Thoughts Towards a New Definition of Heritage

Abstract

Up until now, values associated with heritage are generally similar: places are usually deemed worthy of preservation for their historical associations to important people or events, their aesthetic/architectural qualities, and their physical relation to their surrounding context. But, in the future, can these remain the only reasons for preserving a place? In the interests of pursuing the natural alliance between sustainable development and heritage conservation, the question begs to be asked in the particular context of heritage evaluations. Beyond its traditional cultural meanings, can the definition of heritage continue to broaden to encompass sustainability’s criteria? This article proposes to examine how the paradigm of sustainable development can be incorporated in the current heritage evaluation methods used in Canada’s federal and municipal levels of government. The Port of Montreal’s grain elevator no. 5 (Silo No. 5), built between 1906 and 1958 and currently awaiting a new use, will be examined. By virtue of its size, situation, and volume, Silo No. 5 can provoke an interesting discussion about the possibilities of integrating social, economic, and environmental issues in heritage conservation processes.