Did you know that over the past 30 years more than 20% of the historic buildings in our cities and towns has been lost to the wrecker’s ball? With so many beautiful, old, distinctly Hamilton buildings available to be re-purposed, why would anyone want to white-wash the cityscape with generic condo towers or destroy it with unsightly empty lots?
Healthy communities find the right balance between continuity and change. Every preserved structure is a reflection of an era and its builders. These historic creations make up the sum of our collective memory and provide the stability of familiar places and enable us to locate ourselves in our own time. The desire to experience and learn about these histories also drives cultural tourism to our city, where visitors can experience and learn about our past and connect with us through our heritage.
HeritageWatch Hamilton strives to reverse this trend by encouraging our City to preserve and protect it’s built heritage.