PETERBOROUGH LETTER: Too easy to demolish heritage buildings

I am disturbed by your report on March 2 that the PACAC has given the developer of the Y Lofts approval to demolish the facade of this heritage building anre rebuild it in character.

How can this happen? What protection does a heritage building have in this city if the city’s guardians of heritage buildings, that they selected as worthy of protection, can approve the destruction of the facade?

What is the need to demolish the facade? There are too many changes of floor level in the old building! Imagine that neither the developer or any of his consultants noticed the different floor levels. At what stage did they find out? Could this be why the previous owner sold the building?

There seems to be a disturbing lack of commitment in our Peterborough when it comes to protecting our historic buildings. A demolition permit was issued for the Black Horse, a major structure on George St., without any input from the community. Come to think of it, all of George St., from Murray St. to Sherbrooke St., should have heritage protection. A demolition permit was issued for Langston House after the developer had been issued a building permit for an addition with the assurance that the building would be protected. One of the reasons given: There were bats in the attic.,

Developers now know that all they have to do when renovating a heritage building in Peterborough is to obtain a building permit, start work, then complain that they are finding the costs to great and they will get a sympathetic hearing from the building department.

John F. Reeves, Water St.