Time to stop ‘skinning’ heritage buildings

As owners and operators of a boutique travel company that offers high-end tours internationally, my wife and I have travelled the world for decades searching out the most spectacular destinations. Yet we find that the beauty, liveability and authenticity of Victoria’s Old Town and the Inner Harbour make it one of the most remarkable cities in the world.

We choose to call Victoria home and live in a restored heritage building, The Vogue, which thankfully did not fall prey to the recent practice of “skinning” heritage buildings.

We also own a rental property on Yates Street in the Leiser building, which has also been restored and modernized without changing its heritage character.

A recent example of “skinning” is the development of Customs House, which has destroyed the essential character of an iconic building in the heart of the Inner Harbour.

But it is not just my esthetic that should concern the city council, city planners and developers. Most charters and international policies, including that of the International Council on Monuments and Sites and Canada’s own Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places, either explicitly or implicitly list “façadism” as the wrong approach to heritage conservation.

I wish to add my voice to those opposing similar developments, including along Wharf Street, and on Pandora and Broad Street.

Let’s keep this beautiful downtown core alive, diverse and authentic.

Dr. Dag Goering Victoria