Need some help…please!

I don’t know for sure but I understood work was being done to get this building some form of heritage protection.
Next time I am talking to my counterpart in Toronto I will do my best to remember to ask.
Tom

Good news!
Would be nice to hear from you.
Thanks.

Wieesso

“Wonder if there are also people in Toronto trying to protect the remaining Hangar 1 located at the north-east end of the former Toronto Island Airport – now called Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

So far only the old wooden terminal built in 1938-9 is classified a National Historic Site of Canada – but the old Hangar 1 built 1937-9 is not protected.
Don’t know what happened if Porter tries to built even more new terminal buildings like in 2009-10 or if some of proposed plans to ‘develop’ these area will become true.”

I don’t know for sure but I understood work was being done to get this building some form of heritage protection.

Next time I am talking to my counterpart in Toronto I will do my best to remember to ask.

Tom

…not Edmonton or Essendon, but…

Thanks – love to read the dialogue between Mark and Tom –
great to see people fighting against the long term demolition or better said for a sustainable protection of vintage airports and aviation terminals and hangars.

Wonder if there are also people in Toronto trying to protect the remaining Hangar 1 located at the north-east end of the former Toronto Island Airport – now called Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

So far only the old wooden terminal built in 1938-9 is classified a National Historic Site of Canada – but the old Hangar 1 built 1937-9 is not protected.
Don’t know what happened if Porter tries to built even more new terminal buildings like in 2009-10 or if some of proposed plans to ‘develop’ these area will become true.

Guess it is high time to fight for a proper protection of this classic brick building with its famous 1930-40 style of construction. Hope it will survive!

Martin (unfortunately too far away)

Thanks Mark!

I was aware and had been through the Municipal, Provincial and Federal sites listings both on paper and the web.

The earlier “Alberta Register of Historic Places” is a new one though and I appreciate your finding it…I will be going through the paper side, hope it helps.

While I am a bit of a “Boob” when it comes to the net I am very familiar with our historic site laws and was fortunate to be part of the review of the Municipal Historic site regulations and managed to get some real protection and teeth into them.

You are correct our facility is Building 14, we are both Municipally and Provincially designated and carry a high level of protection…its also where I learned much of how the system works.

Here a site cannot be designated without the “owners” permission, hence the problems in getting additional sites protected when the “owner” is hell bent on developing them.

“Alberta Register of Historic Places” has disappeared and along with it many of the airport buildings on the list. There are now only (4) of the originals
– Ours
– Building 8, first of the metal structure USAAF Hangars
(used for the North West Staging Route)
-Building 11 Last of the wooded structure USAAF Hangars
(also used for the North West Staging Route)
– The NWI Hangar/former Aircraft Maintenance #1, Now a manufacturing facility modified beyond recognition (in 1939 it was the largest Maintenance facility in Canada) and unlikely to be able to be returned to its original glory.

All the others gone in the last 10years (to much protest I will add)

Thank you for the Australian examples, they will go along way in our efforts!!

Thanks again

Tom

Tom,

I have had a fair bit of involvement in registering airfields in Australia under our State and National Heritage systems, so hopefully the info below may be relevent and of assistance in a Canadian context.

In regards to online records of heritage listings for Edmonton Airport, Google only finds Hangar 14 listed on the local city of Edmonton Inventory and Register of Historic Resources.

http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/planning_development/edmontons-historic-resources.aspx

http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/InfraPlan/Hangar.pdf

There is no further references to the Edmonton Airport on the local City Register.

Hangar 14 is also listed as a Provincial Historic Place on the Alberta State Register, which is available online on a Hermis database.

https://hermis.alberta.ca/ARHP/Details.aspx?DeptID=1&ObjectID=4665-0774

I assume Hangar 14 is the building where your museum is located.

This, and the Rutley Hangar at Calgary seem the only “airport” listings at the Provincial level on the “Alberta State Register”

However it seems the Provence had an earlier heritage listing system called the Alberta Register of Historic Places, dating from the 1970’s and stored in various database formats including paper files.

What is the Alberta Heritage Survey?
The Alberta Heritage Survey is a program of the Historic Resources Management Branch of Alberta Culture and Community Spirit. It was established in the mid-1970s, with its main function being to administer a collection of information, including photographs, relating to heritage resources across the province. The Alberta Heritage Survey includes data from as early as 1970, when the Canadian Inventory of Historic Building began documenting Alberta’s heritage. In the more than 30 years since the Program’s inception, the database has been vastly expanded, often in co-operation with communities and heritage groups. Today, over 80,000 individual resources are documented in the Alberta Heritage Survey.

The Alberta Heritage Survey Online
The extensive Alberta Heritage Survey database is a work in progress. With data from many sources, and having already passed through several systems, the format, style and content of the records varies greatly. Whatever it lacks in consistency the Survey makes up for in its diversity and wide coverage of the province. There are grain elevators, outhouses, banks, mines, houses, water towers, ranches, hangars, bridges, barns, train stations and churches, to name just a few of the types of sites represented. From Manyberries to Indian Cabins, and hundreds of communities in between, the Survey includes records that represent a cross-section of Alberta’s built heritage.

https://hermis.alberta.ca/ARHP/Search.aspx?DeptID=2&st=%7e%7eairport

That list is partially available online and offers the following buildings as being listed at the Edmonton Airport.

HS9394 – Hangar #6/Building #14 (apparantly the Hangar 14 referred above?)
HS9395 – Hangar #11/Building #25

It has many other buildings/hangars listed at other airports that are not showing on the Alberta State Register “Hermes” database and so I would enquire with the Coordinator of the Alberta Heritage Survey Program and see if there are any other Edmonton Airport buildings on this list, particularly check the listings prior to and after HS9394 and HS9395? as its possible these relate to the heritage listing you found of 1976?

For example even though it doesnt seem to come up in the search, by adjusting the url of the displayed page from a search of the register I can see “HS9393” is Hangar #4/building #12 at Edmonton Airport and “HS9396” is the North West Industries wartime aircraft repair facility at or near Edmonton Airport, so it would seem at least 4 buildings were added to this list?

The Canadian National Register appears to be an amalgam of Local/Provincial lists with some National Sites also added.

The Canadian Register
The Canadian Register is a searchable database containing information about recognized historic places of local, provincial, territorial and national significance.

Remember, the Canadian Register is a work in progress. Current listings represent only a fraction of the total number of Canada’s recognized historic places. New listings are added every week so if you don’t find what you’re looking for today, come visit the Canadian Register again!

A historic place is a structure, building, group of buildings, district, landscape, archaeological site or other place in Canada that has been formally recognized for its heritage value by an appropriate authority within a jurisdiction.

Over 20% of Canada’s historic buildings have already been demolished. (That’s the same as wiping out about 60 Canadian university campuses.) We need to work together to protect these remaining places. Make your choice – how do you want to protect a historic place near you?

Take steps to get it recognized
Get involved in your local heritage organization
Check out our library of resources to get up to speed

http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/results-resultats.aspx?m=2&Keyword=edmonton%20airport

It only finds the two listings for Hangar #14 arising from the listings in the Edmonton and Alberta lists.

Of course just because the airport is being closed and the buildings arnt already listed doesnt stop them being assessed and listed as heritage buildings now. Given your recent celebrations of the Centenary of Canadian Aviation, and also the recent 70th anniversary of the BCATP you should be able to get both Provincial and National heritage agencies interested in doing a heritage analysis.

I would suggest you explore:

1. Using City policy C450B http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/C450B.doc

2. Getting the Edmonton Heritage Council involved
http://www.edmontonheritage.ca/

3. As well as the Edmonton Historical Board
http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/city_organization/edmonton-historical-board.aspx

4. Try and assess if the airport is of National or Provincial importance?, and get the appropriate agency involved quickly.

How to Protect your Historic Place

One of the ways you can help to protect a historic place is to have it formally recognized by your municipal, provincial, territorial, or federal government. Places that are important to the entire country may be recognized as National Historic Sites of Canada. Each province and territory has a different system of formally recognizing historic places. For most jurisdictions, follow these steps:

Step 1: Search the Canadian Register of Historic Places to find out if the place has been listed.

Step 2: Think about what makes the place important.

Is the place associated with a historically significant theme, person or event? If it’s a building, is it special for its architecture or design? Does the place have special meaning because of its landmark, spiritual, or cultural associations?

Step 3: Consider your answers to the questions above.

Is your place important at the national, provincial/territorial, or municipal level?

Step 4: Level of Designation

If you think your place is nationally significant, seek a national historic sites designation.
If you think your place is important to the province or territory, seek a provincial or territorial designation.
If you think your place is locally significant, seek a municipal designation.

Step 5: Contact your federal/provincial/territorial heritage program.

Times for the designation process to be completed will vary from place to place. Please be patient!

good luck Tom, its important we save the built heritage (hangars etc) associated with aviation, not just the moveable heritage (aircraft) or archives (photos / records), you should be able to argue that even if the airport is closed, that aviation specific buildings such as Hangars / Control Tower etc are heritage listed / protected and required to be retained for adaptive re-use rather than demolition, as a way of retaining the aviation heritage even if the runways are lost and the airport closes to aviation use.

We have had some success getting the heritage value of airports /airfields recognised in the last 10 years, here are some I have been involved in.

Note in many of these the entire site is registered or specific precincts are, rather than just individual significant buildings. Where the entire site is listed, the individual buildings are graded in significance from high signifance – retention essential down to contributory buildings, these groups of buildings are considered more valuable as contributing to the overall sites context or heritage rather than just on their own, hence the objective is to retain the layout/plan of the original site rather than just saving the most significant buildings.

National Trust

RAAF Point Cook
http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;66866

Victorian (State) Heritage Register

The former CAC Flight Hangar (Commonwealth Aircraft Company – aircraft factory)
http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;12650

Werribee wartime satellite Airfield
http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;71889

RAAF Ballarat – wartime Wireless Air Gunnery school (EATS) Base
(EATS = BCATP)
http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;14247

Commonwealth Heritage List

ESSENDON AIRPORT
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=place_name%3DEssendon%2520Airport%3Blist_code%3DCHL%3Bkeyword_PD%3Don%3Bkeyword_SS%3Don%3Bkeyword_PH%3Don%3Blatitude_1dir%3DS%3Blongitude_1dir%3DE%3Blongitude_2dir%3DE%3Blatitude_2dir%3DS%3Bin_region%3Dpart;place_id=105161

RAAF LAVERTON
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=state%3DVIC%3Blist_code%3DCHL%3Blegal_status%3D35%3Bkeyword_PD%3D0%3Bkeyword_SS%3D0%3Bkeyword_PH%3D0;place_id=106002

RAAF POINT COOK
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=state%3DVIC%3Blist_code%3DCHL%3Blegal_status%3D35%3Bkeyword_PD%3D0%3Bkeyword_SS%3D0%3Bkeyword_PH%3D0;place_id=105275

National Heritage List

RAAF POINT COOK
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;search=place_name%3DPoint%2520Cook%3Blist_code%3DNHL%3Bkeyword_PD%3Don%3Bkeyword_SS%3Don%3Bkeyword_PH%3Don%3Blatitude_1dir%3DS%3Blongitude_1dir%3DE%3Blongitude_2dir%3DE%3Blatitude_2dir%3DS%3Bin_region%3Dpart;place_id=105671

The Australian Heritage register systems consist of:

National Trust Listings – these can be of local, state, national or international significance.

Local / Municipal listings – local council/city registers of private/government buildings of local/state/national significance, within their municipal boundaries.

State Registers – as each state originated as a British colony they retain jurisdiction over heritage within their borders, listing private/government buildings of local or state significance

Commonwealth Heritage List – as Commonwealth sites (owned by the Federal or National government) are considered to be outside the jurisdiction of State Governments the Commonwealth Heritage list contains sites that are equivalent to State significance, but commonwealth owned.

National Heritage List – the highest significance list in Australia, only sites of National significance are added to this list.

You will note RAAF Point Cook (a commonwealth owned site) is listed by the National Trust, but not the State of Victoria register (due to its commonwealth ownership – ie outside of Victorian jurisdiction), but is on the Commonwealth Heritage List (being of Commonwealth significance ie same as State significance) and also the National Heritage List (being of National significance)

The registration of historic airports is not limited to the state of Victoria, New South Wales has recently undertaken a thematic survey of its historic WW2 airfields and so far has listed Evans Head and Tocumwal, while RAAF Richmond in NSW is on the Commonwealth Heritage List.

While NSW ended up with more WW2 bases than any other State, many of the wartime airfields were returned to farm land after WW2 and stripped of hangars and huts etc. The surviving Victorian sites, Point Cook, Laverton and Ballarat are the more intact of their relevent themes of WW1, Interwar/WW2 and EATS training school compared to their nearest equivalents in NSW, unfortunately most of the wartime airfields in the other states are stripped of any significant buildings etc as well.

http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/docs/aerodromes_intro.pdf

http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/docs/aerodromes_study.pdf

I hope that the above examples of the Australian experience might assist you in convincing both City and Provincial heritage experts in exploring Edmonton airport in its entirety or at least a number of its buildings being added to the Alberta register.

Matt/Fraser Nash – Essendon Airport is in fact protected under both the Register of the National Estate – although a toothless law, and the Commonwealth Heritage List – a very strong protection, Linfox has restored the Wirraway Road Heritage precinct (having learned after they demolished the former 1924 Commonwealth Hangar without permission some years ago), the airport is leased for 99 years under the Federal Airports Act and the former Victorian state Labor Government’s policy calling for its closure is not supported by the current Federal Labor Government, or Liberal opposition, or incoming Victorian state Liberal Government – I think its quite safe as an airport at the moment, and its heritage buildings are very safe.

regards

Mark Pilkington

Frazer Nash

I can completely understand…the airport closure is being done through local government as they own it…but it has been a very protracted and nasty debate.

Aviation is in trouble in many areas across the world

Tom

Thanks JT

The Land use bylaw I am familiar with (we are the .6 Hectare)

What I have found in an old City Document and in a city display is that
“the airport was designated a historic site”

Over here when you designate a site historic it can’t be reversed but there are
(3) levels of designation
– Municipal
-Provincial
-Federal

Each offering a different level of protection to the site

Thats what I can’t find a reference to…which designation.

It’s driving me nuts !

Tom

Section 550 of the Edmonton Land Use Bylaw Number 5996 was passed by City Council in 1981, establishing the land use Zone (MA) – Municipal Airport Zone governing land uses at the Municipal Airport. In 1989, a 0.6 hectare site was redistricted to DC5 (DC2) to accommodate light industrial uses.

from here: http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/planning_development/general-summary-of-land-use-zo.aspx

It looks like the land was re-designated from that of historical interest to commercial airport use.

G’Day Tom, yes, Essendon Aerodrome here in Melbourne has the same future facing it. Bloody developers and politicians wind up the folks who live near the airport (and Essendon has been there since 1913) and all of a sudden you have the “Close Essendon Airport Action Group”. They did, to their dismay, make the horrendous mistake of knocking on my door with a petition one Sunday morning……that never happened again.

I would have thought such a decision would have involved mostly local government?

Best regards, Matt

Thanks for the thought

But I have exhausted the paper trail…which does not surprise me as there has just been a 3year heated debate over the destiny of the airport and it is now set for closure…one runway has already been closed.

At this point we have come to accept that the airport is closing…but we are attempting to save and maintain as many of the historic buildings as possible.

If I can determine which level of government made the designation we can confirm the level of protection offered and move forward on saving what can be saved.

I think you can see why the paper trail is a problem…as the land is slated to be redeveloped this has the potential of being a thorn to those that want to eliminate as much of the original airport as possible.

Thanks

Tom

Go to your Town Hall (City Hall?) and you should find records there with the Historical Society.