritage Education Ne twork
http://h istpres.mtsu.edu/the nl
The Canadian Institute of Planners has published a Kid:5
Guide to Building Great Communities that can be orde red
through: www.c ip-icu.ca
For natural heritage and environrnental education:
'Project Wild', an en v iron me ntal education manual for
te a ch ers is available through Salmonier Nature Park
(Tel. 709-729-7888). For additional information check out:
http://www.wil(le(lucation.org/more e ducation.asp
'Waterscapes', a manual for teache rs that e ducates stude nts
about wa te r issues is a vailable through Eastern Habitat
Joint Ve ntures (EHJV) (Tel. 709-637-2013)
For developing curricnlwn about commllnily economic
development (and its links to heritage):
REDA (Re gional Economic De velopnlent and Schools) at
www.redas.nl. ca (Tel. 737-8616)
g) Photographic/Art/Poster Displays - public dis plays
of photos, artwork or posters relating to a cOlllmunity heritage
the me can be a good way to ge t residents thinking about
the ir local he ritage . This could be done in the form or a
competition. Displays could be held in public buildings
(libraries, shopping malls, schools) and in shop windows.
h) lIeritllge Discol'ery - a town council can a ct as a
sponsor for this program, which is a great way to help connect
a community to its past and its heritage resources. It can s tir
inte rest in re sidents to take ste ps to preserve the ir he ritage ,
The program can be particularly effective in a community
whe re there is no organized he ritage group. A town counc il
could playa lead role in seeking funding for a Heritage
Discovery project and in providing office space and computer
acce ss. He ritage Di.scovery basically works in the following
way:
i) A small team of traine d re se arche rs l works in the
community for a period of four weeks or so, trying to
gather as much information as possible about its natural
and cultural he ritage. Much of th is consists of talking
to community residents - partic ularly seniors - and
docume nting the ir stories, photographs, artifacts, songs,
information about historic structures and le atures, e tc .
Community naJural (treas pro vide
a great outdoor classroomjor lo cal
school groups. Here yonng p eople
participate in an inventory of the
Gully Wetland in Torbay.
CHAPTER 2 • HOW YOUR COMMUNITY CAN RAISE AWARENESS AND BUILD SUPPORT 19
HERITAGE DISCOVERY
ON THE BACCALIEU TRAil
In the early 1990s the Baccalieu
Trail region became involved
with Heritage Canada's 'Heritage
Regions' program. As part of
this program a series of Heritage
Discovery projects were launched .
The results were significant. Several
communities got more in touch
with their heritage. A number of
new community heritage groups
we re formed which have led the
way in preserving local heritage
resources.
IThe hads of research skills that
would be usejid in.clude: workin.g with
archival materials (documents and
phot.os); doing oral history interviews.
documenting heritage buildings and
other cultural landscape features
~Modu le.s of the He ritage Pla nning
Guide deals in d etail with building
communi ty support.
Whe re poss ible inte rviews are recorded on audio or video
tape, artifacts are photographed and documents/photos
are scanned.
ii) A public forum is organized to which all members of
the community are invited. The fIndings of the research
team are presellted back to the com mun ity wh ich is the n
followed by a discussion about what s teps might be taken
to preserve its heritage (e.g., start a he ritage committee
or society, undertake a special project). It can be useful
to videotape the forum. An added eleme nt to the forul1I
can be presentations of traditional mus ic or storytelling
by local e nte rtaine rs.
iii) A report 011 the research and the public forum is
prepared and presented to the cOlllmunity.
A Heritage Discovery project could be funded through anyone
of a number of employmen t or youth programs. It could entail
partnerships with a local school, library, or community group. It
is important, howe ve r, that participants receive adequate training
and orientation in research and presentation techniques.
3. BUILDING COMMUNITY SUPPORT
FOR HERITAGE INITIATIVES
Getting community 'buy-in' for any community heritage
proj ~c ~ or ~l1U~l i~ipal initia~ive is ir~p o rtant: P~rhaps a
muniCIpalIty IS IIlte rested III de votlflg public funds to a
special heritage project (e.g., restoration of a building). Or maybe
it wants to explore the imple mentation of stewardsh ip measures
such as special zoning or heritage design regulations . Ensuring
that the public is 'on-board' for such undertakings is critical to
ensuring the success of such illitiatives. The best by-laws will be
of little value if the public doesn't accept the m. And no council
wants to get a lot of negative feedback on its decis ions.
Module 5 of the Heritage Planning Guide deals with the topic of
building support for he ritage initiatives. A number of key points
around building support for he ritage initiatives are highlighted
below:!:
i) Consult with your comnuLnity - consultation with the
community helps to ensure that any munic ipal initiative
is wanted and needed by the public. Real consultation is
about more than just presenting a copy of the final plans
to the community and saying, "What do you think'?" It is
most effective when it involves the community in the early
planning stages to ide ntify concerns and issues, generate
20 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
ideas, a nd e nsure that people feel part of the process. For
example, if a munic ipa lity announced that it was going to
adopt a he ritage bylaw to control what can happen within
a he ritage area (i.e., r e stric ting certain uses, requiring
certa ill design e le me nts on new construction) it is possible
that there would be some opposition from the public. After
all, people don't gelle rally like be ing told what they can
and call't do with th eir prope rty. The most eflective way
would be to start the process with a community meeting
in which the public was invite d to s hare concerns and
ideas a bout preserving the community's he ritage. Various
protection options could be outlined and discussed. Such a
session would provide the opportunity to answer questions
and, the reby, to allay co ncerns.
ii) Share your plallswith yonr eOIlLlIlunily - use
a variety of techniques to share your plans with the
community: newsle tte r or website, local media (radio
and newspaper), open houses or presentations to local
community groups. Make it clear that you are seeking
community leeclback on your plans which will be reflec ted
in the final plan.
iii) Keep your eOlll,munity illformed - using various
media, keep the community up to date on the progress
of a project or initiative. Invite public partic ipation in
revie wing he ritage bylaws or protection measures from
ti me to time.
EXPLO RATIONS
1. Discuss how the town currently seeks input on important
community issues and initiatives. Is it a case of "here's what we're
going to do, what do you think?" Or are residents genuinely
engaged in identifying issues and developing strategies and
solutions?
2. What tools does the town currently use in communicating with its
residents? How could these be strengthened?
3. Discuss the types of heritage awareness raising techniques that you
think would be most effective in your community.
COMMUNITY
CONSULTATION IN TORBAY
When the Trails & Environment
Committee of the town of Torbay
initiated a plan for a wetland area
in the middle of the community
it began with a survey of local
property owners who lived near the
area. The survey was followed up
by a meeting. This gave property
owners the opportunity to express
concerns and identify issues before
actual protection measures or
development plans were put in
place. It went a long way toward
getting this group on board .
CHAPTER 2 • HOW YOUR COMMUNITY CAN RAISE AWARENESS AND BUILD SUPPORT 21
Community Walkabout Worksheet
Community Feature Questions Notes
Older Residential Properties 1. Are there typical patterns for traditional housing types in
the community (building shapes, orientation, number of
openings)?
2. What are the distinctive features that characterize older
residential buildings (roof forms, windows, materials, colours,
decorative detailing, chimneys)?
3. Identify outstanding/well-preserved examples.
4. How have these structures changed over time? Have the
changes been sympathetic? Why or why not?
5. How does new construction fit in with older residential
neighbourhoods?
6. What kinds of outbuildings are associated with these buildings
(sheds, root cellars, etc.)? Are there many of them left?
7. What are the typical setbacks of buildings from roads?
Gardens/Landscaping 1. What types of plantings are traditionally found in and around
older residential properties? Along streets/roadways?
2. Are/were properties typ ically fenced? What patterns of
fencing exist/existed in the community?
Circulation Routes 1. Identify road and circulation patterns including old pathways
and trails.
2. What is it like for pedestrians to walk in the community? (i.e.,
Is it safe? Scenic? Convenient?)
3. What is the condition of roads and pathways?
Landmark Buildings 1. Identify the special landmark buildings in the community
(churches, public buildings, etc).
2. How have they changed over time (alterations/use)? Have
these changes been sympathetic? Why or why not?
22 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
Community Walkabout Worksheet
Commercial/I ndustrial/ 1. What types of structures exist/existed in the community?
Fisheries Structures Describe them in terms of form, materials, location, and
function.
2. What changes have they undergone over time? Have these
been sympathetic? Why or why not?
3. Are many of the structures vacant or under-used?
4. What community needs could be accommodated in vacant
structures (e.g., recreational, social, housing, cultural
activities)?
Open Spaces 1. Describe the open spaces in the community (empty lots,
shorelines, parks/recreational areas, wetland areas). What
condition are they in (i.e., well-maintained, neglected,
polluted)?
2. How do they contribute to the quality of life in the
community?
3. How could under- utilized spaces best be used to contribute
to the quality of life in the community? (As infil housing?
Recreational spac·e?)
General 1. How do the above features/structures contribute to a unique
sense of place?
2. What has been lost from the urban fabric?
3 . What should be preserved?
4. Identify 'eyesores' in the community. What could be done to
improve them?
5. Identify the areas in the community where people like to hang
out, to walk, to engage in recreational and social activities.
What makes them attractive? How could they be enhanced?
CHAPTER 2 • HOW YOUR COMMUNITY CAN RAISE AWARENESS AND BUILD SUPPORT 23
24 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
STEWARDSHIP & PROTECTION OF YOUR COMMUNITY'S HERITAGE RESOURCES
STEWARDSHIP &- PROTECTION OF YOUR
COMMUNITY'S HERITAGE RESOURCES
Perhaps the most important role for any Illunicipality to play
in terms of its heritage resources is protection. Mun icipal
cOllncils are in a good position to safeguard heritage
resources as they are the level of government closest to the ground
in a community. As they are responsible for sllch things as zoning,
and approval of permits for new construction, re novations and
building demolitions they have several tools that they can use to
protect he ritage resources. Most of the available tools are provided
for ill the provincial Munic ipa lities Act and the Urban and Rural
Planning Act. These fall into a numbe r of categories:
1. DESIGNATION
The des ignation of buildings, nalural or cultural he ritage
areas, even intangible heritage resources is a way to
recognize the ir importance and to Hag them for s pecial
protection. Designation can occur at the munic ipal, provincial,
fede ral, even international le vels.
Municipal - buildings, structures, or land may be designated
with a he ritage status that afJorcis them protection . Under the
Munic ipalities Act:
Council may rnake regulations designating real property as a
heritage building, structure or land. (Section 414)
A building, structure or land designated by a council as a
heritage building, structure or land shall not be demolished
or buill upon nor the e;);terior of the building or structure
altered, e.'l:pect under a written permit of the council specifically
authorizing the alteration and in accordance with the terms
and conditions of the permit. (Section 200)
Esse ntially, these provisions allow a council to protect he ritage
structures from being torn down or being altered in ways
that are unsympathetic to their historic character. They also
allow for the prote ction of natural heritage areas. A he ritage
advisory committee, appointed by council, can advise on
which buildings should be designated. They would make
recomme ndations after carrying out the necessary research to
determi ne the h istoric/arch itectural significance of a structure.
While the cooperation of a building owner is definitely desired
when designating a building, it is not required. In instances
where a building is uncler immine nt threat of destruction
a munic ipal designation can buy valuable time to ide ntify
possible preservation strategies. Should a property owner not
deal with their he ritage property in an appropriate manner:
CHAPTER 3 • STEWARDSHIP 6t PROTECTION OF YOUR COMMUNITY'S HERITAGE RESOURCES 27
The Bleak House is a provincial
registered h eritage structure that
serces as a community museum in
the tOlUn of Fog o.
A council may make an order that a building constructed on
heritage lands be removed and the lands restored and that
the e,y;terior of a heritage building or structure not altered in
accordance with a permit be restored as required by the council.
(Section 404, Munic ipalities Act)
A relatively s mallllumber of munic ipalities in the province
have active he ritage designation programs. Some of those
that do include St. John's, Woody Point, Harbour Grace, and
Conception Bay S outh .
MUNICIPAL HERITAGE DESIGNATION PROGRAM
IN CONCEPTION BAY SOUTH
The town of CBS has an active municipal heritage designation program
that includes not only build ings but a heritage district, cemeteries,
and even individuals and organizations that have played an important
part in the history of the community. According to Heritage Advisory
Committee member Regina O'Keefe, "Our town is growing very quickly
which means that there is a lot of pressure on our heritage structures.
We feel that it is important to preserve our heritage for future
generations and to instill a sense of pride in our rich heritage."
For the last number of years the town has hired a student to undertake
historical research to assist the town in identifying buildings and
sites for designation . To date, around 15 sites have a lready received
designation .
P"o'vincial- The He ritage Foundation of Newfoundland
and Labrador desig nates individual s truc tures and di stricts
deemed to be of provincial significance. Designatioll of a
structure or di strict provide s a level of recognition that can
translate into tourism marketing poss ibilities and , hopefully,
can open up funding possibilitie s. In a ddition, designated
structures and dis tricts qualify for te chnical a nd planning
assistance from the He ritage Foundation and other agencies.
In order to qualify !i:n' registered provinc ial he ritage distri ct
designation a municipal council mus t pass a motion to apply as
well as munic ipal he ritage bylaws simila r to those described
above . De pe nding upon availability of funding, the foundation
also offe rs grants for the upgrading of he ritage structures. For
more information see http;llwww.he ritagefoundation.ca/or
contact 709-739-1892 .
National - National Historic Sites wh ich comme morate
districts, structures, historical e vents, or pe r sonages of
national significance are de signated by the His toric Sites and
Monume nts Board of Canada. While a national historic site
des ignation cloesn't provide any real legal protection, it does
give re cognition a nd s tatus that can be ve ry useful in a ccess ing
development monies or in marketing a s ite . Parks Canada
28 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
may be a ble to provide research, tec hnical, and planning
assistance for national historic sites.
A numbe r of othe r designation tools or organ izat ional
structures are desc ribed in the Heritage Planning Guide
(see pp. 20-21 and 53-59) that can offer protection and
stewardship of heritage resources.
2. HERITAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Munic ipalities Act permits munic ipalities to establish
'"Heritage Advisory Committees" that can advise a
coull cil on wit ic h heritage structures to designate and 011
the preparati on of guidelines or bylaws to apply to designated
structures or di stri cts. They can also provide adv ice to council on
the treatment of he ritage buildings (e ithe r individually designated
or within a he ritage district) and develop appropriate c rite ria
for heritage designation. A Heritage Advisory Cotllmittee can
also serve as a source of advice for homeowne rs and build ing
contractors . One of the particular be ne fit s of s llch a co mtllittee
is that it allows for c itizen input into the he ritage preservation
process.
TILTING'S PROVINCIAL HERITAGE DISTRICT
In the summer of 2003 the entire town of Tilting on Fogo Island was
designated as a provincial registered heritage district in recognition
of its well-preserved buildings and landscape features related to
the inshore fishery. In particular, it possessed a large collection of
fish stages and stores, as well as older residences. The designation
ceremony itself garnered a lot of attention including visits by the
Irish Minister for Trade and Commerce and the Irish Ambassador to
Canada. According to Lillian Dwyer, mayor of Tilting, "we have seen an
increase in the number of tourists visiting our community and a move
to develop new businesses in town. The designation is helping to put
us on the map and is an affirmation of the work of Tilting's residents to
preserve their heritage."
THE ROCK WALLS
OF GRATES COVE
Through the efforts of the
Baccalieu Trail Heritage
Corporation (BTHC) the extensive
collection of rock walls in Grates
Cove, near the tip of the Bay de
Verde Peninsula, were deSignated
as a national historic site. The
designation recognizes some of the
province's best preserved examples
of protective rock walls surrounding
land that was taken in for vegetable
gardens and hay fields. With
government assistance the BTHC
was able to develop a parking area
along with interpretive panels on
the site. The designation creates
an additional tourism draw for the
community and the region .
CHAPTER 3 • STEWARDSHIP 6t PROTECTION OF YOUR COMMUNITY'S HERITAGE RESOURCES 29
The t01(ln of Placentia commissioned a
Townscape De·velopment & Cultural Heritage
District Masl.er Plan to g uide it in protect ing
and detJeLoping it.s hislon:c core.
3. MUNICIPAL PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT
REGULATIONS
Powers unde r the Munic ipalities Act, only give council
the ability to control the preservation and restoration of
designated he r itage buildings and st ru c tures. Under this
provision, counc il cannot determine wha t is all appropr iate use of ·
a he ritage building nor what can be built next door to it. Similarly,
it has little co nt rol over what can be done in or near an area of
natural sign iflCa llce.
If counc ils need broader powers to protect the overall character
and integrity of a he ritage area they need to adopt a Municipal
Plall and Development Regulations. These allow for: the control
of uses of he ritage buildings/districts and natural areas; control
over the design and scale of new buildings in a he ritage area;
and the re developme nt and revitalization of a natural or cultural
he ritage area. \Vithout these provis ions it becomes diffi cult to
control unsympathet ic de velopme nt (i.e ., a high rise building ill a
district of he ritage homes or an industrial e nte rpr ise in or near a
significant natural area.)
A Mun ic ipal Plan is a legal document wh ich allows a council
to direct growth and de velopment. As such it co ntains policy
s tatements outlining directions for future growth. The plan
is implemented th rough regula tions which set out specific
standards and conditions for all buildings and land use. A plan
and regulations can be simple and just outline what type of
uses are appropria te in various areas of a town. Or they can be
far-reaching, dealing with major issues such as re vitalization
initiatives, appropriate building treatments and design, infil
development, streetscape design, corridors/buffe rs along trails,
and protection of na tural features.
Some communities that have included the preserv a tion of built
he ritage in their mun icipal plans include St. John's, Placentia,
Trinity and Brigus. Gande r, Carmanville , a nd Torbay have
designated a reas to protect waterfowl habitat. In total almost 140
towns ill the province have Munic ipa l Plans and Development
Regulations
The process of de veloping a plan and impleme nting regulations is
a major unde rtakin g. It must involve a professiona l planner and
allow for a high level of public consultation, both with residents
and govern ment de partme nts. Such COl1lmun ity in volveme nt
en sures that the plan reflects the needs and values of residents
and that the re is a high degree of community 'buy-in', which
makes it easie r for council to e nforce. It should be recogn ized
that the munic ipal planning process is a dynamic one that allows
10 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
for change (i.e., counc ils can amend the m). Ideally, plans are
reviewed every 5 years or so to re tlect changes in the commun ity.
For more information on developing and implementing a Munic ipa l
Plan or on in corporating he ritage conservation district provisions
into an exist ing one, contact the Urban a nd Rural Planning
Division of the De partme nt of Munic ipal Affairs (Tel. 709-729-
3090) . Staff are available to meet with a council to discuss the
process. They can also prov ide a list of professional planning
cons ultants.
Diffe rent zoning options include:
i) Historic Conservalion Dislricl Zoning- this applies
to areas of cultural significance (structures or cultural
landscapes). In the case of an his toric downtown core , anothe r
option is to designate a 'Redevelopment Area' for which a
redevelopme nt plan is prepared. To be mean ingful, special
zon ing re quires the preparation of a he ritage development
plan tha t de tails how tlte goals a nd inte nt of the zoning can be
realized . It includes such things as perlllittedirecommendecl
uses in a n area, schemes or strategies for its rev italization, and
recomme ndations for appropriate building treatme nt, design
and intil. Some munic ipalities also adopt signage bylaws to
apply to commerc ial bu ildings with ina he ritage conse rvation
district. In an eHort to promote trad it ional styles fo r s heds
and outbuildings the town of Tiltin g e nacted a bylaw that
prohibited the e rection of fa bricated "baby barns".
In some European countries architectural features are actually
legislated clown to the colours that one can use on bu ildings.
In Canada the "carrot" approach often works be tte r in
regulating developme nt in historic reside ntial or comme rcial
districts. Design guide lines serve to educate the public about
appropri a te building treatments within heritage di s tric ts. It is
advised that a community works with a heritage consultant,
arch itect or landscape a rch itect to develop appropriate local
heritage guidelines. An illustrated brochure or bookle t is
a useful tool for a munic ipality to develop, describing the
c harac te ri s tics of a community's built heritage along with
examples of appropriate development or alte rations. The
message to property owne rs and developers is, "if YOll follow
the guidelines as laid out, the pe rmit process will be smooth."
A council has the right to reject any proposal that it feels is
not sympathetic to the cha racter of an hi storic area. Design
guidelines provide an objective criteria for dealing with
heritage properties.
CHAPTER 3 • STEWARDSHIP &. PROTECTION OF YOUR COMMUNITY'S HERITAGE RESOURCES 31
I For more information see p.21 of the
He ritage Planning Guide .
2 For more information see p.55 of the
He ritage Plan ning Guide.
Below are a few examples of he ritage property bylaws and design
guidelines:
• Maintaining sta.ndards of herita.ge properties: http://www.
cityofport nlOody.com/C it y+Govern me nt/Bylaws/l-Ie r itage+ Ma in
tenance+Standards+ Bylaw.htm
• Design Guidelines: The Town of Brigus Heritage Guidelines
(see at end of this chapter)
http://www.atlanticplan ne rs.org/wha tnew/booksl grandprel
bylaw. ht l1J
http://www.downtownwhitby.calrev it/i mprove lfacade
improvement volume l.pdf
ii) Conse,..vation District - areas of natural significance within
a community can be designated as conservation districts with
special development gu idelines. For wildlife habitat located
within a community, a municipality can also seek a designation
as a Munic ipal Stewardship Area unde r the Easte rn Habitat
Joint Ve nture (EHJV) program.1 Natural and cultural areas
lying outside of a municipal boundary, for which protection is
sought, can be designated by the Min iste r of Mun ic ipal Affairs.
4. PROPERTY MAINTENANCE BYLAW
A town counc il can establish a bylaw to ensure that
prope rties within the community a re maintained to a
reasonable standard and not allowed to become an eyesore
or a hazard. If, after b e ing appropriately notified, a property
owner fails to bring a property up to standards, a town counc il can
undertake the work and charge the owne r for costs. While such a
bylaw should be used sp a rin gly, it can be used to e ns ure that older
buildings in the community are not allowed to fall into disrepair.
For information on establish ing a propert y maintenance bylaw
contact the Provincial Department of Municipal Affairs.
5. ACQUISITION OF HERITAGE
RESOURCES BY COUNCIL
Some times the b est or only option for preserving a heritage
property and putting it to good use is for a town council
to acquire it. This may be the case in particular where a
property is de relict and at ri sk. The re are a number of options for a
council to acquire heritage properties:
i) Purchase: Under Section 201 of the Municipalities Act
a coun cil can acquire and hold real and p ersonal property
whic h is not necessary for the operations of the council but
whic h meets community need s . In order to do this, a council
needs to get prior written permission from the Minister of
Municipal and Provinc ial Affairs . A munic ipal council can
also set up a non-profit he ritage development corporation or
a he ritage trus t to purchase he ritage prope rties.2
32 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
ii) Tax Arre ars: Sometimes older buildings, stru c tures and
land fall into tax a rrears. T he Muni c ipalities Act outlines
a process in which a council can obta i n these a rrears with
the last option be ing sale by auc tion. Section 141 (3 ) a llows
counc il to bid for a nd purchase real property being sold to
satisfy taxes, inte rest or othe r expenses due. One has to be
somewha t ca reful with this provis ion though. In one case, the
munic ipality threate ne d a public sale to cover un paid ta xes
on a property only to see the owne r pay up the taxes, then
tear clown the buildin g on it to reduce future taxes.
iii) Expropriation: A counc il can ask the Minister of
Munic ipal and Provincial Affairs for permission to
e xpropria te property ( )r municipal purposes including
econolllic developme nt. It is a serious decis ion to deprive a
prope rty owne r of h is /he r private prope rt y and in orde r to
do so one mus t : a ttempt to negotia te a purchase a nd, failing
that, (or being una ble to locale th e owner); provide a suitable
jus tification to the Min is ter for the need to expropria te . A
council must pay the fair ma rke l va lue for a property when
expropria ting and e n sure that the use is for counc il or public
purposes. Insta nces whe re a counc il might exp ropriate
a he ritage property or bu ilcling include: whe re it is to be
developed as a community hall, rec reati o nall~lc ilit y, or p a rk;
for an economic development initia tive that could include
touri sm development. Before cons ide rin g e xpropria tion
a munic ipa l coun c il s hould always a Lte mpt a negotia ted
purchase.
The re a re a lso provis ions under the His toric Resources Act
for the Prov incial Governme nt to protect his toric resources
a nd a rc haeological s ites. They can include: a re quirement for
an assessment to be unde rta ken prior to a ctivities that might
imp a ct the resource and for the government to re quire that a
munic ipality not issue a development permit on a s ite whe re
he ritage resources e xis t; de clara tion of an his toric resource
or a rc haeological s ite as a provin cial c ultural property; and
a cqu is it ion of that resource through purc ha se /expropriation.
Again , expropriation is a last resort and very ra rely used
by government. Prov is ions of the His toric Resources Act
a re concerned prima rily with p rotecting heritage resources,
not necessarily in seeing th e m de velope d. This would
me an, for example, th at the government would not normally
e xpropria te just to allow it to unde rta ke an archaeological
dig. For specifics, see the His toric Resources Act a t: http :
/ /www.gov.nLca/hoa/ s ta tutes/h14 .htm
PURCHASE FREES UP
DERELICT HISTORIC
PROPERTY IN CARBON EAR
In the mid-1980s d owntown
Carbonear had a big eyesore on
its hands. What had fo rmerly been
a prominent business on Water
Street lay in ruins. A fire had totally
destroyed one building and only
the co nc rete walls of another
were inta ct . The owner had done
nothing to c lean up the property
and it had, for a few yea rs, formed
a huge eyesore in the town's
historic commercial area . It was
assumed th at the prope rty was
su ch a t angled legal mess th at little
could be d o ne. When the matter
was investigated it was discovered
that the Town could acquire the
property fo r back taxes owed.
The area was cleaned up and the
remaining 1930s co n crete building
was salvaged and devel oped as a
senior's ce ntre.
USE OF EXPROPRIATION
IN FERRYLAND
The Provincial Government has
engaged in land acquisition of
archaeolo gical sites in a few
instan ces in the provin ce. It has,
for example, purchased land
in Ferryland (Lord Baltimo re's
plantatio n) and in Port aux Choix
(Maritime Archaic I ndian site).
In the case of Ferryland, the
government used expropriation as
a way to deal with a lack of clear
title on a number of properties that
it wished to purchase. While all of
the owners had agreed to se ll at a
negotiated price, it was deemed
most feasible to use expropriation
as a way to overcome the title
problems.
CHAPTER 3 • STEWARDSHIP & PROTECTION OF YOUR COMMUNITY'S HERITAGE RESOURCES 33
34
6. HERITAGE INCENTIVES
Often finan c ial incentives are the most effective tool
to e nc ourage h eritage pre se rvation and a pprupriate
standards. Such incentives e ssentially ta ke two forms :
i) Grants: Some municipalities offe r grants to owne rs of
heritage prope rties for e xte rior restoration/mainte na nce work.
Th is recognizes th a t he ritage structures often have higher
maintenance costs , especially if a building re quires extensive
restoration. Granting bodies gene rally requ ire an e asement
agreement from tlte property owner whic h is a legal docume nt
that, essentially, gives that body the right to specify what may
be done with th e e xte rior of the building. This is to e nsure that
any work unde rtaken mee ts he ritage preservation standards. In
addition to providin g a n ince ntive to prope rty owne rs to re store
th eir he ritage struc tures, a grant gives a munic ipality some
influen ce on how that work is carried out. Ge ne rally such grants
are for exte rior work only and are cos t- s hare d. In the 1990s
the City of St. 10hn's offe red one -third of the cost of exterior
restoration for the public face of a building to a maximum of
$3,000. Bonavista, through the Bonavista His toric Townscape
Foundation, oIle rs 700/0 of exterior re novat ion costs up to a
maximum of $::W,OOO.
BONAVISTA'S 'HISTORIC PROPERTIES INVESTMENT
PROGRAMME' YIELDS BIG RETURNS
The community of Bonavista has realized huge gains from its heritage
grants program. In its first year of operations 11 historic properties, in
total, received approximately $145,000 through the Historic Properties
Investment Programme (administered by the Bonavista Historic Townscape
Foundation with funding from ACOA) . This leveraged nearly $110,000
in private and other public funding . As all of the labour and most of the
materials originated in the Bonavista region, most of this money went
directly into the pockets of local residents, including $93,000 in labour.
The visual impact of the program is immediately obvious when one enters
the historic town. Together with other public investment in heritage
in the town, the preservation of the community's historic townscape is
helping to create a growing cultural tourism industry, which has offset
losses in fisheries employment. By the time the program is completed it is
estimated that around 45 bui ldings will have been restored .
AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
ii) Tax /ncellli-ves - Munic ipalities can offe r tax incentives
as a way to e ncourage he ritage preservation and the re-use
of he ritage buildings. As illlproveme nts to a he ritage
struc ture will often lead to an increase in the assessed value
- th e reby leading to higher taxes - some munic ipalities
provide a property tax re bate on the diffe re nce be tween
the old and new assessed values. This can e ithe r be a total
re bate on the diHerence for a pe riod of say 3 years or be
graduated over a pe riod of years. The City of St. John's
curre ntly has a 5 year property tax rebate for 'at-risk'
he ritage struc tures regis te red by th e c ity. UsiJlg the St.
J ohn's exalllple , fo r a property with a pre -re storation tax of
$1,000 that in creased to $2,200 afte r re storation, a 5 year
graduated tax incentive would work like this:
New tax rate ($ 2,200) - old tax ra te ($ 1,000) = $1,200
Year 1 (100% re bate) = $ 1,200
Year 2 ( 80% re bate) = $ 960
Year 3 ( 60% re bate) = $ 720
Year 4 ( 40% re bate ) = $ 480
Year 5 ( 20% re bate) = $ 240
TotalS year tax rebate = $3,600
For comme rc ial buildings, Illuni c ipalities can also provide
a re bate on bu s iness taxes. In the cases of both property
and business tax re bates the re is , essentia lly, no cost to a
munic ipa lity as heritage prope rties are ge nerally serviced
so the re are no additional servi cing costs and the increased
taxes wouldn't be collec ted by the munic ipality anyway
if the prope rty was not upgraded . In the case of empty
comme rc ial prope rty no bus iness taxes are being collected.
The municipality wins in the end as, e ve ntually, restored
heritage prope rties yield higher tax revenues (by year 2 in
the g raduated scheme )!
The new His toric Places Initiat ive , managed by the
Department of Canadian He ritage, has establi she d a
"Comme rc ia l He ritage Prope rties Incentive Fund" that
ofJe rs grants for restoration to owners of private designa ted
heritage buildings that a re to be used for comme rc ial
purposes. This could include the conversion of a he ritage
prope rty into a bed and breakfast, restaurant, off1ces, or
re tail space. For more information see: http ://www.pc .gc .ca/
progs /plp-hpp/plp-hpp2a E.asp
EXPLORATIONS
1. Discu ss how zoning and/or
heritage guidelines could
be used to protect heritage
resources in your community.
Make contact with a community
in your area that has included
heritage zoning and bylaws to
discuss the pros and cons of
such an initiative (the Dept. of
Municipal Affairs should be able
to provide you with names) .
2. Make a list of structures in your
community that may be worthy
of designation at either the
municipal or provincial level.
3. Make a list of older under­utilized
properties that are tied
up due to legal limbo or unpaid
taxes_ Try to identify possible
uses for those buildings that
fit with council responsibilities
as indicated under the
Municipalities Act.
4 . Develop a list of residents who
have loca l knowledge of/ interest
in heritage bUildings and the
community's history and who
could serve on a heritage
advisory committee.
S. Develop a list of local resources
useful to people undertaking
the restoration of heritage
buildings. These could include
contractors and craft persons
with heritage experience as
well as suppliers of traditional
building materials (clapboard,
wood shingles) .
CHAPTER 3 • STEWARDSHIP lit PROTECTION OF YOUR COMMUNITY'S HERITAGE RESOURCES 35
36 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES
Additional Strategies &
Approaches for Preserving
Your Community's Heritage
Many munic ipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador have
taken proactive approaches to preserve their he ritage .
In most cases these have resulted in s ignificant re turns
to local communities in te rllls of increased community pride , new
economic opportunities and private investme llt.
1. HERITAGE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
I n a number of comlllunities councils have taken the initiative
to form a local he ritage organization, in some cases, as a
co mmittee of counc il. This e nsures a strong link with counc il
wh ich has a varie ty of resources and Illechan iSllls to support
heritage. The town of Torbay has a He ritage Committee to deal
with c ultural he ritage and a Trails & Environme nt Committee
which, essentially, concerns itself with the natural he ritage of the
town. The counc il provides support in the form of office/museum
space, an annual grant and funding for staff p ositions. It is
important that the re be a strong liaison on such committees with
town council/stafr.
As was me ntioned pre viously, counc ils can also e stabli s h a
He ritage Advisory Committee to advise them on various aspects
of built he ritage and c ultural landscape , partic ularly on issues
relating to heritage designation and appropr iate treatme nt of
he ritage resoll rces.
2. COMMUNITY HERITAGE COORDINATOR
The hiring of a community he ritage coordinator/officer by
a municipality can do a lot to further the protection and
development of heritage resources. Such a person can:
• facilitate planning on he ritage initiatives;
• de velop funding proposals for he ritage projects;
• provide information and advice to the general public on
the appropriate treatment of he ritage resources, funding
programs , e tc .;
• unde rtake community e ducation and awareness; and
• provide a resource to community volunteers involved with
heritage allowing the m, in mos t cases, to be muc h more
produc tive .
CHAPTER 4 • AD D I TI 0 NAL STRATEG I ES AND APPROACH ES 39
The restoration of the John William
Roberts hOlLse in Woody Point for lLse as
a l,isitor's centre is one of the initiatives
that has been undertaken by the Bonne
Bay Regional Heritage office.
TOWN OF CBS HIRES
SEASONAL HERITAGE
WORKERS
For the last several summers the
town of CBS has been hiring
a folklore student to research
and promote the community's
heritage . The position is
answerable to the town's
economic development officer.
The student has been involved in :
creating an inventory of heritage
bUildings; gathering information
on the community's history; and
researching heritage buildings
for consideration for municipal
designation; developing a walking
tour for the Topsail Heritage
District; collecting oral history;
writing pieces on heritage for the
local newspaper. The heritage
worker also sits as a member of the
loca l heritage committee.
Generally, a heritage coordinator will raise several times their
own salary in successful grant applications and in encouraging
private investment. While only large municipalities will likely be
in a position to hire a heritage coordinator, in the case of s malle r
municipalities it can be made feasible by partnering with other
communities in a region. In various instances, it has been possible
to cost-share these positions with a government funding agency
such as HRSD or Human Resources Labour & Employment.
In commu nities where th e re is no active heritage organization or
heritage efforts are just getting off the ground, a municipality may
wish to hire a student during the summe r to research and promote
community he ritage. For this to be e ffect ive, a well-qual ified
student (ideally with guidance) should be considered (i .e., someone
studying history, archaeology, folklore or cultural geography).
3. PARTNERING WITH
NEIGHBOURING COMMUNITIES
While it may be difficult for small communities to access
funding to hire professional heritage expertise or
to effectively package and promote their heritage to
p otential tourists, by working with ne ighbouring communities it
becomes possible to create a critical mass. This could include
several communities collaborating to c re ate a regional heritage
centre that is able to open year round with professional paid staff
(as opposed to several small museums that struggle to keep their
doors open for a few months in the summer). It could also involve
a regional collaboration to hire a he ritage development officer or a
regional museum curator/manager to operate several community
museums . Regional approaches to developing and promoting high
quality nature -based or cultural tourism packages will be far more
effective in attracting visitors to a region for an e xtended period of
time than if each community attempts to go it alone and compete
with neighbouring communities. The reality is that many small
communities cannot create a strong e nough draw to pull tourists
off the main highway or to keep visitors for more than a short time,
but they may do so as part of a larger package. In other words, the
total becomes more than the sum of the individual parts.
Communities should consider working with their Regional
Economic Development Boards (REDBs) and regional tourism
associations in assessing the potential of heritage resources and
in promoting and marke ting them. In the late 1990s most of the
REDBs were involved in the developme nt of a Coastal Community
Resources Inventory that mapped natural and cultural heritage
resources along the province's coastline. Its purpose is to provide
a tool for the development and management of these resources.
40 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
Contact your local REDB for a copy of this inventory. It could
provide a model for an expanded inventory that e ncompasses the
natural and cultural he ritage resources within an entire region.
BONNE BAY REGIONAL HERITAGE COORDINATOR
What started as a heritage researcher for the town of Woody Point
has turned into a regional heritage coordinator, shared by several
communities in the Bonne Bay area. The town of Woody Point offers
in-kind services in the form of an office and support. The coordinator
works with various communities on a variety of heritage projects and
initiatives: awareness raising, heritage education in local schools,
promoting, packaging and marketing heritage attractions, funding
for restoration projects, and the development of heritage by-laws.
She also acts as a resource for local volunteer groups and the public
on heritage programs. In 2003 alone it is estimated that the Bonne
Bay heritage coordinator raised over $200,000 in grants funding for
heritage initiatives. According to Woody Point town councilor, Eldon
King, "the regional heritage coordinator has allowed us to move ahead
in preserving and developing our town's heritage resources much
more quickly than if we had been trying to do everything strictly as
volunteer groups."
4. STRATEGIES FOR REVITILIZING
AN HISTORIC COMMUNITY CORE
Ge nerally, the area in a community with the greatest
concentration of heritage buildings is in the old
comme rcial/industrial core, usually found along the
wate rfront. In the case of inland towns, this area was often
clustered along the railway line. In larger communities this
encompasses commercial, industrial and institutional buildings,
surrounded by older residential areas. In smaller outports, the
harbours are ringed by older houses, commercial fishing premises,
fish ing stages, and e1ll1 rches.
Communities can take active steps to e ncourage the redevelopment
of their historic cores. A number of strategies are outlined below:
a) Creation of a Downtown/Heritage De'velopment
Strategy - the revitilization of an unde r-utilized downtown
or h e ritage district rarely happe ns of its own accord. A clear
vision with a pro-active strategy is needed. A municipal
council is generally in the best position to lead in the
developme nt of such a strategy. Communities in the province
that have prepared such plans include St. 10hn's, Bonavista
and Placentia. Key ingredients for success in developing
and implementing effective strategies include: a strong
commitment from council to the process; a high level of public
input and consultation; and the forging of strong partnerships
with residents, various le vels of government, and the private
sector. UsuaUy a consulting team with experie nce in urban
Very often the historic centres of
communities have declined due to
changes in the local economy (such as
the decline of the inshore fishery) and
a shiji in comrnercial activity to the
comnwnit/s ou.tskirts (the highway
strip J. This has manifested itself in
vacant. ojien crumbling buildings. As
they deca:red. many have been removed,
resulll:ng in lwge gaps in the streetsc(tpe.
It. is dijficult to have (t healthy
community when its very heart is dying
or dead. Here part ofa range ofuniqlte
mid-19th century row houses in Harbour
Grace is being demolished (2003) . The
loss of heritctge structures usu.ally occurs
gradually resulting. over time. in the
loss 0./ the buildings that help define (t
com.munity.
CHAPTER 4 • ADDITIONAL STRATECIES AND APPROACHES 41
PLACENTIA TOWNSCAPE
DEVELOPMENT & CULTURAL
HERITAGE DISTRICT
MASTER PLAN
With funding from ACOA the
town of Placentia undertook the
development of a master plan in
order to : focus its preservation
efforts; help rea lize its potential
for cultural tourism development
as a way to diversify the economy;
enhance the quality of life for its
residents; and to conserve and
develop its historic townscape
and heritage resources for future
generations. The plan is an
attempt to move beyond what
is often a piecemeal approach
to developing c ultural heritage
resources within a community.
One of the things that became
evident in developing a plan was
that before beautification and
enhancement of streets/sidewalks,
parks and he ritage areas could
occur, it was necessary to upgrade
much of the town's infrastructure
(i.e., to avoid future tear ups) .
Acco rd ing to the town's mayor,
"while the project is an am bitious
one, this plan gives us a blueprint
from which to work in a step by
step manner."
design, he ritage preservation and economic development
is engaged to develop such a strategy. It is important that
consultants be sensi tive to: local heritage resources; political
and economic realities; and local human capacity. Each
community is different; there are no 'cook ie cutter' solutions.
b) /'weslmenl in Infrastructure - the beautification
of a heritage dist rict or installation /upgrading of public
infrastruc ture (streets, sidewalks, lighting, e tc.) , by a
municipality can have a major psychological impact on
a community and act as a catalys t for additional private
investme nt and business development. Wate rfront development
in the form of harbourfront walkways, boardwalks and parks
can make the historic core more attractive and gene rate more
foot traffic. Wate rfront walkways can, in some cases, make the
backs of buildings on the main commercial s treet a ttractive for
commercial development.
Expenditures on infrastru cture should be seen by a
municipality as an investme nt for which the re is an expected
return (i.e., more private investme nt, additional tax re venue,
satisfact ion of recreational needs) . Plannillg for such
infrastructure should include consultation with community
and business groups to ensure that it meets local needs and
that it is sustainable. It is estimated that f()!' e ve ry dollar of
city money invested in public improveme nts on George Street
in St. J ohn's in the late 1980s, several dollars of private money
were invested in building upgrades and business start-up.
Bonavista
Townscape
Church S
Tbi~ pruject " 'as mad" possible
through fundin!: from the
C'lRatlaiN~wfoulldland A;:rceGlt:nt
r!" the E('onomic n"vellJpmeol
Compon(:nt of the
Canadian Fisheries Adjustment and
Restructuring Initiative
Canad§
pro.iet ;J ~t'; rendu poss ibl~ gt',ii't
finuneement de l' Ellt~nU Canada -
'1erTI.'-llew,e relati .. :lU ,okt
Oc"eloPP"'m.llt eCCJoomiq llt des
tlUOII!HUllQU et de
"'_QltnH,hlr'ati4>n dfS pechcs
BONAVISTA UPGRADES ITS MAIN COMMERCIAL STREET
As part of its Historic Townscape Management Plan, the town
of Bonavista undertook an ambitious beautifi cation of its main
thoroughfare, Church Street, that included its historic commercial and
institutional core. It has served to tidy up the ap pearance of the street
with new curbs and sidewalks as well as a few decorative treatments
such as brick pavers and attractive fencing (wrought iron in front of
the library and cenotaph and picket along residential and ecclesiastical
areas) . The restoration of two-way traffic to the street has slowed
traffic and increased the sense of activity on the street.
42 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
c) The Main Street Approach- back in the 1980s and early
1990s the Heritage Canada Foundation operated a program
called 'Main Street Canada'. ~While the He ritage Canada
Founda tion no longer sponsors the Main Street program the re
is no reason that any particular community cannot follow the
Main Street approach.
The program was based on the recognition that much of the
country's built he ritage is found in the hi s toric commercial
cores of towns and cities. For various reasons - not the
le a st of whi ch was the growth of suburban shopping malls
and th e ' highway strip' - these downtown comme rc ial areas
had declined, resulting in empty shop fronts and neglected
buildings, many of which came to be at ris k. As well, many
older downtown buildings had seen unsympathe tic changes
(modern re novations and signage) which masked th e ir unique
heritage charac ter. He ritage Canada recognized that the
preservation of hi s toric commer c ial and ins titution a l buildings
had to go hand in hand with a rev italization of the comme rc ial
and c ivic func tions of downtowlI. The program had four basic
compone nts:
i) Business De'velopment - downtown buildings need
to have tenants and to generate sufficient revenues before
their owners will consider upgrading or restoring th em. This
means developing strategies for attracting new bus inesses
and other fun ction s downtown . These could include such
things as: bus iness tax breaks for new businesses setting up
downtown; an assessment of r e tail gaps in the community
and recruitment activit ies to recruit prospective new
businesses; e ntre pre ne urial works hops and train ing; and
an assessment of commun ity needs that could fill downtowlI
b'uildings (e .g., c1aycare, special housing needs, cultural and
rec reational needs ). Often it is necessary to find new uses for
older buildings that no longe r serve the function for which
they we re built (e .g., houses. churches, in s titutional, and
indus trial structures). His toric districts generally figure very
prominently in efforts to develop tourism in a community.
ii) Promotions, Marketing & Special E-vents - the
downtown bus iness community can learn from the malls
whe re all tenants participate in joint promotions. By pooling
their promotional dollars a nd packaging downtown as a
dest ination that is more than just the sum of its individual
parts, downtown business operators can more effectively
compe te with suburban shopping areas. These can include
special events and promotions (seasonal promotions, farme rs'
or craft marke ts, festivals, window displays); anything that
will get people downtown. These are mos t effective when they
draw on the un ique he ritage and c haracter of downtown.
WALKWAYS ENHANCE
WATERFRONT APPEAL
Typically communities have turned
their backs on their waterfronts.
Usually the shoreline was the scene
of industrial or commercial activity
which made it unappealing to
residents or cut it off altogether
from the rest of the community.
Yet a shoreline can be one of the
most interesting and scenic areas
of a community. Increasing ly,
communities in the province
are recognizing the appea l of
shorelines to both residents and
tou rists by developing waterfront
walkways.
Two places that come to mind are
Port aux Basques and Trout River
on Newfoundland's west coast.
Port aux Basques has developed
a boardwalk that links the ferry
terminal with the commercial
area of the town. It includes a
number of small retail kiosks and
an outdoor stage offering local
entertainment, geared toward
ferry passengers with time on their
hands. In the small community of
Trout River a half kilometre board
walk runs along the shoreline. On
one side is the beach; the other
is lined with buildings including
a cafe and two museums which
form anchors at each end of the
walkway. It has done much to
enhance the scenic appeal of
the community and to welcome
visitors.
CHAPTER 4 • ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES 43
A n ew businessfills a vacant building on
Water Street in Carbonear resulting in a
"je£ce lift"
iii) Orgallization - be fore positive change can happen in a
his toric district it is neces sary to ge t a community mobilized
and organized . Appropriate organizational structures need to be
e stablished to unde rtake projects and initiatives and partnerships
forged with a wiele variety of commun ity and public stake holde rs.
One of the key elements is getting the downtown business
community organized and working together. The Business
De velopment Are a is one model ill which a municipality passes
a law that allows for a levy on all downtown busine sses to raise
funds for the operation of a Downtown Developme nt Association.
Such a group engages in a variety of projects to promote a mi
develop the downtown area.
In terms of developing a ppropriate organizational models it must
be understood that the re is no such thing as "one size fits all."
Appropriate structures must be developed to fit the particular
community. For more information on organizationa l models for
heritage initiatives see Module 6 in the Heritage Planning Guide.
CARBONEAR FESTIVAL CElEBRATED
CARBON EAR'S WATERFRONT
In 1986 downtown Carbonear held its first 'Stationers Festival' which
celebrated the annual spring departure for the Labrador fishery (that
had been happening on the town's waterfront for more than 150
years) . The festival included events such as a re-enactment, dory races
on Water Street, food, entertainment, d isplays, and an ecumenical
church service commemorating those lost at sea. Part of the intent
of the festival was to get residents to take a second look at their
downtown, which many had seemingly turned their backs on. As an
example, one of the old, boarded-up timber-framed storehouses
that had been part of John Rorke & Sons mercantile premises was
turned into a craft market. Many people marveled at the beauty of
the building and commented on what a great public space it would
be. This historic structure was subsequently designated a provincial
heritage structure, restored by the town council and now operates as a
museum and theatre space.
44 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
i-v) IJeritage Preservation & Design - years of
experie nce have shown that the most successful way to
revitalize a downtown or an older district is not to destroy the
historic l~lb ri c and put up new buildings but to preserve the
stru ctures that give a commun ity a un ique sense of place.
All too often the charac ter of older buildings has been lost
as arch itectural features and detailing we re re moved or
else covered up with unsympathet ic materials and signage.
Where possible the restoration of historic buildings should be
encouraged. Where this is not feasible they may be upgraded
to make them more attractive and to fit better into the overall
s treetscape. This requires expertise in unde rstanding historic
buildings and research to de termine how buildings have
changed over tillle. The key for a community is to work with
what it has and not to a ttempt to create a blse sense of his tory
be creating fake 'heritage ' facades. Other aspects of design
include the developme nt of attracti ve signage that respects a
building (i.e ., doesn't cover up detailing), and the development
of new infrastructure and amenities to improve an area (e .g.,
attractive public spaces/parks, walkways, s idewalks, lighting,
e tc.) .
-v) The Main Street Office - in order to implemen t
the Main Street approach a coordinator was placed in a
community for a minimum of three years. His/her job was
to an irnate the downtown revitalization process, helping to
facilitate planning, and to provide professional expertise in
the areas desc ribed above. The costs of running a Main Street
office we re generally shared between the Illunicipality, other
levels of government, and of tell the local bus iness community.
The He ritage Canada Foundation provided planning services,
training for coordinators, and technical advice.
Various provincial organizations exist that can provide the
necessary technical advice, such as the He ritage Foundation
of Ne wfoundland and Labrador (dealing with built he ritage)
and the Association of He ritage Industries. A community
also doesn't need to have a large downtown comme rc ial core
to use the process. Many communities in Newfoundland and
Labrador are characterized by a fairly dispersed business
community and don't have a traditional comme rcial core along
a main street. The Main Street approach could be adapted
to any town that has a fairly strong concentration of he ritage
buildings that include those used for reside ntial, industrial,
and institutional structures.
What is needed to make the program work is a strong
commitme nt from a munic ipal council, the local business
community, and the community at large.
CHAPTER 4 • ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES 45
Revitalizing a boarded up storejj'ont for
lise as Carbonears lVlain S treet. ojJice
/lias a /Vax to show that old buildings
c an have a new life.
Water St. Carbonear. 193()s Water St. Carbonear. 2003
CARBON EAR'S MAIN STREET PROGRAM
By the early 1980s Carbonear's Water Street had suffered the same
fate as many North American downtowns: commercial deve lopment
on the suburban fringe combined with the decline of the old Water
Street merchant fami li es had led to serious decay of the downtown. In
1985 the town became invo lved with the Main Street prog ram. With
the assistance of a Main Stree t coordinator the community engaged
in Heritage Canada's Four Point Approach. The project was successfu l
in bringing down the vacancy rate from 45% to roughly 15%; severa l
buildings were given face li fts; many vacant buildings were given a new
life; and seve ral hundred thousand d ollars of public and private money
we re invested in the area. Unfortunately, when the 3 year program
e nded there w as no concerted efforts to maintain the momentum
and things began to slide back somewhat. This is one of the lessons of
heritage revit a lization, there are no quick fixes and it takes a sustained
effort with a long -term strategy.
d) Additional Ways that Municipalilies can Support
their Jle ritage - there are a varie ty of other ways that your
munic ipality can support heritage efforts in your community:
i) In-I.·ill.d COlI.lI"ibulions to lo cal herilage g roups l,,,d
projects - municipal cou nc ils are often ill a good position to
provide 'in-kind' support to heritage initiatives and groups.
These could include:
• free meeting space for the local heritage socie ty;
• space for historical displays and interpre ta tion a ctivities;
• snow cleari ng a nd maintenance of community museum
build ings;
• use of heavy equipment for constru ction projects ; and
• free office space/equipment for special projects (e.g.,
summer stude nts, research projects)
46 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
i) Financial Contributions - most local culLural
heritage attractions are developed and managed by
volunteer, community-based organizations. Most of these
groups operate with few resources and most are very good
at stretch ing a dollar. It has been said that cultural tourism
(worth over $200 million to the provincial economy) is the
only sector of the provincial economy bu ilt largely on the
bac ks of volunteers. A finan cial contribution by a municipal
council can of te ll make a big diffe re nce in wnning a local
museum, heritage attraction or archive.
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HERITAGE SOCIETY
AND TOWN COUNCIL IN BAY ROBERTS
A collaboration between the Bay Roberts Heritage Society and
the Bay Roberts Town Council has made possible the restoration
of the historic Cable Building and the development of a museum,
archive and art gallery. While the heritage society was successf ul in
securing funding to restore the large building, a major cha llenge
was to provide for the on-going operating and maintenance costs.
The town council moved into the first floor of the Cable Building
and entered into an agreement whereby it would pay for the
operating costs of the entire building on a year-round basis. This
allows the museum to operate year-round, something that few
community museums can do, due to the expenses of providing
heat and light.
ii) Encouraging the Arts as a CataLyst for the
Re-use of Heritage Buildings - it is often a real
challenge to find alternative uses for unde r-utilized or
abandoned he ritage structures. This is especially the
case with large structures such as industrial buildings,
ware houses, schools, churches, or commercial pre mises.
Often the first thing that occurs to groups or communities
is to turn older buildings into museums. Ye t the ability
of most commun ities to sustain more than one museum is
limite d. Another possibility is to cons ide r the arts - the
pe rforming arts (theatre, music, dance), visual arts , new
media and film - which often fit very well into larger, open
spaces in the types of buildings described. There is an
increasing numbe r of examples worldwide of industrial
The old Carbonear railway station gained
new life as a community museum. The
tOltln council covers the cost 0/ utilities on
I.he/acility and has,/rom time 1.0 tl:me,
prot1iciedjil1ancial assistance and o(.her
'in- kind' contributions.
CHAPTER 4 • ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES 47
The Distillery District in Toronto has
turned the old Gooderham & Worts
D isf,illery into a complex 0/ artist's
sf,adios, galleri es, restaurants, and
pe/forming spaces, crea,tecl one o/the
city's most clynwuic urban areas.
heritage buildings that have been turned into arts spaces.
They include the Distillery District in Toronto and MASS
MoCA of North Adams, Massachusetts (a former mill
town in Weste rn Massachusetts) that have conve rted
Victorian indust rial buildings into vibrant complexes of
artist's stud ios, galleries, museums, shops, restaurants and
performance spaces. One of the particular benefits of such
projects is that they bring many creat ive individuals (visual
artists, film make rs, small high tech companies, etc.) a nd
arts groups together under one roof - usually a t a below­cost
re nt - c reating opportunities for collaboration. In many
instances these kinds of projects have been undertaken by
private developers.
While most smaller communities in Newfoundland and
Labrador will not have the population base to sustain large
arts complexes, by considering a variety of community
needs (learning spaces, recreational and soc ial spaces,
office spaces for government and non-profit groups) it may
be poss ible to put together a project that not only creates
new uses for older buildings but gene rates lots of foot traffic
and an exciting and vibrant community space. The key to
making these types of projects work is partnerships.
A municipality can act as a catalyst in such an initiative
by assessing community needs a nd by bringing together a
variety of community players to discuss the potential of such
a project.
iii) Municipal Re-lLse of Heritage Buildings
-municipalities can adopt a policy that they will actively
seek to re -use he ritage buildings for the ir own acti vities and
needs. This could be for use as a town hall, office space,
library, or other functions carried out by a municipality.
He ritage structures such as schools, institutional or
commerc ial buildings are often well-suited as they have
spacious interiors and, with the ir architectural detailing,
have a strong "civic" presence. Through partnerships with
other organ izations and funding for he ritage preservation,
the convers ion of heritage structures is often a low-cost
alternative for a municipality that needs new space. The
town of Bay Roberts partnered with the local heritage
society to de velop a restored cable office for use as a
town hall, muse um, archives, and a rt gallery. The town
of Bonavista hopes to move its offices into a 1928 school
building that will a lso serve as a regional visitor centre.
Municipalities can a lso encourage the re -use of her itage
buildings for use as government offices, By way of example
the old Belve de re Orphanage in St. 10hn's has been
converted for use as office space for MCP.
48 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
i'v) A Few Words aboLLt Community Economic
Development (CED) - the traditional approach to
developme nt in many communities in North America has
been to attract new businesses and industries from outside
the community. This often involves large tax co ncessions
and gove rnllle nt grants. While sometimes this meets with
success, a more holistic approach - alld one more suited
to small rural communities - is re fe rred to as "Comlllunity
Economic Developme nt" or CED. CED is based on the
notion that a community looks at its own assets (human,
physical, c ultural, natural) as well as its own problems,
needs, and values in de vising developme nt strategies. It
asks questions like :
• What local resources and skills could be turned into
economic opportunities?
• What do we value about our cOllllllunity that we don't
want to lose'?
• What social, e nvironmental, cultural and economic
needs do we have to address to allow us to move forward
and to create a be tter quality of life'?
Community Economic Development involves a process of in-depth
comll1unity consultation and planning. It works when partnerships
are forged with a wide variety of groups and inte rests in the
community.
Invariably in the CED process, communities discover that sOl1le of
their greatest assets are the ir heritage resources. These run from
buildings and other physical aspects of he ritage, to traditional
skills and knowledge (and the people who possess them), to a
comll1un ity's history and traditions, and its natural and scen ic
areas. Two examples from rural France demonstrate this point well:
• An economically depressed region discovered that in the
Middle Ages the re had been a strong local industry producing
medicinal herbs. The tradition was rev ived with an historical
interpretation (a tourism draw) and the actual development
of a new industry to supply the growing demand for herbal
remedies.
• In a district of northe rn France the loss of the local cattle
industry led to an e nvironmental problem: former pastureland
had gone wild with resulting grass fi res. To deal with the
problem hardy Scottish long-horned cattle we re introduced
that revived the cattle industry.
The old Forbes ilrlethodist School in
Bonavista is currently being restored
with plans in place to use it as a visitor
centre and town hall.
The historic Woods Building in
downtown St. John's was at risk 0/
demolition until the City 0/ St. Johns
worked out an arrangement with the
owner whereby it would enter into a long
term lease/or ojJice space.
Here the building is under reconstruction.
CHAPTER 4 • ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES 49
50
EXPLORATIONS
1. If you have a local heritage organization, meet with them to explore
ways that you can support one another. If you don't have one, call a
public meeting to see if there is local interest in forming one.
2. Discuss the benefits of having a heritage development coordinator
for your community. In what ways would such a person benefit
your community? What types of projects could he/she support?
Which neighbouring communities could collaborate on hiring such
a person?
3. I nvite interested residents (particularly older ones) to describe how
the historic core of the community has changed over time. What has
been lost? Or sponsor a 'Community Walkabout'.
4. Have an ad-hoc committee (including heritage and business
representatives) explore the possibility of creating a Heritage
Development/Downtown Revitilization Strategy. Invite a
representative from a municipality that has undertaken such a
strategy to meet with your group (or go visit their community to
gauge their progress) to discuss the hows and whys of such an
initiative.
5. Hold a community focus group or undertake a survey to see what
residents think about community infrastructure and what areas they
might like to see beautified or developed . Use this as an opportunity
to see how much support there is for municipal investment in this
area .
6 . Ask a resource person to provide additional information on the Main
Street Approach. Contact AH I for suggested speakers.
7. Do an inventory of under-utilized buildings in the community,
including such things as square footage, condition, existing services
and amenities. Discuss whether there are any municipal functions
that could be accommodated in heritage buildings and what kinds
of partnerships could be formed to make this happen.
8 . Meet with representatives from neighbouring communities to
explore how the heritage resources of each could be packaged and
promoted on a regional basis.
AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
DESIGN ISSUES IN HISTORIC TOWNSCAPES/lANDSCAPES
Design Issues in Historic
Townscapes/Landscapes
1. INTRODUCTION
Planne rs and preservationists often s peak of his toric
townscapes. By that term they refe r to the overall characte r
of a place and to the individual ele ments that contribute
to it. For e xample , the character of a place might be described
as: urban with high de nsities of buildings; outport cons isting
of low-scale developme nt clu s te red around a harbour with an
organic settlement pattern: historic with a human scale with a high
concentration of older buildings.
A wide variety of elements combine to give a distin c tive c haracte r
• typical building patterns (with common shapes, colours,
materials, placement of open ings)
• layout of roads and circulation routes: organic - often curving,
conforming to landscape fe atures with little distin c tive sense
of pattern; or rational - plan ned, often in the form of a grid or
geometric pattern
• common setbacks of buildings from the road
• types of vegetation (natural or plante d)
• how bu ild i ngs relate to the natural landscape
• property lines and fences
• outbuilcl ings
As examples, an historic townscape in Newfoundland and
Labrador (places like St. 10hn's, Harbour Grace, Port Union)
would likely be charac te rized by low-rise buildings (of no more
than 3 or 4 floors) with high de nsities (s ituated close together and
close to or right on the street). Materials would consist largely of
clapboard (often painte d a wide variety of colours), brick or stone,
and the re would be clear palterns in te rms of window and door
sizes and placeme nts, roof forms and chimneys.
An historic outport would, typically, be c haracterized by low rise
buildings (usually 2 storeys) with clear patterns in terms of houses
(clapboard with 3 openings across the front and ge ne rally a centre
door), and fishing structures (clapboard painted either red/yellow
ochre or white) hugging the shoreline. Often buildings are situated
fairly close to roadways wh ich are usually laid out in a manner
that, to the outsider, seems haphazard. A number of smaller
outbuildings may be clus tered behind houses. Typically, a fairly
limited range of colours was used on buildings. The overall effect
is one of unity, with clear patterns emerging. Just as harmonious
music (i.e., balanced, with clear patterns) appeals to the ear, so
does a harmonious built landscape appeal to the eye.
Gower Street, with its 3 -store:r attached
houses, is l:rpical of much of the dense
downtown core of St. Johns.
CHAPTER 5 • DESIGN ISSUES IN HISTORIC TOWNSCAPES/LANDSCAPES 53
ilt[ost oflhe older houses in King's Cove
are ofa similc[,/" pattern (2-sto rey, gabled
roof) and are situated right 0/1. I.he road.
The ol'erall ejJect is harrnonious and
pleasing. Du.e to its scenic qucdities the
community ha.s become very attractive to
outsiders interested in restoring an old
house j;)r a weekend residence,
IFor a more in-depth discussion on
preservation issues see Modu.le 2 of the
He ritage Planning Guide.
This chapter deals with the maintenance of historic townscapes
including ways to sympathetically integrate new de velopme nt. It
addresses s uch issues as:
• to restore or to renovate
• signage issues in historic districts
• design guidelines
• how to integrate new development ill to a historic context (infil)
The intent of protecting hi storic buildings, ne ighbourhoods or
townscapes is not to preclude new developme nt or to freeze a
community in a particular period of its past. He ritage preservation
can go hand in hand with growth ancl c ha nge. And, in fact, a
community's built heritage becomes a record of its history and
change - economic and social - and effurts should be made to
both preserve that record and to allow the community to evolve.
2. RESTORATION, RENOVATION
OR DEMOLITION?
I t is not always easy to determine the best way to deal with
heritage structures in a community. When is restoration
required? What changes to a building sh ould be preserved
and which olles s hould be removed? When are structures just
too br gone to bother with saving them? When adapting older
buildings for new uses what level of change should be permitted?1
a) Builtlillg ~1a.inlenance - the best way to preserve the
older stru ctures in a community is to maintain th em on an
on-going basis. This is definitely more cost-eHicient than
wa iting until buildings get run-down to the point at which
they require major resources to preserve them. Municipal
councils can help to e nsure building mainte nance by
putting in place and enforcing maintenance bylaws. A set
of standard 'Occupa ncy and Mainte nance Regulations'
are outlined in the Urban and Rural Planning Act and are
available from the Department of Municipal Affairs (TeL
709-729-3090) .
b) When to Resto,.e - restoring a building in volves putting
it back to a particular period in time : strippin g away
additions and changes that are deemed inappropriate and
repai riJlg elements that have deteriorated us ing authentic
materials and construction methods, This is a fairly costly
process and it is generally considered when the building
is architecturally or hi storically sign ificant, the required
resources and expertise are available to unde rt a ke the work,
and ways can be found to sustain/operate the structure whe n
it is comple ted. In cases where the building is important but
the resources are not available, the most appropriate thing
54 AHI • A GUIDE FOR MUNICIPALITIES. PRESERVING OUR PAST - PLANNING OUR FUTURE
to do may be to stabilize the structure and to prevent furth er
de te rioration or to undertake restoration in several phases.
If an important building is going to be adapted to a new use it
may be appropriate to restore only the exterior while allowing
significant changes to the interior (attempting to preserve
significant inte rior features where possible).
The goal of historic preservation is to preserve as much of the
original fabric (i.e ., material) of a structure as possible. This
means replacing only what is absolutely necessary to maintain
the structural integrity of the building. A few sags and sloping
Hoors in an historic building may be acceptable as long as
the building is stable. All too often, historic buildings end up
becoming, essentially, reconstructions when almost all of the
materials are replaced. This happens when the people dealing
with them don't have sufficient expertise or knowledge . Which
raises the point: always get appropriate advice be fo re tackling
a building restoration.
SAVING THE BRIDGE HOUSE
The Bridge House in Bonavista, dating from 1811, is the earliest
dwelling for which documentation can be found in the province and
it is one of the finest architectural examples of the Georgian period.
Unused and neglected, the building was at considerable risk. To
prevent further water damage the owner sheeted over the roof.* When
the Bonavista Historical Society acquired Bridge House they decided
that the first task to keep the building from deteriorating further was
to restore the roof. The Society now plans to undertake a restoration
feasibility study in order to determine how to proceed with the task
of restoration which will, likely, occur in different phases over a few
years. The point of this example is that sometimes stop-gap measures
are required to preserve a building until the resources can be found to
fully restore it. When other groups are not available to facilitate this, a
municipal council can playa leadership role.
*U nfortunately, chipboard was used to cover the roof which acted
like a sponge and speeded up the deterioration of the rafters and roof
plate. This reinforces the need to get expert opinion before tacking the
preservation of an historic building.
1 -·-;1
~" 1:~,I JI.I, .. '.ii I I
New vinyl windows and siding on this
historic Masonic Lodge hat'e resulted
in the loss a/much o/the bu.ildings
original architectu.ral d etailing and
appeal. The imitation mullions don't
even properly replicate the original 'six
over six' windows.
CHAPTER 5 • DESIGN ISSUES IN HISTORIC TOWNSCAPES/LANDSCAPES 55
56
c) Whe" to Demolish- not infreque ntly, an historic bu iid ing
is torn clown after a de molition permit has been issued
by a mun ic ipal council that fears it is a public hazard.
De molition s hould only be considered when all other
avenues have been e xhausted. There are several things tha t
a municipal council can do to facilitate the preservation of a
th reale ned historic structure:
• Be sure that a building is, in fact, s tructurally unstable
before issuing a de molition orde r. Peeling paint alld
a few sags don't necessarily mean that a building is
unsalvageable - in fact, virtually any building can be
salvaged if the money is a vailable. If there are concerns
about children gaining access, ensure that the building is
prope rly sealed up.
• Work with the owners of olde r, unused buildings by
making them aware of the importance of a structure. Let
them know of heritage preservation assistance programs
and attempt to facilitate the sale of a prope rty to someone
who may be interested in pre se rving it.
• Develop a clear process or checklist for dealing with
older, derelict buildings and p ermits for demolition. This
list can include : consultation with the local heritage
advisory committee, heritage organization or the He ritage
Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador; an inspection
of the property by a qualified he ritage expert to develop
a clear understanding of its structural condition;
and cl iscussions with property owners to encourage
pre servation or the facilitation of the sale of the property.
• Consider establishing a He ritage Development
Corporation or Trust that can acquire heritage buildings
(usually for littl