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Cultural City

A cultural city is rich in built and cultural heritage resources and community facilities. Archaeological resources, built heritage resources, cultural heritage landscapes, and intangible, ephemeral, or lost heritage sites are critical parts of a city’s range of cultural experiences. Cultural experiences happen when the physical elements of the city interact with its symbolic heritage elements and their meanings.

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Things to Think About:

  • Protect Heritage Resources

    • Update policies about heritage structures and landscapes conforming with Provincial and Regional documents.
    • Establish a policy framework for protecting cultural heritage in new developments.
    • Explore alternative methods to protect potential heritage properties.
    • Integrate Indigenous consultation protocol into the Official Plan's policies.
    • Offer financial incentives like property tax deferral to designated property owners.
    • The first Welland Canal's remnants are important and need preservation.

  • Promote & Enhance Heritage Experiences

    • Urban design guidelines for historical neighborhoods ensure that new development maintains the area's character and significant views.
    • Promote a community's heritage and culture via events, festivals, branding, signage, public art, storytelling, and interpretive programs.
    • Policies for collaborative property management with key property owners like Ontario Power Generation, Parks Canada, and Metrolinx.

  • Promote & Enhance Heritage Experiences cont'd

    • Consider Queen Victoria Park as a “Cultural Heritage Landscape” instead of its current designation as an “open space.”
    • Add policies to recognize and enhance physical and visual connections between City lands and Niagara Parks Commission lands with heritage sensitivities.
    • Consider the treed moraine along the Queen Victoria Park Cultural Heritage Landscape: a sensitive natural and cultural heritage feature.

  • The Role of Programming in Enhancing Culture

    • Policy can help direct the design of places, spaces, and municipal, corporate supports to enable a culture in all its forms.

  • Planning for Public Service Facilities

    • The City could explore creative approaches to the development of facilities and service delivery, participating in the co-design and co-delivery of services with other government agencies, the private sector, and/or non-profit organizations.
    • Strengthen the policy framework to ensure a high-quality public realm, easy access to public service facilities and an attractive and welcoming community.

  • Planning for Public Service Facilities cont'd

    • Focus new services and amenities in Downtown, key areas, and community hubs to ensure easy access for most residents through different transport options. This approach will boost community vitality and optimize infrastructure use.
    • New public service facilities, including hospitals and schools, should be located in areas easily accessible by active transportation and transit where that service is available.

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