Saskatchewan celebrated Heritage Week 2008 with nationally-renowned heritage lawyer and author Marc Denhez. On Wednesday, February 20th, Mr. Denhez addressed an audience at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, where he asked the question: "Does 'Building Sustainability' Include Sustaining Buildings?"
Mr. Denhez had three important messages: Saskatchewan has a built environment that is an essential part of any green strategy; the re-use of historic buildings is key to asserting community pride and identity; and heritage development IS economic development.
Mr. Denhez says: "If we can re-use items as small as pop bottles and tin cans, surely it is within human imagination to re-use items as important as cities. Do we have strategies to re-use items as large as buildings, neighbourhoods and cities, instead of carting them away in dumpsters?"
The re-use of heritage buildings, says Mr. Denhez, IS economic development. To "rehab" a building brings countless dollars into a community. It creates greater local employment than new construction, it increases property tax assessments for municipalities, and contributes to the multi-billion dollar Canadian renovation industry. It also increases tourism, gives people a sense of community pride and identity, and makes communities enjoyable places to live.
Investment in heritage is "green". And it makes economic sense.
