As I toured the ho
mes featured in this years’ VHF Heritage House Tour, three words were in the back of my mind: preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and how the decision to focus on one – or more – of these is such a contentious one, with so many ramifications. The other word that kept coming up is kitchen: so often it’s where choices made are most evident, and personal taste so prominent (pun intended). Ironically many people who believe in heritage conservation today are also great cooks, something that would likely shock their homes’ original owners.
Tag: VHF
Heritage Conservation Areas (HCA’s)
There are definitely pros and cons to HCA’s, as the impassioned discussions in the lower mainland last year regarding Vancouver’s first HCA in Shaughnessy demonstrated. However, the idea isn’t new, as I learned with a bit of research: a few years ago Ottawa created a Heritage Conservation District in Briarcliffe, a community of 23 mid-century modern homes, the latest of several in that city. 
Other cities across Canada (including our neighbour Victoria) have done the same. There are certainly challenges to creating and keeping these areas as intended, even more so today as pressures to rezone and rebuild increase, but in my mind definitely worth the effort.
Sidenote:
Vancouver Heritage Foundation has a great resource page about the HCA: http://www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org/learn-with-us/understanding-the-heritage-action-plan/
Vancouver Specials – Special in All the Right Ways!
A few weeks ago, I spent the day touring “Vancouver Specials” – love ‘em or hate ‘em, th
is uniquely Vancouver home style has many variations, with its simple rectangular form and structural design.
The tour was organized by the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, who make a very good case for older homes from many eras being sustainable and worth keeping.
And yes, the ticket looks well worn, as I did a lot of visiting!