Tag Archives: culture minister Michael Chan

06.23.10
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Our built heritage should be a treasure for future generations

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

04.07.10
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An open letter to culture minister Michael Chan

Alma fire, May 28, 2008


Dear Minister Chan,
This letter is regarding the former home of Alma College in St.Thomas,Ontario.For many,many months the Alma College supporters had begged,pleaded and e-mailed former culture minister Aileen Carroll,about the possibility of having the property designated with Provincial Heritage Designation.Our fight with Aileen Carroll was also featured in the Toronto Star,back in August of 2008,Jim Coyle was kind enough to help us shine the spotlight on the complete disaster Aileen Carroll had become,when it came to protecting our built heritage.Our plight was also followed by a reporter in St.Thomas,named Ian McCallum,he was also kind enough to print many of the letters I sent to Aileen Carroll,regarding possible provincial heritage designation for 96 Moore Street.The property itself is worthy of designation,but after the devastating fire in May 2008,2 buildings on the property escaped damage,the music building and quaint little chapel could easily be restored should the province step forward with designation and funding.Ive included 2 links at the bottom of this page,the first is to Ian McCallums City Scope blog,where you will find countless letters addressed to former Minister of Culture Aileen Carroll,the second link is for Jim Coyle’s provincial affairs column,where he brilliantly wrote about our fight to save what remains on the property at 96 Moore Street.I ask that you please read all the letters,and Toronto Star column,to better understand the long battle we’ve endured,trying to protect what remains on this historic property.The Alma supporters are once again asking the ministry of culture to give provincial heritage designation to this historic property and 2 remaining buildings,so the legacy will continue at 96 Moore Street,for many generations to come.Thank you for your time.

Link #1

Link # 2

Sincerely,
Bob Foster
108 Corkett Drive
Brampton,Ontario
L6X-3E6