Michael Seaman, award winning heritage planner and Architectural Conservancy of Ontario advocate, shared his ideas and insights on heritage conservation on Nov. 20 at the Elora Centre For The Arts.
Asserting that heritage is more than regulation, that in fact it must be both experienced and enjoyed and has proven economic benefits, Seaman demonstrated the importance of municipal staff leadership in generating win/win solutions for developers, conservationists, businesses and citizens.
Seaman stated “heritage conservation tools only work if you use them.” In Markham, Aurora, and Oakville Seaman intentionally employed the tools of “listing,” individual house designation and Heritage Conservation Districts. His exceptional vision resulted in Heritage Canada’s Prince of Wales Prize being awarded to each of these communities.
He said municipal registers must “list” all properties of potential cultural heritage value and that the “condition” of a property should not be confused with its value.
Wherever Seaman worked, he notably increased the number of individually designated properties.
Using the Official Plan he mandated a commitment to “quality growth” which means conservation of both cultural and natural heritage and new urbanism (intensification).
He advocated Heritage Conservation Districts as a vehicles to actively manage growth and illustrated how Markham benefited from designating the entire villages of Buttonville, Unionville, Thornhill and Markham Village.
Community improvement plans were described as other tools for heritage conservation, implemented through heritage design guidelines, façade improvement and heritage incentive grants and easements, leading to the creation of “a culture of conservation.”
Seaman concluded that heritage conservation should be viewed, and indeed has been proven to be, an investment in the economic prosperity of a community.
