CollingwoodToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected] or via our website. Please include your daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following was submitted by the Collingwood branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario in response to Collingwood's latest draft of its official plan.
The Collingwood branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario continues to express concerns over parts of the proposed new official plan.
The second draft of the new official plan proposes the elimination of the current three-storey height limit in the district in favour of
six storeys.
Additional height above six storeys is also contemplated at major intersections and gateways to the district.
The Collingwood Downtown Heritage Conservation District is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Collingwood’s downtown has one of Ontario's largest and finest heritage conservation districts. In fact, the efforts to preserve our downtown heritage go back to the 1970’s.
The Collingwood Heritage District was the first district to be recognized nationally in the Canadian Register of Historic Places and has guided and inspired the past 20 years of restoration and revitalization in the downtown. Our district is Collingwood’s premier tourist attraction as well as the inspiration and draw for countless new residents. It is a gem that requires the highest level of protection.
Margaret Mooy, president of the local Architecture Conservancy of Ontario branch noted, “Our current heritage plan has served us well. To now change the height limits in the district to six storeys or more will destroy the character of our historic downtown. We urge residents to make their voices heard before these
changes to the official plan take effect.”
The Town of Collingwood continues to request feedback on this second draft of the official plan.
After the end of October, the planning department will draft a final version which will be presented to town council before the end of the year. More information can be found on the Engage page of the Town of Collingwood website.
Founded in 1933, the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario is the province’s principal non-government volunteer organization dedicated to the conservation of built heritage. The Collingwood branch was founded in 2007 and is one of 16 local branches in Ontario.
Margaret Mooy and the Collingwood chapter of the Architecture Conservancy of Ontario
