Mandate: to advise, assist and make recommendations to Council on matters related to heritage including the promotion of heritage conservation within the municipality and advising Council and the community on individual properties and districts of heritage and cultural significance.
Vision: “Preserving Gravenhurst's past and present for our future.”
Primary Role: provide recommendations for the conservation of heritage buildings, sites and resources and their integration in development. Specific tasks required to provide these recommendations to Council include:
- identifying heritage resources and evaluating their condition and community value
- recommending by-laws to establish processes for the conservation of heritage resources
- monitoring, reviewing and taking protective actions on a property-by-property or area-wide basis
- undertaking promotional programs to advise Town Council and the public of the value of heritage resources, to encourage awareness, appreciation, involvement and participation in heritage conservation activities and to provide Council the following information:
- Designation – advise prior to the designation of a property
- Repeal of Designation – advise prior to the repeal of a by-law or part thereof designating a property
- Amendment of Designated Property – advise on amendments of by-laws or part thereof designating a property
- Alteration of Designated Property – advise on applications to alter a designated property where such proposed alteration may affect the reasons for designation as set out in the by-law designating the property
- Demolition – advise on applications to demolish or remove any building or structure on designated property
- Easement/Covenants - advise before passing by-laws entering into easements or covenants with the owners of real property, or interests therein, for the conservation of buildings of historical or architectural value or interest
- Districts – advise before passing a by-law to define one or more areas to be examined for designation as a heritage conservation district
Council also delegates the following responsibilities to this Committee:
- monitoring of federal and provincial government directives and regulations on heritage related issues
- conducting research on heritage related issues
- liaising with other municipalities on heritage issues
- holding public information sessions to inform members of the public about heritage related issues
All Boards and Subcommittees of the municipality are governed by the same legislation:
- Municipal Act
- Municipal Conflict of Interest Act
- Occupational Health and Safety Act
- Town's Subcommittee Policy
- Various other Town policies, procedures and programs