Fort York: Adding New Buildings is Published!

In mid-June, just in time for the annual meeting of the Friends of Fort York, Fort York: Adding New Buildings, a long-awaited report recommending a long-term plan for the capital expansion at the fort, was published by the City’s Culture Division, the Fort York Management Board and the Friends. The product of a large Working Group that began meeting in June, 2000, the report proposes new buildings be constructed to meet the fort’s space needs as visitation increases. It differs from some earlier studies, however, by suggesting several buildings be built, rather than only one or two, and that many of these new buildings be within the ramparts as replicas of those that once stood there. The Working Group advocated this course after it recognized that the new space required was nearly equal in size to the total area of all existing buildings at the fort. If it were provided in only one or two structures, they would overwhelm the fort’s ensemble of small-scale early 19th century buildings.

The report laid out a four-phased implementation plan driven by the goal of giving the public full access to all the fort’s War of 1812 buildings by removing all administrative, curatorial, visitor-service and behind-the-scenes functions there today, and by putting the displaced activities in new buildings scattered around the site.

But Adding New Buildings was also far-reaching in the range of related issues it explored. It follows on from two previous benchmark reports, Fort York: Setting It Right (2000) and the Fort York and Garrison Common Parks and Open Space Design and Implementation Plan (2001). Both earlier documents were endorsed by City Council, so it is hoped when this latest report is presented to Council in the early Fall, it too will be looked on with favour.

The graphic design of Adding New Buildings was entrusted to Tempest Design, with which Friends’ board member Ted Smolak has an affiliation, and we are delighted with the result. Copies have been mailed to all members of the Friends of Fort York, but additional ones may be had gratis by dropping by the fort and asking at The Canteen.

[From Fife & Drum, August 2005]

Celebrating the Bicentennial of the War of 1812

On April 5, 2007, the Ontario Legislature gave unanimous passage to a resolution to commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812 put forward by Julia Munro, MPP for York North. Munro who is Opposition critic for Culture said, “The War of 1812 is one of the defining moments in Ontario’s history. Establishing an independent commission to co-ordinate Ontario’s commemorations will let historical groups and local communities play an important part in planning our celebrations.”

The resolution directs the government to establish a commission whose members include representatives of Ontario communities that are the sites of battles or other significant events of the war as well as groups dedicated to the preservation of Canada’s military history and heritage. The commission would work with Ontarians, the federal government and US governments to co-ordinate the commemorations.

[From Fife & Drum, April 2007]