The Conservation of
Canadian Ice Hockey Arenas
Master's Thesis
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts (M.A.), World Heritage Studies
Brandenburg Technical University, Cottbus (Germany)
Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Urban Planning
Department of Building Conservation
Submitted by:
Paul-Joseph Frater
Matriculation Number: 2516615
Academic Supervisors:
Prof. Dr. Leo Schmidt
Dr. Britta Rudolff
March 2012
Statement of Authentication
I hereby declare that the submitted material is original except as duly acknowledged in
the text. I have not made use of any other resources other than those indicated. The
material, either in full or in part, has not been previously submitted for grading at this or
any other academic institution. I hereby also agree that the submitted material shall be
automatically checked for plagiarism using specialized search services.
Paul-Joseph Frater
Berlin, 21 March 2012
2
The Conservation of Canadian Ice Hockey Arenas – Abstract
Frater, Paul-Joseph, 2012. The Conservation of Canadian Ice Hockey Arenas. Master
Thesis, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus. (Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Leo
Schmidt).
The main objective of this study is to initiate scholarly research in the subject of the
conservation of Canadian ice hockey arenas, a field which has previously not been
undertaken.
Too large of an amount of heritage ice hockey arenas in Canada are
currently threatened by demolition, abandonment, or alterations that destroy each
building's character-defining elements. A primary reason for these irreplaceable losses
stems from the non-existence of any overarching heritage policies and practices for the
conservation of Canadian hockey arenas. The research and recommendations conducted
in this study is an attempt to solve this problem, by laying down a conservation strategy
with the overall goal to conserve these elements of Canadian life, culture, and identity for
future generations.
Usage of these recommendations will help ensure the continued
existence and enjoyment of heritage ice hockey arenas for current and future generations.
Potential heritage arenas were identified and individually analyzed. From this analysis a
set of character-defining elements were identified to create best-practice standards and
guidelines to ensure proper conservation measures in each arena. Furthermore, successful
and unsuccessful examples of conservation efforts were highlighted to further develop
best-practice standards.
In addition to an architectural analysis, the cultural significance of ice hockey within
Canada was discussed.
For an overwhelming majority of Canadians, ice hockey is a
defining symbol of Canada. Since the 1960s, Canadians have struggled to concretely
define their identity. This paper suggests that Canadian identity is based upon the notion
of community. Since arenas function in many locales as a community focal point, their
cultural significance is further strengthened.
KEY WORDS: Conservation, Preservation, Heritage, Ice Hockey, Arenas, Canada, Sport
3
Acknowledgement
I would like to kindly thank:
Prof. Dr. Leo Schmidt and Dr. Britta Rudolff for their support, patience,
and guidance in their role as academic referees.
Mr. Darryl Boynton of Hockey Canada for his enthusiastic support as well
as introducing me to key contacts within the Canadian ice hockey world.
My parents, Nancy-Anne Frater and Dr. Thomas Frater for instilling in me
the ethics to always perform your best and to never give up, no matter
what.
This paper is dedicated to my brother Tom Frater, who in his role as an equipment
manager for a junior ice hockey team is usually the first person to arrive at the arena and
the last to leave.
4
Table of Contents
1.0
Introduction....................................................................................................10
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
2.0
Purpose of Study............................................................................................................12
Significance of Study......................................................................................................13
Scope and Limitations..................................................................................................14
Plan of Development....................................................................................................16
Methodology..................................................................................................................17
The Current Situation of Canadian Ice Hockey Arenas..........................19
2.1 Why Are Arenas Being Threatened?..........................................................................19
2.2 Potential Heritage Arenas............................................................................................27
3.0
Why Should Canadian Ice Hockey Arenas be Conserved?.....................57
3.1 Cultural Significance of Hockey in Canada..............................................................59
3.2 Increasing the Awareness of Architectural Conservation in Canada...................69
3.3 Altering the Perception that Canada has no History...............................................71
3.4 Economic Stimulation and Cost-Savings..................................................................79
4.0
Conservation Theory, Practices, and Examples.........................................81
4.1 Review of Conservation Theory.................................................................................82
4.2 Conservation in Action: Learning from the German Experience.........................87
5.0
Recommendations for Heritage Arena Conservation.............................94
5.1 Heritage Arena Conservation Network....................................................................95
5.2 Network of Heritage Arenas.......................................................................................97
5.3 'Friends of Heritage Arenas' Foundation..................................................................98
5.4 Criteria for Heritage Arena Status.............................................................................99
5.5 Best-Standards and Practices Guidelines................................................................100
5.6 Management and Action Plan..................................................................................106
5.7 Awareness, Education, and Promotion Plan............................................................111
5.8 Creation of a Heritage Arena Protection Act..........................................................113
6.0
Conclusion.....................................................................................................114
6.1 Sources Used.................................................................................................................117
6.2 Image Sources...............................................................................................................120
7.0
Appendices.....................................................................................................122
7.1 Appendix I: The Burra Charter..................................................................................122
7.2 Appendix II: Parks Canada Standards and Guidelines...........................................131
7.3 Appendix III: Heritage Conservation Procedures in Ontario..............................138
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List of Illustrations
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Description
Ontario Hockey League Arenas, Construction Dates
Sault Memorial Gardens, pre-demolition
Sault Memorial Gardens, post-demolition
Year of construction of currently existing arenas in Canada
Number of Arenas per Province
Amount of Persons per Arena per Province
Stannus Street Rink
Galt Memorial Gardens
Galt Memorial Gardens
William Allman Memorial Arena
William Allman Memorial Arena
William Allman Memorial Arena
William Allman Memorial Arena
Windsor Arena
Windsor Arena
Bishop's College School Arena
Bishop's College School Arena
Varsity Arena
Varsity Arena
Varsity Arena
Varsity Arena
Halifax Forum
Halifax Forum
Aréna Ronald Caron
South Porcupine Arena
Belleville Memorial Arena
Belleville Memorial Arena
Belleville Memorial Arena
Belleville Memorial Arena
Aréna Jacques Plante
Aréna Jacques Plante
Stade Louis-Philippe-Gaucher
Stade Louis-Philippe-Gaucher
Stade Louis-Philippe-Gaucher
Stade Louis-Philippe-Gaucher
McIntyre Community Building
McIntyre Community Building
Auditorium de Verdun
Auditorium de Verdun
Aréna de Grand-Mère
Aréna de Grand-Mère
Kamloops Memorial Arena
Kamloops Memorial Arena
North Sydney Forum
North Sydney Forum
North Sydney Forum
North Sydney Forum
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Brampton Memorial Arena
Brampton Memorial Arena
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Coronation Arena
Ted Reeve Community Centre
Lady Beaverbrook Rink
Estevan Civic Auditorium
Port Credit Arena
Moose Jaw Civic Centre
St. Michael's College School Arena
South Side Arena
Coquitlam Sports Centre
West Vancouver Ice Arena
Pacific National Exhibition Agrodome
Pacific National Exhibition Agrodome
Five-Dollar Bill of Canada
Regional Breakdown, Ice Hockey as a Canadian Symbol
Income Brackets, Ice Hockey as a Canadian Symbol
The 4Ps of Marketing as Architectural Conservation
Front Street, Toronto (1804)
Front Street, Toronto (1890)
Front Street, Toronto (2009)
King Street, Toronto (1875)
King Street, Toronto (2010)
Downtown Toronto (1932)
Downtown Toronto (2008)
Maple Leaf Gardens (1934)
Maple Leaf Gardens (2008)
Canadian approach to conserving vernacular architecture
German approach to conserving vernacular architecture
Conservation Flow Chart
The Burra Charter Process
Staedtisches Turnhalle Cottbus, pre-renovation
Staedtisches Turnhalle Cottbus, post-renovation
Staedtisches Turnhalle Cottbus, pre-renovation
Staedtisches Turnhalle Cottbus, post-renovation
Olympiastadion Berlin
Olympiastadion Berlin
Greenhouse
Bauhaus Main Building
Haus Muche
Galt Arena Gardens, original seating
Galt Arena Gardens, replacement seating
Galt Arena Gardens, original doors
Galt Arena Gardens, replacement doors
Budapest Ice Stadium, ticket booth
Galt Arena Gardens, ticket booth
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7
Key Terms and Definitions
Conservation: all actions or processes that are aimed at safeguarding the characterdefining elements of a cultural resource so as to retain its heritage value and extend its
physical life. This may involve Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration, or a
combination of these actions or processes.
Preservation: the action or process of protecting, maintaining, and/or stabilizing the
existing materials, form, and integrity of a historic place or of an individual component,
while protecting its heritage value. Preservation can include both short-term and interim
measures to protect or stabilize the place, as well as long-term actions to retard
deterioration or prevent damage so that the place can be kept serviceable through routine
maintenance and minimal repair, rather than extensive replacement and new
construction.
Rehabilitation: the action or process of making possible a continuing or compatible
contemporary use of a historic place or an individual component, through repair,
alterations, and/or additions, while protecting its heritage value. Rehabilitation can
include replacing missing historic features. The replacement may be an accurate replica of
the missing feature, or it may be a new design that is compatible with the style, era, and
character of the historic place.
Restoration: the action or process of accurately revealing, recovering or representing
the state of a historic place or of an individual component, as it appeared at a particular
period in its history, while protecting its heritage value. Restoration includes the removal
of features from other periods in its history and the reconstruction of missing features
from the restoration period. Restoration must be based on clear evidence and detailed
knowledge of the earlier forms and materials being recovered.
Heritage value: the aesthetic, historic, scientific, cultural, social or spiritual importance
or significance for past, present or future generations. The heritage value of a historic
place is embodied in its character-defining materials, forms, location, spatial
configurations, uses and cultural associations or meanings.
Character-defining elements: the materials, forms, location, spatial configurations,
uses and cultural associations or meanings that contribute to the heritage value of a
historic place, which must be retained in order to preserve its heritage value
Intervention: any action, other than demolition or destruction, that results in a
physical change to an element of a historic place.
Minimal intervention: the approach which allows functional goals to be met with the
least physical intervention.
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Maintenance: routine, cyclical, non-destructive actions necessary to slow the
deterioration of a historic place. It entails periodic inspection; routine, cyclical, nondestructive cleaning; minor repair and refinishing operations; replacement of damaged or
deteriorated materials that are impractical to save.
Standards: Norms for the respectful conservation of historic places.
Cultural significance: aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past,
present or future generations.
Use: the functions of a place, as well as the activities and practices that may occur at the
place.
Compatible use: a use which respects the cultural significance of a place. Such a use
involves no, or minimal, impact on cultural significance.
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1.0 Introduction
No other events in the world bring the people of our planet together as do sporting
events. Rituals such as the World Cup of Football and the Olympic Games act as one
global common denominator that bring humanity together on a regular basis. The spirit
of sport knows neither boundaries nor borders, nor class or cultural divisions. There are
no comparable events that simultaneously connect the global population with each other
at one single given time as do major international sporting events.
The cultural
significance of this event of global connectivity and relationship between the peoples of
the planet, united together through one common denominator, sport, can not be
underestimated. In a world where so many things divide human society, it is an absolute
must to recognize and celebrate the events and things that bring humans together.
Moreover on a national level it can be easily argued that during such global sporting
events the inhabitants of each individual country are united together in a way that does
not occur on any other level. Political differences no longer matter—the only thing that
matters is cheering on one's country to victory.
Despite the enormous cultural significance that sport plays within the realm of culture,
the current focus towards the heritage of sport is shockingly non-existent.
This fact
holds true on all levels, be it international, national, or local. Of the approximately 900
various sites around the world that are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List,
none are directly related to sport.
The question why aspects of human togetherness and connectivity are not recognized and
celebrated simply baffles the mind. So often we remember dates and sites that have
divided human society throughout history such as wars, battlefields, and uprisings, but
why is it that moments of global celebration and peace are given the cold shoulder by the
academic community, in particular within the field of cultural heritage preservation. Not
only does this lack of attention exist on the international level, but is also holds true on
both national and local levels.
10
In Canada, despite the far-reaching popularity of ice hockey as well as the role it plays in
shaping Canadian identity and culture, the attention given towards preserving the places
where the sport itself takes place is next to nil.
The aim of this paper is to reverse this
trend.
This paper is an investigative study of the topic of the conservation of Canadian ice
hockey arenas with the end goal of developing best-practice standards and guidelines to
ensure their proper conservation. The cultural significance of Canadian ice hockey arenas
is demonstrated and explained within this academic paper, primarily within the context
of how ice hockey is a defining image within Canadian identity.
The question of
Canadian identity has been a very difficult question to answer by cultural theorists and to
date has not yet been fully defined. Within this paper, the hypothesis of the notion of
community has been suggested as a cornerstone that defines Canadian identity, which in
itself represents a major breakthrough in answering the question of what composes
Canadian culture.
The development of best-practice standards and guidelines for the conservation of
Canadian ice hockey arenas also represents another major breakthrough since such work
had not been previously conducted in any shape or form. Canadian ice hockey arenas, as
a symbol of Canada, constitute a major part of the country's identity and steps to ensure
their safeguarding and survival is akin to conserving an important element of the
Canadian soul, psyche, and spirit.
On an international level, this work also represents one of the first major attempts to
define and develop approaches for the conservation of sport stadiums. Surprisingly, very
little work has been conducted on not only examining the cultural significance of sport,
but in terms of architectural conservation, systematic attempts at developing guidelines
and strategies for dealing with the conservation of sporting places are next to nonexistent.
It is hoped that this study will lead to the development of other sporting
stadium specific studies such as baseball stadiums in the United States or football
stadiums in Germany.
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1.1 Purpose of Study
Too large of an amount of heritage ice hockey arenas in Canada are currently threatened
by demolition, abandonment, or alterations that destroy each building's characterdefining elements. The recent conversion of Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens ice hockey
arena, perhaps the most famous building in all of Canada, into a supermarket is the most
glaring example of the irreplaceable loss of Canadian identity. For many Canadians, such
a conversion is akin to the Taj Mahal being converted into an amusement park.
The end goal of saving these arenas from irreplaceable lost is the main purpose of this
study. A primary reason for these irreplaceable losses stems from the non-existence of
any overarching heritage policies and practices for the conservation of Canadian hockey
arenas. The research and recommendations conducted in this study is an attempt to solve
this problem, by laying down a conservation strategy with the overall goal to conserve
these elements of Canadian life, culture, and identity for future generations. Usage of
these recommendations will help ensure the continued existence and enjoyment of
heritage ice hockey arenas for current and future generations. The current pattern of
irreplaceable loss must be stopped at once—too many of Canada's cultural icons have
been destroyed, leaving behind only faint memories of what once existed.
The intended audience of this paper is threefold and aims to be more practical in nature,
by explaining the what, why, and how of arena conservation to a large and broad
audience. Firstly, this paper is directed towards the heritage community to convince
them of the importance of sporting places as a cultural good.
The second intended
audience of this paper are those who are unfamiliar with Canada and its cultural identity
and thereby introduce them to a deeper look into the Canadian spirit. Lastly, but most
importantly, the major intended audience of this paper is directed towards those in
Canada, who may not be necessarily be engaged within the heritage sector, but whose
decisions may influence the continued survival of heritage hockey arenas.
Such
individuals include local and regional politicians, community groups, ice hockey
organizations, and perhaps most importantly, those who work at such ice hockey arenas.
12
1.2 Significance of Study
This study represents the first systematic attempt in the analysis of Canadian hockey
arenas as an object of cultural value. Furthermore, this study is also the first that looks at
these arenas as an object of aesthetic beauty and outlines a strategy to ensure their proper
conservation and continued use for current and future generations. Moreover, this study
tackles the quintessential Canadian question of what constitutes Canadian identity. This
question is at the forefront of discussion within Canada, and up to now has never been
clearly defined.
This work not only represents the initiation of studies within conservation of arenas, but
also on a far greater scale, opens the door to further scholastic research on sporting places
in general. Countless research has been conducted on medieval towns, baroque palaces,
and Gothic brickwork, yet the field of analyzing sporting places opens up a brand new
direction within heritage conservation. It is the initiation of a new thematic approach
which makes this study significant, not just within Canada, but also on an international
scale. Could this work open the doors for other countries to look at sport stadiums and
arenas? Baseball stadiums in the United States, cricket stadiums in India, and football
stadiums throughout the entire world—the possibilities for further research and
approaches are great.
Specifically within the area of the conservation of sporting places, the only notable work
that has been previously conducted was a 2002 study conducted by the German chapter of
ICOMOS, which addressed the historic Olympiastadion in Berlin, site of the 1936
Summer Olympic Games, as well as the Olympiastadion in Munich, site of the 1972
Summer Olympic Games.
The lack of energy directed towards conserving sporting
places is somewhat shocking given the popularity of sports and sporting events. Why is
this so? Is sport considered to be a 'low-brow' cultural element? Are sporting stadiums
perceived to be an unimportant or visually insignificant type of architecture? Or is it that
the value that these buildings hold has not been yet fully appreciated?
13
1.3 Scope and Limitations
The undertaking of this study was faced with two major challengers, firstly the lack of
previous systematic attempts in dealing with the architectural conservation of sporting
places in any shape or form, and secondly a lack of scholastic inquiry into the cultural
significance of sport within society. Although this lack of information presented a great
challenge, it at the same time represented an opportunity, primarily to enter into a field
of research that had not been touched.
Due to the extremely large land mass of Canada, a study of various arenas all across the
country was not possible. Instead, the majority of arenas analyzed in this paper are
located in the South-Western region of the Province of Ontario. Despite its large size,
Canadian culture is relatively homogeneous throughout the country's provinces and
territories and as such, it can be assumed that problems faced by arenas in Ontario are
similar to problems faced by arenas in Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia.
Despite the wide array of Canadian arenas several commonalities can be identified. Such
commonalities include specific character-defining elements such as seating, roofstructure, and exterior cladding. For the purpose of this paper, rather than categorizing
arenas together based on specific architectural attributes, the approach of grouping arenas
together based on their size was utilized. This was done because one of the biggest
factors for the continued usage of an arena is often its size. Arenas in medium-sized and
large-sized cities are primarily used by professional teams, whose main concern is
revenue generation. This aspect of revenue generation is perhaps the largest threat to the
continued existence of arenas used by professional teams. Smaller arenas however are a
different story altogether as their usage is primarily community-based and moreover are
funded by the local community itself. As such, the continued existence of smaller arenas
is more probable than the continued existence of larger arenas. For this reason, the focus
of this study is directed more towards smaller arenas simply because the chance to
conserve them is far greater. Summing up, what links arenas together is their size, rather
than their geographical location, and arenas of a smaller size are the focus of this study.
14
Since the goal of this paper is to save these arenas by promoting their continued usage,
strategies to balance the needs of the present and future with the aesthetic considerations
involved in conserving the needs of the past is a main priority. Strategies at developing
methods for adaptive re-usage of these arenas (i.e. conversion of Toronto's Maple Leaf
Gardens into a supermarket) will not be investigated since such conversions are
unwelcome in terms of conservation. This paper does not go into the technical details of
certain construction elements such as how to clean masonry or how to replace timberframe roof structures. Rather the paper focuses on highlighting the character-defining
elements which need to be considered when conducting conservation work and suggests
that technical experts who are well trained in specific fields (such as masonry work) are
sourced to ensure a quality job.
A major section of this paper includes recommendations to ensure proper conservation
work not just on an aesthetic level, but also on an organizational level. Suggestions to
create a network of Heritage Arenas as well as a Heritage Arena Conservation Working
Group were introduced as well as plans for the management of these heritage arenas and
a plan to create awareness of these arenas. In heritage conservation, a management plan
is a crucial element in any conservation project, not only in terms of getting the job done,
but ensuring that conservation practices are continued throughout the future. Moreover,
an education and awareness creation plan is also crucial in order to promote the concept
and importance of heritage conservation to the general public. If communities are not
properly informed of the inherent value within heritage conservation, many efforts in
saving these arenas could ultimately fail.
In addition to these organizational elements, this paper also suggests the creation of a
Heritage Arena Protection Act by the Government of Canada to legislate the
conservation of heritage arenas. Currently two similar parliamentary acts exist, namely
the Heritage Railway Protection Act and the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. The
passing of such an act by the Government of Canada would be a major victory in the
fight to conserve heritage arenas, since doing so would be a legal requirement.
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1.4 Plan of Development
Section Two of this paper is an analysis of the current situation of Canadian ice hockey
arenas and highlights reasons why they are threatened by loss and destruction.
Furthermore a selection of potential heritage arenas in Canada was identified. Putting
this section at the beginning was a conscientious decision, as several readers of this paper
may have never been to a hockey arena in their life. Moreover, since these arenas are the
primary subject of this paper, it made more sense to introduce them first rather than
explain why they must be saved at the beginning of the paper.
Section Three argues why these arenas must be conserved.
Firstly, the cultural
significance of these arenas is raised. Secondly, by conserving these arenas, the awareness
of architectural conservation in Canada can be raised and can furthermore alter the
general perception that Canada has no history. Thirdly, the economic stimulation that
would occur through arena conservation is argued as well as how conserving arenas can
save money compared to building new structures. Perhaps it is this practical point alone
which could influence opponents to heritage conservation.
Section Four consists of a theoretical introduction to architectural conservation theory,
intended for those with a minimal knowledge on the subject.
introduction, three conservation case studies are demonstrated.
Following this
These case studies
analyze three different sporting places in Germany that can be seen as good conservation
examples, acting as a benchmark to which should be achieved when conserving Canadian
ice hockey arenas.
Section Five is perhaps the most important part of this paper because it shows what needs
to be done and how it can be done. The recommendations given in this section are
practical, realistic, and action-driven to bring heritage arena conservation from the
conceptual stage and into the execution phase.
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1.5 Methodology
Instead of following a linear pattern of development, this paper was constructed as a
puzzle. Different pieces were individually developed and were then brought together to
form the entire picture. One piece of the puzzle is this paper's assessment of ice hockey
as a core element in defining Canadian identity, a difficult task since Canadian identity
has never been concretely agreed upon. In order to establish the cultural significance of
ice hockey, a definition of what constitutes Canadian identity had to first be developed,
discussed, and argued.
From the suggested definition of what Canadian culture and
identity is, the role that ice hockey plays in supporting, reaffirming, and promoting this
definition was demonstrated. This was done by analyzing soft data, such as writings from
Canadian cultural theorists, as well as hard data, such as Ipsos-Reid polls which asked
Canadians to define symbols what they felt were Canadian.
Another piece of the puzzle was a physical analysis of the arenas. Since no other work
on ice hockey arenas had been previously conducted, not even a list of heritage arenas,
this aspect proved to be the most challenging. The first step was to visit a few arenas that
I personally knew of within my home region. These were arenas that I myself had played
ice hockey in (i.e. Brampton Memorial Arena) or had visited as a spectator (i.e. William
Allman Memorial Arena, Galt Arena Gardens) and could remember them as being “old”.
Further potential heritage arena candidates were suggested to me by various friends who
have visited a great deal of arenas over their lives and could suggest a few others.
As I visited each arena, I looked at the buildings objectively and subjectively, analyzing
them as one would analyze a renaissance cathedral or a 1920s Bauhaus construction. I
looked for various elements, patterns, and construction forms from which arenas could
be artistically defined and categorized. From this list of elements, I determined which
details are worthy of consideration to conserve (i.e. facade, seating, roof structure) vs.
elements which could be problematic or are unnecessary to conserve (such as the arena's
changing rooms).
17
In addition to looking at the physical characteristics of the arenas, I looked at why
certain arenas were threatened and why certain ones were not threatened. A common
theme in arenas that were threatened was the arena size. In nearly all cases, the continued
existence of larger arenas was in greater danger than smaller arenas. Moreover, reasons
why certain character-defining elements of each arena were looked at to determine why
specific elements were in danger of being changed or altered. Now that the problems had
been identified, it was time to look at developing solutions.
Since no work had been previously been conducted in conserving ice hockey arenas, it
was required to look at other solutions which had been done in similar situations, and see
if any of the solutions could be utilized in conserving heritage arenas. For example, the
State of Washington had conducted two exhaustive studies on Heritage Barn conservation
and Heritage Theatre conservation, two specific types of construction which are related
to ice hockey arenas.
Furthermore, a handful of good examples of sporting place
conservation could be located in Germany, one of the leading countries in architectural
conservation.
In addition to these few examples, the German attention to detail in
conserving the 1920s Bauhaus buildings in Dessau served as an example to which other
projects should follow. Parallels between the work conducted in Dessau and the work to
be conducted in Canada can be drawn, primarily in that the facade of these buildings is
not their only feature, but rather of all the smaller elements within the buildings. In both
cases, specific attention to smaller details is the higher priority.
Any good hockey player is able to examine the playing surface and develop a strategy to
score a goal and win the game. The same was true when examining the “playing surface”
of the current realities within Canada, and to develop arguments for conservation, as well
as creating recommendations and strategies for arena conservation. Working groups that
connect various stakeholders together were formulated, as were plans for awareness
raising. Moreover a management planing framework mechanism, based upon the Parks
Canada project management cycle was developed. This assessment of the playing field
will lead to the scoring of a few goals, and win the conservation game for heritage arenas.
18
2.0 Current Situation of Canadian Ice Hockey Arenas
Despite the strong cultural symbolism of hockey in Canada, the survival of several
Canadian hockey arenas are in jeopardy. Within the past few years, too many of Canada's
ice hockey arenas have either been simply abandoned and/or demolished, or characterdefining elements have been altered or replaced without proper consideration to
historical authenticity. Reasons for this situation are as follows:
1. Lack of awareness of the cultural value that heritage arenas possess
2. Newer arenas are perceived to be better
3. Lack of a general policy concerning the conservation of Canadian
hockey arenas
4. Older arenas are poorer in revenue generation (i.e. lack of private
boxes, less seating, amenities, perceived vision of less comfort)
5. Decrease in the participation of youth enrollment in hockey (high fees)
6. Budgetary constraints (how many arenas to finance)
7. Arenas are turning away from single use to multiple use
Creating a conservation policy as well as awareness plan for hockey arenas will address
and solve several of the aforementioned realities. Furthermore and most importantly, the
best guarantee to ensure the longevity of an arena is to keep the building functioning as
an arena.
For this paper, arenas were grouped together on the basis of their size rather than on
their architectural typology. This approach was done because it was discovered that the
size of the arena is often the deciding factor for keeping it in use (i.e. larger arenas are in
a greater threat to be abandoned than smaller arenas).
Small-Sized Arenas
Medium-Sized Arenas
Large-Sized Arenas
The manner in which arenas are being threatened can be classified into two groups. The
first group are arenas whose continued existence is at stake and the second group are
arenas whose continuing existence is not in jeopardy, but are under threat of improper
updates or removal of character-defining elements.
19
Threat of
discontinued use
Threat of removal of
character-defining elements
The overwhelming majority of arenas whose very existence is in jeopardy are medium
and larger-sized arenas that are used by professional and semi-professional hockey teams.
The reason for this is purely economic as newer arenas are seen to be better in revenue
generation as certain amenities such as private VIP boxes do not exist in older arenas, and
in several cases adding in such private boxes are hindered due to space restrictions.
Furthermore, some of these arenas simply don't hold enough fans as a newer arena could.
Sadly in the case of professional hockey teams, concerns of cultural heritage conservation
are a minuscule afterthought when profit maximization is the team's primary concern.
Within the business model of several teams, possession of an old arena is viewed to be a
liability, rather than an asset.
Interestingly enough in the United States for several
baseball teams, the opposite is true – old stadiums are viewed as an asset, even to the
point that several brand new stadiums that have recently been built were designed to
evoke an image of the past.
Within the category of 'large-sized arenas', arenas used by Canadian teams in the highest
professional ice hockey league, the National Hockey League (NHL) are the benchmark,
with seating capacities ranging from 15,000 to 20,000. In terms of conservation, the loss
of large-sized arenas in Canada within the past fifteen years has been disastrous. Notable
examples are the closing of Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, constructed in 1931, and its
conversion into a supermarket in 2011, the conversion of the Montréal Forum in 2001 into
a movie theatre, as well as the demolition of the Winnipeg Forum in 2006. Interestingly
enough, despite the designation of Maple Leaf Gardens and the Montréal Forum as
National Historic Sites of Canada, this fact held no weight in preserving each building's
authenticity. What does this say about the strength of Canadian heritage laws? What is
the point of even having historic designations if the integrity of the listed building is
permitted to be permanently destroyed? Sadly, since no large-sized arenas in Canada that
possess any historical value whatsoever no longer exist, this category of arena is sadly
excluded within this paper.
20
For the category of medium-sized arenas (seating capacity between 2,000 and 10,000), an
analysis of arenas used by teams in the Ontario Hockey League was conducted. Of the 20
teams in the league, 17 are located in the Province of Ontario. These arenas were analyzed
and ranked according to the year in which they were constructed:
Team
Arena Name
Year Built
Niagara
Gatorade Garden City Complex
1932
Kitchener
Kitchener Memorial
1951
Sudbury
Sudbury Community Centre
1951
Peterborough
Peterborough Memorial Arena
1954
Ottawa
Ottawa Civic Centre
1967
Belleville
Yardmen Arena
1978
Owen Sound
Bayshore Community Centre
1983
Barrie
Barrie Molson Centre
1995
Mississauga
Hershey Centre
1998
Brampton
Powerade Centre
1998
Sarnia
RBC Centre
1998
Guelph
Sleeman Centre
2000
London
John Labatt Centre
2002
Sault Ste. Marie
Essar Centre
2006
Oshawa
General Motors Centre
2006
Kingston
K-Rock Centre
2008
Windsor
WFCU Centre
2008
Of these 17 arenas, the top five in the list could be viewed as potential heritage arenas, due
to their age.
A building's age can deem it worthy as historical, however a further
investigation of the authenticity of the character-defining elements of each of these arenas
is necessary in order to determine if their original fabric still exists, or what percentage
still exists, thereby deeming them for consideration as a heritage arena.
Of the recently constructed OHL arenas, all of them replaced a previously-existing
structure, which in turn led to the demise of these historic buildings. Of particular
interest is the WFCU Centre in Windsor and the Essar Centre in Sault Sainte Marie as
these constructions signaled the end of two very historical arenas, the Windsor Arena
(1924) and the Sault Memorial Gardens (1949).
21
The Sault Memorial Gardens represents an interesting case, as many arenas in Canada
bear the word 'Memorial' in their name. Following the end of the Second World War, it
was common practice to utilize arenas as a memorial to remember and honour those who
had fallen in battle. For such arenas, their loss not only represents the loss of a historical
building, but perhaps more significantly, represents the desecration of a place of
remembrance. The following two photos depict the Sault Memorial Gardens before and
after its demolition.
22
The third category of arenas which can be identified are small-sized arenas. The main
difference between these arenas in comparison to medium-sized and large-sized arenas is
that their primary usage is community-based, meaning that the teams that play there are
youth teams or local teams.
Because of this position, these arenas do not face the
pressures of revenue generation as is the case of medium-sized and large-sized arenas.
Since funding and support for these arenas is centred in the community itself, the chances
for the continued usage of these arenas is greater than other arenas. As a result, the
likelihood that these smaller arenas will be continued to be used is higher, and as such the
chance to conserve them is more realistic. Since continued usage of an arena is the most
detrimental factor in heritage conservation, the focus of this research paper is directed
more towards small-sized arenas.
Locating and identifying potential heritage arenas in the small-sized arena category
proved to be a bit of a challenge, primarily due to the lack of written material about
them. Even though ice hockey is extremely popular within Canada, not a single book has
ever been written about hockey arenas. Moreover despite the great advancements of
cultural heritage preservation in Canada, a pan-Canadian strategy and systematic plan
that promotes and outlines arena preservation does not exist. The first logical step in
tackling this problem would be the development of an inventory of Canadian arenas.
Such an inventory would be useful in identifying target arenas to be conserved as well as
finding commonalities between various arenas such as the time period when constructed
and the style of architecture utilized. These commonalities can be used to develop an
efficient management and conservation plan.
Since no such inventory has been
undertaken a broad and overarching analysis of the current stock of heritage arenas in
Canada does not currently exist.
Some data regarding Canadian arenas do however exist. In 2005 a national arena census
was conducted by the Canadian Recreational Facilities Council (CRFC). The CRFC
census, whose primary goal was to identify challenges facing arena operators in Canada
such as rising energy costs and the reduction of greenhouse gases, does provide useful
data which can be utilized in the first steps to develop an inventory of Canadian arenas.
23
Surveys were sent out to the 2,486 arenas that were operating in Canada in 2005 to gather
information such as:
–
construction year
–
type of facility
–
months of operation
–
facility ownership
–
seating capacity
–
energy costs
–
refrigeration process
–
energy efficient measures
–
refrigeration plant renovations
–
future facility renovations
Approximately 48% of arenas completely answered the CRFC survey.
1,857 of 2,486
arenas (74.7%) supplied dates of construction of their respective facility (CRFC, 2006, p.
10). This construction data was then categorized by decade of construction (i.e. 1950s,
1960s, 1970s). From the supplied data, the following graph can be created:
Year of construction of currently existing arenas in Canada
800
756
Number of constructions
700
600
500
400
363
300
257
200
100
168
137
94
72
0
Pre 1950
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
24
From this chart we can easily see that the overwhelming majority of currently existing
arenas in Canada were constructed during the 1970s. Of particular interest for the study
of preservation of Canadian arenas is the low amount of arenas constructed before the
1950s that are still in operation today. Even arenas constructed in the 1950s constitute a
low percentage of the total share of existing arenas. Also of interest is the dramatic drop
in arena constructions after the 1980s. What are the reasons for this? Is it that within the
past few decades there is less of a demand to construct new arenas (i.e. declining numbers
of participants in ice hockey and lacrosse) or could it be that arenas with multiple ice
surfaces offset the need to construct more arenas with a single ice surface? From this
data, concrete trends can be identified, namely the percentage of arenas in Canada that
could be considered as a ''heritage arena''. The question of what defines a heritage arena is
a difficult one to answer. Under what criteria can an arena be defined as 'historic'? If a n
arbitrary cut-off time is used, then what should be the cut-off line? This question will be
raised and discussed in detail later in Chapter
Five: Recommendations and
Considerations.
Within the survey, a breakdown of the number of arenas in each province was given.
Naturally provinces such as Ontario and Québec had the most amount of arenas since
they are the two most populous provinces in Canada. This data however does not paint a
full representation of arena distribution within Canada. Using population statistics from
the 2005 Canadian Census, the statistic of “Persons per Arena” was generated. This new
statistic led to an interesting conclusion that, in general, provinces with the lower
absolute population had a higher “density” of arenas (i.e. Saskatchewan and Prince
Edward Island) and the higher populated provinces had a lower “density” of arenas (of
particular note is British Columbia). This data could be used as a further argumentation
for the conservation of arenas in areas where the amount of arenas per person is lower.
25
Number of Arenas per Province
800
724
700
600
500
434
400
327
308
300
183
200
196
87
100
62
81
20
27
10
14
0
British Columbia
New Brunswick Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Alberta
Manitoba
Newfoundland
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan
Ontario
Québec
Yukon
Amount of persons per arena by Province
25000
22933
20000
17470
17305
15000
11579
10787
10000
8598
8297
6012
5115
5000
2170
3030
3039
2279
0
British Columbia
New Brunswick Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Alberta
Manitoba
Newfoundland
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan
Ontario
Québec
Yukon
26
2.1 Potential Heritage Ice Hockey Arenas
The following list is a start in distinguishing potential heritage arenas. This list was
developed from existing CRFC data on arena construction dates. All arenas constructed
in Canada before 1967 (Canada's 100th birthday) were considered and photographic
material of each arena was searched for. Upon an analysis of arena photographs that
could be located, arenas were selected on the basis of their historical authenticity and
architectural significance.
Arena Name
Location
Year Built
Stannus Street Rink
Galt Memorial Gardens
William Allman Memorial Arena
Windsor Arena
Bishop's College Arena
Varsity Arena
Windsor, Nova Scotia
Cambridge, Ontario
Stratford, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Lennoxville, Quebec
Toronto, Ontario
(1897)
(1922)
(1924)
(1924)
(1925)
(1926)
Halifax Forum
Aréna Ronald Caron
South Porcupine Arena
Belleville Memorial Arena
Aréna Jacques Plante
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Saint-Laurent, Québec
Timmins, Ontario
Belleville, Ontario
Shawinigan, Québec
(1929)
(1929)
(1930)
(1929)
(1937)
Stade Louis-Philippe-Gaucher
McIntyre Community Building
Auditorium de Verdun
Aréna de Grand-Mère
Kamloops Memorial Arena
Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec
Timmins, ON
Montréal, Québec
Grand-Mère, Québec
Kamloops, British Columbia
(1938)
(1938)
(1939)
(1944)
(1946)
North Sydney Forum
Brampton Memorial Arena
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Coronation Arena
Ted Reeve Community Centre
North Sydney, Nova Scotia
Brampton, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
Edmonton, Alberta
Toronto, Ontario
(1947)
(1950)
(1951)
(1953)
(1954)
Lady Beaverbrook Rink
Estevan Civic Auditorium
Port Credit Arena
Moose Jaw Civic Centre
St. Michael's College School Arena
Frederiction, New Brunswick
Estevan, Saskatchewan
Mississauga, Ontario
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Toronto, Ontario
(1955)
(1959)
(1959)
(1960)
(1961)
South Side Arena
Coquitlam Sports Centre
West Vancouver Ice Arena
Pacific National Exhibition Agrodome
Edmonton, Alberta
Coquitlam, British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia
(1961)
(1961)
(1964)
(1966)
27
Stannus Street Rink – Windsor, Nova Scotia (1897)
28
Galt Memorial Gardens – Cambridge, Ontario (1922)
29
William Allman Memorial Arena, Stratford, ON (1924)
30
31
Windsor Arena – Windsor, Ontario (1924)
32
Bishops College Arena – Lennoxville, Québec (1925)
33
Varsity Arena – Toronto, Ontario (1926)
34
35
Halifax Forum – Halifax, Nova Scotia (1929)
36
Aréna Ronald Caron – Saint-Laurent, Québec (1929)
South Porcupine Arena – Timmins, Ontario (1930)
37
Belleville Memorial Arena – Belleville, Ontario (1929)
38
39
Aréna Jacques Plante – Shawinigan, Québec (1937)
40
Stade Louis-Philippe-Gaucher – Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec (1938)
41
42
McIntyre Community Building – Timmins, ON (1938)
43
Auditorium de Verdun – Montréal, Québec (1939)
44
Aréna de Grand-Mère – Grand-Mère, Québec (1944)
45
Kamloops Memorial Arena – Kamloops, British Columbia (1946)
46
North Sydney Forum – North Sydney, Nova Scotia (1947)
47
48
Brampton Memorial Arena – Brampton, Ontario (1950)
49
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium – Kitchener, Ontario (1951)
50
Coronation Arena – Edmonton, Alberta (1953)
Ted Reeve Community Centre – Toronto, Ontario (1954)
51
Lady Beaverbrook Rink – Frederiction, New Brunswick (1955)
Estevan Civic Auditorium – Estevan, Saskatchewan (1959)
52
Port Credit Arena – Mississauga, Ontario (1959)
Moose Jaw Civic Centre – Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (1960)
53
St. Michael's College School Arena – Toronto, Ontario (1961)
South Side Arena – Edmonton, Alberta (1961)
54
Coquitlam Sports Centre – Coquitlam, British Columbia (1961)
West Vancouver Ice Arena – Vancouver, British Columbia (1964)
55
Pacific National Exhibition Agrodome – Vancouver, BC (1966)
56
3.0 Why Should Heritage Hockey Arenas be Preserved?
Before analyzing the 'whats and hows' of Canadian heritage arena conservation, the
question of why to conserve Canadian arenas must be answered. For many in Canada a
common response would likely be “of course, it makes complete sense” or “it's about
time that such work is being done”.
Such responses are the result of the deep,
sentimental relationship between the majority of the Canadian population and the game
of hockey, and on a deeper level, humanity's emotional and psychological relationship
with feelings of nostalgia. Unfortunately arguments for conservation cannot solely be
based upon human emotions and sentiments. Concrete arguments must be developed in
order to make a strong case for conserving heritage arenas, not just for those who are
unfamiliar with the topic, but most importantly to convince those individuals and groups
who see little value in conserving arenas.
At the forefront of any conservation project is the question of why? In the majority of
cases two opposing groups exist, those in favour of conservation and those against.
Heritage conservers are naturally in favour, and as conservers one of their primary
objectives should be to validly convince the naysayers of the importance and value of
cultural heritage conservation projects.
Before developing strong arguments in favour of conservation, one must understand the
reasons why certain individuals are opposed to conservation measures. Is their reluctance
or skepticism based upon intangible factors such as failing to grasp the general
importance of conservation or a disagreement of the value of a specific site, or are
tangible factors at play such as the costs required to properly conduct good conservation
work or the idea that conservation hinders development and progress?
With these
questions in mind, several valid and strong arguments in favour of the conservation of
Canadian heritage arenas can be identified.
Of these arguments, the top four were
selected for further analysis and discussion.
57
In every heritage project it is essential to establish the cultural significance of the object(s)
in question.
This is necessary in order to determine the value and significance that
specific objects and sites hold. What exactly does cultural significance entail? As defined
by the Burra Charter, cultural significance is the “aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or
spiritual value for past, present or future generations” (ICOMOS 2000, p. 17) and “is
embodied in the place itself, its fabric, setting, use, associations, meanings, records,
related places and related objects” (ICOMOS 2000, p. 17).
Furthermore, the Burra
Charter states that “places that are likely to be of significance are those which help an
understanding of the past or enrich the present, and which will be of value to future
generations” (ICOMOS 2000, p. 17).
The following figure depicts the four main values
which determine an object's cultural significance:
Aesthetic value
Social value
Cultural Significance
Historic value
Scientific value
The values which determine cultural significance are defined (ICOMOS 2000, p. 17) as:
Aesthetic value - includes aspects of sensory perception for which criteria can
and should be stated. Such criteria may include consideration of the form, scale,
colour, texture and material of the fabric; the smells and sounds associated with the
place and its use.
Historic value - encompasses the history of aesthetics, science and society, and
therefore to a large extent underlies all of the terms set out in this section.
Scientific value - rarity, quality or representativeness, and on the degree to
which the place may contribute further substantial information.
Social value - embraces the qualities for which a place has become a focus of
spiritual, political, national or other cultural sentiment to a majority or minority
group.
58
3.1 Cultural Significance of Hockey in Canada
Conserving heritage arenas in Canada constitutes the conservation of a truly Canadian
symbol. To someone who is not familiar with Canada, this may sound like a strange
concept, however the sport of ice hockey is an essential component of Canadian culture
and identity and is part of the Canadian soul. It is more than just a game that is played
during the long and harsh Canadian winter, hockey represents a deeper, spiritual
connection for Canadians that binds people together across the large, expansive territory.
Bonds that stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean,
from sea to sea to sea. Bonds that unite together the English and the French, as well as
Canada's indigenous people. Bonds that bridge the youth with the elderly, new Canadians
and old Canadians. In short, ice hockey connects all Canadians with the past, the present
and the future.
Throughout the vast land that is Canada, in nearly all of her towns, villages, and cities,
neighbourhoods and communities, three central institutions can typically be found: a
school, a place of worship, and an arena.
In the overwhelming majority of small
Canadian towns and cities, the arena is the most visible element within that town's
landscape as not only is the arena generally one of the largest buildings withing the
community, but is also at the same time usually the most visited building in the
community, acting as an anchor and focal point.
Serving as both an educational
institution as well as a place of worship, the arena is the place where people in small
towns generally go to meet with one another.
It is this function as a centre of the
community that is the symbolic core value of an arena. Previously, places of worship
served this function, however this is generally no longer true—sport has replaced religion
within the soul of the Canadian nation. The arena does not divide people by religious
belief, socio-economic level, or skin-colour—but rather unites members of a community
through the simple idea that we're all cheering for the same team. At the arena, it does
not matter what job you do or to which God you pray, all that matters is that your team
wins.
59
The honourable Ken Dryden, who was an all-star goaltender for the Montréal Canadiens
hockey club during the 1970s, is also a famous author and politician in Canada. In his
book “Home Game: Hockey and Life in Canada”, Dryden tackled the relationship
between hockey and Canadian life. He specifically makes reference to the bonds, albeit
fragile, that connect Canadians across the large and remote landscape (Dryden, 1989, p.
18):
“Canada is such an improbable country. ... The land separates and disconnects, place
from place, person from person. What links it all together seems so hopelessly
overmatched. The broad winding rivers that brought in fur traders, the rulerstraight railway lines that brought settlers in and their grain out, the highways, the
power lines, the TV antennae and TV dishes—such fragile threads to bind this farflung land and its people. All serve to connect in some way, but these cannot create
the bond. What ties us together must be a feeling that travels the waters and
pavement and airwaves and steel: things we have in common, things we care about,
things that help us make sense out of what we are.”
Dryden further explains (1989, p. 10) how the sport of ice hockey acts as one of the very
ties that bond Canadians together:
“Hockey, after all, is people and places. Look at those people hard enough and long
enough, listen to them, and they will tell you stories—about themselves, about
Canada. What they hope and want and fear; what matters to them and what
doesn't. They will tell you about being parents and being kids, about having
dreams and fantasies, about growing up and what it takes to make it to the top. ...
They will tell you about living and competing in a global world and being changed
in the process; and of the need sometimes to escape that world and be someone else,
creating your own rules and regulations—about the magic of play. And in so many
ways they will tell you about the joy of getting together, about the need for
community. In lives filled with division, by age, income, status, neighbourhood,
technology, distance, language, culture, they will tell you about the links they feel,
about the feelings that bind us together."
How this simple idea of community, teamwork, and connectivity relates to Canadian
identity requires analysis, explanation, and interpretation. Founded as a nation in 1867
Canada is a relatively young country. Her current international borders have only existed
since 1949, and her most famous symbol, the flag, was only designed in 1965. Moreover,
Canada's constitution was only ratified in 1982. Not only is Canada a young country, it is
also one of the world's most multicultural thanks to the waves and waves of immigrants
who built the country into one of the world's best.
60
Chances are if someone who has never been to Canada is asked what images come to
mind when they hear the word Canada perhaps they would answer with images such as a
large, vast nation, rich with natural resources, and filled with snow and mountains and
trees. Although this is true, there are other images and realities of Canada that are not
associated with the country. The image of Canada as a diverse, vibrant, and multicultural
society rarely hits the radar of people living outside of its borders. People are amazed to
find out that Toronto is the world's most multi-culturally diverse city, even more so than
New York City.
During my M.A. studies at TU Cottbus in Germany, my classmates came from all over
the world, with all continents of our planet represented. A global microcosm of nations
and peoples united together through common interests. After our lectures had finished
for the day, we would often get together at the campus pub to talk and discuss about our
home countries. Since we were all students of Cultural Heritage Preservation, naturally
the topic of culture and identity would be a common theme in our talks. It is from these
talks that I asked myself such questions of what is Canadian? What is our identity?
What are Canadian symbols? Within Canada such questions have been and continue to
be the focus of a great deal of discussion and debate. One can tune into the public
national radio sender, the CBC, and chances are that one will hear a program on the
subject of “Canadianess” – Who are we? What defines us? How can we be described? Are
we a nation that is without an identity? Or does our lack of identity form part of our
identity?
As a young and diverse country, defining what exactly constitutes Canadian identity is an
extremely difficult question to answer.
Within Canada, such a question has been
discussed for decades and is still at the forefront of national debate. Canadian identity has
never been clearly defined nor answered.
The only concrete decision that has been
reached when defining Canadian identity is that it is a very difficult question to precisely
answer. This is not just due to Canada's relatively young age but most importantly in the
historical development of Canada, starting from her settlement and founding and the
path it has taken to become one of the world's greatest countries of today. Canada, like
61
the rest of the countries in the so-called ''new world'' was primarily settled by waves and
waves immigrants in search of freedom, peace, and a better life for themselves and for
their children.
Current thought and opinion, especially that of the Canadian
Government (1998, p. 4-5), is that Canada's diversity is its identity:
“Diversity is the thread that weaves Canada's rich culture together. It is a
fundamental characteristic of our society and of what it means to be Canadian.
It provides us with the necessary foundation to continue to shape a modern
country that fosters creativity and excellence.”
What does this mean however ''to be Canadian“?
This question is even made more
difficult to answer not only due to Canada's diverse ethnic composition, but also the
diversity across the land—from Newfoundland in the East, to British Columbia in the
West, to Nunavut in the North. Sherbert makes the point of cultural plurality, stating
that ''instead of a universal Canadian identity, the universal is now seen as a contested site
of power: the power to represent a whole society or national identity” (Sherbert, 2006, p.
2) He further points to cultural poesis, which can be referred to as the making of culture,
or the tension between making and being made by culture at the same time (Sherbert,
2006, p.2).
Such a tension definitely exists in Canada since it is a constantly changing
land, and in constant search of defining its identity. Since this is the case, Canadian
identity should be based upon something intangible such as a value, a value that relates to
all Canadians past, present, and future and a value that crosses all cultural backgrounds
and is omnipresent within the Canadian soul. The answer to defining Canadian identity
can be found within the meaning of the word Canada: COMMUNITY.
The origin of the name Canada stemmed from early contact between French explorers
and the Algonquin people. The French were able to speak some Algonquin, and the
Algonquin were able to speak some French. The French explorers were keen on finding
the name of the vast, unknown land in which they had arrived and asked the Algonquin
what was this land called. The Algonquin answered ''Kanata''. The French, overjoyed
with their findings, returned to Europe and labeled maps with the name 'Canada'. The
name 'Kanata' however did not refer to the entire land, but rather referred to the
62
Algonquin word for ''settlement/village/community'' as the Algonquin understood the
question in reference to their group and not the entire land.
The idea of community rather than individuality is strongly evident throughout the
historical development of Canada. The construction of the railroad in Canada is widely
considered to be one of the most important factors which shaped and influenced the early
development of Canada. Its construction can be compared to the notion of team sport:
success and realization of the goal is achieved not through individual glory but rather
through the cooperation and efforts of the group. The true champions are those groups
or teams who achieve their common goal together rather than through the performance
of one individual.
During the westward expansion and settlement of Canada of the late 19 th century, plots of
land were given free of charge to anyone who wanted them.
These first settlers in
Canada's central regions primarily consisted of, but not limited to, Ukrainians and
Russians, Poles, Swedes, and Germans. The early life was challenging, settling into an
unknown land and in an area where nothing at all really existed, no state institutions such
as a police force, schools, or hospitals, no roads, no shops, just open land that was free for
all who dared to dream.
Everything had to be built from the start.
Survival was
dependent on hard work as well as cooperation with one's neighbour. This aspect of
cooperation was called ''settler mentality'' and this mentality still exists to an extent
within Canada today, particularly in Canada's hinterland. Again, like the construction of
the railroad, survival was dependent on the group rather than the individual.
From the early settlement of the land, to the cultural mosaic that Canada is today, and to
Canada's role on the international level, Canadians believe in helping one another and
that the greater good is
individual.
best achieved through the group rather than through the
It is clearly this point of community which makes the conservation of
Canadian hockey arenas so utterly important due to their function as a centrepoint of the
communities in which they serve.
63
Dryden strengthens this argument by stating the arena is the lifeblood of small
communities scattered in the Canadian hinterland (1989, p.23). He claims that:
Each community needs a place to gather, to act and feel like a community, to
remind itself why it is a community, to strengthen its resolve to fight those
forces that threaten its existence. A local arena is spirit-building, and in a time
of enormous change, every bit of spirit that can be mustered is needed.
Conserving arenas in smaller Canadian communities is not just simply conserving a
historical building, but in some cases it is a question of saving the entire community
altogether. Dryden talks about communities that have lost their arenas and what the loss
represents (1989, p.15). A community without an arena is a community without a centre,
and a community without a centre, is a community that dies. A specific example of the
small village of Fielding, Saskatchewan is given to show this point of community
downfall after the loss of the local arena.
The first thing to go was our hockey rink. Then our curling rink went. Then
our grocery stores started to go and gradually the school went and then our post
office. All we have left now is a community hall which gets used once or twice a
year. ... Three families live in Fielding now and the rest is all deserted empty
buildings. ...We know of other towns that have lost their rinks. They die
overnight. It's the grand central gathering place for the young and old. The
young come to skate and the older citizens come in to watch. The arena is the
gathering place for the winter months.
Such examples clearly portray the hard significance that arenas play in Canadian life,
especially as their function as a meeting place for the community.
Since Canadian
identity can be based upon the notion of community, it is clearly evident through the
example given by Dryden that a community without a focal point dies. Losing an arena
does not just merely signify the loss of a community building, but in this sense represents
the theft of a community's identity.
Conserving the community arena is akin to
conserving the life of the community itself.
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The official stance of the Canadian Government (1998, p. 1) towards the relationship
between cultural identity and future prosperity states that
… culture and heritage are more important than ever. It is by knowing who we are
and where we come from, by creating and communicating our stories, by
connecting to each other, and by building and strengthening our communities that
we reach out to the world with confidence. It is by being rooted in 'a sense of
place, a sense of being' that Canadians will prosper, that our communities will
thrive, and that we will marshal the forces of globalization and technology to our
benefit.
The key point to be examined in the Canadian Government's policy is their view of how
being rooted in a sense of place will afford Canada's communities to thrive. Comparing
this point to the example of Fielding, Saskatchewan shows that when the sense of being is
torn away, the community fails. Thus, the Government's stance is true, however in a
typical Canadian fashion, positive examples are used, rather than negatives. It is this
element of community survival that demonstrates the absolute importance of conserving
arenas, not just in terms of their historical or age value, but rather on a deeper, spiritual
level that the arena comes to symbolize within the soul of the Canadian hinterland.
The question at hand is not just merely conserving a simple physical structure where a
sport is played, the question is far, far deeper. It is a question of preserving the very
values of what Canada is, as well as preserving an aspect of the country's identity, culture,
and soul. It is about preserving the Canadian way of life, the Canadian mentality of
connectedness and helping one another, the Canadian attitude of cooperation and
togetherness. It is indeed some of these attributes that has made Canada “one of the most
open, resilient, creative, and caring societies on earth” (Government of Canada, 1998,
p.4). Similar to the example of Fielding, Saskatchewan the death of the community arena
triggered the eventual death of the community, the question needs to be asked if Canada
fails to preserve the core elements that bind Canadians together and the institutions that
symbolize Canadian identity, will this in turn lead to the death of Canadianess?
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The past few pages have discussed the notion of Canadian identity based on the value of
community, and how this value of community is related to the connecting force that
arenas play within Canadian life.
How the sport of ice hockey is symbolic within
Canadian society and the values attributed within hockey and their relationship to
Canadian culture will now be examined.
If someone from outside of Canada were to ask how symbolic and important hockey is to
Canadians, the question could easily be answered by showing him/her the Canadian FiveDollar bill, which depicts a winter scene that can be typically found throughout the
country: a child on a toboggan, a parent skating with a child, and most prominently,
children playing hockey.
Also on the bill is a quote from the famous children's book ''The Hockey Sweater'' written
by Roch Carrier:
The winters of my childhood were long, long seasons. We lived in three places – the
school, the church and the skating-rink – but our real life was on the skating-rink.
The fact that Canada's standard issue currency depicts such a scene clearly demonstrates
just how important hockey is to a great deal of the Canadian population. A 2007 IpsosReid survey conducted on behalf of the Dominion Institute confirmed this fact. The
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conducted survey analyzed Canadian symbols and the extent that Canadians felt attached
to such symbols.
The survey results (Ipsos Reid, 2007, p. 6) indicated that 73% of
Canadians felt attached to the sport of ice hockey, as a symbol of Canada trailing only the
beaver (74%) and the maple leaf (87%). The following table shows the survey findings for
attachment to ice hockey as a national symbol within the various regions of Canada.
British
Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan /
Manitoba
Ontario
Québec
Atlantic
78 %
81 %
76 %
75 %
60 %
73 %
It is interesting to note that attachments to ice hockey are relatively similar throughout
Canada, with the exception of the province of Québec. The survey also broke down the
results by household income:
< $30,000
$ 30,000 → $60,000
> $ 60,000
67 %
72 %
77 %
What is interesting to note is that as household income increased, attachment to the sport
of ice hockey increased.
A further signifier of hockey's importance within the hearts of Canadians was a 2003
competition conducted by the national broadcaster, the CBC, titled ''The 100 Greatest
Canadians''. The competition was performed as a television show that lasted two months
in duration and citizens of Canada were invited to nominate who they felt was the
greatest Canadian, past or present.
Former hockey coach and current hockey
commentator Don Cherry was voted by the Canadian population, ending up in seventh
place as the greatest Canadian, much to the chagrin of the Canadian academic
community.
Cherry placed higher than noteworthy figures such as Sir John A.
McDonald, the first Prime Minister of Canada and Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor
of the telephone.
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Several countries honour their military and war heroes in high regard, however in
Canada this status is usually reserved to hockey heroes. Canadian idolation of hockey
stars could stem from the fact that Canada is not a country based upon military
conquests. Rather, Canadian conquests are usually conducted on the skating rink. One
notable example is the 1972 Summit Series, which was an eight-game competition
between the two great hockey superpowers, Canada and the Soviet Union. The first four
games were played in Canada and the last four games played in the Soviet Union.
National pride was on the line, and especially during the era of the Cold War, the series
carried an even greater importance. Rather than fighting the Soviets in the space,
armaments and nuclear race, as was done by the United States of America, the Canadians
fought the Soviets with sticks and pucks on a frozen surface. As the series entered into
the eighth game, with each country claiming three wins apiece as well as one tied game,
the final matchup between these two superpowers represented a true 'cold war'. In the
dying seconds of the game, which was tied five-to-five, Paul Henderson scored the game
winner, lifting the Canadians to victory and sending the country into a frenzy, and a new
national hero was born.
The concept of using sport as war is not a new concept. The sport of lacrosse, which is
Canada's national sport, was played between warring indigenous tribes to settle their
differences. The game itself was the war. Whoever won the game between the two
groups was the winner of the war. One can just imagine how different the world would
be today if the concept of deciding differences was achieved through the playing of a
game was used rather than through destruction and slaughter. In this sense arenas can be
seen as the contemporary battlefield. It can be argued that since Canada's foundation in
1867 the most blood spilled on Canadian soil has been at the hockey rink, since Canada
has they very fortunate history to have never experienced the horrors of war in its own
country.
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3.2 Increasing the Awareness of Architectural
Conservation in Canada
Currently the notion of heritage conservation is only known and understood by a small
segment of the Canadian population. Through the conservation of heritage arenas, the
general awareness of architectural conservation amongst the Canadian population can be
drastically increased due to the large demographic of hockey lovers in the country. Since
hockey is so important and widely loved by a large segment of the Canadian population,
preserving something that people are familiar with, such as arenas, would expose these
people to the concept of heritage conservation.
Through this exposure, awareness is
increased. Increased awareness can only result in stronger and more decisive action in
preserving the built heritage of Canada. Awareness of architectural conservation needs to
be further promoted in Canada and this can be done in conjunction with the promotion
of heritage arenas. By reaching out to a new target group, heritage conservators are able
to 'market' the concept of architectural conservation.
Approaches from the field of marketing can be utilized to achieve this goal. In this sense,
the product is heritage conservation and the customer is the general population,
specifically those who are unaware of heritage conservation. This group can be referred
to as the market segment. Market segmenting is the division of groups that define the
market place, identifying specific needs and wants.
A specific approach in market
segmentation is called the top-down approach, where the total population is divided into
segments. The segment that should be the goal is the common hockey fan. Another
basic tenet of marketing is called the marketing mix, and is commonly known as “the 4
Ps”. The four Ps are: Product, Price, Promotion, Placement.
Product is the good or service produced, Price is the amount the customer pays for the
product, Place refers to where the product can be purchased, and finally Promotion
represents the forms of communication utilised such as advertising and public relations.
Although this model is utilised for the marketing of goods, this model can also be used
for the marketing of ideas, especially in the promotion of architectural conservation in
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Canada towards the large segment of hockey fans through the preservation of heritage
arenas. The marketing mix can be reworked to be utilized in a marketing campaign for
the conservation of heritage ice hockey arenas, depicted as follows:
Product
Architectural conservation
Price
What people are willing to pay for heritage projects
(i.e. donations, increased taxes)
Place
Heritage arenas, professional hockey games
Promotion
Direct marketing, targeted marketing
Of special consideration for this reworked model is the Price category. What differs
from a standard marketing mix is that products have a set price, however in terms of
heritage conservation one is not selling a product but rather a concept, and a concept that
cannot be given a fixed price. In this sense the price will refer to what people would be
willing to pay for heritage projects, either through donations or increased funding by
governments, which would either require a tax increase or a cut in other services.
In Chapter 5 of this paper, recommendations for heritage conservation are provided. One
of the recommendations specifically outlines an awareness, education, and promotion
plan.
The promotion plan continues with the concept of raising the awareness of
heritage arena conservation and gives specific strategies on how to do so, such as the
distribution of heritage arena hockey cards at games, broadcasting of heritage clips
during National Hockey League broadcasts, and a national competition to select the best
heritage arena in the country.
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3.3 Altering the Perception that Canada has No History
A common belief amongst the general Canadian population is that Canada has no
history. One of the reasons for this sentiment could stem from the fact that very little
buildings of age exist in the country. Since people are not surrounded by the past, it can
be easily understood that such a sentiment exists.
With the exception of Québec City, one cannot walk down old streets interrupted by the
presence of new buildings.
In terms of built heritage the sad fact is that very little
remains of the past. The vernacular architecture of the past centuries has been nearly
wiped out in the majority of Canadian cities, especially in Toronto where a great
majority of the city's downtown buildings were demolished in the name of' ''progress'' or
were seen to be unimportant.
As a result, the current urban landscape of many of
Canada's city look nothing like they did 100 years ago. The following photos comparing
Toronto then and now quite clearly depict the radical transformation of its urban
landscape.
Front Street (1804)
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Above: Front Street (1890)
Below: Front Street (2009)
72
above: King Street, East of Yonge (1875)
below: King Street, East of Yonge (2010)
73
above: Downtown Toronto (1932)
below: Downtown Toronto (2008)
74
Above: Maple Leaf Gardens (1934)
Below: Maple Leaf Gardens (2008)
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The fact that Canada has no history is of course extremely false. Canada has a long and
rich history, spanning back thousands and thousands of years.
Canada's indigenous
people have inhabited the rich land that is presently Canada since the last ice age.
European contact in Canada occurred five centuries before Columbus' 'discovery' of
America, when the Vikings landed in Vinland, which is now present day Newfoundland.
When people refer to Canada not having a past, aspects of indigenous history and culture
is not what is in their minds, they are referring to their immediate surroundings, in
particular to the historical built urban landscape exists of Canada's cities and towns.
When one walks through the streets of downtown Toronto, amongst the impressive highrise architecture, every now and then a building from the late 19 th / early 20th century can
be found. What was once seen as a disposable resource in the past, is now treasured
today. The same should be true with the arenas of Canada. Older arenas are perceived to
be a disposable resource and that newer is better. By conserving just one arena, part of
the historical landscape is preserved, something that Canada has been poor at doing in
the past, as is clearly depicted in the previously shown photos. Through the presence of
historical buildings, we are reminded that Canada does indeed have a past. If historical
buildings are continued to be torn down, the only thing that will exist is the question of
“why did the past generations allow something like this to happen?” A responsibility of
today's generation is to change this reality for the following generations. The words of
William Morris (in Bridgewood, 2009, p.10), who was one of the pioneers of
conservation wrote in his 1877 manifesto for the Society for the Protection of Ancient
Buildings:
These buildings do not belong to us … they have belonged to our
forefathers and they will belong to our descendants unless we play them
false. They are not … our property, to do as we like with. We are only trustees
for those that come after us.
Within Canada the trend of treating common heritage buildings as a disposable resource
unfortunately continues until the present day.
Rather than playing the role of the
caretaker of the past generations, the destruction of the past continues at an alarming
rate.
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The two photos on the following page demonstrate the attitudes held towards
safeguarding the everyday historical architecture of the urban landscape in Canada and in
Germany.
The Canadian photo depicts a scene from the author's hometown of
Orangeville, Ontario. A building that formed part of the historic landscape of the town's
main thoroughfare was found to be structurally unfit. Instead of making the necessary
adjustments to make the building safe, the decision was made to demolish the building,
and as we can easily see in the photo, the owner of the property is obviously overjoyed at
such an action (most likely as he can build a new building that can generate higher rental
income).
Comparing this photo with the one underneath, an absolutely opposite
approach to conserving common elements of the built historical urban landscape within
Germany is shown. The photo was taken in the city of Cottbus, which was home to the
author during his master's studies. One can easily see in the photo the poor condition of
the building—there is no roof, the floors have collapsed, and only a small portion of the
façade remains. Despite what appears to be a helpless building that should be knocked
down, great efforts have been made at saving what is left, particularly through the
installation of supporting beams to ensure that what remains of the façade does not
collapse. The building in question is in itself nothing special, it is merely one of the
buildings that form part of the city's historical built landscape. Yet despite this fact, one
can only admire the efforts that have been undertaken to safeguard this small piece of the
city's urban landscape.
In a young country such as Canada, combined with the reality that few of the country's
original buildings in downtown cores still survive intact, such a loss of any building that
contributes to a community's historical landscape is absolutely unacceptable. If Canada
fails to preserve its 100 year old buildings, they will never have the chance to become 400
years old.
Through the preservation of the individual elements that compose the
landscape, the 'historic feel' of a community is preserved, which would likely lead to an
alteration in the public's perception of the fact that Canada has no history.
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above: the Canadian attitude towards safeguarding the historical urban landscape
below: the German attitude towards safeguarding the historical urban landscape
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3.4 Economic Stimulation
The economic benefits that can be achieved through heritage conservation is another
reason in favour for conserving heritage arenas. Benefits to the economy that can be
realized are numerous, in particular to local economies. The main engine for stimulation
can be explained with an economic term known as the multiplier effect. The multiplier
effect is the theory that for each dollar spent, thirteen dollars are created within the
overall economy. For example if one purchases a cup of coffee for one dollar, thirteen
dollars are created through the multiple intermediaries amongst the entire economic
chain. To further explain, from this one dollar spent on coffee, let us assume that the
coffee shop owner receives 60 cents in profit and 40 cents go to producing the coffee,
which includes items such as rent, utilities, labour, cost of coffee and so on. Each of the
related intermediaries along this chain earn a portion, and with this portion continue the
chain by spending on other goods and services, thereby fueling the cycle of economic
distribution.
economy.
It is this mechanism of economic distribution that fuels the market
When people spend, the economy strengthens, and when people save, the
economy suffers.
How this mechanism within the market economy is related to heritage conservation can
be easily answered in the following question of either to conserve a building or to
construct an entirely new building. In a heritage conservation project, the greatest costs
are usually those of labour, whereas in a new construction, not only do labour costs exist,
but so do the costs of building materials. Since it can be assumed that a great deal of
building materials such as steel and lumber are outsourced from outside of the
community, this results in money being sent outside of the community, rather then
staying within the region. A common misconception is that conservation costs far more
more than a new construction. Although the initial costs may demonstrate this, the costs
in the long run to the local economy are higher due to capital outflows which cannot be
utilized within the multiplier effect towards the local economy.
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The question of job creation is also an economic benefit that can be achieved through
conservation projects because they require specialized and highly skilled craftspeople
such as carpenters, masons, and artisans. An increase in the number of conservation
projects will require more trained workers, which leads to a stronger workforce and then
to a stronger and more diversified economy. In Canada's economic and industrial heart,
which is known as the Golden Horseshoe and is located around Toronto, manufacturing
jobs are being lost on a daily basis and will unlikely be replaced. These jobs are good
paying and provided a good life for several families. A sad reality is that not only are
these jobs disappearing, there is little to no discussion at the current moment by political
and economic leaders as to what will be done to replace these lost jobs. One way to
create new jobs is through heritage conservation projects. The retraining of affected
workers could ease some of the burden and help in the prevention of a decreasing
economy.
Heritage conservation projects have proved to be successful in aiding economically
depressed areas. One particular example is the historical reconstruction of the Fortress of
Louisbourg in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.
Constructed by the French
between 1720 and 1740, the Fortress of Louisbourg was one of the largest fortifications
constructed by Europeans in North America. In 1758, during the Seven Years' War, the
fortress was captured and demolished by the British.
In the 1960s the fortress was
partially reconstructed by local unemployed coal miners who were retrained in 18 th
century French stone masonry. Jobs were created in an economically depressed area, and
now the site is used as a living history museum, providing interpreter jobs for local
residents as well as bringing in tourism income for the local region.
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4.0 Conservation Theory
“Therefore, when we build, let us think that we build for ever.
Let it not be for present delight, nor for present use alone; let it
be such work as our descendants will thank us for, and let us
think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when
those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched
them, and that men will say as they look upon the labor and
wrought substance of them, “See! This our fathers did for us.”
For, indeed, the greatest glory of a building is not it its stones,
or in its gold. Its glory is in its Age.”
--John Ruskin, 1849.
What exactly does heritage conservation mean? Are preservation and conservation the
same thing? For many, the differences are not clear, as the expressions both conjure the
image of protection, be it saving something from destruction, or keeping something alive.
Parks Canada defines conservation as “all actions or processes that are aimed at safeguarding the character-defining elements of a cultural resource so as to retain its heritage
value and extend its physical life” (Parks Canada, 2003, p.2). The ICOMOS Education
and Training Guidelines state: “the object of conservation is to prolong the life of cultural
heritage and, if possible, to clarify the artistic and historical messages therein without the
loss of authenticity and meaning” (ICOMOS, 1993, p.2). Furthermore, the Deschambault
Declaration defines the aims of conservation as: “proper maintenance, consolidation,
repair, safeguarding and restoration, to prevent the deterioration and, at worst, the
destruction of national heritage” (ICOMOS, 1982, p.3).
Within heritage conservation, there exist three primary actions that can be utilized in
approaches to conserving a building. These actions are 'Preservation', 'Rehabilitation',
and 'Restoration'. To sum up, conservation is the overarching approach to protecting a
cultural resource, and preservation is an underlying approach within the entire protection
mechanism. The primary aim of conservation is ensuring that sites of cultural heritage
are maintained for the future and that the authenticity and meaning of sites is respected.
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The following chart graphically depicts the overarching concept of conservation and its
three sub-branches of preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration.
Conservation
Preservation
Rehabilitation
Restoration
To maintain a building's
current form through
careful maintenance and
repair
To repair a building and
make it usable again, but
preserving the features
which are historically
significant
To bring a building back
to its original form
using materials that are
similar to the original
building materials
Parks Canada (2003, p. 3) in its Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic
Places in Canada uses the following definitions for preservation, rehabilitation, and
restoration:
Preservation: the action or process of protecting, maintaining, and/or stabilizing
the existing materials, form, and integrity of a historic place or of an individual
component, while protecting its heritage value. Preservation can include both shortterm and interim measures to protect or stabilize the place, as well as long-term
actions to retard deterioration or prevent damage so that the place can be kept
serviceable through routine maintenance and minimal repair, rather than extensive
replacement and new construction.
Rehabilitation: the action or process of making possible a continuing or
compatible contemporary use of a historic place or an individual component,
through repair, alterations, and/or additions, while protecting its heritage value.
Rehabilitation can include replacing missing historic features. The replacement may
be an accurate replica of the missing feature, or it may be a new design that is
compatible with the style, era, and character of the historic place.
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Restoration: the action or process of accurately revealing, recovering or
representing the state of a historic place or of an individual component, as it
appeared at a particular period in its history, while protecting its heritage value.
Restoration includes the removal of features from other periods in its history and
the reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. Restoration must
be based on clear evidence and detailed knowledge of the earlier forms and
materials being recovered.
The establishment of preservation standards, criteria, and best-practices as well as their
realization and implementation is perhaps one of the most critical elements of historic
preservation.
Such standards define a benchmark that should be achieved to ensure
proper and quality conservation methods. These standards not only include the aesthetic
considerations of a building's character defining elements, but also define the policies that
frame and manage the designation of cultural and historic sites.
Within the Parks
Canada Standards and Guidelines for the Preservation of Historic Sites, the following
general standards are recommended (Parks Canada, 2003, p. 24-5):
General Standards (all projects)
1. Conserve the heritage value of a historic place. Do not remove, replace, or
substantially alter its intact or repairable character-defining elements. Do not
move a part of a historic place if its current location is a character-defining
element.
2. Conserve changes to a historic place which, over time, have become
character-defining elements in their own right.
3. Conserve heritage value by adopting an approach calling for minimal
intervention.
4. Recognize each historic place as a physical record of its time, place and use.
Do not create a false sense of historical development by adding elements from
other historic places or other properties or by combining features of the same
property that never coexisted.
5. Find a use for a historic place that requires minimal or no change to its
character-defining elements.
6. Protect and, if necessary, stabilize a historic place until any subsequent
intervention is undertaken. Protect and preserve archaeological resources in
place. Where there is potential for disturbance of archaeological resources, take
mitigation measures to limit damage and loss of information.
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7. Evaluate the existing condition of character-defining elements to determine
the appropriate intervention needed. Use the gentlest means possible for any
intervention. Respect heritage value when undertaking an intervention.
8. Maintain character-defining elements on an ongoing basis. Repair characterdefining elements by reinforcing their materials using recognized conservation
methods. Replace in kind any extensively deteriorated or missing parts of
character-defining elements, where there are surviving prototypes.
9. Make any intervention needed to preserve character-defining elements
physically and visually compatible with the historic place, and identifiable upon
close inspection. Document any intervention for future reference.
Additional Standards Relating to Rehabilitation
10. Repair rather than replace character-defining elements. Where characterdefining elements are too severely deteriorated to repair, and where sufficient
physical evidence exists, replace them with new elements that match the forms,
materials and detailing of sound versions of the same elements. Where there is
insufficient physical evidence, make the form, material and detailing of the new
elements compatible with the character of the historic place.
11. Conserve the heritage value and character-defining elements when creating
any new additions to a historic place or any related new construction. Make the
new work physically and visually compatible with, subordinate to and
distinguishable from the historic place.
12. Create any new additions or related new construction so that the essential
form and integrity of a historic place will not be impaired if the new work is
removed in the future.
Additional Standards Relating to Restoration
13. Repair rather than replace character-defining elements from the restoration
period. Where character-defining elements are too severely deteriorated to
repair and where sufficient physical evidence exists, replace them with new
elements that match the forms, materials and detailing of sound versions of the
same elements.
14. Replace missing features from the restoration period with new features
whose forms, materials.
These standards by Parks Canada should form the basis of how to proceed with any
conservation work for heritage arenas, especially when projects follow the sequence of
investigations and actions framework listed within the ICOMOS Burra Charter for Places
of Cultural Significance. A graphical depiction (ICOMOS, 2000, p. 15) of this sequence
follows on the following page:
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The Burra Charter Process
Understand significance
IDENTIFY PLACE AND ASSOCIATIONS
Secure the place and make it safe
GATHER AND RECORD INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLACE
SUFFICIENT TO UNDERSTAND SIGNIFICANCE
Documentary
Oral
Physical
ASSESS SIGNIFICANCE
PREPARE A STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
Develop policy
IDENTIFY OBLIGATIONS ARISING FROM SIGNIFICANCE
GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER FACTORS
AFFECTING THE FUTURE OF THE PLACE
Owner/manager's needs and resources
External Factors
Physical Condition
DEVELOP POLICY
Identify options
Consider options and their impact on significance
Manage
PREPARE A STATEMENT OF POLICY
MANAGE PLACE IN ACCORDANCE OF POLICY
Develop strategies
Implement strategies through a management plan
Record place prior to any change
The whole process is iterative. Parts of it may need to be repeated. Further research and consultation may be necessary.
Sequence of investigations, decisions and actions
MONITOR AND REVIEW
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The most important guideline in the conservation of hockey arenas is the concept of
minimal intervention. Minimal intervention is the practice to alter character-defining
elements as little as possible, and strives for making repairs as necessary and a regular
system of maintenance and care to preserve elements in their original form. Authenticity
of elements is important as these are the objects that constitute to the overall feeling of
the place and create historical value. Summing up, less intervention creates greater
historical value. When elements are replaced with unsuitable substitutions, the historical
value of the building is lost. As such, any replacements or additions should respect the
historical authenticity of the arena.
Another aspect of conservation is the notion of meaning, which is the interpretation of
historical attitudes and sensibilities in historic preservation as well as interpretations of
objects, sites, and buildings at any given place.
Moreover, the social and historical
contexts of buildings and sites convey information about the people who lived at a
particular place and particular time. When analyzing the meaning of a building or site,
three positions can be used. The first position is that of age-based merit which holds the
belief that anything over a certain age has historic merit.
A second position is
appearance-based merit, which states that specific styles of the past should be kept. The
third position is value based in that everything new is bad and everything old is good.
Meanings and interpretations however are dynamic and change over time and differ from
place to place. What one may see as positive, another may see as negative. Current
sensibilities may not be the same as those of prior generations or those of future
generations.
What one sees as important today, may not necessarily be important
tomorrow, or vice-versa, some things that are viewed as insignificant today may be viewed
as a treasure by the following generations.
Conservation efforts should be measured not just on the cultural value of a building, but
also on the use-value of a building. In other words, arenas should stay in use as an arena.
A main goal of arena conservation is that the arena is continued to be used.
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4.2 Conservation
Experience
in
Action:
Learning
From
the
German
As a country that has a long tradition of producing high quality products, Germany also
has a long tradition of architectural conservation. When we hear the name 'Porsche'
associations of precision craftsmanship and cutting-rate design immediately come to
mind.
The same “Made in Germany” quality work that goes into manufacturing a
Porsche is also true in the conservation and rehabilitation of heritage buildings in
Germany. As a Canadian living in Germany, I was able to first-hand experience the
German approach to conserving the past. Instead of reading about something in a book,
I was able to have a true hands-on experience. From these experiences, I have included
three short case studies that look at various conservation projects in Germany from
which “Canadian hockey arena conservation” can learn from. These topics are as follows:
Case 1: Staedtische Turnhalle, Cottbus (1873)
Case 2: Olympiastadion Berlin (1936), Olympiastadion Munich (1972)
Case 3: Bauhaus, Dessau
These short case studies looked at three examples of conservation in action, specifically at
projects in Germany that can act as references from which to build a strong Arena
Conservation policy and strategy.
The Staedtische Turnhalle (Public Gymnasium) of Cottbus was built in 1873 and was
renovated in 2005. Overall, the work completed on this building was conducted in a very
good fashion with a great deal of attention towards preserving the building's historical
elements, yet at the same time brought a 130-year old into present needs. At first glance,
the overall impression is that the building looks fantastic, however when comparing the
before and after photos on the following page, one element that stands out is the
building's brick facade.
The brickwork was cleaned too well, to the point that the
historical patina was removed. Although this element is a difficult decision to define what
is correct and what is not, however in terms of minimal intervention, the process of
“scraping” is a process that should be avoided as we cannot initially notice if the bricks
are indeed original or if they are new.
87
Staedtisches Turnhalle Cottbus (1873). Above: pre-renovation. Below: post-renovation
88
Staedtisches Turnhalle Cottbus (1873), interior. Above: pre-renovation. Below: post-renovation.
89
In 2001 Germany was selected to host the 2006 Football World Cup by FIFA, the
governing body of football. One of the requirements that FIFA places on the host nation
is that the stadiums to be used within the championship are up to a specific standard
defined by FIFA. As a result, Germany had to analyze and assess the readiness of their
stadiums and what needed to be done to fulfill FIFA's requirements. Two architecturally
significant stadiums, the Berlin Olympiastadion, location of the 1936 Sumer Olympics,
and the Munich Olympiastadion, location of the 1972 Summer Olympics were the focus
of a 2002 report undertaken by the German ICOMOS Committee to discuss the direction
what these stadiums should take in terms of fulfilling the criteria as defined by FIFA, yet
respecting their historical authenticity. This report, as a matter of fact, is the only work
of note that had ever been conducted on the theme of Conservation of Sporting Places.
After a great deal of discussion, it was decided to make the necessary adjustments for the
Berlin Olympiastadion, while at the same time undertaking a meticulous preservation
and rehabilitation of the building's character-defining elements.
For the Munich
Olympiastadion, it was however felt that making the necessary upgrades to the stadium
would destroy too much of the stadium's authenticity and character-defining elements,
and that a new football stadium would be built at another location in the city.
From these two examples, which dealt with the continued use of large stadiums,
Canadian hockey arenas can learn that it is possible to balance the needs of today and
tomorrow with the historical authenticity of the arena's past (in the case of the Berlin
Olympiastadion) and secondly, certain constructions are better to be left as they are and
not to be simply demolished (as in the case of the Munich Olympiastadion).
As
previously mentioned in this paper, no large-sized arenas that possess any heritage value
no longer exist in Canada, however the German lesson could prove as a motivator for the
few medium-sized arenas with heritage value in Canada that still exist to think twice
before abandonment and demolition.
90
Above: Olympiastadion Berlin (1936, 2006). Preservation of exterior historical character-defining elements.
Below: Olympiastadion Berlin (1936, 2006). Balancing the past with the needs of the future.
91
The third case looked at the restoration work that was done at the Bauhaus buildings in
the city of Dessau. Emerging in the 1920s, the Bauhaus was one of the most influential
design and architecture movements of the 20th Century. What makes the restoration
work conducted in Dessau interesting for the conservation of Canadian ice hockey arenas
is the attention to detail that was given to preserving and rehabilitating the individual
character-defining elements of Bauhaus buildings.
Parallels between the Bauhaus
buildings and Canadian ice hockey arenas can be made in the sense that the individual
elements that consist within each building are essential parts in determining the whole.
In the German language, there exists a word called “Gesamtkunstwerk”, which can be
translated into English as “the entire work of art”. In both cases, the facades are just one
part of the entire building, however it is the presence of the various elements that
contribute to the overall artistic value of the building.
One remarkable example of the attention to detail that was given in rehabilitating the
Bauhaus buildings is the sourcing of original windows. In one case, some of the original
windows had been removed and reused in the construction of a greenhouse.
The
windows were located, and were reinstated back into the central Bauhaus building.
92
Another fine example of a historical restoration in Dessau is the Haus Muche. Initially
constructed in 1926, several changes to the building as well as drastic deterioration
occurred over the years, however through precise research and quality craftsmanship, the
building was reinstated into its original glory. These changes can be seen below.
1927
1998
2002
93
5.0 Recommendations for Heritage Arena Conservation
The following eight recommendations have been developed after a careful and thoughtful
analysis of the current state of heritage arenas in Canada and what exactly should be done
to best preserve them. The aim of these recommendations is to act as a catalyst for
further action and to draft a blueprint for an overall concept and strategy for heritage
arena conservation. Currently existing problems were looked at and answers to solve
these problems were developed. Furthermore needs, goals, and specific actions have been
identified and used during the developmental stages of these eight recommendations.
Instead of mere words, the following recommendations indicate the direction which must
be taken and outlines what should be done in order to ensure the conservation of one of
Canada's most important symbols.
A primary need is the establishment of an overarching action-group to oversee the
facilitation of a framework for heritage arena conservation in Canada. Since nothing of
of a common strategy to deal with arena conservation exists, the creation of a working
group is the first logical step in policy development as well as defining best-practice
standards and guidelines. Almost all of the recommendations in this section deal with
organizational aspects such as developing networks, management, and promotion, with
the exception of the fourth recommendation which deals specifically with the aesthetic
considerations that must be taken into account when conserving heritage arenas. This
recommendation serves as the second most important since it is the aesthetics of the
heritage arena which give visitors the living experience of the past.
The realization and implementation of these recommendations is absolutely necessary to
achieve the desired outcome of best-quality arena conservation, in terms of aesthetics,
organization, management, as well as promotion and awareness raising. It is hoped that
by engaging various parties and expertise together, dialogue is created to thereby reach a
common consensus that is mutually beneficial for all involved parties, particularly in
balancing the need for preserving the past with the requirements of today and tomorrow.
94
Recommendation 1: Creation and establishment of a “Heritage
Arena Conservation Network” to examine and manage regulatory
issues related to arena preservation and use
The first and foremost action that needs to be done in the fight to conserve Canadian
heritage arenas is the creation and establishment of a ''Heritage Arena Conservation
Network''. The network is to consist of members of eight groups whose purpose and
function are related to arenas, hockey, and conservation. The following diagram groups
each member of the network by their respective affiliation and interest:
Hockey
Hockey Canada
Conservation
Local, Provincial, Federal
Heritage Organizations
Arenas
Canadian Recreational
Facilities Council
National Hockey League
Heritage Canada
Network of
Heritage Arenas
ICOMOS
Friends of
Heritage Arenas
Members from the Hockey community should includes representatives from Hockey
Canada, which is the umbrella organization for youth hockey in Canada, as well as a
representation from the National Hockey League (NHL), which is the highest
professional hockey league within North America.
Also to be included are conservation experts from municipal, provincial, and federal
organizations within Canada, as well as representation from an international
organization such as ICOMOS (International Council of Museums and Sites).
The
presence of an international member could aid in the step of international cooperation
and transfer of knowledge.
95
Last but not least to be included in the network are those on the front-line, those who
work on-site at the various arenas throughout Canada.
Representation from arena
managers would be addressed with the presence of a delegate from the Canadian
Recreational Facilities Council, which is an umbrella organization of sporting facilities
within Canada. Additionally, representation from the proposed Network of Canadian
Arenas and proposed Friends of Heritage Arenas network is also vital.
The Heritage Arena Conservation Network would be responsible for not just the
development of criteria and strategies, but most importantly, for the implementation of
these strategies, in particular to oversee the realization of the other recommendations
that are given within this paper.
Such a network will create a strong leadership role to
coordinate and consolidate the task of Heritage Arena Conservation and will simplify
and streamline procedures within the steps of heritage administration through the
identification of common goals and procedures as well as reduce duplication. The
resulting network is depicted as follows:
Hockey Canada
Canadian Recreational
Facilities Council
Heritage Canada Foundation
ICOMOS
Heritage Arena
Conservation Network
Network of
Heritage Arenas
Friends of
Heritage Arenas
National Hockey League
Local, Provincial, Federal
Heritage Organizations
96
Recommendation II: Creation and establishment of a Network of
Heritage Arenas
The second recommendation is the creation and establishment of a ''Network of Heritage
Arenas” that would connect the various heritage arenas across Canada together (and
potentially around the world). Linking together historic sites with a common theme is
frequently done within Europe, particularly in Germany where numerous networks exists
such as the networks of Gothic Brick Churches, historic Windmills, and Industrial
Heritage.
Criteria for inclusion in the network must be defined, and these criteria must be fulfilled
since the network is to stand for the best of heritage hockey arenas in Canada. Each
individual arena is part of the whole, and the backbone of the network is built upon
individual anchor points. These individual anchor points are afforded the opportunity to
increase their profile by confirming their status as important and authentic. Member
arenas would achieve a sense of status and prestige, due to their select inclusion to the
network. This status could boost the amount of arena preservation due to other arenas
seeking to become members of the club.
Networks of related sites possess numerous benefits and advantages, both internal and
external.
Perhaps the most positive outcome of such networks is the sharing of
knowledge and know-how amongst various members of the network.
An additional
benefit is the identification of common goals and procedures as well as the development
of common standards and guidelines for conservation. Moreover, such a network would
help in raising awareness for heritage arenas. Other advantages include profile / status,
publicity, dialogue, knowledge, potential tourism as well as the sharing of knowledge,
concepts, and solutions to problems.
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Recommendation III: “Friends of Heritage Arenas” Foundation
Sports fans are truly fanatics. One needs to only look at the supporters of the football
club FC Union Berlin to understand this. Supporters of this club are well-known not just
for their love of their team, but in particular the measures at how they demonstrate their
support. In 2008 the team's stadium, Die alte Försterei, was renovated completely by club
supporters who volunteered their time and labour in order for team management to save
on construction labour, thus freeing up capital to purchase better players. Another well
known fan action by FC Union Berlin supporters was the '' Blut für Union'' (Blood for
Union) campaign. In Germany, people are paid by hospitals for giving blood. The Blood
for Union campaign was an organized fan event where club supporters gave their blood
to hospitals en masse, and the resulting money was given to the club. Supporters of the
Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team are also somewhat fanatic in their loyalty.
For
instance each home game has been sold out since 1947, despite the club's lack of a
championship win in nearly 45 years.
Such fan support could assist in heritage arena conservation though their organization
and representation through a 'Friends of Heritage Arenas Foundation'. Members of such
a foundation can assist in three ways.
First and foremost is through donations and
fundraising as several fans have very deep pockets and could help finance conservation
projects. Secondly, members of the foundation could volunteer their time and services
with labour and expertise on some aspects of the physical and organization duties
required in a heritage conservation project. This saves money, which is extremely helpful,
since heritage funding is not the highest. Thirdly members can help spread the word of
the heritage arena program since word-of-mouth advertising is considered to be the best
form of marketing.
Since awareness and education is one of the primary goals of
conservation, having such individuals to assist in these goals can prove to be a strong asset
in the struggle for heritage conservation. Fans are the most important target audience to
reach since it is they who are the people who are visiting arenas, but are also those who
are more likely to appreciate and understand the significance of heritage arenas.
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Recommendation IV: Establishment of Criteria to Determine
Heritage Arena Status
What are the defining characteristics of an arena that would classify it as a heritage arena?
There are two initial characteristics that could be used to assess a potential heritage
arena, namely the age of the arena as well as its architectural significance. From these
two initial criteria, the deciding criteria that is of greatest importance to conservation is
the degree of authenticity of each arena's character-defining elements.
Architectural Significance
Age Value
Authenticity
These criteria however can be difficult to concretely define as their interpretation is
variable. For example, what exactly is architectural significance? What makes the design
of one arena more interesting or significant than another arena? Taste is subjective and
beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. For certain individuals, a certain arena may be of
interest for its design, whereas another may view the same arena as having no interest.
The second criteria to be discussed is that of the age value of an arena. How old should
an arena be in order for it to be deemed as a potential candidate for heritage arena status?
Interestingly enough, the Ontario Heritage Age does not define a minimum age for sites
to be considered for heritage designation.
To what degree of authenticity of an arena's character-defining elements should be
present in order for it to be deemed as historically authentic? Again, another criteria
which is problematic in order to create a concrete definition.
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Recommendation V: Development of a set of Best-Standards
Practices to provide sound, practical guidance to achieve good
conservation practice of Heritage Arenas
Every building consists of several character-defining elements which influence the
aesthetic composition of the overall picture. How to deal with these character-defining
elements within a conservation project is the most important question that needs to be
answered. The conservation of arenas poses an interesting situation, as it can be argued
that the inside of the building is more significant that the outside. Usually, when we look
at a building, we see just its facade, however with arenas the interior of the building is its
soul and is instrumental in shaping the spirit and atmosphere of the place.
Because of the importance that an arena's interior has in shaping its 'identity',
conservation efforts must not include an assessment of the arena's facade, but most
importantly, must include an assessment of the arena's interior character-defining
elements. After a careful analysis of the various elements that make up the entire arena,
the following character-defining elements were deemed as items that must be considered
in the conservation of arenas:
Exterior Facade
Exterior Lighting Fixtures
Seating
Character-Defining
Elements
Scoreboards
Interior Elements
(i.e. structure)
Advertisements
(yes or no)
Signage and Typefaces
Arena Name
(i.e original name vs.
corporate branding)
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The most important guideline in the conservation of hockey arenas is the concept of
minimal intervention. Minimal intervention is the practice to alter character-defining
elements as little as possible, and strives for making repairs as necessary and a regular
system of maintenance and care to preserve elements in their original form. Authenticity
of elements is important as these are the objects that constitute to the overall feeling of
the place and create historical value. Summing up, less intervention creates greater
historical value. When elements are replaced with unsuitable substitutions, the historical
value of the building is lost. As such, any replacements or additions should respect the
historical authenticity of the arena.
Specific examples of conservation measures when dealing with character-defining
elements will be highlighted using the Galt Arena Gardens in Cambridge, Ontario as a
point of reference. Built in 1922, the arena claims to be the oldest operational arena in
Canada. In 1997, the arena was renovated, with an end result of both good and bad
decisions in terms of retaining the arena's historical authenticity.
The restoration of the Galt Arena Gardens facade sets a very good benchmark for other
arenas to follow (see Image 8, p. 29). However, a further investigation of the strategy
undertaken to deal with other character-defining elements are examples that should NOT
be followed. For instance, the arena's original wooden seating was replaced with plastic
seats. Another poor decision was to replace the entrance doors with a substitute that
does not accurately reflect the original doors and the overall aesthetics of the arena's
original design. Similar decisions to reframe the box office and concessions booths with
aluminum framing, rather than repairing the original wooden framing have decreased the
arena's historical value and authenticity.
Photographic examples which compare the
original with the new will be shown on the following three pages.
101
Above: Galt Arena Gardens, original seating
Below: Galt Arena Gardens, replacement seating
102
Above: Galt Arena Gardens, original doors
Below: Galt Arena Gardens, replacement doors
103
Above: Budapest Kisstadion Ice Hockey Arena, ticket booth (example used for demonstrational purposes).
Below: Galt Arena Gardens, replacement ticket booth
104
General guidelines and recommendations for the conservation of certain characterdefining elements such as windows, brickwork, and structural systems have been defined
by Parks Canada (2003, p. 24-145) in their publication “Standards and Guidelines for the
Preservation of Historic Sites in Canada”.
The guidelines which relate to certain
character-defining elements in hockey arenas can be found in Appendix II of this paper.
Since one of the primary goals of conserving Canadian ice hockey arenas is their
continued use, a strategy to balance the needs of respecting each arena's historical
authenticity with the needs of today and tomorrow is of great importance. Moreover
questions of current safety, fire, and accessibility codes must be worked into the mix.
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Recommendation VI: Development and implementation of a
Management and Action Plan for the Conservation of Heritage
Arenas
Every business and organization requires business and management planning to ensure
the positive direction and goal achievement of each entity. The same is true for the
management of cultural heritage sites.
As such another recommendation is the
development and implementation of a Heritage Conservation Action Plan which lays
down policies and guidelines for dealing with the conservation of Heritage Arenas.
Within this plan a set of best-practice solutions must be identified and defined.
The “purpose of a management system is to ensure the effective protection of the
nominated property for present and future generations” and that “an effective
management system depends on the type, characteristics and needs of the nominated
property and its cultural and natural context.”
Paragraph 111 of the UNESCO
Operational Guidelines further defines that an effective management system should
include the following common elements:
a) a thorough shared understanding of the properties by all stakeholders;
b) a cycle of planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and feedback;
c) the involvement of partners and stakeholders;
d) the allocation of necessary resources;
e) capacity-building; and
f) an accountable, transparent description of how the management system functions.
The Parks Canada document ''Parks Canada Guide to Management Planning'' provides a
very detailed and straightforward explanation on how to develop an effective
management planning system for sites of cultural heritage. Of particular interest is their
Management Planning Cycle, which consists of seven elements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
"State of" Report
Scoping Document
Management Plan
Field Unit Business Plan
"Monitoring
Annual Implementation Reports
Internal Analysis
106
The management plan is just one part of the entire management planning cycle.
A
management plan alone is a useful document, however it alone cannot be truly effective
in ensuring the delivery of required results. The management plan must be included
within the Planning Cycle. The plan's position within the entire chain of the planning
cycle is graphically depicted below:
Internal
Analysis
Scoping Document
Management Plan
- Based on ''State of'' Report
- Identify issues/opportunities
- Propose management direction
- Present an integrated vision
- Identify key strategies and areas
- State objectives and actions to
achieve desired results
''State of'' Report
Monitor
- Assess condition and trends
for all indicators
- Assess effectiveness of
management actions
- condition of heritage resources,
visitor experience, public education
- results of management actions
Field Unit
Busines Plan
Annual Implementation
Reports
- Report on performance in
achieving desired results
The project planning cycle starts with the development of a vision statement that
portrays the future goals and desired state of the heritage site as well as encompassing all
of the elements of the mandate. The vision statement forms the basis for developing key
strategies that outline the direction for protection, public education, and visitor
experience, and so on. The vision statement helps communicate why a site of cultural
heritage is significant as well as defining the desired long-term state of a protected
heritage place. It is also acts as the foundation for management and planning teams to
address day-to-day management of the heritage site.
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Parks Canada defines an an affective vision statement as (2008, p. 42):
–
–
–
–
–
–
vivid and conveys the special character of the place
short (its length is a paragraph to a page)
passionate and inspirational, so that it can be easily embraced by staff, stakeholders
and the public
stated in terms of results for all mandate elements
broadly understood and supported by the local area residents and key stakeholders
clear and written in language that promotes understanding and ensures its longevity
Key strategies are an important tool within management planning as they translate the
underlying vision of the management plan into a concrete strategic direction as well as
developing a focus on management approaches needed to address issues for heritage
protection, visitor experience, and public education. During the stages of developing a
management plan, key strategies provide a framework for setting objectives, targets and
actions for cultural heritage sites.
Moreover, key strategies clarify the issues and
opportunities for heritage sites as well as establish clear statements that are results–based
and define the priorities to achieve results. Management plans that use key strategies that
are interrelated help ensure that actions for protection are mutually supportive, thereby
avoiding the understatement of values or in some cases conflicting values.
Monitoring is another crucial element of the management planning cycle and consists of
the two aspects of 'effectiveness' and 'conditions'. Effectiveness monitoring looks at
completed past actions and if these actions achieved the defined set of desired goals.
Condition monitoring looks to answer the question of the current state of a cultural
heritage site.
In the case of developing a management plan for Canadian Heritage
Arenas, obviously the first step would be the development of a system that defines
condition monitoring since the current state of the arenas must first be analyzed. Parks
Canada's approach to condition monitoring (2008, p. 24) is achieved through the “ongoing process of collecting and analyzing data on a suite of carefully selected monitoring
indicators in a rigorous and consistent manner, and comparing and reporting the results
to pre-identified management targets.” Such monitoring indicators would need to be
developed for the monitoring of Canadian heritage arenas, and could be based upon the
future development of best-practice standards and guidelines.
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Another element of Parks Canada's system of management cycle planning (2008, p. 55) is
the scoping document. The scoping document is used to define the scope and context of
planning programs within management plans and contains the following elements:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Planning context
Proposed vision elements
Significant issues and challenges
Anticipated management approach
Key strategies
Area approach
Consultation / public engagement
Financial considerations
Planning program schedule
Parks Canada also has a policy of reviewing their management plans each five years and
uses a decision tree (2008, p. 28) to determine which steps should be undertaken
depending upon their review.
Internal Analysis
Five-Year Review
Scoping Document
Reccomends that plan
remains in force
Recommends ammendments
Recommends new plan
No amendments tabled
Amendments approved
by Minister and tabled
New plan approved by
Minister and tabled
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Parks Canada's 'Principles of Management Planning' (2008, p. 10-11) are also a cornerstone
of the realization of proper management planning. These principles include:
Integration — Management planning focuses on an integrated delivery of the Parks
Canada mandate
Results-based — Management plans provide a vision for protected heritage places,
articulate that vision through strategic objectives, set out actions to achieve that vision and
provide a basis for monitoring and reporting on progress.
Engagement — The management planning process recognizes the role and value of
partners, constituents and stakeholders, and engages them in a way that responds to their
needs and expectations.
Fiscal responsibility — Management plans are developed and implemented in a
manner that is fiscally responsible and builds on realistic expectations for implementation
within the expected financial resources of the field unit.
Clarity and brevity — Management plans and all ancillary public documents are
written in clear, concise and plain language.
Timeliness — Everyone involved in the management planning process has a role to play
in ensuring that plans are developed, reviewed and implemented in a timely and effective
manner.
The previously demonstrated elements of Parks Canada's Management Planning Cycle
can be utilized as a model in the development of a management and action plan for
Canadian Heritage Arenas. One of the key advantages of the planning cycle is that it is a
cycle, rather than a stand-alone system that stops after one document is created,
specifically the management plan itself. A planning cycle ensures that sites of cultural
heritage significance are continuously monitored and reviewed to ensure that desired
goals are being completed and achieved and moreover to assess any new threats or
opportunities that may arise over the course of a five-year period.
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Recommendation VII: Awareness, Education, and Promotion Plan
Another recommendation for the conservation of Canadian heritage arenas is the
creation of an awareness, education, and promotion plan.
This recommendation builds
upon the ideas and goals identified within Section 3.2 (Increasing the Awareness of
Architectural Conservation in Canada) by introducing the actions that can be undertaken
to increase awareness of Canadian Heritage Arenas as well as public education through
promotional measures.
Although the proposed promotion measures have been
formulated to directly increase awareness and public education of heritage arenas, these
measures have a secondary and indirect on increasing awareness of the general idea of
heritage conservation.
Recommendation II of this chapter suggests the creation of a network of heritage arenas
to facilitate the exchange of know-how and solutions between arenas. Such a network is
also beneficial for awareness-raising as arenas belonging to the network achieve status
through their classification as a heritage arena. This status can be displayed through a
sign or marking at each designated arena.
In this sense, a logo designating heritage
arenas should be developed. This will not only promote the arena as a heritage arena,
but would also indirectly promote the concept of heritage arena conservation.
Each year the Canadian public television broadcaster holds a competition called
“Hockeyville”. The Hockeyville competition is done in conjunction with the annual
'Hockey Day in Canada' celebrations, which have established themselves to be a day of
togetherness and celebration during the long and harsh Canadian winters. Residents of
communities across Canada submit their town to be entered into the competition. From
the entries a short-list of finalists is created, which is then voted upon by the general
public.
The winning community receives the honour of being dubbed Hockeyville
during the annual Hockey Day in Canada celebrations and for one day the community is
at the centre of national attention. A similar competition to select Canada's best heritage
arena could be developed, thereby raising awareness of the concept of heritage arenas.
111
Many people in Canada are avid collectors of hockey cards, similar to the worldwide
phenomenon of sticker albums for football. Using this niche of the society, a set of
hockey cards which depict the various heritage arenas in Canada could be developed.
Such a set of cards could be distributed at hockey games or even could be included in the
regular set of yearly hockey cards that collectors so love. The front side of each card
would show a photo of a heritage arena and the reverse side would have information
about the arena itself. Further information on each card could direct people to a website
that is specifically built to showcase the heritage arena movement.
A website showcasing heritage arenas should also be built which not only outlines the
importance of conserving heritage arenas, but could also be utilized as a springboard to
increase awareness of heritage conservation in general. Not only does such a website for
arenas not exist, a book about Canadian arenas in general does not exist. This in itself is
truly shocking as in Canada one can find literally hundreds of books about the sport of
ice hockey. Such a book would not only be a top-seller, it would also promote
conservation and heritage arenas, much like the other promotion measures.
An exhibition dedicated to Canadian arenas to be held at either a museum or at the
Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto would act as a further promotional tool for increasing
awareness and public education. A reality more shocking than the lack of any books or
written material dealing with Canadian arenas is that such an exhibition has not yet been
done, especially by the Hockey Hall of Fame. Stories about individual players and teams
are plentiful, but little to no attention is paid to the actual location of where legends are
made.
The realization of the aforementioned promotional methods would drastically increase
public awareness and education of not only heritage arenas, but heritage conservation in
general through exciting and non-conventional methods that would captivate the
attention of the Canadian people.
112
Recommendation VIII: Creation of a Heritage Arena Protection
Act
The creation of a Heritage Arena Protection Act to be passed by the Canadian Parliament
is an absolute must in the goal of conserving Canadian heritage arenas. Two similar
federal acts to designate and preserve historically significant symbols of Canada currently
exist, the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act, which was passed in 1998, and the
Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act, officially known as Bill S-125, was passed in 2008.
Bill S-125 is a federal act to designate and preserve Canadian lighthouses that are deemed
to be historically significant.
Designated heritage lighthouses will require public
consultation before any alterations or proposed demolitions. Moreover the Bill requires
designated lighthouses to be maintained in accordance to national and international
standards of heritage conservations. Criteria to designate heritage lighthouses was the
task of the Minister responsible for the Parks Canada agency. The minister was also
responsible for establishing an advisory committee to assist in the evaluation of candidate
sites. Individual lighthouses could also be nominated by the public if a petition signed by
25 Canadian citizens was presented.
The 'Heritage Arena Protection Act' should follow the currently existing Heritage
Railway Stations Protection Act and Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act in terms of
structure, ruling, and procedures.
113
6.0 Conclusion
Despite the enormous cultural significance that sport plays within the realm of culture,
the current focus towards the heritage of sport is shockingly non-existent.
Up to now,
very little has been done in the analysis of sporting places as an object of cultural
significance and moreover recognizing sporting places in terms of their aesthetic beauty
and architectural significance. Furthermore, approaches to conserving sports stadiums
and arenas are far and few between. This fact holds true on all levels, be it international,
national, or local. This paper aims to reverse this trend and get the ball rolling on the
conservation of sporting places, specifically the conservation of Canadian ice hockey
arenas, an area up until now, had not been addressed in any shape or form.
In Canada, despite the far-reaching popularity of ice hockey as well as the role it plays in
shaping Canadian identity and culture, the attention given towards preserving the places
where the sport itself takes place is next to nil. Too large of an amount of heritage ice
hockey arenas in Canada are currently threatened by demolition, abandonment, or
alterations that destroy each building's character-defining elements. The current pattern
of irreplaceable loss must be stopped at once—too many of Canada's cultural icons have
been destroyed, leaving behind only faint memories of what once existed.
The end goal of saving these arenas from irreplaceable lost is the main purpose of this
study. A primary reason for these irreplaceable losses stems from the non-existence of
any overarching heritage policies and practices for the conservation of Canadian hockey
arenas. The research and recommendations conducted in this study is an attempt to solve
this problem, by laying down a conservation strategy with the overall goal to conserve
these elements of Canadian life, culture, and identity for future generations. As a matter
of fact, this study represents the first systematic attempt in the analysis of Canadian
hockey arenas as an object of cultural value and furthermore, this study is also the first
that looks at these arenas as an object of aesthetic beauty and outlines a strategy to ensure
their proper conservation and continued use for current and future generations.
114
After a careful and thoughtful analysis of the current state of heritage arenas in Canada
and what exactly must be done to best conserve them, eight recommendations were
developed to best address all issues surrounding arena conservation and how to best
implement a working and viable strategy that ensures their continued survival.
Currently existing problems were looked at and answers to solve these problems were
developed.
These recommendations set in place a strategy to address organizational
aspects such as developing networks, management, and promotion as well as the aesthetic
considerations that must be taken into account when conserving heritage arenas.
The aim of these recommendations is to act as a catalyst for further action and to draft a
blueprint for an overall concept and strategy for heritage arena conservation and include
the:
1. Formation of a “Heritage Arena Conservation Network”
2. Creation of a 'Network of Heritage Arenas'
3. Initiation of a 'Friends of Heritage Arenas' foundation
4. Definition of 'Criteria for Heritage Arena Status'
5. Establishment of 'Best-Standards and Practices Guidelines'
6. Execution of a 'Management and Action Plan'
7. Implementation of an 'Awareness, Education, and Promotion Plan'
8. Passing of a 'Heritage Arena Protection Act'
The realization and implementation of these recommendations is absolutely necessary to
achieve the desired outcome of best-quality arena conservation, in terms of aesthetics,
organization, management, as well as promotion and awareness raising. It is hoped that
by engaging various parties and expertise together, dialogue is created to thereby reach a
common consensus that is mutually beneficial for all involved parties, particularly in
balancing the need for preserving the past with the requirements of today and tomorrow.
This work not only represents the initiation of studies within conservation of arenas, but
also on a far greater scale, opens the door to further scholastic research on sporting places
in general.
115
On an international level, this work also represents one of the first major attempts to
define and develop approaches for the conservation of sport stadiums. Surprisingly, very
little work has been conducted on not only examining the cultural significance of sport,
but in terms of architectural conservation, systematic attempts at developing guidelines
and strategies for dealing with the conservation of sporting places are next to nonexistent.
It is hoped that this study will lead to the development of other sporting
stadium specific studies such as baseball stadiums in the United States or football
stadiums in Germany.
It is the initiation of a new thematic approach which makes this
study significant, not just within Canada, but also on an international scale.
This paper did not just develop a working strategy that addresses the best-practice
approaches and implementation plans to conserve Canadian ice hockey arenas, this study
also deeply investigated questions of Canadian identity and culture.
Specifically the
cultural significance of Canadian ice hockey arenas is demonstrated and explained within
this academic paper, primarily within the context of how ice hockey is a defining image
within Canadian identity.
The question of Canadian identity has been a very difficult question to answer by cultural
theorists and to date has not yet been fully defined. Canada, as a young, large, and
diverse country, has struggled to exactly define what is Canadian. Within this paper, the
hypothesis of the notion of community has been suggested as a cornerstone that defines
Canadian identity, which in itself represents a major breakthrough in answering the
question of what composes Canadian culture. The symbolic relationship between hockey
arenas and the notion of community make their conservation an major priority in
conserving an aspect of Canadian culture.
Far too many of Canada's historical buildings have been forever lost, and this pattern
must immediately stop. As guardians of the past and the future, failure to conserve our
heritage is not just a spit in the face of those who built Canada, but more importantly is
not the legacy that we should leave to those who will inherit Canada. The decision is in
our hands to shape the past, present, and future.
116
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Cuthbert, Chris, 1997. The Rink: Stories from Hockey's Small Towns. Toronto: Penguin
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Dryden, Ken, 1989. Home Game: Hockey and Life in Canada. Toronto: McClelland and
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ICOMOS Australia, 2000. The Burra Charter – The Australia ICOMOS Charter for
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Governments. Toronto: ICURR.
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The Burra Charter (Charter for Places of Cultural
Significance)
The Burra Charter provides guidance for the conservation and management of places of
cultural significance (cultural heritage places), and is based on the knowledge and
experience of Australia ICOMOS members.
The Charter sets a standard of practice for those who provide advice, make decisions
about, or undertake works to places of cultural significance, including owners, managers
and custodians.
The Charter can be applied to all types of places of cultural significance including
natural, indigenous and historic places with cultural values.
The Burra Charter advocates a cautious approach to change: do as much as necessary to
care for the place and to make it usable, but otherwise change it as little as possible so
that its cultural significance is retained.
Article 1. Definitions
For the purposes of this Charter:
1.1
Place means site, area, land, landscape, building or other work, group of buildings
or other works, and may include components, contents, spaces and views.
1.2
Cultural significance means aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value
for past, present or future generations.
Cultural significance is embodied in the place itself, its fabric, setting, use,
associations, meanings, records, related places and related objects.
Places may have a range of values for different individuals or groups.
1.3
Fabric means all the physical material of the place including components, fixtures,
contents, and objects.
1.4
Conservation means all the processes of looking after a place so as to retain its
cultural significance.
1.5
Maintenance means the continuous protective care of the fabric and setting of a
place, and is to be distinguished from repair. Repair involves restoration or
reconstruction.
122
1.6
Preservation means maintaining the fabric of a place in its existing state and
retarding deterioration.
1.7
Restoration means returning the existing fabric of a place to a known earlier state
by removing accretions or by reassembling existing components without the
introduction of new material.
1.8
Reconstruction means returning a place to a known earlier state and is
distinguished from restoration by the introduction of new material into the fabric.
1.9
Adaptation means modifying a place to suit the existing use or a proposed use.
1.10
Use means the functions of a place, as well as the activities and practices that may
occur at the place.
1.11
Compatible use means a use which respects the cultural significance of a place.
Such a use involves no, or minimal, impact on cultural significance.
1.12
Setting means the area around a place, which may include the visual catchment.
1.13
Related place means a place that contributes to the cultural significance of another
place.
1.14
Related object means an object that contributes to the cultural significance of a
place but is not at the place.
1.15
Associations mean the special connections that exist between people and a place.
1.16
Meanings denote what a place signifies, indicates, evokes or expresses.
1.17
Interpretation means all the ways of presenting the cultural significance of a place.
Conservation Principles
Article 2. Conservation and management
2.1
Places of cultural significance should be conserved.
2.2
The aim of conservation is to retain the cultural significance of a place.
2.3
Conservation is an integral part of good management of places of cultural
significance.
123
2.4
Places of cultural significance should be safeguarded and not put at risk or left in a
vulnerable state.
Article 3. Cautious approach
3.1
Conservation is based on a respect for the existing fabric, use, associations and
meanings. It requires a cautious approach of changing as much as necessary but as
little as possible.
3.2
Changes to a place should not distort the physical or other evidence it provides,
nor be based on conjecture.
Article 4. Knowledge, skills and techniques
4.1
Conservation should make use of all the knowledge, skills and disciplines which
can contribute to the study and care of the place.
4.2
Traditional techniques and materials are preferred for the conservation of
significant fabric. In some circumstances modern techniques and materials which
offer substantial conservation benefits may be appropriate.
Article 5. Values
5.1
Conservation of a place should identify and take into consideration all aspects of
cultural and natural significance without unwarranted emphasis on any one value
at the expense of others.
5.2
Relative degrees of cultural significance may lead to different conservation actions
at a place.
Article 6. Burra Charter process
6.1
The cultural significance of a place and other issues affecting its future are best
understood by a sequence of collecting and analysing information before making
decisions. Understanding cultural significance comes first, then development of
policy and finally management of the place in accordance with the policy.
6.2
The policy for managing a place must be based on an understanding of its cultural
significance.
6.3
Policy development should also include consideration of other factors affecting the
124
future of a place such as the owner’s needs, resources, external constraints and its
physical condition.
Article 7. Use
7.1
Where the use of a place is of cultural significance it should be retained.
7.2
A place should have a compatible use.
Article 8. Setting
Conservation requires the retention of an appropriate visual setting and other
relationships that contribute to the cultural significance of the place.
New construction, demolition, intrusions or other changes which would adversely
affect the setting or relationships are not appropriate.
Article 9. Location
9.1
The physical location of a place is part of its cultural significance. A building,
work or other component of a place should remain in its historical location.
Relocation is generally unacceptable unless this is the sole practical means of
ensuring its survival.
9.2
Some buildings, works or other components of places were designed to be readily
removable or already have a history of relocation. Provided such buildings, works
or other components do not have significant links with their present location,
removal may be appropriate.
9.3
If any building, work or other component is moved, it should be moved to an
appropriate location and given an appropriate use. Such action should not be to
the detriment of any place of cultural significance.
Article 10. Contents
Contents, fixtures and objects which contribute to the cultural significance of a
place should be retained at that place. Their removal is unacceptable unless it is:
the sole means of ensuring their security and preservation; on a temporary basis
for treatment or exhibition; for cultural reasons; for health and safety; or to
protect the place. Such contents, fixtures and objects should be returned where
circumstances permit and it is culturally appropriate.
125
Article 11. Related places and objects
The contribution which related places and related objects make to the cultural
significance of the place should be retained.
Article 12. Participation
Conservation, interpretation and management of a place should provide for the
participation of people for whom the place has special associations and meanings,
or who have social, spiritual or other cultural responsibilities for the place.
Article 13. Co-existence of cultural values
Co-existence of cultural values should be recognised, respected and encouraged,
especially in cases where they conflict.
Conservation Processes
Article 14. Conservation processes
Conservation may, according to circumstance, include the processes of: retention
or reintroduction of a use; retention of associations and meanings; maintenance,
preservation, restoration, reconstruction, adaptation and interpretation; and will
commonly include a combination of more than one of these.
Article 15. Change
15.1
Change may be necessary to retain cultural significance, but is undesirable where it
reduces cultural significance. The amount of change to a place should be guided by
the cultural significance of the place and its appropriate interpretation.
15.2
Changes which reduce cultural significance should be reversible, and be reversed
when circumstances permit.
15.3
Demolition of significant fabric of a place is generally not acceptable. However, in
some cases minor demolition may be appropriate as part of conservation.
Removed significant fabric should be reinstated when circumstances permit.
126
15.4
The contributions of all aspects of cultural significance of a place should be
respected. If a place includes fabric, uses, associations or meanings of different
periods, or different aspects of cultural significance, emphasising or interpreting
one period or aspect at the expense of another can only be justified when what is
left out, removed or diminished is of slight cultural significance and that which is
emphasised or interpreted is of much greater cultural significance.
Article 16. Maintenance
Maintenance is fundamental to conservation and should be undertaken where
fabric is of cultural significance and its maintenance is necessary to retain that
cultural significance.
Article 17. Preservation
Preservation is appropriate where the existing fabric or its condition constitutes
evidence of cultural significance, or where insufficient evidence is available to
allow other conservation processes to be carried out.
Article 18. Restoration and reconstruction
Restoration and reconstruction should reveal culturally significant aspects of the
place.
Article 19. Restoration
Restoration is appropriate only if there is sufficient evidence of an earlier state of
the fabric.
Article 20. Reconstruction
20.1
Reconstruction is appropriate only where a place is incomplete through damage or
alteration, and only where there is sufficient evidence to reproduce an earlier state
of the fabric. In rare cases, reconstruction may also be appropriate as part of a use
or practice that retains the cultural significance of the place.
20.2
Reconstruction should be identifiable on close inspection or through additional
interpretation.
127
Article 21. Adaptation
21.1
Adaptation is acceptable only where the adaptation has minimal impact on the
cultural significance of the place.
21.2
Adaptation should involve minimal change to significant fabric, achieved only
after considering alternatives.
Article 22. New work
22.1
New work such as additions to the place may be acceptable where it does not
distort or obscure the cultural significance of the place, or detract from its
interpretation and appreciation.
22.2
New work should be readily identifiable as such.
Article 23. Conserving use
Continuing, modifying or reinstating a significant use may be appropriate and
preferred forms of conservation.
Article 24. Retaining associations and meanings
24.1
Significant associations between people and a place should be respected, retained
and not obscured. Opportunities for the interpretation, commemoration and
celebration of these associations should be investigated and implemented.
24.2
Significant meanings, including spiritual values, of a place should be respected.
Opportunities for the continuation or revival of these meanings should be
investigated and implemented.
Article 25. Interpretation
The cultural significance of many places is not readily apparent, and should be
explained by interpretation. Interpretation should enhance understanding and
enjoyment, and be culturally appropriate.
128
Conservation Practice
Article 26. Applying the Burra Charter process
26.1
Work on a place should be preceded by studies to understand the place which
should include analysis of physical, documentary, oral and other evidence, drawing
on appropriate knowledge, skills and disciplines.
26.2
Written statements of cultural significance and policy for the place should be
prepared, justified and accompanied by supporting evidence. The statements of
significance and policy should be incorporated into a management plan for the
place.
26.3
Groups and individuals with associations with a place as well as those involved in
its management should be provided with opportunities to contribute to and
participate in understanding the cultural significance of the place. Where
appropriate they should also have opportunities to participate in its conservation
and management.
Article 27. Managing change
27.1
The impact of proposed changes on the cultural significance of a place should be
analysed with reference to the statement of significance and the policy for
managing the place. It may be necessary to modify proposed changes following
analysis to better retain cultural significance.
27.2
Existing fabric, use, associations and meanings should be adequately recorded
before any changes are made to the place.
Article 28. Disturbance of fabric
28.1
Disturbance of significant fabric for study, or to obtain evidence, should be
minimised. Study of a place by any disturbance of the fabric, including
archaeological excavation, should only be undertaken to provide data essential for
decisions on the conservation of the place, or to obtain important evidence about
to be lost or made inaccessible.
28.2
Investigation of a place which requires disturbance of the fabric, apart from that
necessary to make decisions, may be appropriate provided that it is consistent with
the policy for the place. Such investigation should be based on important research
questions which have potential to substantially add to knowledge, which cannot be
129
answered in other ways and which minimises disturbance of significant fabric.
Article 29. Responsibility for decisions
The organisations and individuals responsible for management decisions should be
named and specific responsibility taken for each such decision.
Article 30. Direction, supervision and implementation
Competent direction and supervision should be maintained at all stages, and any
changes should be implemented by people with appropriate knowledge and skills.
Article 31. Documenting evidence and decisions
A log of new evidence and additional decisions should be kept.
Article 32. Records
32.1
The records associated with the conservation of a place should be placed in a
permanent archive and made publicly available, subject to requirements of security
and privacy, and where this is culturally appropriate.
32.2
Records about the history of a place should be protected and made publicly
available, subject to requirements of security and privacy, and where this is
culturally appropriate.
Article 33. Removed fabric
Significant fabric which has been removed from a place including contents, fixtures
and objects, should be catalogued, and protected in accordance with its cultural
significance.
Where possible and culturally appropriate, removed significant fabric including
contents, fixtures and objects, should be kept at the place.
Article 34. Resources
Adequate resources should be provided for conservation.
130
Standards & Guidelines - Exterior Wood 1
Recommended
Not Recommended
Preserving exterior wood features — such as
siding, corner boards, brackets, columns,
window and door surrounds or architraves,
cornices, pediments and balustrades; and their
paints, finishes and colours — that are
important in defining the overall heritage value
of the building.
Removing or radically changing exterior wood
elements that are important in defining the
overall heritage value of the building.
Documenting the form, type and colour of
coatings such as paint; and the condition of
exterior wood features prior to beginning
project work.
Undertaking project work that will have an
impact on character- defining exterior wood
elements without first documenting their
existing character and condition.
Inspecting painted exterior wood surfaces to
determine whether repainting is necessary or if
cleaning is all that is required.
Removing paint that is firmly adhering to and
thus protecting exterior wood surfaces.
Removing damaged or deteriorated paint to the
next sound layer using the gentlest method
possible (scraping and sanding by hand), then
repainting in kind.
Using destructive paint removal methods such
as propane or butane torches, sandblasting or
water-blasting. These methods can irreversibly
damage
exterior
woodwork
or
cause
catastrophic fires.
Retaining sound exterior wood or deteriorated
exterior wood that can be repaired.
Replacing wood elements that can be repaired.
Replacing in kind extensively deteriorated or
missing parts of exterior wood elements where
there are surviving prototypes. The new work
should match the old in form and detailing.
Using replacement material that does not match
the historic wood element.
Repairing, stabilizing and conserving fragile
wood from the restoration period using welltested consolidants, when appropriate. Repairs
should be physically and visually compatible
and identifiable upon close inspection for future
research.
Removing wood from the restoration period
that could be stabilized and conserved; or using
untested consolidants and untrained personnel,
thus causing further damage to fragile historic
materials.
1 Parks Canada, 2003, p. 78-83.
131
Standards & Guidelines - Exterior Masonry 2
Recommended
Not Recommended
Preserving masonry elements such as walls,
brackets, railings, steps, columns, window and
door surrounds or architraves, cornices,
pediments, balustrades; and details such as
jointing, tooling and bonding patterns, coatings
and colour that are important in defining the
overall heritage value of the building.
Removing or radically changing masonry
elements that are important in defining the
overall heritage value of the building.
Cleaning
masonry
using
recognized
preservation methods and only when necessary
to halt deterioration or remove heavy soiling or
graffiti.
Cleaning masonry surfaces when they are not
heavily soiled in order to create a new
appearance,
thus
needlessly
introducing
chemicals or moisture into the materials .
Cleaning masonry surfaces using the gentlest
method possible, such as low-pressure water
and detergents, using natural bristle brushes.
Blasting brick or stone surfaces using dry or wet
grit sand or other abrasives that permanently
erode the surface of the material and accelerate
deterioration.
Retaining
sound
exterior
masonry
or
deteriorated exterior masonry that can be
repaired.
Replacing or rebuilding masonry that can be
repaired.
Replacing in kind extensively deteriorated or
missing parts of masonry elements where there
are surviving prototypes. The new work should
match the old in form and detailing.
Replacing an entire masonry element such as a
column
when
limited
replacement
of
deteriorated and missing components is
appropriate.
Repairing masonry walls and other masonry
elements by repointing the mortar joints where
there is evidence of deterioration such as
disintegrating mortar, cracks in mortar joints,
loose bricks, damp walls or damaged plaster
work.
Removing non-deteriorated or acceptable
mortar from sound joints, then repointing the
entire building to achieve a uniform
appearance.
Repairing stucco by removing the damaged
material and patching with new stucco that
duplicates the old in strength, composition,
colour, porosity and texture.
Removing sound stucco or repairing with new
stucco that is stronger than the characterdefining material or does not convey the same
appearance.
2 Parks Canada, 2003, p. 84-91.
132
Standards & Guidelines - Architectural Metals 3
Recommended
Not Recommended
Preserving architectural metal elements — such
as cladding, columns, capitals, brackets, window
hoods, cornices, balustrades or stairways; and
their finishes and colours — that are important
in defining the overall heritage value of the
building.
Removing or radically changing architectural
metal elements that are important in defining
the overall heritage value of the building.
Using the gentlest cleaning methods for cast
iron, wrought iron and steel — hard metals —
in order to remove excessive paint build-up and
corrosion. If hand scraping and wire brushing
prove ineffective, low-pressure grit blasting may
be used as long as it does not abrade or damage
the surface.
Removing the character-defining patina of
metal. The patina may be a protective coating
on some metals, such as bronze or copper, as
well as a significant character-defining finish.
Applying an appropriate protective coating
such as lacquer or wax to an architectural metal
element such as a bronze door that is subject to
heavy pedestrian use.
Failing to assess pedestrian use or new access
patterns so that architectural metal elements are
subject to damage by use or inappropriate
maintenance such as salting adjacent sidewalks.
Re-applying appropriate paint or other coating
systems after cleaning in order to decrease the
corrosion rate of metals or alloys.
Failing to re-apply protective coating systems to
metals or alloys that require them after cleaning
so that accelerated corrosion occurs.
Retaining sound architectural metal elements or
deteriorated architectural metal elements that
can be repaired.
Replacing architectural metal elements that can
be repaired.
Repairing
and
stabilizing
deteriorated
architectural metal elements by structural
reinforcement, weather protection or correcting
unsafe conditions, as required, until any
additional work is undertaken. Repairs should
be physically and visually compatible.
Removing deteriorated architectural metal
elements that could be stabilized, repaired and
conserved; or using untested consolidants and
untrained personnel, thus causing further
damage to fragile elements.
Replacing in kind an entire architectural metal
feature from the restoration period that is too
deteriorated to repair — if the overall form and
detailing are still evident — using the physical
evidence as a model to reproduce the feature.
Examples could include cast iron porch steps or
roof cresting. The new work should be
unobtrusively dated to guide future treatment.
Removing an architectural metal feature from
the restoration period that is irreparable and
not replacing it.
3 Parks Canada, 2003, p. 92-96.
133
Standards & Guidelines - Roofs 4
Recommended
Not Recommended
Preserving roofs — and their functional and
decorative elements — that are important in
defining the overall heritage value of the
building.
Damaging or destroying roofs that are
important in defining the overall heritage value
of the building so that, as a result, the heritage
value is diminished.
Retaining sound roofs or roof elements, or
deteriorated roofs or roof elements that can be
repaired.
Stripping the roof of sound character-defining
material such as slate, clay tile, wood and
architectural metal.
Replacing in kind extensively deteriorated or
missing parts of roofs where there are surviving
prototypes. The new work should match the
existing elements in form and detailing.
Using replacement material that does not match
the historic roof or roof element.
Repairing a roof by reinforcing the characterdefining materials that comprise roof elements.
Repairs will also generally include the limited
replacement in kind — or with a compatible
substitute material — of those extensively
deteriorated or missing parts of elements when
there are surviving prototypes such as cupola
louvers, dentils, dormer roofing; or slates, tiles
or wood shingles on a main roof.
Using a substitute material for the replacement
part that neither conveys the appearance of the
surviving parts of the roof, nor is physically or
chemically compatible.
Replacing in kind an entire element of the roof
that is too deteriorated to repair — if the
overall form and detailing are still evident —
using the physical evidence as a model to
reproduce the element. Examples can include a
large section of roofing or a dormer or
chimney. If using the same kind of material is
not technically or economically feasible, then a
compatible substitute material may be
considered.
Removing an element of the roof that is
irreparable, such as a chimney or dormer and
not replacing it; or replacing it with a new
element that does not convey the same
appearance
Repairing a roof from the restoration period by
reinforcing the materials that comprise roof
features. Repairs will also generally include the
limited replacement — preferably in kind — of
those extensively deteriorated or missing parts
of features when there are surviving prototypes.
The new work should be unobtrusively dated to
guide future research and treatment.
Replacing an entire roof feature from the
restoration period such as a cupola or dormer
when the repair of materials and limited
replacement of deteriorated or missing parts are
appropriate.
4 Parks Canada, 2003, p. 97-101.
134
Standards & Guidelines - Windows 5
Recommended
Not Recommended
Preserving windows and their functional and
decorative components — such as frames,
sashes,
muntins,
glazing,
sills,
heads,
hoodmoulds, panelled or decorated jambs and
mouldings, interior and exterior shutters and
blinds — that are important in defining the
overall heritage value of the building.
Changing the character-defining appearance of
windows through the use of inappropriate
designs, materials, finishes or colours that
noticeably change the sash, depth of reveal and
muntin configuration; the reflectivity and
colour of the glazing; or the appearance of the
frame.
Retaining sound windows and window elements
or deteriorated windows and window elements
that can be repaired.
Replacing windows that can be repaired.
Peeling paint, broken glass, stuck sashes or high
air infiltration are NOT, in themselves,
indications that windows are beyond repair.
Repairing window frames and sashes by
patching, splicing, consolidating or otherwise
reinforcing. Such repair may also include
replacement in kind — or with a compatible
substitute material — of those parts that are
either extensively deteriorated or are missing,
when there are surviving prototypes such as
architraves, hoodmolds, sashes, sills and interior
or exterior shutters and blinds.
Using substitute material for the replacement
part, that neither conveys the same appearance
as the surviving parts of the window, nor is
physically or chemically compatible.
Replacing in kind an entire window that is too
deteriorated to repair using the same sash and
pane configuration and other design details. If
using the same kind of material is not
technically or economically feasible when
replacing windows deteriorated beyond repair,
then a compatible substitute material may be
considered.
Removing a character-defining window that is
irreparable and blocking it in; or replacing it
with a new window that does not convey the
same appearance.
Designing and installing new windows when
the historic windows (frames, sashes and
glazing) are completely missing. It may be a
new design that is compatible with the style, era
and character of the historic place; or a replica
based on physical and documentary evidence.
Introducing a new design that is inconsistent
with the style, era and overall historic character
of the building .
5 Parks Canada, 2003, p. 102-106.
135
Interior Spaces, Features and Finishes 6
Recommended
Not Recommended
Preserving circulation patterns or interior
spaces — such as lobbies, reception halls,
entrance halls, double parlours, theatres,
auditoriums and industrial or commercial
spaces — that are important in defining the
overall heritage value of the building.
Removing or radically changing masonry
elements that are important in defining the
overall heritage value of the building.
Preserving interior features and finishes that are
important in defining the character of the
building,
including
columns,
cornices,
baseboards, fireplaces and mantels, panelling,
light fixtures, hardware and flooring; wall
paper, plaster, paint and finishes such as
stencilling, marbling and graining; and other
character-defining decorative materials that
accent interior features and provide colour,
texture and patterning to walls, floors and
ceilings.
Removing or radically changing features and
finishes that are important in defining the
overall character of the building.
Replacing in kind extensively deteriorated or
missing parts of interior features and finishes
where there are surviving prototypes. The new
work should match the old in form and
detailing.
Replacing an entire interior feature or finish
when limited replacement of deteriorated and
missing components is appropriate.
Designing and installing a new interior feature
or finish if the historic feature or finish is
completely missing. This could include missing
partitions, stairs, elevators, lighting fixtures and
wall coverings; or even entire rooms if all
historic spaces, features and finishes are missing
or have been destroyed by inappropriate
“renovations.” It may be a new design that is
compatible with the character of the historic
place; or a replica based on physical and
documentary evidence.
Introducing a new interior feature or finish that
is incompatible with the scale, design, materials,
colour and texture of the surviving interior
features and finishes.
Repairing interior features and finishes by
reinforcing the character-defining materials.
Repair will also generally include the limited
replacement in kind or with a compatible
substitute material.
Replacing an entire interior feature such as a
staircase, panelled wall, parquet floor or
cornice; or finish such as a decorative wall
covering or ceiling, when repair of materials
and limited replacement of such parts is
feasible.
6 Parks Canada, 2003, p. 118-124.
136
Standards & Guidelines - Structural Systems 7
Recommended
Not Recommended
Preserving structural systems and individual
features of systems — such as load-bearing
wood, brick, or stone walls, trusses, post-andbeam systems, summer beams, cast iron
columns or above-grade stone foundation walls
— that are important in defining the overall
heritage value of the building.
Removing, covering or radically changing
visible features of structural systems that are
important in defining the overall heritage value
of the building.
Retaining sound structural systems or
deteriorated structural systems that can be
repaired.
Replacing or rebuilding structural systems that
can be repaired; e.g., demolishing a loadbearing masonry wall that could be augmented
and retained and replacing it with a new wall,
using the masonry only as an exterior veneer.
Repairing deteriorated structural systems in
such a way that repairs are physically and
visually compatible.
Removing deteriorated structural system
elements that could be stabilized, repaired and
conserved; or using untested consolidants and
untrained personnel, thus causing further
damage to fragile elements.
Repairing the structural system by augmenting
or upgrading individual parts or features. For
example, weakened structural members such as
floor framing can be paired with a new
member, braced or otherwise supplemented and
reinforced.
Upgrading the building structurally in a
manner that diminishes the character of the
exterior (such as installing strapping or
channels, or removing a decorative cornice) or
that damages interior features or spaces.
Replacing in kind — or with a substitute
material — those portions or features of the
structural system that are either extensively
deteriorated or are missing when there are
surviving prototypes such as cast iron columns,
roof rafters or trusses, or sections of loadbearing walls. Substitute material should convey
the same form, design and overall appearance as
the character-defining element; and at least be
equal to its load-bearing capabilities.
Installing a visible replacement feature that
does not convey the same appearance, e.g.,
replacing an exposed wooden beam with a steel
beam.
7 Parks Canada, 2003, p. 125-129.
137
Ontario Heritage Conservation Legislation and Procedures
The following section will provide a detailed explanation of the existing framework of
cultural heritage preservation legislation and procedures in Canada at the municipal,
provincial, and federal levels as well as those programs on the international level. Since
laws and regulations differ across Canada, the Province of Ontario will be used as a
guideline when examining cultural heritage preservation at the municipal and provincial
level.
The primary rationale behind this decision is that the Province of Ontario is
Canada's most populous province, home to more than one-third of Canada's inhabitants.
Moreover, the majority of arenas analyzed within this study are located within the
Province of Ontario.
Since the primary goal of this paper is to develop a practical
framework for the preservation of Canadian arenas to be used by local communities, a
multi-provincial analysis of the existing heritage conservation framework within each
province is too large of a focus. Although the laws and regulations of cultural heritage
preservation differ from province to province, it can be assumed that the general
objectives are relatively similar.
The following information is directly taken
from the Ontario Heritage Toolkit report titled ''Designating Heritage
Properties in Ontario.''
138
The Ontario Heritage Act
The Ontario Heritage Act provides a framework for the conservation of properties and
geographic features or areas that are valued for the important contribution they make to
our understanding and appreciation of the history of a place, an event or people. These
properties and features or areas contain built heritage resources, cultural heritage
landscapes, heritage conservation districts, archaeological resources and/or areas of
archaeological potential that have cultural heritage value or interest. These are the
cultural heritage properties that are important in our everyday lives, give us a sense of
place, and help guide planning in our communities.
The conservation of cultural heritage properties encompasses a range of activities
directed at identification, evaluation, conservation and celebration. Properties can be
protected for the long term under the Ontario Heritage Act through municipal
designation bylaws and heritage conservation easement agreements.
In 2005 the Ontario Heritage Act was strengthened to provide greater protection for
Ontario's cultural heritage, and also introduced a broader, more important role for
Municipal Heritage Committees. As a result, municipal heritage committees now play a
more crucial role in municipal decision-making.
Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value8
A property may be designated under section 29 of the Act if it meets one or more of the
following criteria for determining whether it is of cultural heritage value or interest:
1. The property has design value or physical value because it,
i. is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type,
expression, material or construction method,
ii. displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit, or
iii. demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement.
8 Designating Heritage Properties in Ontario, 2006, p. 15-18.
139
2. The property has historical value or associative value because it,
i. has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity,
organization or institution that is significant to a community,
ii. yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an
understanding of a community or culture, or
iii. demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder,
designer or theorist who is significant to a community.
3. The property has contextual value because it,
i. is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an
area,
ii. is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its
surroundings, or
iii. is a landmark.
Designating Heritage Properties in Ontario9
There are six key steps to designating an individual property under section 29 of the
Ontario Heritage Act. These include:
1. Identifying the property as a candidate for designation;
2. Researching and evaluating the property;
3. Serving Notice of Intention to Designate, with an opportunity for objection;
4. Passing and registering the designation bylaw;
5. Listing the property on the municipal register; and
6. Listing on the provincial register.
Once designated, the property is also eligible for listing on the Canadian Register of
Historic Places.
9 Designating Heritage Properties in Ontario, 2006, p. 7-11.
140
Step 1: Identifying the property
Identifying local heritage resources is the first step toward conserving and protecting
them. Properties of cultural heritage value or interest are usually identified by Municipal
Heritage Committees, or through a local community process such as an inventory of
cultural resources, a municipal cultural planning process, or a community planning study.
The Ontario Heritage Act allows property that has not been designated, but that
municipal council believes to be of cultural heritage value or interest, to be listed on the
municipal register. Many of these listed properties are eventually recommended for
designation.
A property can also be recommended for designation by a property owner, or through
the suggestion of an individual or group in the community. In some cases, this can occur
because a property is threatened with demolition. Initiating a designation is one way of
protecting a threatened heritage property to allow more time for considering alternatives.
Step 2: Researching and evaluating the property
Careful research and an evaluation of the candidate property must be done before a
property can be recommended for designation. Criteria are set out in a regulation made
under the Ontario Heritage Act to determine whether property is of cultural heritage
value or interest. See the Ministry of Culture’s Heritage Property Evaluation: A Guide to
Listing, Researching and Evaluating Cultural Heritage Property in Ontario Communities
for further information on this process – this guide provides advice on evaluating
properties to determine their cultural heritage value or interest. A designation report
should be prepared for council’s consideration, containing the written statements and
descriptions required to support the designation. These are discussed in more detail in
the next section.
Before deciding whether or not to proceed with a designation, council must consult with
its Municipal Heritage Committee (where one has been established). A Municipal
Heritage Committee is instrumental in ensuring that all relevant heritage information is
considered and assisting in the evaluation of the property.
141
Step 3: Serving Notice of Intention to Designate
If council passes a motion to proceed with designating a property, it must notify the
owner as well as the Ontario Heritage Trust (formerly called the Ontario Heritage
Foundation) and publish a Notice of Intention to Designate in a local newspaper.
Under section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, the notice to the owner and the Ontario
Heritage Trust must include the following:
• The Description of Property so that it can be readily ascertained;
• The Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest , which identifies the
property’s heritage significance;
• The Description of Heritage Attributes outlining the particular features that
should be protected for the future; and
• A statement that notice of objection to the designation must by filed with the
municipality within 30 days after the date of publication of the newspaper notice.
The notice in the newspaper must include the same information as above, except the
Description of Heritage Attributes . The newspaper notice could include a statement that
further information respecting the proposed designation is available from the
municipality. If no objections are filed with the municipality within 30 days after the date
of the publication of notice in the newspaper, council can proceed to pass a bylaw
designating the property.
If an objection to a designation is filed with the municipality within the 30-day period,
council must refer the objection to the Conservation Review Board (CRB) for a hearing.
The Ontario Heritage Act mandates this tribunal to conduct hearings and make
recommendations to council regarding
objections to proposals to designate, as well as other council decisions under Part IV of
the Ontario Heritage Act.
142
Following the hearing, the CRB writes a report to council with its recommendation on
whether or not the property should be designated. Council is not bound to follow the
recommendation of the CRB, however. After considering the CRB recommendation,
council may decide to go ahead with the designation, or to withdraw its intention to
designate.
Step 4: Passing and registering the heritage designation bylaw
Once council decides to proceed with designation, it may then pass a designation bylaw.
A copy of the bylaw, with the Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest and the
Description of Heritage Attributes, is registered on the title of the property at the local
land registry office. Notice that the bylaw has passed is given to the property owner and
to the Ontario Heritage Trust, and is published in the newspaper.
Step 5: Listing the property on the municipal register
Under section 27 of the Ontario Heritage Act, designated properties must then be listed
on the municipal register of property that is of cultural heritage value or interest, kept by
the municipal clerk. The listing includes the following:
• Legal Description of the property;
• Name and address of the owner;
• Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest; and
• Description of Heritage Attributes of the property.
Step 6: Listing on the provincial register
Once a property has been designated and notice has been given to the Ontario Heritage
Trust, the property is then listed on the provincial register of heritage properties. This
register, which can be accessed at www.culture.gov.on.ca, is a valuable resource tool for
learning about and promoting heritage properties across the province. It also sets heritage
properties in a provincial context. Municipalities, heritage groups and members of the
public can search by keyword, property type or municipality to learn what properties
have been protected in Ontario.
143
When a property on the register becomes a candidate for protection under section 29 of
the Ontario Heritage Act, research about the property’s history and cultural associations,
and a physical site analysis are undertaken.
• Community Context: Knowledge of the history, achievements and aspirations of the
community gives perspective to what cultural heritage value or interest may be held by
the property.
• Historical Research: Historical research involves consulting land records, maps,
photographs, publications, archival materials and other documentation to learn the
history and cultural associations of the property. A preliminary site visit can be useful in
formulating research questions about the property.
• Site Analysis: A site analysis can involve photographs, measurements, observation
and analysis of the physical characteristics of the property. The historical research
findings compared with the physical evidence should ensure collaboration in the known
information about the property.
Ontario Regulation 9/06 must be applied to properties being considered for designation
under section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. Screening properties for potential
protection in accordance with the criteria in the regulation is a higher evaluation test
than required for listing non-designated properties on the register. The evaluation
approach and categories of Design/Physical Value, Historical/Associative Value, and
Contextual Value set out in the regulation, however, are useful to consider when
developing a preliminary rationale or criteria for listing properties. This also will provide
continuity in the evaluation or properties on the register that may later be considered for
designation under section 29.
The Ontario Heritage Act requires that the register include all properties that are
protected by the municipality (under section 29) or by the Minister of Culture (under
section 34.5). OHA, ss. 27(1.1) For these properties there must be:
144
• a legal description of the property;
• the name and address of the owner; and
• a statement explaining the cultural heritage value or interest of the property and
a description of the heritage attributes.
The Ontario Heritage Act allows a municipality to include on the register property that
is not designated but considered by the municipal council to be of cultural heritage value
or interest. There must be sufficient description to identify the property. OHA, ss. 27(1.2).
A municipality may consider including properties on the register that are protected by
heritage conservation easements and/or recognized by provincial or federal jurisdictions.
The rationale or selection criteria used to survey the community and compile the register
should be clearly stated.
Non-designated properties listed on the municipal register of cultural heritage properties
and newly identified properties may be candidates for heritage conservation and
protection. Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act enables municipalities to pass bylaws
for the protection (designation) of individual real properties that have cultural heritage
value or interest to the municipality. Heritage designation is a protection mechanism
with long-term implications for the alteration and demolition of a cultural heritage
property. Individual properties being considered for protection under section 29 must
undergo a more rigorous evaluation than is required for listing. The evaluation criteria
set out in Regulation 9/06 essentially form a test against which properties must be
assessed. The better the characteristics of the property when the criteria are applied to it,
the greater the property’s cultural heritage value or interest, and the stronger the
argument for its long-term protection. To ensure a thorough, objective and consistent
evaluation across the province, and to assist municipalities with the process, the Ontario
Heritage Act provides that:
The council of a municipality may, by bylaw, designate a property within the municipality
to be of cultural heritage value or interest if, (a) where criteria for determining whether
property is of cultural heritage value or interest have been prescribed by regulation, the
property meets the prescribed criteria;
145
Regulation 9/06 prescribes the criteria for determining property of cultural heritage value
or interest in a municipality. The regulation requires that, to be designated, a property
must meet “one or more” of the criteria grouped into the categories of Design/Physical
Value, Historical/ Associative Value and Contextual Value. This does not mean that the
property is only evaluated within “one” category or must meet a criterion in each
category in order to allow for protection. When more categories are applied, more is
learned about the property and its relative cultural heritage value or interest. As a result,
a more valid decision regarding heritage conservation measures can be made. Council
must be satisfied that the property meets at least one of the criteria set out in Regulation
9/06 before it can be designated under section 29. Regulation 9/06 was developed for the
purposes of identifying and evaluating the cultural heritage value or interest of a property
proposed for protection under section 29.
Through the evaluation process of Regulation 9/06, it should be possible to:
• Recognize a property that warrants long-term protection under section 29, and
give reasons;
• Recognize a property for which levels of heritage conservation, other than
section 29, are more appropriate;
• Determine that a property has no cultural heritage value or interest to the
jurisdiction;
• Formulate the statement explaining the cultural heritage value or interest of the
property, as required in a section 29 designation bylaw; and,
• Identify clearly the physical features or heritage attributes that contribute to, or
support, the cultural heritage value or interest, as required in a section 29
designation bylaw.
A successful municipal cultural heritage conservation program starts with meeting the
standards of Regulation 9/06. Many municipalities have methods for evaluating the
cultural heritage value or interest of a property being considered for protection. Existing
or new evaluation models must apply the criteria specified in Regulation 9/06. Existing
146
evaluation models may have to be revised to take into account the mandatory criteria set
out in the regulation. It is advisable that an approach or modelto apply the criteria be
adopted as a standard municipal procedure or policy.
The adoption of a policy or standard practice enables council, municipal heritage
committees, municipal staff including planning and building officials, land use planners,
heritage organizations, property owners and the public to apply the criteria in a
consistent and defensible manner.
Under the Ontario Heritage Act, a municipal heritage committee can be appointed to
advise council on matters relating to the Act and other heritage conservation matters.
This can include compiling the register of cultural heritage properties and using criteria
for evaluating the cultural heritage value or interest of a property. By using a committee,
the objectivity of the evaluation is maintained. For municipalities without a municipal
heritage committee, others such as heritage planning staff, municipal staff, community or
heritage organizations, a heritage expert, or an individual who understands the purpose
of evaluating the cultural heritage value or interest of a property, could undertake the
evaluation. Knowledge of the heritage of the community and expertise in cultural
heritage properties are recommended. The municipal evaluation criteria should be such
that, whoever undertakes the evaluation, there is a reasonable expectation that the process
will lead to valid decisions about the heritage conservation of the property. Ultimately, a
municipal designation bylaw and its statement of cultural heritage value or interest is
subject to appeal and must be defensible at the Conservation Review Board. Council has
the final decision on whether to proceed with protection under the Ontario Heritage Act.
When council refuses to issue a demolition permit for a designated property, the matter
can be appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, which makes the final decision.
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Protection for a Threatened Property10
Sometimes, it is only when a property is threatened that a community recognizes its
value. Municipal councils can use the Notice of Intention to Designate as a way of
preventing the demolition or alteration of a threatened property that may be worthy of
designation. This gives council an opportunity to consider the significance of the
property, and alternatives to alteration or demolition, before the damage is done.
If a Notice of Intention to Designate is issued for a property, the property will be subject
to certain interim protections. Any existing permit that allowed for the alteration or
demolition of the property, including a building permit or a demolition permit, becomes
void. Any proposed demolition or alteration affecting the property’s heritage attributes
will require council’s consent.
The owner’s consent is not required for a designation to proceed. In some cases, council
may have to act in the public interest to conserve a significant property, despite
objections by the owner. The owner can then appeal to the Conservation Review Board,
which provides a recommendation back to council.
7.1.6 Making Alterations to Designated Property11
The alteration process under section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act helps to ensure that
the heritage attributes of a designated property, and therefore its heritage value, are
conserved. If the owner of a designated property wishes to make alterations to the
property that affect the property’s heritage attributes, the owner must obtain written
consent from council. This applies not only to alterations of buildings or structures but
also to alterations of other aspects of a designated property, such as landscape features or
natural features, which have been identified as heritage attributes. In general, this should
be a cooperative process, where a property owner submits an application for the
10 Designating Heritage Properties in Ontario, 2006, p. 10.
11 Designating Heritage Properties in Ontario, 2006, p. 24-25.
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proposed work, and receives advice and guidance from the Municipal Heritage
Committee and/or municipal staff. Council makes the final decision on heritage permit
applications unless this power has been delegated to municipal staff under Section 33(15)
of the Ontario Heritage Act.
The process for alterations is described below and outlined in a flowchart provided in the
appendix:
1. Application to Council:
The owner applies to council to alter the property. All relevant information, including a
detailed plan, must be included. When all the information required by Council has been
received, notice of receipt of the complete application is sent to the owner. Some
municipalities have formalized the heritage alteration permit process to facilitate changes
to designated properties.
2. Review of Application:
Council reviews the application and seeks the advice of its Municipal Heritage
Committee, where one has been established. In some municipalities, applications for
alterations are sent directly to the committee or to municipal staff.
3. Decision:
Within 90 days after notice of receipt of the complete application has been sent to the
owner, council or its delegate decides whether to consent to the alteration, to consent
with terms and conditions, or to refuse the application altogether. Council notifies the
applicant of its decision.
4. Referral Process:
If the owner objects to council’s decision, the owner may apply to council for a hearing
before the Conservation Review Board. Applications must be made within 30 days of
receipt of council’s decision. Council must then refer the matter to the Review Board for
a hearing and publish notice of the hearing in a newspaper at least 10 days prior to the
hearing. The Review Board then holds the hearing to review the alteration application.
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5. Final Decision:
Following the hearing, the Conservation Review Board prepares a report including its
recommendation to council. After considering the report, council decides whether to
confirm or alter its original decision. The final decision rests with council. Council
notifies the applicant and any other parties to the hearing, of its final decision.
Preventing Demolition of Heritage Properties12
As of April 2005, designation under the Ontario Heritage Act gives council the power to
prevent the demolition of a building or structure on a heritage property. If the owner of a
designated property wishes to demolish or remove a building or structure, the owner
must obtain written consent from council. The process, under section 34, 34.1 & 34.3 of
the Ontario Heritage Act, is as follows:
1. Application to Council:
The owner applies to council for a permit to demolish or remove the building or
structure.
2. Review of Application:
Council has 90 days to review the application and seek the advice of its Municipal
Heritage Committee, where one has been established. In many cases, an alternative to
demolition can be negotiated with the owner and agreed to at this stage. Council, with
the aid of its Municipal Heritage Committee and concerned citizens, has an opportunity
to work with the property owner toward a means to conserve the threatened property.
Depending on the circumstances, there are several approaches:
• Sharing information with the owner about the property’s heritage value and the
benefits of heritage conservation;
• Exploring ideas about how the building or structure might contribute to a
proposed development or future use of the site;
12 Designating Heritage Properties in Ontario, 2006, p. 28-29
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• Suggesting alternative uses for the building or the property;
• Providing an opportunity for the owner to sell the heritage property to the
municipality or a purchaser who will conserve it; or
• Expropriating the property.
3. Decision:
Within the 90 day period,3 and after considering the advice of the Municipal Heritage
Committee, council must decide whether to refuse the application, consent to it, or
consent with terms and conditions. If council does choose to allow the demolition, it is
advisable to include terms and conditions. For example, council can require that the
owner obtain a building permit for a replacement building on the property. This helps to
prevent valuable heritage structures from being replaced by vacant lots. The owner would
need to apply for the building permit through the normal municipal process, and will
only receive such a permit for a new building that meets applicable zoning and other
requirements. At minimum, council should require full documentation of a heritage
building or structure prior to its demolition, as well as documentation of any other
heritage resources on the property that may be affected. Council notifies the applicant
and the Ontario Heritage Trust of its decision. Council also publishes its decision in a
local newspaper.
4. Appeal Process:
An owner may appeal council’s decision to deny the permit, or to consent to it with
conditions, to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). An appeal must be made within 30
days of receipt of council’s decision. The appeal must set out the reasons for the objection
to the decision. The appeal must also be accompanied by the fee prescribed under the
Ontario Municipal Board Act. Following receipt of the notice of appeal, the OMB gives
notice of the hearing date and then holds the hearing. A member of the Conservation
Review Board (CRB) may be appointed to sit on the panel of the OMB hearing the
appeal.
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Listing on the Canadian Register of Historic Places
Once designated, the property also becomes eligible for nomination and listing on the
Canadian Register of Historic Places. While listing to the Canadian Register is
recommended, it is not a requirement of the Ontario Heritage Act. The province will
nominate a designated property to the Canadian Register when the municipality has
provided the necessary documentation. This documentation is provided as part of a
request for nomination, which can be completed online.
The Canadian Register of Historic Places, developed under the Historic Places Initiative,
a federal-provincial-territorial partnership, is an online register of locally, provincially
and federally recognized heritage properties from across Canada. Inclusion on the
Canadian Register is honorific and does not place additional controls on a property. It
provides communities with the opportunity to build awareness, understanding and
support for their cultural heritage resources by making information on these resources
available in an accessible format. In Ontario, properties and districts that have been
designated under the Ontario Heritage Act are eligible for listing. Municipalities must
formally request the nomination of their designated properties and provide additional
documentation on the heritage property. This request and documentation can be
submitted online. Properties owned or recognized at the provincial and federal levels will
be nominated to the Canadian Register through the Ministry of Culture and the federal
government.
In order to nominate a property to be listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places,
a well-written Description of Property, Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
and Description of Heritage Attributes as well as a Statement of Significance, are
required. Theses elements are described in detail here.
1. Description of Property – describes what will be designated so that the property
can be readily ascertained. The Description of Property describes the general character
of the property and identifies those aspects of the property to which the designation
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applies. In addition to providing information so that the location of the property can be
identified (i.e. municipal address and neighbourhood if appropriate), it should outline the
principal resources that form part of the designation (i.e. buildings, structures,
landscapes, remains, etc.) and identify any discernible boundaries. The Description of
Property should be no longer than two or three sentences.
2. Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest – describes why the property
is being designated. The Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest should convey
why the property is important and merits designation, explaining cultural meanings,
associations and connections the property holds for the community. This statement
should reflect one or more of the standard designation criteria prescribed in the
designation criteria regulation under the Ontario Heritage Act (Ontario Regulation
9/06). These criteria include:
• Design or physical value , meaning that the property
– Is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression,
material or construction method; or
– Displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit; or
– Demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement.
• Historical or associative value , meaning that the property
– Has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization,
or institution that is significant to a community; or
– Yields, or has potential to yield, information that contributes to an
understanding of a community or culture; or
– demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer
or theorist who is significant to a community.
• Contextual value, meaning that the property
– Is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area; or
– Is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings; or
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– Is a landmark.
The Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest should provide sufficient
information to explain the significance of the property but should be no longer than two
or three paragraphs, explaining the core aspects of the property’s cultural heritage value.
It should not provide a broad history of the property, but should focus on what makes
the property important. A detailed description of the property’s history can be included
in the broader designation report and kept on file with other supporting documentation.
3. Description of Heritage Attributes – lists the key attributes of the property. It is
not an exhaustive account of the property’s heritage attributes. The identification of
heritage attributes is a selective process. Only those principal features or characteristics
that together characterize the core heritage values of the property should be included.
Heritage attributes should be identified and described in relation to the heritage value
that they contribute to. Where more than one value has been outlined in the Statement
of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest , more than one list should be provided to
distinguish between the attributes associated with each value. Only attributes that relate
to the values described in the Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest should be
included. Heritage attributes include, but are not limited to:
• Style, massing, scale or composition;
• Features of a property related to its function or design;
• Features related to a property’s historical associations;
• Interior spatial configurations, or exterior layout;
• Materials and craftsmanship; or
• Relationship between a property and its broader setting.
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Paul-Joseph Frater
M.A. Candidate, World
Heritage Studies
Born 1979 in Canada and lives
in Berlin since 2004.
Paul
loves Bauhaus design, Sovietera architecture, and of course,
stadiums.
bicycles
Restoring
antique
and
collecting
automobile number plates are
his hobbies. Previous studies in
Anthropology,
Business,
and
International
Innovation
Management.
paul.frater@gmail.com
www.globalvillager.ca
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