More needs to be done to preserve our local heritage.
That was one message at the 2008 Heritage Conservation Conference in Collingwood over the weekend.
Former Toronto Mayor John Sewell says our past and present are more important than our future.
Sewell spoke in Collingwood Saturday at the Landmarks not Landfill 2008 Heritage Conservation Conference.
Sewell says there are very few municipalities in Ontario who put any value on heritage.
He says suburban development on the edges of towns such as Collingwood and Owen Sound is killing the qualities of the downtown’s.
Sewell says we need to generate respect for small town Ontario.
He says its important to create a set of principles that could be used by various small towns to help protect their heritage.
Sewell says there are many buildings being destroyed by vandals who call themselves developers.
He says many developers come in with ideas to tear down a historic building to construct something new.
Sewell says we shouldn’t count on new technology and urban design to rescue our cities and revitalize our downtowns.
