Natalie Bull on Marcus Gee
The Executive Director of the Heritage Canada Foundation addresses the issue
December 9, 2009
Although Marcus Gee wants to reduce the push to save the hangars at former CFB Downsview to the fetishism of misguided “heritage buffs,” he is missing the bigger conservation picture (Some Reminders Of The Past Don’t Deserve To Be Rescued – Dec. 3). The move to grind these structurally sound, historic hangars into landfill is symptomatic of our throwaway society. If built today, the amount of energy expended would be equivalent to more than eight million litres of gasoline. With the Copenhagen talks just getting under way, Mr. Gee would do well to connect the dots. Discussions on reducing greenhouse gas emissions can’t happen in a vacuum.
The hangars’ value has far more to do with their cultural and environmental qualities than their age. Whether in Paris or Toronto, the growth of the aviation industry was a mid-20th century phenomenon.
The rehabilitation of former industrial sites like Wychwood Barns, the Distillery District and the Don Valley brickworks required the vision, commitment and determination of developers, elected officials and community leaders who persevered against those who saw only “unremarkable” and “ugly” structures.
Type of News Item: News
