August 22, 2006
To the Calgary Planning Commission,
The Calgary Heritage Initiative Society would like to briefly comment on
two proposals before you on August 24: The Penny Lane development permit and the land use change for Hamilton Terrace in the Beltline.
1. Penny Lane
The Calgary Heritage Initiative Society (CHI) regrets that the developers
of the proposed new office tower project on the Penny Lane site on 8th
Avenue S.W. have not incorporated more elements of the existing historic
buildings in their plans for the new development, and we are disappointed
that the City has not required more.
Specifically, we believe that retention of some of the 8th Avenue facades
would preserve at least some of the heritage value of the Penny Lane
complex (category B on the city’s heritage inventory), while retaining a
very attractive and functional streetscape. Such action would also help to
partially overcome the considerable public concern over the loss of yet
another piece of Calgary’s heritage. Penny Lane represents one of the last
remaining downtown stands of pre-World War One buildings outside of the
Stephen Avenue National Historic District. It makes a considerable
contribution to the streetscape of 8th Avenue, our premiere downtown
promenade.
The Administration report says that much of the historic value of Penny
Lane has been lost due to renovations. It seems unfair that a previous
adaptive reuse of these buildings, i.e. the creation of Penny Lane, should
be a cause for demolition given that a flexible approach to adaptive reuse
is so strongly supported today. As for the damage due to sandblasting,
repair regimes (e.g. brick-reversal) are available. It is unfortunate that
the sandblasting of buildings on the heritage inventory was allowed and
the City should consider banning the practice.
Finally, we do appreciate that this proposal is essentially an update of a
proposal that was approved in 2002 (note the Calgary Heritage Initiative
Society was founded in 2005), and we are therefore realistic about the
prospects of change at this time. Nevertheless, we hope that members of
CPC will consider this matter on August 24.
2. Hamilton Terrace LOC2006-0064
The Calgary Heritage Initiative applauds the adaptive reuse of this
Beltline rooming house, and we expressed our general support for the
change of use application in our letter of August 2, 2006 to the File
Manager, Dwayne Drobot. The Administration report calls for retention of
the building and references its potential heritage value. But the report
is implicit not explicit in asking that the heritage elements of the
building be respected in the renovation. While the details will presumably
be addressed at DP stage, it would be helpful if CPC gave clear direction
by requiring that that repair and renovation be sympathetic to the
building’s historic character.
Thank you for your consideration.
Bob van Wegen, External Director
Calgary Heritage Initiative Society
D’Arcy McGee, Member
Calgary Heritage Initiative Society
Email:
info@calgaryheritage.org
Web:
www.calgaryheritage.org
cc.
CPC Staff
Heritage Planner Darryl Cariou