Heritage Ottawa Archives - The Molly & Claude Team

Heritage Ottawa – ‘Social-Distancing’ Walking Tours

July 16, 2021 by Claude Jobin

Heritage Ottawa is starting up its walking tours. The first one is Sunday – St. James Anglican Cemetery. Click here for the full schedule.

24 Sussex Drive

January 28, 2019 by Claude Jobin

Heritage Ottawa’s Leslie Maitland and Aaron Wudrick, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation were guests on CBC Ottawa Morning last week to discuss 24 Sussex Drive. Maitland wants the building maintained, Wudrick wants it torn down but there is one thing they agree on – doing nothing is a costly proposition that serves no one.

Hintonburg – Magee House

July 27, 2018 by Claude Jobin

The fate of Magee House is unclear after a side wall collapsed earlier this week. According to Heritage Ottawa it was one of 23 properties on a heritage watch list. What does it say about the city’s ability to make contacts when as stated in the video the city thought the building was vacant as attemps to contact the owner had failed. Jeff Lieper states that in an evolving neighbourhood it is important to maintain the connections to the past. Read more on its history here.

Ardeth’s Tree – Dominion Arboretum

October 5, 2017 by Claude Jobin

Good news for tree lovers and in this case one of the city’s most iconic tree’s. During the September 27 storm Ardeth’s tree, in the Dominion Arboretum was badly damaged. But being an iconic tree in the Arboretum means you will have experts looking after you promptly. And experts have pronounced themselves – the tree will survive. Perhaps it will have lost it’s beautiful symmetry, perhaps it will be scarred, but survive it will. I feel a song coming on better stop now!

Demolition of Yet Another Heritage Property
234 O’Connor Street

April 13, 2017 by Claude Jobin

There’s a plan – it’s called the Official Plan. But I don’t think it’s worth the paper it’s printed on. The City has no respect for it. Properties are designated heritage, neighbourhoods are designated heritage and then decisions are made according to who has the deepest pockets. It’s a real shame that neighbourhoods that acquired value because of their spirit is having that spirit knocked out of it by a wrecking ball. This time 234 O’Connor Street is the victim.

I’ve seen city officials argue for hours over the merit of a building, of a feature, only to see the building torn down a few weeks later. No mater what is said the wrecking ball wins and our heritage loses.

Sad!

Somerset House Redevelopment

March 21, 2017 by Claude Jobin

I’m not very impressed with the city of Ottawa when it comes to preservation of heritage buildings. I suspect they are much more in collusion with developers with deep pockets rather than the protection of our built heritage.

That being said there is a new proposal for the Somerset House. Of course another proposal was submitted in 2013 before more demolition by neglect was necessary so lets wait keep our fingers crossed but wait and see what happens.

Demolition by Neglect – Yet Again!

July 9, 2016 by Claude Jobin

eastern-end-of-somerset-house-set-to-be-demolished

I find it very upsetting to see yet another building potentially fall by the wrecking ball due to neglect. Last year this was debated around Our Lady’s School at the corner of Cumberland and Murray and now the Somerset Hotel at another major intersection in town Somerset and Bank. I’m in disbelief of the City’s actions! It seems they say one thing officially and then do exactly as they wish behind closed doors. Protecting the history of the city does not seem to be a priority if it will upset one taxpayer or hinder a developers desires. A city should have plan and it should abide by it.