Heritage Ottawa wins its objection to de-designating the heritage building

Ottawa, May 28 2011 – The influential Conservation Review Board has issued a formal Recommendation upholding Heritage Ottawa's position that the City should not move the Horticulture Building in order to make way for parking and a mulitiplex cinema at Lansdowne Park.

In a four-day hearing before the CRB in April, Heritage Ottawa objected to the City's plans to repeal the bylaw that protects the heritage status of the 1914 Horticulture Building. The City of Ottawa intended to lift the designation in order to re-locate the structure elsewhere in Lansdowne Park, allowing private developers full rein to construct a massive cinema and underground parking on the site.

"Based on the evidence heard, the recommendation of the Review Board is not to repeal all or part of Bylaw 8-94," read the ruling of hearing Chair Su Murdoch and Co-chair Stuart Kidd. "The cultural heritage values or interests… are still valid and are best protected in situ."

David Flemming, President of Heritage Ottawa, called the finding a clear recognition that the City has the obligation to respect its own bylaws and commitments to preservation of our past.

"We brought this case on behalf of all the people of Ottawa," he said. "Our intention was never to stand in the way of revitalizing Lansdowne Park – indeed, neglect is the enemy of heritage. Rather, we have consistently worked to enrich the Park by setting these wonderful historic structures at the heart of new development. We hope the City will respect the clear CRB view that the City must conform to the heritage laws and guidelines, and do the right thing."

In synthesizing the arguments brought by the City, Heritage Ottawa and independent objector Jean-Claude Dubé, the Recommendation report identifies two deciding questions: "What is the authentic environment of the Horticulture Building?" On this, the report agrees firmly with Heritage Ottawa's exhaustive evidence and finds that "it is the in situ location of the Horticulture Building at the traditional hub of exhibition and sports activity within Lansdowne Park that is its authentic environment. " It recalls the Heritage Ottawa evidence that "heritage happens in a place."

The Recommendation is more damning of the City's position in discussing "When is it reasonable to repeal a designating bylaw on the grounds of a need for relocation"? Here, the CRB found that the City's reason of repurposing appears to be "transient, project specific and insufficient grounds".

David Flemming said the unequivocal Recommendation was proof of the strength and legitimacy of the Ontario Heritage Act and the standards and guidelines which the City is committed to respect. "The CRB has ruled clearly that the City was in contravention of the spirit and letter of the legislation, not just with the Recommendation, but throughout its review of all the arguments. It is now up to the City to take stock and reconsider its plans."

The Conservation Review Board is a regulatory tribunal that hears disputes on matters relating to the protection of properties considered to hold cultural heritage value or interest as defined by the Ontario Heritage Act. Its finding is a Recommendation only, and City Council will now have to consider whether or not to respect the opinion of the CRB.

The CRB recommendation follows a unanimous vote by the City's Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee, also recommending against the relocation of the Horticulture Building; as well as many submissions by Heritage Ottawa arguing that the revitalization of Lansdowne park should embrace and feature its heritage assets, rather than shoving them out of the way, at significant cost to taxpayers and loss of heritage value.

"Think Byward Market, Distillery District in Toronto, or Granville Island in Vancouver," said Leslie Maitland, a Heritage Ottawa Board Member who was a witness and instrumental in mounting the objection before the CRB.

"With imagination, Ottawa could have a marvelous thriving Lansdowne Park that draws people in with its character and charm. Instead, just as the CRB rules that it would be wrong to move the Horticulture Building, it is announced that a cinema chain plans to move into a hulking great structure more fitting of a suburban mall, right on the same site."

"Now is the time for the City to show leadership and force the developers to accommodate the values of the people of this city, rather than allowing insensitive development to make us all poorer," she added.

Heritage Ottawa is a volunteer organisation that works to preserve and promote the city's built heritage. Heritage Ottawa argued its own case before the Conservation Review Board, led by Board Member Linda Hoad. Ken Elder, another Board Member, gave expert evidence as a respected conservation architect, along with Ms Maitland, an architectural historian and consultant on heritage planning.

The Horticulture Building is structurally sound, but the City has allowed it to fall into disuse after its heydays at the centre of activity in Lansdowne Park. It is important, in part, because it reflects the Prairie Style of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

For further information:

info@heritageottawa.ca
Brigid Phillips Janssen, 613-618-3922