Much like dogs and toddlers, old homes are applauded for standing up, even if some don’t do it particularly well.
As the phrase “affordable home” becomes a sad contradiction in terms and as the North Shore prepares to absorb an influx of new residents, it seems like each heritage home is destined to be a casualty of our housing crisis.
It can be difficult to convince forward-thinking mayors and councils of the value of preserving the past.
But we assure you there is value there.
We don’t seek to embalm the past, but to maintain it. We don’t need to cherish our history, but to learn from it.
When we roll over the homes of the generations that came before us we inevitably cheat the generations that will come after us.
Demolishing historical homes costs us the opportunity to see that things weren’t always the way they are now, and, more importantly, that they don’t have to be.
We realize the march of progress will tread on some treasures of the past. We accept some heritage homes will be lost, but we beseech heritage homeowners, their neighbours and our elected officials to work together, experiment with subdivisions, and make whatever effort they can to preserve the past.
James Joyce once wrote about awaking from the nightmare of history. Allowing heritage homes to disappear isn’t awakening, it’s hitting the snooze button.
As long as heritage homes will stand up for us, it’s our duty to stand up for them.
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