Heritage Canada Foundation Releases 2013 Top Ten Endangered Places and Worst Losses Lists

OTTAWA, June 26, 2013 /CNW/ - The Heritage Canada Foundation (HCF) has released its Top Ten Endangered Places and Worst Losses Lists drawing attention to architectural and heritage sites in Canada either threatened with demolition or already lost as part of its mission to raise awareness of the value that historic places bring to quality of life, local identity and cultural vitality.

The Endangered Places List, compiled from nominations received as well as from news items that HCF has been following and reporting on throughout the year includes (from west to east):

• Main Post Office, Vancouver, BC—sold to an investment firm without heritage protection, this mid-century Modern landmark faces demolition for new development
• Rossdale Power Plant, Edmonton, AB—plug may be pulled on downtown Edmonton's designated industrial heritage landmark
• Fort Qu'Appelle Sanatorium, Fort Qu'Appelle, SK—victim of demolition by neglect as private owners dither with redevelopment plans
• 24 & 28 King St. E., Gore Park, Hamilton, ON—key components of historic Gore Park streetscape threatened due to city deal with developer
• Amherst Island, (just west of Kingston) Lake Ontario, Loyalist Township, ON—proposed site of industrial wind turbine power installation would overwhelm unique cultural and natural heritage landscape
• POW Camp 30, Clarington, ON—last remaining POW camp in Canada losing the battle against time and vandals
• Kingston Collegiate Vocational Institute, Kingston, ON—School board recommending closure of fully enrolled historic downtown neighbourhood school in favour of new construction
• Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse National Historic Site, Gaspé, QC—local community left holding the financial bag as federal government seeks to unload a "surplus" heritage lighthouse
• 15 & 19 Wellington Row, Saint John, NB—City-owned iconic "jellybean houses" remain vacant, unheated and deteriorating
• Dennis Building, Halifax, NS—Province forced to evacuate employees from 19th-century stone landmark in vicinity of Province House Square due to mould caused by water leaks

Click Backgrounder for the full story and photographs.

This year's Worst Losses lists three heritage buildings needlessly destroyed by the wrecking ball: Hamilton Education Centre, Chilliwack BC's Paramount Theatre, and the Moose Jaw Civic Centre in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Click Worst Losses for more information.

The Heritage Canada Foundation is a national registered charity dedicated to the preservation of Canada's historic places. HCF believes that heritage conservation can and should promote social justice, reflect the diversity of Canada, create affordable housing, and protect small businesses and traditional ways of life.

SOURCE: HERITAGE CANADA FOUNDATION

Carolyn Quinn, Director of Communications, [email protected]
Telephone: [phone] ext. 229; Cell: 613-797-7206