ACO PreservationWorks! Program
A Consultant’s Report is prepared, often at short notice, when an individual or group is facing a threat to a piece of local heritage and can benefit from expert advice.
The report is a brief, preliminary report addressing the structural condition, historical significance, potential future use and/or options for restoration of a property. It usually includes documentary evidence such as photographs or plans, but no original research is expected of the consultant.
Often, a community is faced with imminent demolition of a property, either by the owner or the local jurisdiction, by reason of proposed new development or charges of structural instability. The community can use these reports to negotiate preservation of heritage properties, in whole or in part, or counter false allegations, e.g. of structural unsoundness.
In the past year, a PreservationWorks! engineer’s professional advice made the difference in the community’s campaign to save Ball’s Bridge, Huron County; in another, two previously-unknown mid-nineteenth century houses in Etobicoke were identified for designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.
