Report emphasizes lack of resources, staff
Kris Scheuer
(Updated Feb. 11 for Town Crier.)
Geoff Kettel, left, Paul Litt, Karen Carter and David Crombie helped to release a report on proposed changes to how the city handles the designation of heritage properties. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.
Hoping to have your childhood home declared a heritage site?
Well you may have to wait awhile.
“There is a backlog of 100 properties that’s been submitted to the city for consideration, but haven’t been processed, haven’t gone to the (Toronto) Heritage Board or city council,” Geoff Kettel, chair of the North York Preservation Panel told the crowd regarding the findings of a report on the state of heritage in the city.
“The 100 is just the tip of the iceberg,” he added. “They represent ones with a development where the community is concerned about a possible demolition. That backlog will take time to move (through).”
In an email to the Town Crier, Kettel wrote that the city’s preservation services staff are able to process only about 40 potential heritage properties a year.
“I would also add that the demand to add new properties to the backlog is lower than it should be because we know that there is no appetite in heritage preservation services to add new properties to the list,” his email stated.
The 12 page report was a joint effort by Heritage Toronto and the Toronto Historical Society and was based on several consultations with community and heritage groups.
Kris Scheuer 