EDITOR’S NOTE: To clarify information contained this week in the Times-Journal, in fact the vote was 4-3 to repeal the heritage designation. Ald. Heather Jackson-Chapman joined Ald. Bill Aarts and Ald. Lori Baldwin-Sands to vote against the motion. Ald. David Warden was absent from Monday’s council meeting.

Dear Minister Chan,
We are now at risk of losing heritage status for 96 Moore Street. St.Thomas city council voted 5-2 to notify the public and property owners of its intention to repeal the heritage designation for the entire historic Moore Street property,including the now-destroyed school building and grounds,as covered under the Ontario Heritage Act.Will the ministry of culture step in to protect the chapel,music building and outdoor amphitheatre,or will you stand on the side lines,as did former culture minister Aileen Carroll,and allow the destruction to continue,and take what little remains on this historic piece of land.What will it take for the McGuinty government to opens it’s eyes and see the value in protecting not only historic buildings,but historic properties.Our built heritage should be treasured,so we can pass it down to future generations.Our ministry of culture has no teeth,instead of being a guard dog for built heritage,they are a lap dog for developers,who know very well the Ontario government could careless about built heritage and given enough time,demolition by neglect will do the job for the developer,ensuring they can bulldoze the past,and build a condo building and completely erase our built heritage.We are losing our built heritage at an alarming rate and the McGuinty government needs to step up and protect what little remains,and a good start would be telling the owners of 96 Moore Street ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,the 2 remaining buildings and outdoor amphitheatre cannot be torn down,and keep the heritage designation so future generations will not have to fight this battle again.
Sincerely,
Bob Foster
Brampton,Ontario