TheBulletin.ca Journal of Downtown Toronto
The Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District Committee presents new tools for preservation!
The Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District Committee unveils new preservation tools for property owners and developers of heritage buildings. The revamped website, www.cabbagetownhcd.ca, now offers a robust set of resources to assist in the conservation of Cabbagetown’s architectural depth, richness and sense of time and place.
Cabbagetown is a treasure trove of Victorian architecture and is the largest continuous area of preserved Victorian housing in Canada. Visitors to the new site can access unique features to assist with the renovation or restoration of their historical property. A few of these tools include: an in-depth glossary of architectural terms, links to heritage restoration resources and trades, overview and Official Plan for each Heritage Conservation District in Cabbagetown, a heritage permit process guide, special events listing, Instagram feed @cabbagetownhcd and much more.
The most significant feature of the site is the Compendium – a comprehensive database of historical facts on properties in Cabbagetown. Such facts include; the original occupancy date, original builder, architectural style and more. The Compendium functionality has been designed as a wiki so that owners can contribute to capturing the evolution of their property with an upload of a photo tagged with their comments.
“The new website is a dynamic and exciting place to explore and represents countless hours of volunteer time by our committee members.”, shares Jamie Bechard, Vice-Chair, Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District Committee. “This website could not have been possible without our sponsor – Beckard Associates, who graciously extended the services of their senior web developer to design and develop this new site. We invite residents of Cabbagetown to visit us at our Cabbagetown Festival booth in the park this September 9 – 11 to uncover their property’s unique heritage.”
The primary purpose of the Cabbagetown Heritage Advisory Committee is to assist and advise Cabbagetown residents, of the current four Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation Districts, on the guidelines and procedures for alterations to the exteriors of their properties. The development of this online resource is to provide the community with the tools needed to ensure the integrity and sustainability of the area’s unique sense of visual coherence. This extensive website presents the expertise and rich knowledge of the committee’s archives within a user-friendly, online platform designed to empower homeowners during their renovation planning process.
ABOUT THE CABBAGETOWN HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT COMMITTEE
As a significant resource to the community, the Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District Committee advises Cabbagetown property owners and developers on the policies and guidelines of their HCD Plan for exterior alterations and restoration. The committee is the conduit for community-based feedback to the City as they recognize the interest and knowledge of our committee as a source of valuable input during the heritage permit application process. The Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District Committee was formed in 2000 to provide local support and assistance in preserving Cabbagetown’s heritage resources and to promote the establishment of Heritage Conservation Districts for Cabbagetown. The Committee is responsible for four Heritage Conservation Districts, which include 1,721 properties and is currently exploring the designation review of two additional districts along Parliament Street and within Southwest Cabbagetown. The Committee is made up of 12 members, all of whom are Cabbagetown property owners, represent a cross-section of HCD areas and serve in a voluntary capacity.
www.cabbagetownhcd.ca
ABOUT HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS
The Ontario Heritage Act plays an important role in enabling a municipality to designate the whole or any part of an area as a Heritage Conservation District. This allows City Council to protect and enhance the special character of groups of properties in an area. The character is established by the overall heritage quality of buildings, streets and open spaces as seen together. The current Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation Districts, designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, include: Metcalfe Area HCD, Cabbagetown North HCD, Cabbagetown South HCD and Cabbagetown Northwest HCD.
ABOUT BECKARD ASSOCIATES
Beckard Associates provides business optimization, consulting, support & training on wholesale distribution and accounting software and are located here in Cabbagetown at 206 Gerrard Street East. Beckard Associates graciously extended the services of their senior web developer to design and develop the new cabbagetownHCD.ca website in addition to a complete redesign of the Compendium – a comprehensive database of historical facts on properties in Cabbagetown. Their contribution has significantly improved the accessibility of important information, references and resources for Cabbagetown property owners to enjoy. The committee is proud to have Beckard Associates as a partner and are grateful for their support.
www.beckard.com
