Conference Presentations 2007

Presentations from HCF’s annual conference “Big Plans for Old Places: Heritage and Development in Canadian Communities” held in Edmonton, October 11-14 2007, are now available for you to download, view and print. Simply click on the format you wish to download.

A kind thanks to all our speakers who have generously offered the electronic versions of their presentations. Please note that presentations are available only in the language in which they were presented.

Was it good for you? Marrying Heritage & Developments
A planner, an elected official, a developer and an activist speak frankly about the exciting potential––and crushing barriers––in developing historic places.

Moderator: Prof. Herb Stovel, Heritage Conservation Program, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON

SETTING THE AGENDA FOR HERITAGE IN CANADA: A WORKING LUNCH

Theme: Selling Heritage

True or False? In a development context, the word ‘heritage’ has negative baggage and should be outlawed.

Question: How can we give heritage a sexier brand?

Here are some of your thought provoking answers

Theme: Black Magic

True or False? Heritage conservation is too subjective! Sometimes heritage advocates don’t even agree with each other about what constitutes a good heritage conservation project

Question: How can heritage advocates better communicate what they are trying to achieve? How can heritage advocates present a united front?

Results

Theme: Power Brokers

True or False? Heritage is an election issue

Question: How can we make heritage an election issue?

Here are some of your thought provoking answers

Theme: Carrots

True or False? Incentives – like tax incentives and grants – are essential to attract developers to heritage buildings.

Question: What ‘carrots’ really work to help Canadian developers and building owners keep historic places alive

Here are some of your thought provoking answers

Theme: Sticks

True or False? Strong legislation is the answer to protecting historic places.

Question: What measures really work to achieve effective protection of important resources?

Here are some of your thought provoking answers

Theme: Measuring the Benefits

True or False? It is impossible to show any connection between heritage and a healthy economy.

Question: What information do we need to show that heritage has economic benefits – and more importantly, who is that information for?

Here are some of your thought provoking answers

Theme: Culture Change

True or False? Canadians believe heritage is important and know exactly what they can do personally to make a difference.

Question: People recycle pop cans to help save the environment. How can we get Canadians personally active and involved in heritage conservation?

Here are some of your thought provoking answers

CONFERENCE TRACK 1: MANAGING CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

Hot Property: Keeping the Lid on Heritage under Pressure

How communities are coping with development pressures: insensitive infill (Halifax and Victoria), displacement of rural houses (Markham) and heritage tourism’s Catch-22 (Lunenberg).

Moderator: Paula Simons, City Columnist, Edmonton Journal, Edmonton, Alta.

Carrots and Sticks: What’s in the Heritage Conservation Tool Box?

Not all heritage planning controls, incentives and protective measures are created equal: what works in urban and rural communities across Canada.

Moderator: Odile Roy, Architect, former Québec City Councillor, HCF Governor,
Québec City, Que.

Heritage and Citizens: Building Public Will and Engaging Communities

Do Canadians view heritage conservation as a nicety, or a necessity? The essential role and extraordinary potential of civic engagement.

Moderator: David Plouffe, Heritage Planner, City of Calgary, Alta.

Reclaiming the Power of Place: The Indian Residential School Museum of Canada

Between the 1870s and 1996 approximately 100,000 Aboriginal children across Canada were forced by federal law to attend residential schools as part of a larger strategy of cultural assimilation. Beginning in the 1980s, students began disclosing abuse at residential schools. Chief Dennis Meeches explains the ongoing project to transform the Portage Indian School (now the Rufus Prince Building) into a museum that is both a memorial and a potential place of healing for Canada’s Aboriginal people.

Moderator: Douglas Kochel, Architect, Rothesay, N.B. and HCF Governor

Conservation as Catalyst Empire

How two large-scale heritage projects–– the Britannia Beach Mill and the Charlesbourg Library––are transforming their communities. And how two adaptive reuse and upgrade projects––the Green Arts Barns and Wartime Housing (Now House™)––can further sustainability, sense of place and community.

Moderator: Michael Payne, City Archivist, City of Edmonton, Alta.

CONFERENCE TRACK 2: REVITALIZING COMMUNITIES

Strategies for Revival: Case Studies of Current Practice

Learning from commercial and residential area revitalization strategies across North America: Main and Elm Street programs.

Moderator: Fraser Shaw, Heritage Conservation Advisor, Historical Resources Management
Branch, Parks, Recreation and Culture, Government of Alberta

Time on Our Side: Fort Macleod’s Community Renaissance

This Alberta town jump-started its downtown with Main Street in the 1980s, and is now managing a development boom.

Moderator: Virginia Stephen, Chair, Edmonton Historical Board, Edmonton, Alta.

Assessing the Impact of Revitalization Efforts

Setting targets and measuring the success of Main Street- and Elm Street-style projects from a cultural, economic and social perspective.

Moderator: Dr. Robert Shipley, School of Planning, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont.

Workshop on 118th Avenue Revitalization

The original east-west gateway to Edmonton, 118th Avenue is home to small businesses, ethnic communities, artists, and social challenges. Drive and walk the Avenue, and share ideas to preserve heritage elements within current revitalization.

Thanks to the Eastwood Community League and the Alberta Avenue Business Association.

View the summary of the event: PDF
View the photos of the event: PDF

Blue Ribbon Panel on Heritage Development

Canada’s leading heritage developers share their project experiences, examine systemic challenges, and answer your questions about how to level the playing field.

Moderator: Margaret Zeidler, President, Urbanspace Property Group, Toronto, Ont.




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