Heritage Resources
The identification, evaluation and conservation of cultural heritage landscapes and features can be extremely complex. They can stretch across multiple properties or even multiple municipalities. Defining their extent requires careful consideration of the components of the landscape and an understanding of the historical processes that led to its creation. In many cases, input from community heritage organizations is crucial to the process.
ARA has the experience and expertise to effectively address the chalenges of heritage-impact assessments within the guidelines established by the Ontario Ministry of Culture. Please review the heritage-impact assessment process, or contact ARA with questions specific to your project.
For the purposes of any assessment, heritage value is defined by the Ontario Ministry of Culture as:
"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"
(Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada 2003)
Cultural Heritage Resources are typically understood as belonging to one of two categories:
Cultural Heritage Landscape:
"a defined geographical area of heritage significance which has been modified by human activities and is valued by a community. A landscape involves a grouping(s) of individual heritage features such as structures, spaces, archaeological sites and natural elements, which together form a significant type of heritage form, distinctive from that of its constituent elements or parts. Examples may include, but are not limited to, heritage conservation districts designated under the Ontario Heritage Act; and villages, parks, gardens, battlefields, mainstreets and neighbourhoods, cemeteries, trailways and industrial complexes of cultural heritage value." (PPS 2005: InfoSheet #2)
Built Heritage Feature:
"one or more significant buildings, structures, monuments, installations or remains associated with architectural, cultural, social, political, economic or military history and identified as being important to a community. These resources may be identified through designation or heritage conservation easement under the Ontario Heritage Act, or listed by local, provincial or federal jurisdictions". (PPS 2005: InfoSheet #1)
