EC3 set to host session on city’s heritage-based development
The Electric City Culture Council will host a “cultural incubator” session on heritage preservation, gentrification and the arts on April 11
The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Lett Architects, 138 Simcoe St. and will discuss the city’s downtown through presentations and discussion with local arts, culture and heritage leaders.
The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) is a not-for-profit organization serving the arts, culture and heritage sector in Peterborough and the surrounding region.
Two important questions will be the focus for the presentation and discussion, states a press release from EC3.
How can the arts, culture, and heritage sectors work together to support place-based economic development that strengthens, rather than displaces, existing communities?
How can we ensure that our unique arts community and heritage assets are preserved and encouraged as a central aspect of our identity?
These questions and more will be answered by the two guest speakers at the event.
Presenting first will be Erik Hanson, the city's heritage resources co-ordinator. He oversees the protection of heritage resources, manages heritage programming, leads major cultural planning projects and coordinates archaeological activity.
Hanson was also part of a post Katrina damage assessment team in New Orleans, co-ordinated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Margaret Zeidler, the founder and president of Toronto-based Urbanspace Property Group, is also part of the presentation. Zeidler`s group was behind the creation of 401 Richmond, the conversion of a warehouse in the old garment district of Toronto. The warehouse was converted to an arts and culture hub for Toronto.
The project, and others by Urbanspace, are in the same vein as the work being done locally by TVM Group, which is renovating the old St. Joseph's Hospital site.