HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN A plan to sustain Rossland’s heritage
27 April 2020 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Washington Street in Rossland c. 1930. Columbia Basin Institute 2315.0098 c. 1930. Columbia Basin Institute in Rossland Street Washington Consultant Team Denise Cook Design Birmingham & Wood Architects and Planners Berdine Jonker MPA Ance Building Services Contact: Denise Cook Denise Cook Design #1601-1555 Eastern Avenue North Vancouver BC, V7L 3G2 T 604.626.2710 E [email protected]
2 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ...... 4 Introduction ...... 5 Executive Summary ...... 6 A Vision for Rossland’s Heritage Management Program . . . . 17 Part 1: Background ...... 18 1.1 Why Rossland Needs a Heritage Management Plan . . . 18 1.2 Creating the Heritage Management Plan . . . . . 20 1.3 What’s Been Done: Policy, Initiatives and Planning Chronology . . 22 1.4 Community Heritage Values to 2020 . . . . . 29 1.5 The Economic Case for Heritage Conservation . . . . 32 Part 2: Rossland’s Heritage Context ...... 34 2.1 Rossland’s Heritage Character ...... 34 2.2 Heritage Resources ...... 36 2.2.1 Currently Identified Heritage Resources . . . . 36 2.2.2 New Heritage Resources . . . . . 40 Part 3: Heritage Management Plan . . . . . 46 3.1 Analysis: Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results . . . 47 3.2 Heritage Planning Background ...... 52 3.2.1 Official Community Plan ...... 52 3.2.2 Design Guidelines ...... 53 3.2.3 Heritage Planning Tools for Rossland . . . . 57 3.3 Heritage Management Goals, Strategies and Actions . . . 62 3.3.1 Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation . . 64 3.3.2 Goal 2: Facilitate informed heritage decision-making . . 76 3.3.3 Goal 3: Conserve the city’s character-defining elements . . 86 3.4 Achieving the Vision ...... 96 Part 4: Appendices ...... 98 Appendix A: Research Sources Appendix B: Potential Funding Sources and Educational Programs Appendix C: Sample Heritage Resource Evaluation Criteria Appendix D: Thematic Overview of Rossland’s History Appendix E: Rossland Neighbourhood Character Appendix F: Glossary of Heritage Terms Appendix G: Inventory of Heritage Resources to 2020 Appendix H: Compiled Survey Results (separate document
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank: Rossland HMP Steering Committee members: Kathy Moore – Mayor Jackie Drysdale – Heritage Commission Chair Chris Bowman – Councillor Courtney Jewitt – Tourism Rossland Joelle Hodgins – Museum Director Libby Martin – Museum Board member Demitri Lesniewicz – Intern Architect AIBC Elinor Reimer – Designer Holly Borwick – Rossland Youth Action Network Renate Fleming – Rossland Council for Arts & Culture City of Rossland Council and Staff Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre Tourism Rossland Individuals who provided time for in-depth interviews Many interested citizens and members of community groups who participated in the workshop and online Canada Day on Mount Roberts. Ryan Flett/Tourism Rossland Flett/Tourism Ryan Roberts. on Mount Canada Day
4 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan INTRODUCTION Rekindle 2013. Tourism Rossland. Shelley Peachell photo. Heritage in Rossland is foundational to the city’s identity, lifestyle, economy and well-being. Rossland’s Heritage Management Plan (HMP) promotes the idea that heritage can, and should, be the guiding principle underlying all City development. Heritage conservation awareness and protection efforts have been a part of Rossland’s community culture for many decades. They are reflected in the City’s heritage organizations, initiatives, bylaws and policies that have impacted Rossland’s identity as a community, its priorities as a city, its appeal as a chosen home for new resident families and as a destination for visitors. This heritage management plan is significant for the high level of community engagement that went into its development, resulting in a plan that is innovative and explicitly community-driven. This ensures that the community’s current heritage values are reflected and represented in the management plan’s recommendations and actions, and in planning and conservation decisions undertaken by the City. Rossland’s heritage management plan responds to the voice of the community, and aligns that input with current and newly recommended objectives and policies found in the city’s Official Community Plan. The plan has been guided and reviewed by the project Steering Committee, a group of local citizens with unique insight into the strategic needs and aspirations for heritage conservation in the community. With ongoing City and community commitment, heritage conservation in Rossland can be advanced as a continuous cycle, with heritage conservation as one of the guiding principles in community development.
Heritage conservation is a guiding principle for all community development Rossland’s community heritage values are kept current and relevant
Community and city involvement and investment in heritage increases
People relate to and see themselves in the story There is greater support for regulation and incentives
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recommendations in the Heritage Management Plan were developed based on an understanding of Rossland’s current heritage values as articulated by the community, and past and current planning and heritage contexts, providing recommendations and direction for implementing a heritage management program. • The plan includes strategies, actions, how-to and examples for implementing the activities recommended for Rossland’s heritage program over the short term (six months to one year), medium term (one to three years) and long term (three to 10 years). • It provides guidance on managing heritage opportunities or issues that may arise on a day-to-day basis through the course of City of Rossland planning or business and for integrating heritage conservation into the work of all City departments. • It is a source of general information, background, reference material and resources regarding heritage conservation planning in Rossland.
Key principles for Heritage Management Plan implementation • Understanding that this Heritage Management Plan is an aspirational, ambitious and comprehensive long-term road map that is meant to be implemented in incremental steps over time. • Doing what is possible by undertaking early, short-term actions that are easily accomplished with available resources. • Committing to ongoing review and implementation of the heritage actions found in the HMP through Official Community Plan policy. • Actively pursuing funding opportunities for heritage. • A commitment by the City of Rossland for consistent annual funding and human resources for the heritage program to support incremental and impactful implementation. • Building on success and documenting the tangible outcomes that demonstrate the achievement of the plan’s recommended actions.
A Vision for Rossland’s Heritage Management Program The vision for Rossland’s heritage outlines the community’s aspirations for its heritage and heritage management program over the long term. It is based in part on the Aspirations analysis in Section 3.1. Key concepts found in the Vision include: • Heritage awareness and ongoing conservation efforts will continue to be a guiding principle of Rossland’s culture and community. • Protecting and stewarding heritage in Rossland is an endeavour shared by everyone.
6 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan • The city’s heritage program will be inclusive, community-based and publicly accessible. • Rossland will sustain a culture and program of heritage resource protection, reuse, repair and rehabilitation. • The city’s physical evolution of the city will recognize the needs of contemporary society yet be respectful of its existing historical environment. Part 1: Background Part 1, Heritage Management Plan Background, identifies the need for a heritage management plan in Rossland. It outlines the development and initiatives of Rossland’s heritage program over the last four decades, and how that can influence current and future heritage management decisions. Part 1 includes a summary of the city’s community heritage values to 2020 as articulated by the public, and a discussion about the economic benefits of a successful heritage program. Development of this section included research and literature review, analysis of the findings of the heritage values workshop, online survey and in-person interviews, and the documentation of historic places into an inventory list (Appendix G). 1.1 Why Rossland Needs a Heritage Management Plan The Heritage Management Plan has been commissioned by the City to assist in providing clear guidance and implementable actions for heritage conservation and planning. This will ensure responsible decisions around heritage that strive to increase public good and provide economic, social, and political benefits for the community. The preparation and implementation of the management plan ensures an ongoing City and community commitment to sustain Rossland’s heritage, its significant contribution to the city’s historical legacy, as a living resource and as a key part of the city’s future. 1.2 Creating the Heritage Management Plan Based on the expected goals and outcomes related to heritage conservation, the methodology used in developing the Heritage Management Plan included: • A values-based approach that takes into consideration what is important to the community when developing heritage conservation strategies and actions. • A high level of community engagement reflecting an understanding that the community’s voice is integral to the management plan’s success including: • An online and paper survey to gather community input with over 200 surveys completed • Design and facilitation of a day-long community engagement workshop with over 70 participants • Interviews with participating members of the HMP Steering Committee • Integration of current and relevant best practices in heritage conservation practice.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 7 • Ensuring community heritage values reflect the City’s heritage that is being identified, recognized and regulated, and how it is managed and conserved. • Research at local and provincial repositories and online, with the synthesis of research findings informing the management plan. 1.3 What’s Been Done: Policy, Initiatives and Planning Chronology Rossland’s wide-ranging heritage efforts and activities date from the early 1980s. A detailed chronology describes what has been accomplished, including heritage programs, methodologies, actions and initiatives and which have shaped the City’s current heritage planning policies, priorities, management initiatives, and capacity. An effective Heritage Management Plan builds on a community’s past and current heritage policy and activities, leading to a fuller understanding of the community and the provision effective concrete actions that together address the multi-faceted and multi-valent character of Rossland’s heritage. 1.4 Community Heritage Values to 2020 The community engagement sought to confirm that the heritage values that have been foundational to Rossland’s heritage program continue to resonate with the community, synthesized with new values discovered as part of the management planning process. Values were summarized as: 1. Foundational - representing the traditional focus of heritage in Rossland. 2. Current - representing new information on heritage values defined as the aesthetic, historic, scientific, cultural, social or spiritual importance or significance of a place for past, present and future generations. Overwhelmingly, the responses indicated there is great value placed on the following qualities, which many feel are part of what has always made Rossland a good place to live: • Strong sense of community and enduring small-town identity • Laid-back Kootenay lifestyle • Do-it-yourself attitude around how buildings and homes came to be • Close-knit neighbourhoods made up of many modest, older homes • Walkability to downtown and services • Beautiful views • Accessibility of recreational trails and ski hill • Outdoor recreation opportunities all around 1.5 The Economic Case for Heritage Conservation A more recent addition to the values associated with heritage conservation is the confirmation through multiple research studies of the economic value of heritage. This section describes research that measures the economic impacts of heritage conservation in five categories: • Urban revitalization • Heritage tourism • Small business incubation • Property values • Jobs and household income
8 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Part 2: Rossland’s Heritage Context Section 2 describes the overall heritage character of Rossland, documents currently identified heritage resources, and summarizes other heritage resources identified through the community engagement process. 2.1 Rossland’s Heritage Character At first glance, Rossland’s charm and character appears to stem from its unique collection of historic buildings nestled within the dramatic mountain backdrop. However, that ‘charm’ or ‘character’ one instantly feels when entering the community is not simply a question of aesthetics. Heritage character isa complex conglomerate of factors, and cannot be simply attributed to one or two types of heritage assets. The intricacy of components that make up a community’s heritage character is a topic that is the focal point of international concepts such as historic urban landscapes or cultural landscapes. These terms attempt to acknowledge the complex, deep and diverse layering of values and qualities – cultural and natural, tangible and intangible – that contribute to a community’s heritage character. 2.2 Heritage Resources 2.2.1 Currently Identified Heritage Resources Rossland has already identified a number historic places and resources ina formal way, creating a strong footing upon which to base the identification of additional resources. The tools used to identify these places have included both an inventory process and formal recognition on the Community Heritage Register. Heritage inventories and registers are continuously evolving conservation tools that together document the heritage places and resources that a community values. They are useful in understanding what Rossland’s heritage assets are and why they are significant, leading to informed decision-making related to heritage conservation. Table 2 in this section identifies the heritage resources on Rossland’s current heritage register, and on the BC and Canadian heritage registers. 2.2.2 New Heritage Resources Heritage resource identified by the community express many additional aspects of Rossland’s heritage that go beyond its built heritage and gold mining history. The following heritage categories were identified as representative of Rossland’s important heritage resources. In this section, the heritage management plan describes each of them, listing associated heritage resources identified by the community, and explaining best practices for their identification and conservation. Neighbourhoods Rossland’s neighbourhoods, each with a different development history, physical character and value are important heritage microcosms that together reflect the overall history of the city
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 9 Places of Indigenous history The long human history in this area is evident in the Sinixt, Ktunaxa and Okanagan use of the land for hunting and plant and berry collecting for food and medicine. Natural Features Rossland’s natural, wild setting has been identified as being highly significant to the community. Cultural Landscapes Defined as any geographical area that has been modified, influenced, or given special cultural meaning by people. Built environment Additional resources were identified that define Rossland’s built environment and streetscapes, each of which has a varied form and detail that contributes to the character of the city and the quality of its urban landscape. Intangible heritage Includes practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills, cultural spaces and other non-material aspects that communities, groups and individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. The list in this sections includes some of the intangible aspects of Rossland that citizens consider to be of importance. The section includes a map of Rossland’s Neighbourhoods and a map of Identified Heritage Features. Part 3: Heritage Management Plan Part 3, Heritage Management Plan, first uses an analysis of strengths, opportunities, aspirations and results with regard to heritage in order to understand what the community values about Rossland and its history. This information leads the way forward to introduce ways through which Rossland’s heritage management program can be advanced and sustained. Part 3 then identifies three consolidated and over-arching goals with associated recommendations and actions that articulate how Rossland’s heritage values, significant heritage resources and sense of place can be sustained through ongoing management practices, and in the face of future development and change. This part concludes with an implementation strategy for the identified actions, and measures of success for and ongoing touchstones for evaluating the results of the HMP. 3.1 Analysis: Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results The Heritage Management Plan survey used in the public engagement process included questions related to a strategic planning tool focused on a community’s perceived strengths, opportunities, aspirations and results. This process focuses on a community’s current strengths and vision of the future for developing its strategic goals. The results of this exercise have been
10 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan directly integrated into the goals, strategies and actions in Section 3.3. Strengths: Survey respondents were asked “What are Rossland’s greatest assets or strengths that can help celebrate its history and its places that matter?” Opportunities: The aggregate survey results contain many suggestions for opportunities with which to advance Rossland’s heritage program. Aspirations: The survey information was analyzed in detail to determine the aspirations for heritage identified by its citizens. Results: The survey identified measurable results, such as stable funding and human resource allocation for heritage, staff time devoted to the heritage program, and the level of engagement of residents and community groups in heritage projects, events and programs as some of the expected results of Rossland’s heritage program. 3.2 Heritage Planning Background 3.2.1 Official Community Plan Rossland’s Official Community Plan embodies comprehensive guidelines for diverse needs of the community, with an intent to provide a unified approach to achieving citywide goals. For each of the three goals outlined in Section 3.3, suggested potential op- portunities to further embed heritage into Rossland’s Official Community Plan have been included. 3.2.2 Design Guidelines Review As part of the Heritage Management plan, a general review of Rossland’s current design guidelines for the historic downtown has been undertaken, to assess their structure and effectiveness and providing values-based guidance for future guidelines. The City’s existing 1997 design guidelines require review and updating to better align with conservation best practices and address development trend realities in the community today. New design guidelines should be based on the identified values and character of Rossland’s downtown, achieving an appropriate balance between more prescriptive measures that might ensure protection, and more general statements of intent. An outline to consider when preparing new design guidelines may include: 1. Purpose and approach 2. Understanding Downtown Rossland’s value and character 3. How to use the guidelines 4. Guidelines for heritage resources 5. Guidelines for alterations and additions to existing buildings 6. Guidelines for new construction 7. Guidelines for site planning The section concludes with a proposed process for proceeding with the preparation of new design guidelines.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 11 3.2.3 Heritage Planning Tools for Rossland The purpose of this section is to highlight and describe the legal heritage conservation tools likely to be most applicable to Rossland that are provided to municipalities by the Local Government Act and the BC Community Charter that give options to the City to manage and conserve its heritage resources, including information about: • Heritage Conservation Areas • Heritage Revitalization Agreements • Development Permit Areas • Revitalization Tax Exemption Program • Zoning • Heritage Inventory • Community Heritage Register • Heritage Designation 3.3 Heritage Management Goals, Strategies and Actions The heritage management goals and accompanying strategies and actions found in this management plan are equal priority measures. Together, they expand on identified community heritage values and goals, and build on the desired objectives and policies for heritage management and economic and social development in Rossland. These strategic measures connect heritage conservation to sustainable community development, and contribute to the central goal of sustaining Rossland’s heritage into the future. 3.3.1 Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation Reinforcing Rossland’s culture of heritage conservation means that the general community understands and embraces heritage awareness and conservation of historic places as part of the city’s identity, strength, and prosperity. Strategies associated with Goal 1
Strategy Description 1a The protection of Rossland’s heritage City heritage management requires a unified approach, underscoring coordination the need for City leadership in heritage conservation. There is a need to integrate the City, representative stakeholder groups and the general public in efforts to conserve heritage in Rossland. 1b The integration of heritage conservation Integration of into all aspects of community life ensure conservation efforts that all people are aware of how heritage can contribute to the resiliency, vibrancy, sustainability and well-being of Rossland, and can help foster a strong cultural sector that has the ability to attract creative and entrepreneurial workers.
12 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Strategy Description 1c Communication includes awareness-building Communication and about Rossland’s heritage, along with its funding celebration, promotion and interpretation. The City of Rossland and its partners should provide modest but stable funding for a heritage program and associated projects. 1d Heritage conservation education ensures Education that decision-makers and heritage organization leaders are well-informed and regularly updated about current thinking and best practices for heritage planning and conservation. 1e Heritage conservation is relevant for Heritage relevance for everyone in the community, and efforts everyone should be made to ensure this is facilitated, including indigenous engagement and multi- cultural representation.
Official Community Plan considerations for Goal 1 This section includes a table listing potential heritage policy concepts for strengthening the City’s culture of heritage conservation, along with their rationale, that can be considered for inclusion in Rossland’s OCP. 3.3.2 Goal 2: Facilitate informed heritage decision-making Informed decision making about heritage conservation ensures that the people responsible for determining heritage conservation actions and initiatives have all the data and background material necessary tomake decisions that will achieve these public benefits. Strategies associated with Goal 2
Strategy Description 2a Successful heritage conservation in Foundational planning communities relies on the application tools of measures that permit and regulate conservation management. These tools include a Heritage Conservation Area for Downtown Rossland, Design Guidelines and others. 2b Ensures that up-to-date and accurate Supportive technical and guidance information about heritage planning tools conservation is available to the development community and the general public. 2c The heritage inventory listing and the formally Heritage inventory and adopted heritage register assist in making heritage register good decisions around heritage conservation.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 13 Official Community Plan considerations for Goal 2 This section includes a table listing potential heritage policy concepts for supporting the facilitation of informed decision-making, along with their rationale, that can be considered for inclusion in Rossland’s OCP. Goal 3: Conserve the city’s character-defining elements Conserving Rossland’s character-defining elements involves understanding, recognizing and conserving a wide range of heritage values and built, landscape and intangible heritage resources that support community identity and character. Strategies associated with Goal 3
Strategy Description 3a Heritage planning initiatives can help Promoting sustainability conserve a variety of valued aspects through conservation of a community, help retain intact, functional neighbourhoods, and assist with the integration of appropriate new development. 3b Heritage incentives can be used to encourage Incentives for heritage the restoration and conservation of historic conservation buildings and sites making conservation and retention of heritage resources a viable option for property owners in the context of redevelopment.
Official Community Plan considerations for Goal 3 This section includes a table listing potential heritage policy concepts for supporting the conservation of Rossland’s character-defining elements, along with their rationale, that can be considered for inclusion in Rossland’s OCP. 3.3 Achieving the Vision This Heritage Conservation Plan is a comprehensive and ambitious plan for heritage in Rossland that includes both short-term actions that can be implemented right away, and others designed for implementation over medium and longer periods of time. The long-term success of the Heritage Management Plan will depend on considered and regular implementation of the recommendations and actions in the management plan, dedication of City staff time and resources and the ongoing engagement of stakeholders, volunteers and the public. Measuring Progress provides metrics, based in part on the Results analysis in Section 3.1 to guide review of the successes achieved in the implementation of the Heritage Management Plan.
14 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Part 4: Appendices Appendix A: Research Sources Provides a list of reference and resource material consulted in the preparation of the management plan. It is divided into Technical Resources which are references for heritage conservation, and Historical Resources related to the history of Rossland. Appendix B: Potential Funding Sources and Educational Programs A compiled list of potential funding sources for heritage conservation in Rossland including: • Rural Dividend Fund – Province of British Columbia • Heritage Legacy Fund of BC • Columbia Basin Trust • Community Gaming Grants – Province of British Columbia • Heritage BC list of funding sources • Kootenay Savings Credit Union • Nelson and District Credit Union • LeRoi Community Foundation • Teck Resources Limited Appendix C: Sample Heritage Resource Evaluation Criteria These sample evaluation criteria use a values-based methodology. Every community is different. Evaluation criteria or an evaluation matrix for the City of Rossland must be developed and customized based on the community’s heritage values, its goals as a community and its heritage program. Appendix D: Thematic Overview of Rossland’s History An exploration of themes that tell the story of Rossland underscores its historical context and serves to re-affirm the history, identity and heritage values of the city through an understanding of its heritage and character. The following themes are designed to encapsulate Rossland’s heritage and connect the narrative of the historical context statement to community heritage values and historic places. Historic places, sites or features identified by the community should find a place within one or more themes. The themes themselves are a useful tool in assisting in the identification and characterization of current and future heritage sites. Theme 1: Physical geography and natural environment Theme 2: Mining gold, attracting visitors Theme 3: Constructing a golden city Theme 4: Unique community character - living off the beaten path Theme 5: Transportation and technology Theme 6: An alpine paradise Appendix E: Rossland Neighbourhood Character Summarizes the heritage values and character-defining elements of six Rossland neighbourhoods and the character of any smaller enclaves within a particular neighbourhood.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 15 The neighbourhoods are: • Downtown Core • Upper Rossland • Lower Rossland • Red Mountain • Happy Valley • Redstone Appendix F: Glossary of Heritage Terms A list of commonly used terms and their definitions relating to heritage con- servation, intended to be used as a reference to terms used in heritage conservation planning, in the management plan and in natural and cultural heritage literature. Appendix G: Inventory of Heritage Resources to 2020 A table of heritage resources that were identified through research and from the public engagement during the process of completing the Heritage Management Plan, and their associated values and themes. The list is intended to become the City’s heritage inventory, a way of ensur- ing that ideas about significant heritage resources are documented, and to identify potential new additions to the existing heritage register. It is a living document with new resources expected to be added over time, using specific evaluation criteria. Appendix H: Survey Results (separate document) The compiled results of the community engagement collected through the online survey. Appendix I: Heritage Conservation Toolkit (separate document) A comprehensive list, description and application of heritage conservation tools available to local governments in B.C. It is a reference for decision- making for determining the best method of retaining the heritage value of a heritage building, landscape, place or site.
16 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan A VISION FOR ROSSLAND’S HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Heritage awareness and conservation efforts will be a guiding principle of Rossland’s culture, community and the city’s future. Rossland’s heritage values, places and traditions will be integrated into the City’s economic, recreational, social and environmental values. Responsibility for protecting and stewarding heritage in Rossland is shared. Its success is dependent upon the leadership of City Council and on the effective collaboration of diverse community groups. The City’s heritage program will be inclusive, community-based and publicly accessible, with a clear understanding of processes and actions. Heritage conservation will be considered in development, land-use planning and decision making. Records, photographs, and stories will be archived and shared broadly. Building reuse, repair and rehabilitation will be encouraged and supported, so as to sustain Rossland’s unique heritage character in perpetuity. The physical evolution of the City will be modern yet respectful of the historical environment and true to Rossland’s sense of history. It will enable growth and encourage creative, innovative, and visually appropriate design. Ryan Flett/Tourism Rossland photo. Flett/Tourism Ryan
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 17 BACKGROUND 1 1.1 WHY ROSSLAND NEEDS A HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN
In 2030, Rossland is a resilient alpine community and a leader in balancing social, environmental and economic sustainability. Celebrated for its unique cultural heritage, small-town charm and world-class natural amenities, Rossland offers residents and visitors alike extensive recreational opportunities, trail networks and green spaces. The thriving, diverse economy embraces innovation and entrepreneurism, and its citizens actively contribute to a welcoming, vibrant community that is safe, inclusive and affordable. Community Vision, Rossland Official Community Plan Rossland has fostered and benefited from a having a strongly heritage- minded community for over 40 years. The importance of heritage conservation in the community is evident in the Official Community Plan (OCP) which includes two specific objectives focused on the community’s aspirations for heritage conservation. These are: 1. To remain a community that honours its heritage, respects civic duty and responsibility, and is dedicated to preserving and building a legacy of community values for future generations. 2. To preserve historic buildings, monuments, sites and natural features in ways that maintain and promote Rossland’s heritage and unique ‘sense of place.’ Heritage conservation considerations are woven throughout many other sections of the current OCP, indicating that the City is attuned to this best- practice approach to making heritage conservation a mainstream planning consideration. Integrating heritage throughout the OCP helps to ensure that the foundational strength of the community’s heritage identity, as seen in both tangible and intangible elements, are celebrated, honoured and sustained into the future. However, the OCP does not outline a path forward for accomplishing these policies and realizing the core objectives for community heritage conservation planning. Clear guidance for heritage planning is necessary to ensure that responsible decisions that increase public good and provide economic, social, and political benefits are made by the local government. The Heritage Management Plan has been sought by the City to assist in this process. Undertaking the preparation and implementation of the management plan represents a commitment by the City and the wider Rossland community to increase efforts to sustain Rossland’s heritage, its significant contribution to the city’s historical legacy, as a living resource and as a key part of the city’s future.
18 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan This Heritage Management Plan reflects and builds on the work of the local government and the heritage community (individuals, committees, commissions, and organizations) to ensure that the path forward is a natural progression in the continuum of heritage planning that began over 40 years ago. It also responds to the voice of the community, having involved a high level of community engagement. The management plan offers strategies for coordinating heritage efforts in the community, and takes a holistic approach to effectively identifying and managing all of Rossland’s heritage assets, including lesser known multi- cultural and Indigenous histories. As heritage is closely connected to the City’s goals for economic and social development, the plan emphasizes a commitment to heritage conservation among all City departments and its integration into current and future planning processes. The overall goal of the management plan is to guide an effective municipal heritage management program that will achieve a better understanding and long-term conservation of the city’s significant heritage resources. It provides a suite of objectives, actions and tools with which the City can make informed decisions on the re-development, protection and conservation of Rossland’s tangible and intangible heritage resources. It is designed to guide the conservation of the City’s heritage resources and encourage community investment and sensitive development through concrete actions to address identified challenges. As commented by one survey respondent in the heritage management plan engagement process, Rossland needs to consider its heritage “...as a whole. Not just one or two things. But the whole picture.” This plan strives to ensure that heritage conservation decision making is mindful of all potential impacts and benefits that identification, conservation, and celebration of the community’s heritage will have now and into the future. It is meant to be a living document that will continue to evolve over time as new opportunities and challenges for heritage arise.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 19 1.2 CREATING THE HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN
In 2018, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking qualified applicants to develop a Heritage Management Plan (HMP) for the city. The goals of the management plan as identified by the City were: • Provide the City with a realistic and proactive policy framework for enhanced heritage conservation initiatives that will involve and engage the broader community, including private property owners. • Better understanding and long-term conservation of the City’s significant heritage resources, and the development of an effective municipal heritage management program. In response to the RFP, and the desired outcomes and goals of the community in relation to heritage conservation, the consulting team developed an approach to creating the Heritage Management Plan that would include a high level of community engagement and integration of current and relevant best practices in heritage conservation practice in Canada. The community engagement was in part designed with the current policies in Rossland’s Official Community Plan (OCP) in mind to review, integrate and prioritize them, and test their relevance and current practicability within the community and in light of the City’s upcoming OCP review. Methodology The project team developed the methodology for the HMP using a values- based approach. A core tenet of this approach is ensuring that what is being identified, recognized, regulated, managed, or conserved, reflects current community heritage values. To that end, the HMP process endeavoured to confirm and re-assess the relevance and currency of heritage values that have been highly prioritized up until this time, and to explore the possibility of an evolving sense of what makes up Rossland’s heritage identity. The intent of this aspect of the methodology was to ensure that future decision making and resources are being applied effectively and responsibility, benefitting a broad range of community members. The HMP was built on the understanding that the community’s voice is integral to the success of heritage conservation planning in Rossland. With that in mind, a key piece of the methodology for the HMP involved understanding the community’s vision and concerns for heritage conservation in their community. A SOAR analytical approach was applied to all aspects of the methodology, intending to gather the “strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results” envisioned by both active players within the heritage community, and members of the general public. With this community-centric approach in mind, the consultant team developed and implemented a series of tools and activities designed to ensure that the HMP would truly reflect the voice of community. These activities included: • Development of an online and paper survey to gather community input
20 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan on community heritage values, relevance of heritage policies in the OCP, and concerns and aspirations related to how heritage assets could and should be managed. The consultant team received 200 completed surveys from members of the public. • Design and facilitation of a day-long community engagement workshop held on December 1, 2018. The workshop invited participants to share knowledge, opinions, heritage values and concerns related to heritage planning and conservation in the community. Mapping stations and a chronology of significant events, people, and eras were also included. Over 70 community members attended the workshop, which is considered a high level of participation for this type of event. • Six interviews were completed with members of the HMP Steering Committee, in order to gather deeper insight into the history of heritage planning in the community, and specific considerations that need to be integrated into the development of the new plan. • Research at the local and provincial archives, and online, to gather historical information about the policy context related to Rossland’s heritage program over the last 40+ years. The result of this methodology is a Heritage Management Plan that embraces the best practices and current thinking approach of community- centred heritage conservation. This plan is unique in the level of community engagement that went into its creation, which strengthens its practicability and projected success rate as the City and the heritage conservation community moves it towards implementation.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 21 1.3 WHAT’S BEEN DONE: POLICY, INITIATIVES AND PLANNING CHRONOLOGY
A successful Heritage Management Plan must be integrated with Rossland’s current planning programs, and it should be a natural progression in the heritage program that has been developing and growing for the last four decades. Rossland currently has a strong and effective Community Heritage Commission and Design Review Committee, and a number of active heritage organizations, such as the Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre, whose mission is “... to preserve and present the history and heritage of Rossland and area and to inspire and engage the public through virtual and real life presentations that bring our history and heritage to life.” Documents such as the Official Community Plan, Rossland’s Strategic Sustainability Plan (SSP), Rossland Tourism Strategic Plan, Watershed Management Plan, Columbia Basin Trust: Communities Adapting to Climate Change Initiative, historical works published by the Rossland Heritage Commission and the historic sculpture of Olaus Jeldness in downtown Rossland are all examples of policy initiatives that have relevance to the Heritage Management Plan. As well, City, community and volunteer initiatives have completed projects such as the construction of viewpoints on the Louie Joe and Wagon Road trails. Work has been done on locating and identifying graves in the cemetery, there are walking tours and signs on heritage buildings, and the Gold Fever Follies continues to draw on historical material in its annual show. An examination of Rossland’s past and current heritage policy context demonstrates the need for a Heritage Management Plan that brings together aspects of all of these initiatives leading to a suite of effective concrete actions that together address the multi-faceted and multi-valent character of Rossland’s heritage. The following table is a chronology illustrating heritage programs, methodologies, and initiatives, implemented at all levels of government since 1981. The City’s current heritage planning policies, priorities, management initiatives, and capacity have been shaped by these critical events, concepts or actions. The purpose of the table is to record this policy context, creating retrospective understanding of how the current state of the City’s heritage program has come to be. It also ensures that the HMP is mindful of the history of heritage conservation in Rossland, and builds on past successes and challenges. It is also intended to be a reflection of the strength and perseverance of Rossland and its heritage program, often in spite of challenges to heritage conservation.
22 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Heritage conservation initiatives in Rossland The following table is a chronological outline of heritage conservation initiatives that have impacted the development of the City’s heritage program since 1981.
Year Level of Action, plan or document Accomplishment for Rossland’s heritage program government 1981 Provincial Heritage Area Rossland Council combined three granting streams Revitalization Program (HARP, a federal economic diversification grant and (HARP) the Downtown Revitalization Program) to provide professional planning and assistance to the City, offer 50% funding to business for facade improvements, Restoration of the Miners Hall and addition of a Tea Room to Museum. 1983 Provincial Downtown Revitalization Funding for façade improvements to revitalize the Program downtown core as a way to counteract growing mall and big box store developments. 1985 Local Initial Downtown Developed from the grants above to ensure Rossland’s Design Guidelines for downtown complied with applicable guidelines. Downtown Rossland – OCP Development Permit Area. Local Design Review Committee The Design Review Committee was set up to review applications in the Downtown. This committee continues today. 1984 - Provincial BC Heritage Trust initiates Rossland completed an Inventory of Commercial and 1985 five funding streams Institutional Buildings (1985) and an Inventory of to support community Heritage Homes (1984). initiatives around heritage 1987 Provincial Project Pride, BC Heritage Rossland’s participation in this early comprehensive Trust review of heritage issues in the province, funded and directed by the Heritage Conservation Branch of the Province of British Columbia. 1987 - Provincial Stewardship and Recommended greater municipal heritage management 1988 Opportunity program procedures, strengthening the ability of local governments to manage and regulate their own heritage assets. 1994 Provincial Heritage Conservation Devolved responsibility for heritage conservation to local Statutes Amendment Act government in the Local Government Act. Among other (HCAA) tools, existing heritage inventories could be converted to heritage registers. 1994/1997 Local New Downtown Design Further developed existing guidelines in an attempt Guidelines: Historic Area to provide more direction to applicants. The outcome Design Guidelines and OCP was that the guidelines were viewed as too prescriptive Development Permit Area and had a high Victorian theme not representative of Design Guidelines for Rossland’s heritage buildings. Downtown Rossland Developed in 1997 by a Colorado consultant modelling similar guidelines from Colorado mining towns such as Telluride. These guidelines are still used today.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 23 Year Level of Action, plan or document Accomplishment for Rossland’s heritage program government Design Guidelines for The design guidelines apply to heritage revitalization Downtown Rossland projects, infill construction and sign issues within the (continued) Development Permit Area in downtown Rossland. The guidelines apply in a formal review process to properties in the areas designated Downtown Core and Mixed Use development in the OCP. The language and diagrams of the Guidelines offer suggestions for materials and detailing guided by the historic mining era buildings in the immediate area. See: https://rossland.civicweb.net/filepro documents/5303?preview=514 1997 Local Streetscape Committee Included benches, lighting, trash receptacles, bike racks formed to discuss and other amenities to further improve Rossland’s amenities for Downtown Downtown. 2003 Federal Historic Places Initiative Rossland’s early involvement in the Federal Government- led initiative to identify historic places in Canada, and introducing the practice of summarizing heritage values and character-defining elements in statements of significance. 2008 Local Strategic Sustainability Identifies the challenge of maintaining the vibrancy Plan and aesthetic of the downtown core, the area with the densest collection of heritage buildings on the Community Heritage Register. It outlines the community’s desire to see its lands become an “extensive network of green spaces, natural habitat, environmentally sensitive areas, riparian zones, water catchment areas, and protected wildlife corridors,” and that a cross-section of historic buildings, monuments, and natural features are preserved in ways that maintain and promote Rossland’s heritage and unique ‘sense of place’. The Plan identifies specific strategic actions, some of which specifically involve heritage resources and/or organizations: • Establish a presence for the Museum in the downtown • Designate development permit areas for the pro- tection of the natural environment and prepare guidelines • Review incentives for conservation in the municipal policies
24 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Year Level of Action, plan or document Accomplishment for Rossland’s heritage program government 2008 Local Strategic Sustainability • Refine parkland acquisition actions identified in the Plan (continued) recommended Integrated Greenspace, Trails and Recreation Master Plan • Adopt a tree retention bylaw • Identify and secure ribbons of nature extending into town • Establish a policy to discourage big-box commercial • Establish a coordinated strategy for arts and cultural events • Review and update the Downtown Design Guide- lines • Foster different styles of development between neighbourhoods • Establish a Heritage Conservation Program • Formalize the heritage walking tour route • Restructure the property taxation system to pro- vide incentives for owners of heritage buildings to fix up and restore their buildings 2008 Local Official Community Plan First iteration of the plan incorporates the role of heritage future of Rossland as outlined in the Strategic Sustainability Plan adopted in 2008. Developed using the actions identified in the Strategic Sustainability Plan and still the current OCP for the City of Rossland. Identifies objectives and policies for heritage, and makes specific mention of heritage as a key aspect of land management, the natural environment and resource lands, and in fostering a sense of community. Identifies a guiding principle that Rossland’s historic character requires the maintenance of the historic townsite, and that new development within the core should respect its heritage character by complementing the existing heritage structures. It does not make specific reference to the significant residential building heritage outside of the core; however, there is a policy paving the way for infill (small lot) development in existing residential neighbourhoods, where reference is made to the character of the existing structures in terms of lot size, building massing, height, setbacks, form and character. Growth management policy and objectives have no specific objective for heritage retention, but there is a policy to consider incentives for the adaptation of existing buildings, which can aid in heritage retention.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 25 Year Level of Action, plan or document Accomplishment for Rossland’s heritage program government 2008 Local Official Community Plan Where discussing the natural environment, parks and (continued) trails, there is no specific objective for identifying heritage or cultural landscapes, but there is policy to explore the opportunity to develop a natural resource inventory and base mapping program. There are specific objectives and policies to continue to ensure the rich heritage of the City of Rossland is maintained and enhanced. The OCP acknowledges that stewardship and preservation can present financial challenges, and that measures to address those challenges are necessary. The section specifically identifies some individual commemorative initiatives to undertake – such as creating a ‘Historic Trail Creek’ vantage point along the Wagon Road. 2008 Local OCP Development Permit The OCP creates five Development Permit Areas to Areas give greater control over the form and character of developments in the affected areas, beyond the provisions of the Zoning Bylaw and the Subdivision Bylaw. Development Permit Areas are also designated for the protection of the natural environment, its ecosystems and biological diversity and protection of development from hazardous conditions. Design guidelines within the areas requiring development permits have broad non-prescriptive statements respecting the materials palette and facade design of identified heritage buildings, which are considered to set the character of those identified areas. The City currently has the following development permit areas for form and character. Form and character guidelines can only be imposed on commercial, multi- family and industrial buildings. The Development Permit Areas consist of the following: 1. Downtown and Mixed Use Area: The area designated as Downtown Core and Mixed Use development must be consistent with the Schedule E - Design Guidelines for Downtown Rossland. 2. Midtown Transition Special Planning Area: Located generally around the EMCON site, development in this area must be consistent with guidelines in Schedule J: Midtown Transition Area Neighbourhood Plan. The guidelines are designed to complement the
26 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Year Level of Action, plan or document Accomplishment for Rossland’s heritage program government 2008 Local OCP Development Permit Downtown Core design by using a more contemporary Areas (continued) design language and to incorporate architectural elements from the alpine/mountain resort vernacular. 3. Residential: The area designated as Residential in the OCP must be consistent with the Schedule K - Multiple Family Design Guidelines. This applies to all multi-family buildings in Rossland. 4. Gateway Commercial Development Permit Area: This is on the west gateway to Rossland but has no form and character guidelines. 5. Red Mountain: Schedule H - Red Mountain guidelines make reference to an alpine/mountain resort vernacular distinct from the Downtown Core mining town commercial visual lan- guage. Full set of guidelines for multifamily/commercial development including signage for the Red Mountain Area. 6. Redstone Smaller set of guidelines for multifamily/commercial development in the Redstone neighbourhood. 2009 Local Rossland Community Supports City Council by reviewing and submitting Heritage Commission recommendations on land use and planning matters established which have heritage implications, and providing advice on matters relating to heritage conservation. Mandate to identify, preserve and conserve buildings and sites that are valued by the community for their historic significance in telling the story of Rossland’s development, particularly the gold mining era 1895-1929. Local Active Transportation Plan Lays out trail corridors and linkages within town. The City has been gradually developing the trails as recommended. 2010 Local Revitalization Tax Exemp- Bylaw adopted to incent property owners to improve tion Bylaw No. 2488 buildings with a focus on heritage, energy efficiencies and economic development. Provincial Termination of the Greatly impacted the community’s ability to undertake Community Heritage heritage conservation projects, such as documenting Planning Program (CHPP) resources for the CRHP, and to build capacity in values- based assessment and conservation initiatives. 2012 Local Tourism Rossland Strategic A comprehensive examination of Tourism Rossland’s Plan vision, mission, guiding principles, target markets, and strategies for developing tourism in Rossland.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 27 Year Level of Action, plan or document Accomplishment for Rossland’s heritage program government 2013 Local Rossland Heritage Homes This inventory lists approximately 70 houses in 7 distinct Inventory residential neighbourhoods. Provincial Provincial Heritage Strat- Provincial direction to broaden the scope of heritage egy Released conservation to include social, environmental, and eco- nomic impacts on communities. Provincial Devolution of community Increased the disconnect between local and provincial heritage planning support governments, but strengthened the relationship be- from BC Heritage Branch tween the City of Rossland and Heritage BC. to Heritage BC 2014 Local Two fully-documented Reflects the strengthening of community-driven heri- historic places added to tage conservation, as evaluation and documentation the CRHP. was carried out by members of the community. 2015 Local Fourteen fully-document- Demonstrates the heritage community’s perseverance ed historic places added to and dedication to the promotion and conservation of the CRHP. historic places in spite of greatly reduced support from higher levels of government. Local Heritage Commission by- Revised bylaw amended the membership and the law 2589-2015 meetings and procedures components of the bylaw. Provincial Local Government Act Part 15 of the Local Government Act is the key legisla- Part 15 regarding Heritage tion that guides local government actions relating to Conservation heritage conservation. It focuses on the role of local government in heritage conservation. 2017 Local Rossland Miners’ Union Rehabilitation of the attic space diversified the use and Hall Phase 4 conservation viability of the building as a community space. This project project reinforced the significance of this provincially- designated place, and its role in the community for events, tourism, and cultural activities. 2018 Local Revitalization Tax Exemp- Bylaw No. 2678 is adopted. It is a bylaw to provide for a tion Bylaw No. 2678 revitalization tax exemption for property class 4 (indus- trial), 5 (light industrial), 6 (business and other) and 8 (recreation and non‐profit) within the city of Rossland. Local OCP consolidated. Confirmation of commitment to policies and actions regarding heritage conservation. Local Rossland Museum and This funding provides a critical investment in the reten- Discovery Centre receives tion and celebration of the community’s heritage story. $700,000 donation from Teck Resources 2019 Federal National Historic Site Brought recognition to the community for its dedica- Designation of the Miner’s tion to heritage and to the building as a nationally Union Hall important heritage site in Canada for its place in the development of workers’ rights in B.C. and Canada.
28 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 1.4 COMMUNITY HERITAGE VALUES TO 2020
The implementation of an effective Heritage Management Plan is contingent on having a contextual understanding of current community heritage values, and ensuring those values are properly reflected and represented in planning and conservation decisions supported by the local government. As part of the development of this plan, community engagement endeavoured to confirm that the heritage values that have been foundational to Rossland’s heritage program continue to resonate with the community, and to determine if the local perception of what makes the community what it is today has evolved in recent decades as the community’s population, economy, and physical attributes have changed in response to both internal and external forces over its full history. The goal of this exercise was not intended to supplant or negate heritage values that have been at the heart of Rossland’s heritage identity for decades, but to add to those values if indicated by the community, and to ensure that all opportunities for conserving the heritage resources and values that matter most to the community at this time are considered in the Heritage Management Plan. What do Rosslanders value about their community and neighbourhoods? Through the public engagement process, community members were asked to provide their opinions on what makes the place they live special. Overwhelmingly, the responses indicated there is great value placed on the following qualities, which many feel are part of what has always made Rossland a good place to live: • Strong sense of community • Enduring small-town identity • Laid-back Kootenay lifestyle • Do-it-yourself attitude around how buildings and homes came to be • Close-knit neighbourhoods made up of many modest, older homes • Walkability to downtown and services • Beautiful views • Accessibility of recreation trails and ski hill • Outdoor recreation opportunities all around Community heritage values Community heritage values are defined as theaesthetic, historic, scientific, cultural, social or spiritual importance or significance of a place for past, present and future generations.1 The identification of community heritage values through open engagement with a broad range of community members helps to paint a picture of the community’s heritage identity, and the enduring qualities of life that may resonate with many people, places
1 Parks Canada. Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. 2011.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 29 and times in that community’s history. Documentation of a community’s heritage values is intended to capture a moment in time, and to reflect modern values about what a community cares most about in terms of its historical development and community identity. Rossland’s foundational heritage values Traditionally, the City of Rossland’s heritage program has focused on heritage values associated with historic and aesthetic values of places, particularly associated with some key themes related to the town’s development: • Gold mining history • Founding years of the City’s development • Early ski culture • Historic buildings and homes related to the boom-town era, and notable figures in the community’s development This traditional focus on the earliest years and decades of the community’s story is common in British Columbia towns, and in many communities in the Kootenay region, which were influenced by provincial and national heritage conservation programs, principles, and practices of the 1970s and 1980s. This strong foundational understanding of how Rossland came to be through geographic, economic, industrial, social, cultural and historical forces is reflective of the City’s long-standing and continuously developing heritage program over the last few decades. The work that has been done by Rossland’s heritage committees, commission, city employees, citizens, and museum over the last three decades to understand, promote, and protect the city’s earliest heritage narrative and values has solidified the town’s identity as a gold mining boom town, and has made an everlasting impression on generations of community members, both newcomers, and those who have lived in the city for many years or decades. Current community heritage values Community members were asked to rank the following heritage values in order of importance to them, with each person asked to choose their top five values. The results illustrate the order of importance as identified by the community, based on number of votes for the highest priority: 1. Outdoor recreation and sports past and present – skiing, mountain biking and others 2. Development of gold mining in the region 3. The natural history and environment of Rossland 4. Events – Winter Carnival, Gold Fever Follies 5. Agricultural history – orchards, vegetable gardens, raspberry farms 6. 1895 Sourdough Alley - earliest Main Street 7. The Rossland Museum and Archives 8. Bedroom community to Trail and the Cominco smelter 9. Multicultural and ethnic roots – Chinese, Norwegian, Doukhobour, Maritimes 10. Rossland Miners Union No. 38, union action and an 8-hour work day 11. Rossland as a border town with the U.S.A. 12. Early industries – sawmills and breweries
30 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 13. Institutions – churches, court house, fire hall, city hall 14. Eras in the history of Rossland: the heyday era from 1897 to 1929, World War II and post-war, the 1960s and 70s and other eras, current and future The consultation process also invited respondents to provide open-ended information about any additional heritage values that they felt were missing from the list. The following were identified, grouped according to type of heritage values represented: Historic • Houses/Neighbourhood development – how a mixture of residential and commercial building types came to be, and how each area developed • People – who were the significant personalities of different eras and how did they shape the community? • Buildings – a broader representation of different eras and building types • Transportation routes – trails, railway, highway development • Agriculture – Chinese gardens, orchards, food self-sufficiency, experimental gardens • History of Red Mountain ski lifts and growth and its connection to the smelter (and mining) • Old Glory Mountain area and its history Aesthetic • Natural heritage and a connection to nature • Significant views • The city’s location within the Rossland Range of the Monashee Mountains Social • Community life in different eras – including how the physical realm was influenced by people and activities, volunteerism, education, arts, governance • Social organizations, institutions and activities/events – churches, hospital, service clubs • Mining and smelting executives introduced attractive building designs along with arts and sports to help their newly arrived working families feel more at home. • Women’s history • Social infrastructure - medicine, health and sanitation, housing, welfare • Physical infrastructure - Water, sewer systems, Fire control • Public spaces • Sports - first women’s hockey team, ski history from jumping to national team racing, Nordic presence nationally, focus on local athletes • Recreation – trail systems, hiking, biking, connection to nature Cultural • Indigenous heritage – Sinixt culture and values on the landscape • Multicultural heritage – Chinese, French/francophone, Australian • Arts/Music • Cemeteries and funeral customs
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 31 Spiritual • Churches • Connection to nature It is important to note that the above list does not indicate that the City’s heritage program has failed to acknowledge all of these values; the fact that some suggestions put forward by respondents are already represented in the community’s heritage program may indicate that education and communication about these values and how they are honoured and conserved may need to be strengthened.
1.5 THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION
A more recent addition to the values associated with heritage conservation is the confirmation through multiple research studies of the economic value of heritage. Heritage has increasingly become the driver of economic development. The values, character, resources and opportunities identified in the previous sections can be parlayed into a wealth of benefits for Rossland, including economic benefits. Studies over the last decade have identified five major measurables of the economic impacts of heritage conservation: Urban revitalization City revitalization is not only limited to municipal landmarks, but relates to a larger scope of old buildings (abandoned warehouses, industrial plants, underused institutional and commercial buildings, etc.) that can be renovated and adapted for new, relevant and current uses. This in turn has many indirect socio-economic impacts and improves the area’s image and reputation, which act as a magnet to businesses. Heritage tourism It is well documented that heritage visitors stay longer, visit twice as many places, and spend 2 1⁄2 times more than other visitors. For example, the size of the heritage-tourism sector in the UK is in excess of £12.4 billion a year and supports an estimated 195,000 full-time jobs – this makes the sector bigger than the advertising, automobile or film industries. Rossland’s programs supporting cultural tourism can take advantage of the momentum generated by this trend. Small business incubation There are 1.14 million small businesses in Canada representing 97.9% of the Canadian total, employing 70.5% of the private labour force. Startup businesses often choose to locate in historic buildings or historic districts, often in smaller communities, due to lower rent spaces, flexible space options and adaptability. Historic districts often include other compatible small businesses for shared services and collaboration and, for often being located in walkable and transit served urban cores. Historic buildings and
32 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan districts also offer spaces with unique character and image that can assist with promoting a small business’s brand. Property values Studies involving several thousand residential properties in 15 American cities found that the value of designated properties was 5 to 20% higher than comparable non-designated properties. An additional study observed that just proximity to a heritage district raised the value of non-designated properties. Also, as no “new” historical buildings can be built, those that exist will continually increase in value simply because of their scarcity. Jobs and household income The rehabilitation of historic buildings is particularly impactful for job creation and sustaining - while ordinary infrastructure projects and new construction are generally based on 70% materials and 30% labour, cultural heritage and sustainable tourism projects are based on 30% materials and 70% labour. Therefore, heritage conservation requires a high employment content and is labour-intensive, which brings a set of benefits related to job creation, promotion of local small and medium-scale businesses, reduction in foreign exchange requirements, and development and utilization of local resources and materials.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 33 ROSSLAND’S HERITAGE 2 CONTEXT 2.1 ROSSLAND’S HERITAGE CHARACTER
At first glance, Rossland’s charm and character appears to stem from its unique collection of historic buildings nestled within the dramatic mountain backdrop. However, that ‘charm’ or ‘character’ one instantly feels when entering the community is not simply a question of aesthetics. Heritage character is a complex conglomerate of factors, and cannot be simply attributed to one or two types of heritage assets. The intricacy of components that make up a community’s heritage character is a topic that is the focal point of international concepts such as historic urban landscapes or cultural landscapes. These terms attempt to acknowledge the complex, deep and diverse layering of values and qualities – cultural and natural, tangible and intangible – that contribute to a community’s heritage character. Rossland is known for its gold-mining roots. The iconic view of its turn-of-the- twentieth-century buildings at the foot of Red Mountain are considered to be Rossland’s ‘brand’. One of the characteristics of the built form from this era is the completeness or self-sustaining feel it expresses. Rossland has had, since its earliest days, all the required components of a complete city: city hall, courthouse, churches, hospital, opera house, hotels, saloons, ski runs and ice skating, a newspaper, schools, cemeteries, residential neighbourhoods, transportation infrastructure, utilities network, a dense commercial district
BCAR D-08411 etc. These historic buildings, spaces, and landscapes have sustained Rossland since 1897, and maintain a high level of relevance and value today. But Rossland’s heritage character doesn’t start and end with the gold mining era. Additional layers of historic, political, social, natural and cultural events have left their mark on the community today. Evidence of these layers of heritage value can be found in the 1930s swimming pool on the main street, a deeply rooted and ever-evolving ski-culture, a strong sense of community with highly engaged groups and organizations, an ethnically diverse story comprised of local indigenous peoples and residents and visitors of American, Scandinavian, Chinese, European and Australian descent, among others. Rossland’s walkability and small-town atmosphere are part of its heritage character, as are its crucial links with Trail and other close-by communities. Rossland’s local events contribute to its heritage character, as do its industries and seasonal tourism. What happened in Rossland during the world wars, at the Trail smelter, in response to events such as the construction of the
34 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan highway or Olympic games - all brought evolution and change that resulted in contraction or expansion, adaptation and reinvention of the city. Evidence of these shifts is often an important quality of Rossland’s heritage character. Today, the iconic downtown buildings house a diversity of contemporary businesses, many of which are also crucial to Rossland’s heritage character, such as grocery stores, pubs, bakeries, restaurants, ski shops, Rossland Light Opera Players and others. Re-purposed historic buildings often house modern enterprises such as internet or digital engagement companies, that will ensure Rossland’s future sustainability and viability. Rossland’s residential neighbourhoods, each with their own identity and feel, have also been marked by a diversity of families, development waves and economic booms and busts. The tangible aspects of Rossland’s heritage character - such as building design, streetscapes, mountain views, monuments and recreational facilities, can be seen and physically conserved. The intangible aspects of Rossland’s heritage character - such as place names, community spirit and volunteerism, Winter Carnival, Golden City Days, community groups, nicknames, legends and traditions - cannot always be seen or even perceived, so their conservation requires a different treatment. The identification and conservation of intangible and tangible heritage resources go hand in hand - they require a holistic approach integrating heritage planning with cultural diversity, current and future uses, as well as socio-economic and environmental factors. Tourism Rossland/Ryan Flett photo. Flett Rossland/Ryan Tourism
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 35 2.2 HERITAGE RESOURCES
A community’s heritage resources are the embodiment of its heritage values. They can be anything that a community feels has heritage significance and is worthy of conservation. Heritage in Rossland has traditionally been associated with its historic downtown buildings associated with the gold mining era. Today, the Rossland community’s understanding of heritage expands the concept of what constitutes a heritage resource. Using a values-based approach to heritage conservation, resources can include Rossland’s geographical and physical context, its natural environment, neighbourhoods, buildings, landscapes, trails, traditions, events, place names and many other tangible and intangible features or qualities. 2.2.1 Currently identified heritage resources Rossland has already identified a number historic places and resources in a formal way, creating a strong footing upon which to base the identification of additional resources. The tools used to identify these places have included both an inventory process and formal recognition on the Community Heritage Register. Heritage inventories and registers are continuously evolving conservation tools that together document the heritage places and resources that a community values. They are useful in understanding what Rossland’s heritage assets are and why they are significant, leading to informed decision-making related to heritage conservation. Heritage inventory A heritage inventory is an informal listing of heritage resources that acts as an informal archive, database or map for understanding the extent and context of a community’s heritage assets. A heritage inventory does not confer formal recognition or protection by a local government, making it a repository for anything the community finds to heritage value. Listing a resource on a heritage inventory provides simple recognition of its importance to the community. Resources on the inventory are typically located within a local government’s municipal boundaries, but it can also include resources outside the community that are considered to be significant. The inventory should consider a wide range of city-owned and community heritage resources, such as those identified during the development of this plan. It can include built, cultural landscape and natural heritage resources, as well as intangible features, and should list the core heritage values of each resource.. Resources listed on the heritage inventory may be considered for formally recognized by the local government and placed on the heritage register in the future. In response to a BC Heritage Trust funding to support community initiatives for heritage, Rossland completed an Inventory of Heritage Homes in 1984
36 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan and an Inventory of Commercial and Institutional Buildings in 1985. The Heritage Homes Inventory currently focuses solely on residential structures that were constructed during Rossland’s gold mining era, between 1895 and 1929. In 2013 this Inventory was electronically formatted using a revised template, new pictures were taken, some more information gathered and Rossland’s Heritage Homes was published in hard copy. The homes featured in the inventory are diverse in terms of their condition, grandeur, style and the degree of alteration of their original integrity. Most were constructed at least a hundred years ago and together they reflect the diversity of family homes in Rossland and an important aspect of the early social fabric of our community. The Commercial Building Inventory features historical accounts of 29 commercial and institutional buildings within the downtown core. The focus of the inventory is on buildings constructed before 1927, as that was identified as the end of the formative era of Rossland. As the publication continues to be a work in progress, the application of a values-based methodology may bring to light new and important residential heritage assets from different eras in the city’s history. Heritage register Rossland’s early involvement in the Historic Places Initiative, which identifies historic places and their heritage values and character-defining elements in Statements of Significance, has lead to the inclusion of 29 buildings and 12 sites on its current heritage register. A heritage register is a planning tool that allows a local government to formally identify historic resources so that they may be integrated into land use planning processes. It is an officially recognized list of heritage resources recognized by the City as having heritage value, but does not confer heritage protection. Like a heritage inventory, the heritage register is considered to be a living document that can be added to or changed over time, with the collection of resources on the heritage register is evolving as Rossland and its heritage values evolve. A local government can determine its own criteria for additions to the Community Heritage Register. However, the most effective registers follow a values-based management approach, and implement a prioritization matrix that is based on the community’s over-arching heritage values and recognition criteria. Often, such a matrix will insist that places meeting these requirements for inclusion on the register: • Substantial connection to the community’s heritage values • Strong resonance within the community • Significant association with history and historical themes • Rarity • Risk of damage or loss • Need for incentives for conservation
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 37 The register should consider a wide range of city-owned and community heritage resources, such as those identified during the completion of this plan, and include built, cultural landscape and natural heritage resources, as well as intangible features. The selection of places for addition to the register should be conducted by both city staff and community members, working together to review new historic places. Heritage resources currently included on Rossland’s heritage register. Building Address/location Construction date Lemon Block 1841 Columbia Avenue 1895 West Kootenay Power & Light 2127-2120 Columbia 1896 Building* Avenue Kamloops Mining & 1854 Columbia Avenue 1895 Development Company* Lalonde & Rodier Block* 2116, 2118, 2132 & 2140 1896/97 Columbia Avenue Montreal Hotel* 2196 Columbia Avenue 1896 Hoffman House* 2044 Washington Street 1896 Collins Hotel* 2038 Washington Street 1896 George Owen Wholesale 2063 Washington Street 1914 Liquors* Velvet Block 2197 Columbia Avenue 1896/97 Bodega Hotel* 2054 Washington Street 1896/97 Stone Block/Bank of Toronto 2105 Columbia Avenue 1897 Bellevue Hotel* 2003 Second Avenue 1897 Miners’ Union Hall* 1765 Columbia Avenue 1898 St. Andrew’s Presbyterian 2100 First Avenue 1898 Church* West Kootenay Power & Light 1817 Planer Street 1897 Substation* Bank of Montreal* 2004 Columbia Avenue 1898/99 Jordan Block 2014- 2110 Columbia 1898/1901 Avenue Morrison & Bryenton Grocers 2167 Columbia Avenue 1899 Agnew & Co. 2253 Washington Street 1900 Rossland City Hall/Fire Hall 2115 Queen Street 1900 Court House* 2288 Columbia Avenue 1901 Glazan Block* 1916 First Avenue 1902 Munn’s Bakery* 1999 Second Avenue 1898
*Currently also included on the BC and Canadian registers.
38 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Building Address/location Construction date Post Office 2096 Columbia Avenue 1903 Drill Hall* 2095 Monte Christo Street 1904 Burns Block 1973 Columbia Avenue 1905 Hunter Brothers Store 1990 Columbia Avenue 1905 Sacred Heart Catholic 2414 Columbia Avenue 1915 Church* Rossland/Trail Golf Clubhouse 953 Redstone Drive 1927 Washington Street Buildings 2038, 2044, 2054, 2070 1896-1897 & 2080 Washington Street Site Address/location Construction date Red Mountain Railway Bed Northport to Western 1895/96 Rossland Columbia and Western Rossland to Warfield, 1895/96 Railway Bed (the Railgrade) Lower Rossland Dewdney Trail South Eastern Rossland 1865 Red Mountain Mine Site* South Slope of Red 1890 Mountain Trail Wagon Road Esling Drive to Warfield 1893 Calvary Cemetery* Trail Wagon Road, Lower 1896 Rossland Chinese Gardens South Eastern Rossland c. 1898 Columbia Cemetery* Happy Valley 1899 Father Pat Monument* 2071 Columbia Avenue 1902
Rossland Tennis Courts* 2630 LeRoi Avenue c. 1905 Happy Valley Orchard Happy Valley, c. 1910 Northeastern Rossland Rossland Swimming 1869 Columbia Avenue 1932 Pool* Red Mountain Ski Area* Northwestern Rossland 1947
*Currently also included on the BC and Canadian registers.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 39 2.2.2 New heritage resources The following heritage resource categories and topics - neighbourhoods, natural and cultural landscapes, built heritage and intangible heritage - were identified as important heritage resources in the public surveys, and for this reason the plan is elaborating on them and explaining best practices for their identification and conservation. Heritage resource that were identified express many additional aspects of Rossland’s heritage that go beyond its built heritage and gold mining history. Neighbourhoods Traditionally, Columbia Avenue and its heritage buildings have been considered the historic area of Rossland. Yet Rossland’s neighbourhoods, each with a different development history, physical character and value are important heritage microcosms that together reflect the overall history of the city and are important in understanding the evolution and growth of the Tourism Rossland. Dave Heath photo. Heath Dave Rossland. Tourism city over time. Each neighbourhood includes such physical resources as significant and beautiful historic homes, smaller, more modest dwellings, character- defining street widths, back lanes, landscapes, agricultural lands and views. They are also the location of sites and features important to Rossland’s history, such as the site of the former Chinatown, miners’ cottages and the historic golf course. Rossland houses outside of Columbia Avenue were described as having thin walls, metal roofs, ice dams, seasonal basement streams, haphazard plumbing, confusing renovations and eclectic details, such as the common practice of using newspaper as insulation inside the walls. The presence of small, eclectic houses in some neighbourhoods provides urban context related to the time periods within which they were built, when space was at a premium and houses were built on small lots in relatively dense clusters. Other values related to neighbourhoods include the eclectic mix of housing and residents, the history of the city’s residential houses and areas, and beautiful heritage homes. While all of Rossland’s neighbourhoods have changed over time, these modifications have been incremental. It is important to understand appropriate development options to protect neighbourhood character in the face of potential future development and change. Places of Indigenous history The long human history in this area is evident in the Sinixt, Ktunaxa and Okanagan use of the land for hunting and plant and berry collecting for food and medicine. Rossland is situated within the traditional territory of three First Nations including the Ktunaxa (Yaqan Nukiy), Okanagan, and the Upper and Lower Sinixt Bands, contributing to a rich culture that had flourished in this region for thousands of years.
40 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Granite View
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City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 41
0 125 250 500 750 1,000 Meters The Sinixt name for Rossland is kEluwi’sst or kmarkn, the former a generic name for “up in the hills” and the latter a term for “smooth top,” referring to Red Mountain. Among other food-gathering activities, First Nations knew Rossland was a good area for harvesting huckleberries, and this still remains a popular activity today. Natural features Rossland’s natural, wild setting has been identified as being highly significant to the community. Identifying natural landscapes as valued heritage resources can assist with Rossland’s ability to manage visual, ecological and other impacts on its forest and other wild lands. While natural heritage values may be located on private or Crown land, management strategies include working with partners to potentially achieve the conservation of valued natural areas and landscapes. Responses to the survey mentioned the importance of the following natural features: • Geology of the Rossland area that is important for its scientific values but also created the context for the city’s creation and evolution during the gold rush. Red Mountain. Tourism Rossland/Ryan Flett photo. Flett Rossland/Ryan Tourism Mountain. Red • Rossland’s topography and landforms of undulating plains, ridges, valleys and volcanic hills that provide the setting on which the city and its form has evolved. • Creeks, lakes and other water bodies • Native forest and second-growth • Natural places that permit access to nature but also protect wildlife and ecosystems • Areas of ecological value and variety of plant species • Places that show human impact on the natural landscape,such as logged areas. • Recreational lakes such as Christina, Kootenay and Nancy Greene Lakes • Mount Roberts • Seasonal berry picking areas Cultural landscapes An expanded view of cultural heritage has included the identification of the relationships between people, events and natural and cultural places that create cultural landscapes, defined as any geographical area that has been modified, influenced, or given special cultural meaning by people. Many of Rossland’s heritage features fall under the category of “cultural landscape.” Responses to the survey mentioned the importance of the following cultural landscapes. • Places associated with agriculture and food, a reminder that Rossland at one time produced a great deal of its own food, such as the Chinese Gardens and Happy Valley • Walking and hiking trails
42 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan • Public open spaces • Places of transportation including the Wagon Road, Railgrade in Lower Rossland, Dewdney Trail, railways, Highway 3B • Places of recreation, including Red Mountain, the golf course, trails that exist due to the extensive networks of mining roads and the Seven Summits biking trail • Old style charm and uniqueness of the ski hill • Expansive views to and from the City to the nearby valleys and mountains. • Public art in the downtown area, including Father Pat monument Built environment Rossland’s built environment and streetscapes have a varied form and detail that contribute to the character of the city and the quality of its urban landscape. Responses to the survey mentioned the importance of the following features that together make up Rossland’s built environment: • Buildings including Bank of Montreal, Post Office, Court House, Miners’ Hall, Drill Hall, Fire Hall, Seniors Centre, St. Andrew’s Church • Architectural designs that mirror that of early buildings of Spokane, Washington and Butte, Montana in the United States, both of which were early mining centres of the day. • Public utilities and facilities in Rossland that contribute to its liveability • Places that demonstrate economic processes and technology, such as the gold mines, metal processing plants and the B.C. Mining School. • Old Glory fire lookout and weather station • Rossland houses, also known as miners’ shacks • Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre • Cenotaph • Hockey and curling rinks • Brewery, cosmopolitan restaurants and retail stores
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 43 Intangible heritage Rossland’s history of diverse cultures gives rise to many stories inspired by history and the environment, including indigenous use of the land and generations of stories, events and rituals through all phases ofthe community’s existence. This list includes some of the intangible aspects of Rossland that citizens consider to be of importance. • Cultural and sporting events • Rossland’s cultural life • Spiritual places • Street names also reflect the mining history and influence of the Americans. • Volunteer development and maintenance of trails and huts • Arts councils, hospice volunteer training, thrift store, library • Local government • Events like Winter Carnival, Fall Fair, Follies, bobsled race • Music, the arts, Rossland Light Opera Players, theatres • Downtown Christmas tree • Rekindle the Spirit of Christmas event • Local people and personalities • Canada Day hike
44 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Granite View
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SUNNIER Georgia CEMETERY Tennis EASY ACCESS TO TOWN LeRoi Cliff Court Kootenay VIEWS OF HOSPITAL Lakeview Nevada Monita Cook Ave VALLEY CHINATOWNKootena NEIGHBOURLY Ball Field y HILL NEIGHBOURLY Kootenay ew i Cook V FAMILY ORIENTED BLACK CLOSE TO St. Paul Black Bear EASY ACCESS TO T NEIGHBOURHOOD r LOWER TRAILSeadwell CookDOWNTOWN Cedar BEAR YEAR-ROUND Spruce Thompson LEAFY FAMILY ORIENTED ROSSLAND Pinewood Victoria VIEWS Spokane OF PINEWOODS en
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City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 45 HERITAGE MANAGEMENT 3 PLAN Implementing a successful Heritage Management Plan and developing a viable heritage planning program requires an understanding of heritage as an important component of community development and sustainability. Through an analysis of Rossland’s current situation, community engagement, interviews with Steering Committee members, information from the City of Rossland and research into current precedent and practices, a series of goals and specific actions that will forward heritage management in Rossland were developed. Suggestions on the kinds of activities, actions, programs and solutions the community feels are important for sustaining Rossland’s heritage, were gathered and analyzed in order to develop the core elements of a renewed heritage planning program. Each heritage management goal targets challenges and opportunities identified through comprehensive assessments of Rossland’s historic, cultural and natural landscape and from community heritage values identified by the public.
46 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 3.1 ANALYSIS: HERITAGE STRENGTHS, OPPORTUNITIES, ASPIRATIONS AND RESULTS
In order to be a truly values-based heritage management plan, the voice of the community must be evident in not only the community heritage values, but in the strategic direction that will ensure the success of the plan. The Heritage Management Plan survey used in the public engagement process included questions related to a strategic planning tool focused on a community’s perceived strengths, opportunities, aspirations and results. This process focuses on a community’s current strengths and vision of the future for developing its strategic goals. This process was used in the preparation of the management plan because it is aligned with the community-driven approach being taken in the plan’s preparation. The process engages all levels and functional areas ofa community, with a focus on understanding and enhancing what is currently done well. The information received from the community is not intended to create a sense of obligation or mandatory commitment of resources in order to follow all of the input and ideas received. Rather, it is offered to act as a gauge or compass to refer to as the Heritage Management Plan is implemented, to ensure that the community’s voice is acknowledged in meaningful ways through the City’s heritage program. The results below highlight the key focal points related to strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results for heritage conservation in Rossland, as identified by members of the community. Strengths Survey respondents were asked “What are Rossland’s greatest assets or strengths that can help celebrate its history and its places that matter?” The key themes related to assets and strengths, as perceived by respondents, are (listed in alphabetical order): S1 Heritage assets Rosslanders are proud of their built heritage. There is a strong sense that heritage buildings should be reused and repaired, with the ongoing use of these places was mentioned by several people as a strength in the community. Specific physical assets that were identified repeatedly are: • Main Street with its collection of historic buildings still in use • The Miners’ Union Hall • Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre • Signature buildings: Court House, Bank of Montreal and Post Office S2 Natural surroundings The interconnection of the city with the surrounding natural environment is seen as a primary driver for people to live in Rossland. It offers opportunities
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 47 for outdoor recreation, idyllic living conditions, tourism, and interpretation of the development of the city since its earliest beginnings, as seen in the unique cultural landscapes such as the mining remnants and trails. Aspects of Rossland’s natural surroundings include: • Stands of large trees and the surrounding forest • Nature as part of a healthy community • Trails and access to natural areas • Outdoor recreation S3 Organizations, institutions and events The following are seen as being critical to the success of heritage conservation in Rossland, and are major contributing factors in giving the community its heritage identity: • Mayor, Council and staff at City Hall for leadership on heritage issues • Rossland Heritage Commission • Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre • Winter Carnival, Golden City Days, Gold Fever Follies S4 People and community Overwhelmingly, survey respondents listed the people of Rossland as one of its strongest assets in terms of progressing heritage conservation and contribution to the heritage identity of the city. People in the community collectively have the energy and enthusiasm needed to realize a strong vision for greater integration of heritage conservation into community planning and development. The need for more promotion and education for both residents and visitors was also identified. • Close-knit and diverse community • Community organizations, institutions and events S5 Recreation, ski and sport heritage The ability to live in a vibrant small town that is so strongly connected to nature is seen as a core strength of what makes, and has always made, Rossland an ideal place to live. The opportunities that this affords citizens to engage in outdoor recreation and sporting endeavours is a central feature of life in the city. Key assets identified related to this are: • Heritage trails • Red Mountain • Sporting facilities and activities S6 Small town qualities The fact that Rossland has been sustained by a vibrancy, can-do attitude, entrepreneurial spirit and a resistance to look and feel like any other place since 1897 is an immense source of pride for its citizens. Fully understanding that the sense that this city is largely “unspoiled” by large developments and commercialization is highly valued and is a major asset in ensuring that a renewed heritage conservation program will be successful.
48 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Opportunities The aggregate survey results contain many suggestions for opportunities with which to advance Rossland’s heritage program. O1 Coordinating all of Rossland’s diverse community organizations O2 Integrating arts, culture, outdoor recreation activities and programs with heritage, including Art Matters and Arts Plan O3 Interpreting the lesser-told stories from Rossland’s history throughout the municipality O4 Conserving the city’s natural surroundings and continuing to support opportunities to access nature through parks and trails O5 Expanding historical trails and providing interpretation O6 Retaining a consistent look and feel of the historical downtown O7 Take advantage of heritage provisions in the Building Code, regulations and incentives to help conserve Rossland’s heritage O8 Incorporating landscapes, green space and trees into community planning O9 Facilitation and possibly financial support for groups and individuals to enable ongoing heritage conservation O10 Involving the City in heritage conservation within the current administrative framework O12 Retaining city and neighbourhood character while allowing personal choice for housing O13 Recognizing Indigenous culture and the city’s multi-cultural context O14 Retaining Rossland’s built heritage through adaptive re-use and other conservation measures O15 Ensuring that planning, development and change in the city is informed by heritage and is based on the character of the area O16 Supporting community events and celebrations O17 Expanding and promoting heritage awareness through city-wide interpretation and programs such as walking tours O18 Conserving intangible heritage Aspirations The survey information was analyzed in detail to determine the aspirations for heritage identified by its citizens. These results have helped inform the vision for heritage management in Rossland. Respondents were also asked to provide any other visioning statements that they felt were missing from the list above. The core themes associated with these statements are: A1 Balancing human and natural heritage Rossland will be a community that embraces its natural surroundings, and
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 49 grows and changes in harmony with the flora, fauna, geography and climate that give it its unique character. A2 Balancing past and future Rossland will be a modern city, yet rooted in the stories, places, and traditions that have shaped the community since 1897. Heritage will be celebrated and respected while modern needs and goals for communication, transportation and energy efficiency are met. A3 Conservation of built heritage A culture of building re-use, repair and rehabilitation will be encouraged and supported, so that the city can sustain its unique heritage character into the future. A4 Conservation of historic documentation Records, photographs, and stories will be archived and shared with as many people as possible, and will support the conservation of historic places. A5 New construction/development The physical evolution of the city will be respectful of the existing historical environment, while encouraging creative, innovative, and visually appropriate design. A6 Heritage promotion and tourism Rossland will promote and share its history and heritage values emphatically with locals and visitors alike. More signs, printed materials, and walking tours that incorporate the trail network are desired. A7 Vibrant community through heritage conservation Heritage conservation initiatives will focus on, celebrate, and uphold the strong community spirit that has been sustained here since 1897. Events, celebrations, recreation opportunities, and arts and culture will integrate historic places, interpretation, and respect for the past. Results The measurable results of the SOAR analysis are embedded in the actions and recommendations for heritage management in Section 3.0, Heritage Management Plan. Some of the metrics used to assess the successful results of the heritage management plan include: R1 Active, integrated Community Heritage Commission R2 Level of inter-departmental involvement in heritage conservation R3 Amount and consistency of staff and heritage coordinator time devoted to the heritage program and heritage planning R4 Stable funding and human resource allocation R5 Diversity, quality and number of resources added to the heritage inventory and register R6 Level of ongoing engagement and involvement with First Nations and multicultural groups
50 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan R7 Level of engagement of residents and community groups in heritage projects, events and programs R8 Number of visitors to the City’s heritage website pages R9 Level of public interest in heritage sites, walking tours, Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre and other programs Community vision for heritage The Heritage Management Plan Survey asked respondents to rank a series of vision statements for heritage conservation in Rossland, choosing their top three preferred options. One hundred and twenty people responded to this question, with the following results:
Vision statement 1 2 3 Total The city will preserve its heritage places, yet continue 41 18 17 76 to move forward and not become frozen in time New buildings and construction will blend in with 22 25 19 66 our existing buildings Heritage will include the identification of a wide 16 16 14 46 range of features and places Heritage in Rossland will encompass all aspects of 15 9 13 37 the city’s history All parts of the city will be considered for their 8 15 14 37 heritage importance Heritage will be managed by being sensitive 8 15 14 37 to what residents want for our future Heritage in Rossland will become part of 4 15 10 29 everyday community planning activities
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 51 3.2 HERITAGE PLANNING BACKGROUND
Rossland’s current heritage planning processes incorporate the inclusion of heritage objectives and policies in the City’s OCP, a set of design guidelines for the historic Downtown and the ability to access heritage conservation tools included in the Local Government Act. This section provides a background review of these three aspects of heritage conservation in Rossland, providing recommendations for further inclusion of heritage into the OCP, a review of the current design guidelines, and a synopsis of the most effective conservation planning tools for the City. A review and renewal of the OCP scheduled for 2020-21. Some useful publications for heritage planning: Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/18072/81468-parks-s+g-eng-web2.pdf Canadian Register of Historic Places: Writing Statements of Significance https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/21054/sos_guide_final_e_new_ design.pdf Heritage Conservation Tool Kit for Local Governments https://www. richmond.ca/__shared/assets/SVCSattachment322549.pdf
3.2.1 Official community plan Rossland’s Official Community Plan embodies comprehensive guidelines for diverse needs of the community, with an intent to provide a unified approach to achieving citywide goals, and ensuring a bright future for the community. The process for updating Rossland’s Official Community Plan, scheduled to be completed in the near future, provides the opportunity for City Council and the community to refresh and reinvigorate goals, policies and statements relating to the importance of heritage conservation in the community. It is important that the values and ideas presented in the Heritage Management Plan find their way into various sections in the new OCP. Dated 2008, the current OCP contains a number of policies and measures related to heritage conservation. In the years since, some of these measures have been realized, and the nature of heritage conservation has changed, resulting in the requirement for a review and update policies and objectives regarding heritage conservation in the City’s OCP. For each of the three goals outlined in Section 3.3, suggested potential opportunities to further embed heritage into Rossland’s Official Community Plan have been included. While the opportunities presented are organized under the headings of the Objective and Policy sections in the current OCP, there is an understanding that these may change. Where a proposed opportunity does not fit within a section of the current OCP, a general section and policy concept is defined. After the completion of Rossland’s OCP review, this heritage management plan may need to be adjusted to ensure that each of the goals, strategies and actions are properly aligned with the OCP’s new content.
52 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 3.2.2 Design Guidelines As part of the Heritage Management plan, a general review of Rossland’s current design guidelines for the historic downtown has been undertaken, to assess their structure and effectiveness and providing values-based guidance for future guidelines. Rossland’s neighbourhoods outside the historic downtown have been recognized and identified for their heritage value and character. The character statements for each neighbourhood, found in Appendix E, document these values, along with the character-defining elements for each. Historic Downtown Design Guidelines Existing design guidelines, dating from 1997, require review and updating to better align with conservation best practices and address development trend realities in the community today. The design guidelines document is a heritage conservation tool designed to manage change based on an examination of the existing conditions of the Downtown and its values and character-defining elements. Recommendations are based on an analysis of how best to retain the overall heritage character of the area while successfully integrating new development, including infill, changes to existing buildings and potentially greater density that is consistent with, and enhances, the existing heritage character of the area. Review of current design guidelines • The 1997 document was created at a time when the focus in most historic downtowns was based on traditional architecture and not on the identified heritage values identified by the community. • The document does not address the public realm and usability of the Downtown. • The document is too long and complex. A design guideline document needs to be succinct, well-organized and usable by the City and the public. • Understands that a place cannot be frozen in time and that new buildings do not have to be designed to look old. “... new design should relate to the fundamental characteristics of the district while also conveying the stylistic trends of today.” • The guidelines state that newer buildings have “not achieved heritage significance.” Current practice recognizes that all aspects of the history of a place, from the past to the present day, contributes to its heritage value. • Evaluate where existing design guidelines are compatible with the Standard and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, for example, the guidelines do make recommendations about additions and new construction being compatible but distinguishable. • There is too much focus on details such as prescriptions for doors and windows. While these elements are important they need to be assessed within a larger context and an understanding of the bigger picture of heritage values in Rossland’s Downtown.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 53 New design guidelines Downtown Rossland is a cohesive historic place unto itself, a cultural landsc ape containing multiple character-defining elements that embody and contribute to the unique heritage character of the place. Historic area design guidelines are intended to provide direction to design professionals and City decision-makers to create buildings, amenities and public spaces that are responsive to the heritage values of the community, yet reflect the continued evolution of the place over time. They can provide inspiration for ways in which the City can develop the downtown core in a way that reinforces the heritage values that make Rossland unique, while at the same time, providing somewhat more prescriptive guidance, where considered to warranted, on how particular elements of the downtown should be revitalized. New design guidelines should be descriptive rather than prescriptive. Rather that being based on a set of architectural styles and formulas, they should respond directly to heritage values and character-defining elements of Rossland’s downtown. They should be written specifically to achieve an appropriate balance between more prescriptive measures where warranted to ensure protection, and more general statements of intent. They should also take into consideration measure outlined in theStandards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. Design guidelines should avoid recommending aesthetic solutions to revitalization that give it one particular style. Each building should be seen as an example of its time, and should be treated in a way that respects its individual architectural style and character. However, care should be taken to ensure that changes to individual buildings, or new construction, add to the form and character of the area as a whole. This approach allows City planners and designers to solve design challenges creatively, encouraging contextually sensitive new buildings and additions. The guidelines should acknowledge that new technology and modern ways of living and working will impact Downtown Rossland’s public realm, requiring contemporary architecture and design that respects the original architecture and design and strives for a compatible fit. One person’s sense of attractive will not necessarily shared by others. The key is to not require a particular “look,” but to develop compatible buildings that are of their own time. Compatibility is based on a judicious handling of form, scale, materials, details and use. It is a matter for a panel to keep discussing and deciding upon. It is a negotiated process, and will change over time. Guidance in applying the new design guidelines should be provided by an informed Design Review Panel that can effectively advise Council. General recommendations: • Prepare a Statement of Significance for the new Downtown Heritage Conservation Area that takes into account later built heritage, landscapes and intangible heritage, allowing buildings and other heritage features
54 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan to be recognized as products of their own time. • Continue to address the importance of residential buildings and their contribution to the Downtown. • Ensure the new guidelines are generally less prescriptive, but contain more prescriptive measures where they may be warranted. • Begin by identifying key principles and follow with more detailed recommendations, organizing the new guidelines to focus first on the big-picture and then work down to the details. • Base design guideline recommendations and decision-making on the identified character of the area as outlined in the statement of significance. • Strive to have the new design guidelines be less prescriptive and more inclusive of potentially valuable alterations, urban layers and buildings of other time periods. • Ensure the guidelines acknowledge and address new infill and additions to existing buildings. • Base the guidelines on principles outlined in the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada and consider the appropriateness of the recommended / not recommended approach found in this document. • Eliminate the requirement for a building to be at least 50 years old, and while acknowledging that the recognized period of significance in Downtown Rossland is considered to be from 1895 to 1920, ensure that later eras are respected. In this scenario, for example, the Rossland Swimming Pool dating from 1932 and formally adopted to the City’s heritage register would not be considered significant. • Use photographs to illustrate recommended and non-recommended approaches. • Align the guidelines with other documents such as Rossland’s Official Community Plan and the Rossland Sign Manual. Outline for new design guidelines Consider the following outline for new non-prescriptive design guidelines for Downtown Rossland, using a recommended / not recommended approach. 1. Purpose and approach Develop guiding principles based on the identified values and character of Rossland’s Downtown that encapsulates an overall philosophy and approach to the updated design guidelines. 2. Understanding Downtown Rossland’s value and character Prepare a Statement of Significance for Rossland’s Downtown that describes and illustrates the particular character of the area, and identifies and illustrates in detail its core heritage values and associated character-defining elements to use as a guide in the preparation of the design guidelines. 3. How to use the guidelines A section that outlines the intent of the guidelines, describes the high-level objectives of the document, explains how the guidelines are structured, and identifies who should use the guidelines.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 55 4. Guidelines for heritage resources Identifies guidelines specific to heritage resources listed in the schedule of protected properties found in the future Heritage Conservation Area and are identified in the statement of significance as fundamental to the character of Downtown Rossland. 5. Guidelines for alterations and additions to existing buildings Guidelines that pertain to the range of existing non-protected properties from different periods that contribute to the overall character of the area as described in the statement of significance. 6. Guidelines for new construction Addresses design concepts for proposed new construction to ensure compatibility and harmony with the existing historic elements of the area and streetscape context. 7. Guidelines for site planning The character of Downtown Rossland has been influenced by geography, the town’s gold mining history and wartime and post-war development. As well as the dense clustering of commercial, institutional and residential buildings, the Downtown includes significant views to the surrounding mountains, characteristic streetscapes, public open spaces and small-scale design elements. The new design guidelines should address the public realm through a section on site planning, that may include elements such as land use, spatial relationships, streetscape, public open space, visual relationships, natural areas, vegetation, landforms and landscaping materials and design. It should also include recommendations for density and infill to meet the needs of a growing population while limiting sprawl. Proceeding with new design guidelines The high-level recommendations above are a based upon a general review of existing guidelines for Rossland’s Downtown. To prepare the new design guidelines, it is recommended that the City outsource a more detailed collaborative review and revision of the document, with the work undertaken by a heritage professional with guidance from the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. The consultant should work closely with representatives from the Heritage Commission, Planning Department and Design Review Panel. Examples: Victoria Old Town Design Guidelines update for New Buildings and Additions to Existing Buildings (2019). https://www.victoria.ca/assets/Departments/ Planning~Development/ Community~Planning/ Old%20Town%20 Design%20Guidelines%202019%2003-28-2019%20LOW%20RES.pdf City of New Westminster Queen’s Park Heritage Conservation Area Design Guidelines (2017). https://www.newwestcity.ca/database/files/library/ Schedule_A Queens_Park_Heritage_Conservation_Area _DG_Only.pdf City of Grand Forks Heritage Program: Design Guidelines for the Historic
56 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Downtown (2011). https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/ bulletinPDF/downtown_heritage_program_guidelines.pdf Design direction guidance for Rossland’s neighbourhoods While formal design guidelines are not contemplated for Rossland’s neighbourhoods, the proposed Neighbourhood Character Statements can provide design direction that can be used to influence decision-making that retains character while allowing managed change to occur. Using the general Neighbourhood Character Statements in this document as a guide, prepare more detailed and illustrated statements and make them available to view and download on the City’s website. Where possible and appropriate, encourage the Neighbourhood Character Statements to influence infrastructure and public realm considerations, any proposed rezoning, new development initiatives, variances, proposed changes to existing buildings, new construction and infill. Without necessarily changing the regulations, include design direction in the Neighbourhood Character Statements that point to new development that is in character with its neighbourhood. For example, some of the character-defining elements in Rossland’s neighbourhoods include the smaller scale of the buildings, heterogeneous appearance and the siting of the houses along their streetscapes. A design direction could be to limit the scale of a new building by breaking itup into sub-units that are no bigger than an older house located on the same block, and to consider varying siding materials and/or colour for adjacent sub-units of such a new building. 3.2.3 Heritage planning tools for Rossland This section highlights the legal heritage conservation tools likely tobe most applicable to Rossland that are provided to municipalities by the Local Government Act and the BC Community Charter that give options to the City to manage and conserve its heritage resources. Heritage Conservation Area What is it? A Heritage Conservation Area is a distinct and identifiable neighbourhood, characterized by its historic value. The purpose of the HCA is to minimize the loss of historic houses and street character and ensure that any new construction is in keeping with the character of the neighbourhood. A heritage conservation area can help to protect the value and character of Rossland’s historic downtown and to shape its unique identity and future development more effectively than prescriptive design guidelines applied to individual buildings because it addresses the downtown area as a whole. This includes the overall character created by context, streetscape, landscape features, ground plane, views, planting design and material, and all of its identified character-defining elements. Rather than focusing on one individual element at a time, decisions
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 57 about heritage revitalization and new construction can made with the consideration of the impact on the context of the downtown as a complete entity, with guidelines applied in a holistic way. The HCA achieves this purpose by providing both long-term heritage protection (preventing demolition of properties with heritage value) and by controlling the design of new construction and alterations to existing homes with heritage value. HCAs are identified in the Official Community Plan and are implemented primarily through Heritage Alteration Permits (HAP). Property owners in an HCA may receive benefits if their property is protected through a Heritage Conservation Area. The intent of these benefits, or incentives, is to provide some offset to the impact of an HCA, such as reducing a homeowner’s ability to make changes to their property, possible greater cost of maintaining a property to a higher standard and possible impact to property value. How it can be used in Rossland Consider the creation of a Heritage Conservation Area for Downtown Rossland to protect and heighten awareness of the Downtown. While all of the properties with the HRA boundary may not necessarily be considered heritage, the HCA provides guidance to protect the character area as a whole. Undertake a consultation process regarding the implications of the HCA and its proposed boundary, considering the expansion of the current Development Permit Area boundary, for example, towards the Courthouse, the Miner’s Hall and First Avenue. https://heritagebc.ca/learning-centre/heritage-conservation-areas-a- resource-guide/heritage-conservation-areas-legislation/ Heritage Revitalization Agreement What is it? Council can, by bylaw, implement a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with a developer or property owner. This incentive tool allows local governments to offer planning incentives to encourage owners of heritage buildings to retain, stabilize, adapt and protect their heritage buildings through density bonuses, and the relaxation of use, density, lot size, parking, setback and other regulations. A Heritage Revitalization Agreement is a high level of heritage protection. It is a formal, voluntary, and written agreement that is negotiated between a property owner and the City. The agreement offers incentives to home- owners in exchange for restoration of the property, which is also protected through Heritage Designation. These incentives are provided to make it vi- able for owners to restore a heritage property. How it can be used in Rossland HRAs may be considered for any property in the city that has heritage value.
58 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Each HRA is unique to the property and situation and may differ greatly from one case to the next. Incentives available through HRAs may include permitting a different use, reducing parking on site, reducing setbacks, in- creasing the overall density, increasing the number of units on site, subdivi- sion, and stratification. Consider HRA applications only if a property is on the Rossland Heritage Register. Have the conservation plan for the historic property can be guided or reviewed by a heritage professional. Heritage BC provides webinars on how to use the HRA tool presented by planners and consultants from around the province: https://heritagebc.ca/learning-centre/webinars-on-demand/ https://heritagebc.ca/learning-centre/heritage-revitalizationagreements- a-resource-guide/ New Westminster’s Guide to HRAs https://www.newwestcity.ca/database/ files/library/Guide Heritage_Revitalization_Agreements(1).pdf Development Permit Area What is it? A DPA is a tool that can assist in the retention of the existing and valued form and character of Rossland’s neighbourhoods. It regulates the development of property by controlling the form of and character of development in accordance with the City’s OCP bylaw in a complementary way. Variances can provide for the relaxation of regulations such as siting, parking and building dimensions. How it can be used in Rossland This tool can be considered in assisting in the retention of identified character and value for Rossland’s historic neighbourhoods. The City should make reviewing applications for heritage properties part of the reconfigured Rossland Heritage Commission’s mandate. Revitalization Tax Exemption Program What is it? Rossland currently has an existing Tax Exemption Program through its Bylaw #2678, a Bylaw to Provide for a Revitalization Tax Exemption for Property Class 4 (industrial), 5 (light industrial), 6 (business and other) and 8 (recreation and non-profit) within the City of Rossland. Section 226 of the Community Charter gives municipalities the authority to grant revitalization tax exemptions for a period of up to ten years. How it can be used in Rossland. Consider the use of the Tax Exemption Program to assist in the conservation of heritage buildings and other identified heritage resources, and to implement a fee-reduced or fee-waived permit program to encourage the conversion of under-utilized building spaces in Rossland’s downtown. The City of Duncan commissioned a comparative research study of the success of Revitalization Tax Exemption programs in BC: https://duncan.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 59 civicweb.net/document/54362 City of Ladysmith Revitalization Tax Exemption Program https:// www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/forms-permits-applications/ revitalization-tax-exemption-package.pdf?sfvrsn=19 Zoning What is it? This tool allows changes in zoning on sites, typically land use and density, to facilitate heritage conservation. This tool can be used to regulate land uses, density, siting and the subdivision of land including the shape, dimension and area of parcels. A set of zoning regulations can be developed for an area or neighbourhood to facilitate the conservation of heritage resources. Zoning will be different for differently protected heritage properties. An increase in density or change in permitted land uses can assist in making the conservation of heritage properties viable. How it can be used in Rossland. Review the municipal Zoning Bylaw to ensure consistency with heritage conservation objectives. Review and adjust existing zoning bylaws to prioritize and facilitate retention and adaptation of existing building stock, and consider and encourage appropriate infill development in neighbourhoods to encourage retention of existing residential character buildings. Consider revisions to zoning regulations in RS zones that address the scale of new buildings in Rossland’s neighbourhoods. Limit the allowable volume of individual structures and encourage measures such as modular compositions that reflect traditional house sizes. Heritage Inventory What is it? A municipal heritage inventory is an informal listing and database of properties identified by the community and the local government as having heritage value so they may be integrated into land use planning processes. How it can be used in Rossland Using the heritage resources identified in Appendix G collected as part of the heritage management planning process and previous heritage inventory documents, continue to add to the heritage inventory over time, both as a way of increasing awareness of Rossland’s heritage assets and as a list of resources for consideration for formal recognitions on the heritage register. Use the inventory to fill in gaps in identified heritage resources based on theme, geographical location or other criteria. Maintain this community tool as an informal archive, database and map for community heritage resources.
60 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Community Heritage Register What is it? A community heritage register formally identifies, by Council Resolution, properties identified by the community and the local government as having heritage value so they may be integrated into land use planning processes. Being listed on a heritage register does not mean that the resource is protected from demolition or alterations, simply that it is formally recognized as a heritage resource by the City. It does not imply any costs to the local government or property owners and it does not limit a property owner’s ability to make changes to their listed property. How it can be used in Rossland Properties listed on a heritage register are eligible for heritage incentive tools within the Local Government Act and provides eligibility for special provisions within the BC Building Code and Heritage Building Supplement. The register allows a local government to consider and, if necessary, undertake protective action such as temporarily withholding demolition and building permits and ordering heritage inspections. The Heritage Register should continue to be updated and added to, with information about register resources available on the City of Rossland website. The City should accept ongoing nominations from the public, and ensure information and updates about the community’s heritage resources to be available to the public. More resources about Community Heritage Registers in B.C. can be found at: https://heritagebc.ca/learning-centre/ community-heritage-register-a- resource-guide/ Heritage Designation What is it? The City of Rossland can, by bylaw, identify a heritage resource, property site or area for designation to ensure the long-term protection of the heritage resource. If the heritage resource is private property, the local government must provide compensation to the property owner for any loss in market value as a result of heritage designation. How it can be used in Rossland Generally used rarely, this tool has the potential use of designating heritage resources in Rossland’s Downtown or in its historic neighbourhoods for their long-term protection. The report to Council must include a statement of significance and show compatibility with the OCP, use of property and adjoining lands, condition and economic viability of the property and any need for financial support.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 61 3.3 HERITAGE MANAGEMENT GOALS, STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS This section is the plan of action, the heart of the Heritage Management Plan. The heritage management goals and accompanying strategies and actions are equal priority measures, to be implemented over time. Together, they build on and expand identified community heritage values, goals, objectives and policies for heritage management and economic and social development found in the current Official Community Plan. These identified actions connect heritage conservation to sustainable community development, and contribute to the central goal of sustaining Rossland’s heritage into the future. The success of the Heritage Management Plan is built on the requirement that the City of Rossland will dedicate consistent annual funding and human resources to support incremental and impactful steps over time to increasing the prominence of heritage conservation in day-to-day community life. The suggested time frames for management actions are: Short term: Six months to one year Medium term: One to three years Long term: Three to 10 years
62 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan THREE CORE GOALS FOR THE HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN
Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation Goal 2: Facilitate informed heritage decision making Goal 3: Conserve the city’s character-defining elements Tobogganing in Rossland, 1910. Columbia Basin Institute. in Rossland, Tobogganing
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 63 3.3.1 Goal 1 Build on our culture of heritage conservation
Heritage is important to Rossland’s economic, cultural and social growth, and sustainability. It should be recognized as the heart of the city’s character and be given serious consideration in planning and decision-making. Reinforcing Rossland’s culture of heritage conservation means that the general community understands and embraces heritage awareness and conservation of historic places as part of the city’s identity, strength, and prosperity. In order to realize a culture of conservation, heritage considerations should be integrated into all aspects of community planning, development and celebration. A culture of conservation draws on heritage activities to promote conservation and revitalization. These include opportunities to develop cultural and heritage-based tourism, engage the broader community including the private and volunteer sectors, and enhance the capacity for heritage stakeholders to forward heritage awareness and education initiatives. Strategies associated with Goal 1 1a: City heritage management coordination The protection of Rossland’s heritage requires a unified approach, underscoring the need for City leadership in heritage conservation. There is a need to integrate the City, representative stakeholder groups and the general public in efforts to conserve heritage in Rossland. The City should affirm its leading role in heritage conservation in Rossland. Heritage conservation planning should become part of all aspects of Rossland’s planning and development, both day-to-day and long term, with cooperation and direction from Planning and Council. This includes raising awareness about the role of heritage in Rossland for Planning staff as well as for City Council, Finance, Recreation (including parks and trails), Public Works and others, as the work of all departments may impact or include heritage conservation in some way. One of the key recommendations within this goal is the need for a.25 position, filled either by current staff or newly hired part-time personnel. In order to properly fulfill Rossland’s commitment to heritage planning, the current situation of one planning manager dedicated to heritage planning with the assistance of volunteers needs to be amended. 1b: Integration of conservation efforts The integration of heritage conservation into all aspects of community life ensure that all people are aware of how heritage can contribute to the resiliency, vibrancy, sustainability and well-being of Rossland, and can help foster a strong cultural sector that has the ability to attract creative and entrepreneurial workers. This includes core engagement and strong roles
64 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan for the City and for a revitalized Heritage Commission, as well as community associations and institutions such as the Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre, Tourism Rossland, Kootenay Columbia Trails Society, Rossland Council for Arts and Culture, Rossland Chamber of Commerce, Rossland Youth Action Network and others. 1c: Communication and funding Communication includes awareness-building about Rossland’s heritage, as well as its celebration, promotion and interpretation. Awareness-building involves highlighting how Rossland’s heritage is foundational and evident in all aspects of community life. A coordinated heritage conservation program and associated cultural development enhances the quality of life and makes a place more attractive for long-time residents, newcomers and visitors. It also results in a stronger cultural heritage tourism and marketing component, resulting in higher financial benefits and a more sustainable economy for the City. A key recommendation of this study is that the City and its partners should provide modest but stable funding for a heritage program and associated projects. Rossland is currently home to a number of programs, institutions and community alliances which are already very much involved in raising public awareness about the City’s heritage assets and values. Shared heritage efforts could be undertaken through partnerships with benefits for all, as well as achieving increasing communication and awareness about the City’s heritage and heritage program. 1d: Education Heritage conservation education ensures that decision-makers and heritage organization leaders are well-informed and regularly updated about current thinking and best practices for heritage planning and conservation. Educational opportunities are available through the Columbia Basin Trust and Heritage BC 1e: Heritage relevance for everyone Heritage conservation is relevant for everyone in the community, and efforts should be made to ensure this is facilitated. In response to community engagement for the Heritage Management Plan, Rossland should increase indigenous engagement and multi-cultural representation in its heritage program in order to accurately convey the breadth of narratives that make up the community’s complete history. Official Community Plan considerations Policy considerations for inclusion in Rossland’s Official Community Plan that can strengthen Rossland’s culture of heritage conservation.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 65 Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation
1a. City heritage management coordination Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Funding and R4 As required to effectively • City Planning staff and • City of Rossland staff Short term: Investigate the requirements for Prepare report to Council on the need for, coordination of City implement the heritage program, Administration allocation, either creating the .25 Heritage Coordinator position. feasibility of, and proposed funding stream for staff and human designate .25 of a full time position • City Council becoming part of a Medium term: Council to create .25 Heritage increased staffing for heritage management. resources for as the local government Heritage current City position’s Coordinator position. Educate City staff in other departments on the heritage Coordinator. responsibility or newly- role of the new Heritage Coordinator position. hired .25 staff Apply for grants on a project-by-project basis. (See Appendix B, Heritage Funding.) Monitor the work level of City Heritage Long term: Increase the position from .25 when/if Coordinator and consider increase in budget as heritage management demands increase. needed. (ii) Coordination S3 Facilitate an expanded role for the • City Planning staff • Part of Planning Ongoing: Advise the Heritage Commission on Emphasize to City Administration and Council the of City staff O9, Community Heritage Commission • City Heritage staff and Heritage its expanded role in management of the City’s need for increased Planning staff support of the and Heritage 19, 20 (CHC). See associated strategy 2a(i). Coordinator (when .25 Coordinator work heritage conservation. volunteer Heritage Commission. Commission position created) • Volunteers from A4, 8 Coordinate with City staff as to how Short term: Identify departments and staff Educate the Heritage Commission on its expanded all departments can work with the • Chair of the Heritage Heritage Commission positions to be part of coordinated heritage role and the accompanying benefits to the City. R2, new CHC. Commission conservation activities. 3, 4 City staff and Heritage Coordinator to provide Medium to Long term: Heritage Coordinator volunteer Commission members with technical to facilitate inter-departmental conservation advice on heritage conservation management management. (best practices) and effective minute-taking.
1b. Integration of conservation efforts Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Resources and funding Time frame How to Ref. (i) Cultural S4 Coordinate with arts, culture, • City of Rossland • Part of Planning Short term: Identify a simple or inexpensive Work with the Rossland Council for Arts and Culture alignment O1, 8, recreation, tourism and other • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage conservation project that would assist in to align the Heritage Management Plan with the 16, 17, groups to embed heritage into their • Rossland Museum and Coordinator work developing the commitment to coordinated upcoming Arts and Culture Plan. 19 day-to-day work, programs and Discovery Centre • Staff and volunteers heritage conservation and information-sharing. Develop a schedule of regular meetings among events. • Rossland Council for associated with A5, 8 Medium term: Build on successes to tackle more participants to identify and plan new coordinated Arts and Culture community groups and involved conservation initiatives. initiatives. R2, • Tourism Rossland associations 3, 4 • Volunteer organizations • Columbia Basin Trust Long term: Monitor successes and failures Initiate projects such as the ongoing collection of planning grants of communication and adjust procedures oral histories in coordination with the Museum accordingly. and Discovery Centre collection, or a previously identified project, recognition of the Columbia Cemetery through improved access and signs. Create a display or exhibit to advertise the presence of the Museum and Discovery Centre in the downtown and include it as part of heritage tours and walks. * See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
66 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation
1b. Integration of conservation efforts cont’d. Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (ii) City department S3 Establish a process through • City of Rossland • Part of Planning Short term: Identify straightforward City-owned Include City departments - Public Works, Planning alignment O9 which each City department is departments staff and Heritage projects that would develop interdepartmental and Development, Recreation, Parks, Finance and kept informed about heritage • Heritage Coordinator Coordinator work coordination and heritage information sharing. others - in heritage initiatives. R2 conservation as part of its work. • Heritage Commission • Many of the online Medium term: Build on successes to tackle more Regularly provide up-to-date and relevant Ensure that linkages between • Heritage BC (Columbia webinars proposed are involved conservation initiatives that involve third information and website links about heritage community development, heritage Basin Heritage Planner) either free or potentially parties (e.g. private development). conservation to all departments. conservation and interpretation are within the City’s personal training budget Long term: Monitor successes and failures of Subscribe to Heritage BC’s online newsletter considered and promoted across all communication and adjust procedures accordingly. https://heritagebc.ca City departments. for staff.
(iii) Public realm S1, 2, Consider a process of heritage- • City of Rossland • Part of Planning Short term: Engage current staff involved in the Research precedent on B.C. and international design 5, 6 responsive public realm planning departments staff and Heritage design of the public realm on heritage values and park, streetscape and other public realm design O2, 3, and design that spans all City • Heritage Commission Coordinator workload character in various areas in the city. that is responsive to local heritage. 4, 5, 7, departments. • Design Review • Volunteers from Medium term: Fund a pilot public realm project Ensure avoidance of direct stylistic copying of 12, 17, Committee Heritage Commission, for heritage sensitive planning and design. historical features, which confuses the public as to 18, 21, • Rossland Council for DRC, RCAC and other what is heritage vs. new construction. Arts and Culture groups Long term: Monitor effectiveness of the public 23 realm design program procedures and results. Review websites such as BC Society of Landscape A6, R9 Architects and Society for Experiential Graphic Design as starting points.
1c. Communication and funding Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Awareness S1 Develop more detailed • Heritage Commission • Coordination by Short term: Distribute neighbourhood character Build on information in HMP Appendix E, Rossland O2, Neighbourhood Heritage • Heritage Coordinator Planning staff and statements at City and community meetings and Neighbourhood Character. 11, 18, Character Statements for each of • Consultant Heritage Coordinator place HMP statements on the City’s website. Ensure wide distribution of the statements to 20, 21, Rossland’s neighbourhoods as a • Consultation with the • Columbia Basin Trust Medium term: Continue outreach with City staff, homeowners, residents, builders and 22, 23 tool to manage development and public planning grant neighbourhood character statements. developers and awareness of how they are to be change. (See Appendix E, Rossland • Heritage BC Heritage used. A2, Neighbourhood Character, for initial Legacy Fund Long term: Monitor effectiveness of the 7, 8 character statements) statements in guiding development and change, Example: City of New Westminster R2, 3, and revise format, content or method of Neighbourhood Historical Context Statements. Make these statements easily publication as required. 7, 8, 9 available and promote their use. Refer to Writing Statements of Significance https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/5422/ sosguideen.pdf.
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 67 Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation
1c. Communication and funding cont’d. Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Awareness Organize staff workshops, • City of Rossland • Coordination by Planning Short term: Conduct an initial workshop to link Try for one workshop per year, including research cont’d. emphasizing the link between • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage heritage conservation to sustainable community and staff updates with current case-studies. heritage conservation, • Rossland Council for Arts Coordinator objectives. Refer to The Economic, Social and Environmental sustainable communities and and Culture • Columbia Basin Trust Medium term: Conduct annual workshops, Benefits of Heritage Conservation: An Annotated economic development. • Heritage BC planning grant including case-studies and information updates. Bibliography. • Columbia Basin Trust’s • Heritage BC Heritage heritage planner Legacy Fund Long term: Monitor effectiveness of workshops Heritage BC’s Heritage Conservation Fact including staff awareness, and adjust procedures Sheet https://heritagebc.ca/wp-content/up- accordingly. loads/2019/06/Heritage-Conservation-Fact- Sheet-2017.pdf Establish a schedule for • Heritage coordinator • Organization by Heritage Short term: Initiate engagement with City Heritage coordinator to provide research on a engaging City personnel in • City Council Coordinator personnel to present the Heritage Management variety of topics related to heritage conservation regular discussions about • City departments • Heritage Commission Plan and provide updates on heritage projects and heritage conservation. • Heritage Commission • Volunteers Medium term: Regularly scheduled working initiatives in Rossland. • Design Review Panel sessions re the status of conservation in Rossland. Long term: Monitor successes and failures of staff awareness of heritage conservation and adjust procedures accordingly. Organize a staff workshop • City of Rossland • Coordination by Planning Short term: Conduct an initial workshop to link After conducting the workshop, continue to that emphasizes the • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage heritage conservation to sustainable community provide research and staff updates with current link between heritage • Rossland Council for Arts Coordinator objectives. case-studies. conservation, sustainable and Culture • Heritage BC Heritage Medium term: Conduct annual case-studies and Refer to The Economic, Social and Environmental communities and economic • Heritage BC Legacy Fund information updates. Benefits of Heritage Conservation: An Annotated development. • Columbia Basin Trust’s Bibliography. heritage planner Long term: Monitor effectiveness of workshops including staff awareness, and adjust procedures Heritage BC’s Heritage Conservation Fact accordingly. Sheet https://heritagebc.ca/wp-content/up- loads/2019/06/Heritage-Conservation-Fact- Sheet-2017.pdf (ii) Celebration S3, 4, Conserve and celebrate • Tourism Rossland • Coordination by Planning Short term: Review current celebration activities Build on existing successful events currently 6 intangible heritage by • Rossland Council for Arts staff and Heritage for strengths and weaknesses. being held in Rossland such as Gold Fever Follies, O1, 8, supporting and promoting and Culture Coordinator Medium term: Evolve the celebrations to respond ReKindle, Golden City Days and others. 20, 22 existing annual heritage • Other community groups • Funding from current to review of current practices. Research examples from other communities: events. sources A8 Long term: Evolve the celebrations to align with • Columbia Basin Culture Tour Find ways to focus on • Volunteers • Fernie Chautauqua and Fall Fair R7, 9 the ongoing successes in Rossland’s heritage heritage content within these conservation. • Multi-cultural events events.
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
68 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation
1c. Communication and funding cont’d. Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (ii) Celebration Promote annual community-driven • Tourism Rossland • Organization by Short term: Identify simple, easy-to-accomplish Examples: cont’d. heritage projects. • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator projects that could be feature of heritage events. • Information brochures • Rossland Council for • Rural Dividend Fund Medium term: Build on short term successes, with • Heritage awards Arts and Culture • BC Museums more simple projects. • Places that Matter sign program • Other community groups Association grant • Community gardens • Volunteers Long term: Build on medium term success with • Streetscape projects more ambitious projects. • Interpretive sign programs (iii) Promotion S3, 5 Plan for the development of a • City of Rossland • City of Rossland Medium term: Begin process of identification of Undertake a feasibility study for the development O4, permanent tourist information • Tourism Rossland • BC Rural Dividend Fund potential properties to house a tourist information of the tourist information centre. 20, 23 centre in a rehabilitated downtown • Volunteers from local centre and plan for the establishment of the Example: Nelson’s visitor centre in the former heritage building. tourist, business and centre. A7 train station building, shared with several other community groups Long term: Develop detailed design plans, identify businesses https://www.discovernelson.com/ R2, capital funding opportunities and establish the visitor-centre/ 8, 9 information centre. Build on and expand heritage • Tourism Rossland • City of Rossland Short term: List current tours and events and Build on Rossland’s existing successful heritage tours, from simple walking tours to • Heritage Commission • Tourism Rossland identify gaps in what the tours and events cover of tours. themed events. • Rossland Council for • Heritage BC’s Heritage Rossland’s heritage. Research examples from other communities: Arts and Culture Legacy Fund Medium term: Plan expansion of tours and events • Vancouver’s West End heritage tour • Volunteers from to more completely present Rossland’s heritage. • Fernie’s Back Alley Speakeasy Tour associated community • Vernon’s Ghost Tour groups Develop heritage content on • City of Rossland • Part of Planning Short term: Review existing webpage and prepare Include information on the Heritage Management existing and new City of Rossland • Heritage Coordinator staff and Heritage introductory content. Plan, Heritage Register, historic neighbourhood and Heritage Commission web • Heritage Commission Coordinator workload Medium to long term: Develop webpage content character statements, local heritage organizations, pages. • City funding that raises the profile of the heritage program along and links to provincial and national websites. • Columbia Basin Trust with heritage leisure and tourism experiences. Include ongoing heritage actions, projects, grant initiatives, stories and newsworthy items. • Volunteers for writing, Regularly update and develop heritage information for the website over time. Content can be developed from outside sources photographs and other and the Heritage Management Plan. new content Develop a cultural heritage tourism • Heritage Coordinator • Columbia Basin Trust Medium term: Identify potential partners and Link individual heritage resources locally and package of experience-based • Tourism Rossland grant content for a range of experiences not currently regionally through a broader or story to create offerings. • Rossland Museum and • BC Rural Dividend Fund offered. connected points of interest. Discovery Centre • Heritage BC’s Heritage Long term: Develop with key partners experience- Develop region-wide coordinated packages, such • Heritage Commission Legacy Fund based offerings, drawing on Rossland’s stories, spaces as bus tours or connected touring routes. • Community • Resort Municipality and people to enhance the tourism experience. stakeholders funding Example: Collaborative Cultural Pathways • Tourism associations As a regional leader, share information and skills maps in Whistler https://www.whistler.ca/ with other communities, particularly those with a culture-recreation/arts-nature-heritage/cultural- similar mining history. connector.
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 69 Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation
1c. Communication and funding cont’d. Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (iv) Interpretation S1, 6 Develop a comprehensive thematic • Heritage Coordinator • Organization by Medium term: Align interested parties on the Research best practices and techniques in O2, and values-based interpretive • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator themes to be interpreted that present the full range contemporary heritage interpretation. 11, 18, strategy. • Rossland Council for • City of Rossland funding of Rossland’s heritage values. Include measures for integrating heritage 21,23 Arts and Culture for heritage plan Commission the interpretive plan or develop in- interpretation into civic development, planning • Tourism Rossland • Infrastructure funding A5, 7 house. and design. Include strategies for trails, signs and • Interpretive planning • Heritage BC’s Heritage markers. R5, consultant Legacy Fund Long term: Based on the plan, develop a prioritized 6, 9 list of interpretive projects to implement over time. Expand on themes outlined in Appendix D, Thematic Overview of Rossland’s History. See Society for Experiential Graphic Design https://segd.org, National Association for Interpretation https://www.interpnet.com and others for information. Build on and diversify heritage sign, • City departments • Organization by Medium term: Align groups and institutions on the Examples: marker, brochure, installation and • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator themes to be interpreted that present the full range • Bowen Island Virtual Heritage Trail http:// other interpretive programs and • Heritage Coordinator • City of Rossland capital of Rossland’s heritage and culture. bowentrails.ca/heritage/ projects. • Rossland Council for projects budget Long term: Develop a prioritized list of interpretive • Collaborative Cultural Pathways maps in Arts and Culture • Heritage BC’s Heritage projects and seek funding on a project-by project Whistler https://www.whistler.ca/culture- • Kootenay Columbia Legacy Fund basis. recreation/arts-nature-heritage/cultural- Trails Society • Columbia Basin Trust connector. • Interpretive consultant planning grant Work with the Rossland Museum • Heritage Coordinator • Coordination as part of Medium term: Align those involved on the themes Collaborate and build on the Museum and and Discovery Centre to continue • Museum and Discovery Heritage Coordinator and types of programs that can be developed Discovery Centre’s existing successful educational and enhance the implementation Centre workload collaboratively. programs and events. of heritage education and heritage • Heritage Commission • Columbia Basin Trust Long term: Develop a prioritized list of educational Examples: conservation. • Rossland Council for planning grant products and projects to implement. • Oral history projects Arts and Culture • Museum and Discovery • Illustrated guest lectures and talks • Local schools Centre volunteers • Programming and education • Heritage Commission • School programs, events and projects • Community volunteers • Demonstrations and events
(v) Funding S1 Consider reactivating a system of • City departments • Planning department Short term: Determine the potential for funding Example: O6, 8, development cost charges and • City Council staff from this source and set up procedure for banking • City of Vancouver use of development cost 9, 13, allocate towards heritage planning funds earmarked for conservation. charges and conservation. • Village Cumberland Bylaw 934 https:// A3, Medium and Long term: Execute projects with the aid of development cost charges. cumberland.ca/dcc/ 4, 6 • Province of BC Best Practices https://www2. R1, 2, gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our- 3, 4 governments/local-governments/finance/dcc_ best_practice_guide_2005.pdf
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
70 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation (v) Funding cont’d. Coordinate grant writing and • Heritage Commission • Coordination as part of Short term: Establish communications with Organize Rossland volunteers who have a record funding applications between • Heritage Coordinator Heritage Coordinator community organizations. of successfully applying for grant funding from community organizations with • Rossland Council for workload Medium and Long term: Execute coordinated grant higher levels of government and organizations. the assistance of the Heritage Arts and Culture • Community group applications. Actively build on the list of funding opportunities Coordinator. • Rossland Museum and volunteers found in Appendix B and identify new and Discovery Centre • Columbia Basin Trust potentially diverse funding sources. • Tourism Rossland heritage planner • Others as identified Recruit new volunteers who may have different ideas and contacts in the funding universe. Research potential economic and • City staff • Coordination as part of Short term: Identify potential economic Examples: volunteer partnerships for heritage • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator partnerships for heritage conservation. • Youth Action Network conservation, both within and • Heritage Coordinator workload Medium and Long term: Develop and maintain • School District No. 20 (Kootenay-Columbia) outside the community. economic partnerships, and identify additional • Emerging businesses and entrepreneurs Develop and maintain these partners. relationships.
1d. Education Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Professional S3 Engage with Heritage BC’s local • City staff • Staff time Short term: Make contact with outside sources, to Coordinate advice for support for heritage Support O6, 9 Heritage Planner. • Heritage Coordinator understand future support resources. conservation initiatives and planning. • Heritage Commission A4 Medium and Long term: Make use of the support Coordinate with other local communities to • Heritage BC available. host and share workshops and education R1 2, 4 • Columbia Basin Trust opportunities. heritage planner (ii) Capacity S1, 3 Plan for building capacity and and • Planning staff • Part of Planning Short term: Identify topics for community capacity- Topics may include: Building O1, 8, understanding of cultural value • Other City of Rossland staff and Heritage building workshops. • Heritage Basics 16, 17, for planning staff, Council and departments Coordinator workload Medium and Long term: Attend workshops at the • Using the Standards and Guidelines for the 19 other City departments through • Heritage Coordinator • Many online webinars rate recommended here. Conservation of Historic Places in Canada awareness. Instill cultural value by • Community Heritage are either free or • Heritage Legislation in B.C. A5, 8 awareness. Commission potentially within the Lobby the Columbia Basin Trust and other granters • Using Heritage Revitalization Agreements to continue funding heritage programs. R2, 3, Consider staying up to date on • Community members City’s personal training • Others to be determined 4, 7 heritage conservation through: budget for staff. Coordinate with other local communities to host and • In-person heritage workshops • Potential bursaries share workshops and educational opportunities. (aim for one every two to three available for community education Heritage BC website https://heritagebc.ca/ years) learning-centre/ • Live webinars (aim for one each year) • Webinars on-demand (aim for one each year)
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 71 Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation
1e. Heritage relevance for everyone Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Engagement S4 Engage with under-represented • City of Rossland • Part of Planning Short term: Heritage Coordinator to identify and Conduct meetings and workshops to engage with O1, 2, community groups and people departments staff and Heritage make contact with representatives of under- Rossland’s under-representing groups and collect 8, 11, about their heritage values. • Heritage Coordinator Coordinator workload represented groups. information about lesser known people and 16, 17, Include new heritage register • Rossland Museum and • BC Museum Association Medium and Long term: Identify heritage values stories. 19 nominations that focus on these Discovery Centre grants of these groups, and integrate into values for the Ensure inclusion in heritage planning and projects • Community group • Columbia Basin Trust A8 lesser-known heritage values and community as a whole. the diversity of Rossland’s heritage. stories. volunteers planning grants R5, Plan City and community projects and events that Example: Province of BC Heritage Recognition 6, 7 Consider inclusion in theme-based document and promote Rossland’s lesser known Program https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/ walking tours, signs and other people and stories. governments/celebrating-british-columbia/ interpretive measures. historic-places Provide support for the • Heritage Commission • City staff time Ongoing. Include oral histories on a wide range of themes. continuation of the Museum and • Heritage Coordinator • BC Museum Association Medium to Long term. Include work on transcription, indexing and Discovery Centre’s oral history • Museum and Discovery grants promotion of the material. projects to ensure the collection of Centre • Columbia Basin Trust oral histories from diverse members planning grants Build on themes in Appendix D, Thematic of the community. Overview of Rossland’s History. Where possible, through a process • First Nations • Part of Planning Ongoing. Include engagement on strategic land use of proactive engagement, seek • Ktunaxa (Yaqan Nukiy) staff and Heritage Medium to Long term. planning, infrastructure planning, community Indigenous perspectives on heritage • Okanagan Coordinator workload development and cultural planning. considerations • Upper and Lower Sinixt • Heritage Commission Invite Indigenous participation in incorporating Bands local traditional knowledge into heritage • City Council conservation and management processes. • City staff • Heritage Commission • Heritage Coordinator
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
72 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Official Community Plan considerations Goal 1: Build on our culture of heritage conservation
OCP section Policy concept Purpose Throughout OCP Build relationships with local First Nations Fosters an environment of reconciliation to identify and celebrate their culture, and acknowledgment of the significance of local historic and heritage landmarks in the Indigenous culture. Rossland area. Heritage Develop a process that, over time, commits Further stresses the concept that the 17.2.2 to the full implementation of the Heritage Management Plan is an aspirational Management Plan. ambitious plan that should be implemented incrementally as resources allow, and builds into the OCP a process for its implementation in this way. Heritage Continue to support the Rossland Museum Further establishes and integrates the 17.2.2 and Discovery Centre and establish a Museum and Discovery Centre as a key part program of ongoing coordinated projects. of Rossland’s heritage program. Heritage Continue to support groups and individuals Provides both monetary and human 17.2.12 who celebrate Rossland’s history and resources to encourage individuals and heritage. groups to celebrate heritage in the city. Heritage Formalize a program of guided and self- Contributes to heritage tourism in Rossland 17.2.7 guided walking tour routes for both and assists in community education about residents and visitors, and develop themes heritage, as well as supporting creative and multi-media methods of presenting methods of presenting material. information, including a podcast version of the tours. Continue to change up the content and means of presentation over time. Heritage, Develop a coordinated and ongoing Puts in place a creative, coordinated, city- Public Realm, program of information signs, markers wide programme of acknowledgment of Parks and Trails, or other acknowledgement for heritage cultural and natural heritage assets. Infrastructure, buildings, landscapes and sites. Transportation
Heritage, Develop and maintain a thematic and Puts in place a creative, coordinated, Arts and Culture, values-based Heritage Interpretation city-wide strategy and programme of Public Realm Strategy with policies on permanent and interpretation using best practice and temporary public realm installations and diverse means of presentation. programs such as art in public places, sign programs, interpretive installations, and plaques. Heritage, Develop a recognition program for Provides a way for the City to acknowledge Neighbourhoods, individuals and organizations involved in the public and private sector heritage successes Public Realm, preservation and promotion of Rossland’s through awards, plaques, markers or other heritage. means.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 73 OCP section Policy concept Purpose Heritage, Work with business and tourism partners Engages multiple partners as a key to public Public Realm to develop strategies that enhance and programming success in the Downtown. animate the Rossland’s Downtown for visitors and residents. Heritage, Continue to support and encourage The importance of current community Arts and Culture, the celebration of Rossland’s diverse events and celebrations was found to be a Public Realm cultural community by working with local key value. businesses and community groups to These events contribute to heritage tourism increase cultural programming and events. in Rossland, acknowledges diversity, supports arts and culture initiatives (Arts and Culture Plan), encourages public participation and animates the community. Heritage, Identify and interpret places and features Rossland’s agricultural history resonates Neighbourhoods, of historical agricultural importance in the with many residents of Rossland. Public Realm City. Public food production can respect and Work with community groups to establish interpret agricultural history, connect or increase common and allotment gardens, communities and have a positive edible landscapes, food-bearing trees and environmental impact. other food production activities. Partner with groups and events such as the Continue to support Rossland’s Farmers’ Young Agrarians Mixer and Columbia Basin Market. Food Summit Agriculture Forum. Community Work with Selkirk College and other Supports training in both heritage Economic partners in providing higher education, conservation skills and trades as well as Development adult education and training opportunities resource extraction (BC Mining School as to support Rossland as an incubator for new a precedent), tourism and the technology businesses and skills, including heritage sector, and helps attract new workers. skills.
74 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Ryan Flett/Tourism Rossland photo. Flett/Tourism Ryan
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 75 3.3.2 Goal 2 Facilitate informed heritage decision-making
Heritage conservation can be an effective tool for realizing a wide range of public goals including small business incubation, affordable housing, sustainable development, neighbourhood stabilization, city centre revitalization, job creation, promotion of arts and culture, small town renewal, heritage tourism, economic development, and others. Informed decision making about heritage conservation ensures that the people responsible for determining heritage conservation actions and initiatives have all the data and background material necessary tomake decisions that will achieve these public benefits. This section includes actions that inform City planning and all levels, ways of making information available to staff and the public and supports a clear and transparent regulatory process and a range of heritage conservation incentives for owners and developers of heritage sites. Strategies associated with Goal 2 2a: Heritage Commission reform Input from the community indicates that a central body is needed to coordinate heritage conservation initiatives in Rossland, assist City departments in addressing heritage conservation, and taking an active role in advising Council on the implementation of the Heritage Management Plan. Rather than creating a new body to do this work, revising the Heritage Commission’s membership to represent the full breadth of the heritage community would allow the City to rely on established lines of communication, and make clearer the relationship of the day to day work of the Commission to long term initiatives identified in the HMP. A formal incorporation of the wider community into the makeup ofthe Heritage Commission would allow the Commission to play the role of guiding the implementation of the HMP while breathing new life and energy into the Heritage Commission’s work and their capacity to carry out their scope and duties. The task of reforming the Commission should be relatively straightforward; the City has the ability to revise Commission membership protocol and its terms of reference, and the scope of the Commission’s work. 2b: Foundational planning tools Successful heritage conservation in communities relies on the application of measures that permit and regulate conservation management. The Heritage Management Plan will be the key tool for guiding heritage conservation in Rossland. A key recommendation is to create a Heritage Conservation Area to encompass the historic commercial area of Rossland. Rossland’s current
76 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan design guidelines, another important tool, need to be streamlined and improved to provide a more coherent and consistent document for this proposed heritage conservation area. 2c: Supportive technical and planning tools The City should ensure that up-to-date and accurate guidance information about heritage conservation is available to the development community and the general public. Information related to heritage research and archival material should also be readily available. 2d: Heritage Inventory and Heritage Register Knowing what the community’s heritage assets are, and why they are significant, is critical to good decision-making related to conservation. The community engagement process for the heritage management plan has provided a solid starting point from which to continue Rossland’s list of places to consider for formal recognition and/or protection. Because formal recognition and potential protection may create administrative, regulatory, and financial obligations for the City, itis suggested that steps to expand the existing Community Heritage Register are incremental, and include an inventory process as recommended in this plan (See Appendix G for the inventory of identified heritage resources to 2020). Official Community Plan considerations Policy considerations for inclusion in Rossland’s Official Community Plan that can support the facilitation of informed decision-making.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 77 Goal 2: Facilitate informed heritage decision-making
2a. Heritage Commission reform Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Guiding heritage S1, 3 Create a new Terms of Reference • City of Rossland staff • Part of Planning Short term: Identify interested parties for process The TOR should add: management O8, 9, (TOR) for a reconstituted and • City Council staff and Heritage of creating revised TOR and post information and • Management and review issues for which the advisory body 15 redefined Community Heritage • Heritage Coordinator Coordinator work application form on the City’s website. Commission is to advise Council - Community Commission that would include a • Heritage Commission • Subcommittee of • Roles of City staff, including proposed Heritage A3 Formalize the representation on the Commission Heritage mandate for advising Council on the current Heritage and develop terms for membership renewal. Coordinator Commission R1 management of Rossland’s heritage. Commission • Formalized representation from historic Medium term: Enact the revised TOR and appoint neighbourhoods Include a diverse representation Heritage Commission members in advance of of backgrounds and skills on the implementing medium term HMP actions. Heritage BC Heritage Commission information Heritage Commission (similar to the https://heritagebc.ca/resources/heritage- current HMP Steering Committee) Long term: Monitor successes and failures of commissions/ and https:// on the Heritage Commission. the Commission, and review and revise TOR as heritagebc.ca/learning-centre/community- necessary in order to maintain its effectiveness. Prepare amendments to the 2009 heritage-commissions-aresource- Heritage Commission Bylaw 2439. guide/ Ensure there are broad and • City of Rossland • Part of Planning Short term: Identify issues, programs and project Participation can be in the form of a Commission ample opportunities for Heritage • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage on which the Commission is to be consulted. member designated to sit on other panels. Commission participation in • Heritage Coordinator Coordinator work Medium and Long term: Monitor whether the Provide tools and training for evaluation of advising City Staff and Council • Community volunteers Commission is consulted effectively. development applications for heritage buildings where heritage issues may be as identified by City staff and sites of significance. relevant. and CHC Participation in, for example: • Design Review Committee meetings • Applications for new development • Public infrastructure projects
2b. Foundational planning tools Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Heritage S1, 3 Adopt the Heritage Management • City Staff • Part of Planning Short term: Establish positive publicity about a Prepare Report to Council including a resolution to guidance O4, 5, Plan and promote a wide • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage coordinated approach to managing Rossland’s adopt the Heritage Management Plan. 8, 9, understanding of its importance Coordinator work heritage. 10, 12, and use. • Community volunteers Medium and Long term: Monitor whether the 13, 14, as identified by City staff word is reaching the public effectively. 15, 22 and CHC A3, 4, Adopt and implement the • City of Rossland • Part of Planning Short term: Prepare and educate Council about this Prepare Report to Council including a resolution 5, 6 Standards and Guidelines for the • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage important action. to adopt the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in • Heritage BC Coordinator work Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. R1, Medium term: Have Council adopt the Standards Canada as the guiding document for • Columbia Basin Trust • Community volunteers and Guidelines See https://www.historicplaces.ca/ 2, 3 heritage conservation in Rossland. as identified by City staff media/18072/81468-parks-s+g-eng-web2.pdf and CHC Long term: Ensure the Standards and Guidelines are used to guide actions of Staff and City regulatory bodies
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
78 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Goal 2: Facilitate informed heritage decision-making
2b. Foundational planning tools cont’d. Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Heritage Create a Downtown Heritage • City Council • Part of Planning Short term: Build consensus for the new Build community consensus by referring to the guidance cont’d. Conservation Area, with boundaries • Heritage Coordinator staff and Heritage conservation area. goals of this HMP, including the desirability of Coordinator work following the current Downtown • City departments Medium term: Prepare bylaw and enact the including commercial buildings outside the current • City of Rossland staff Core zone, plus adjacent contiguous • Heritage Commission creation of the area. Downtown Core zone. sites with historic commercial use. Long term: Monitor successes and failures of the Draft bylaw for Council enactment. Conservation Area and revise terms in order to See Section 3.2.3 of this plan for information on maintain is effectiveness. Heritage Conservation Areas. Refer to: https://heritagebc.ca/learning-centre/ heritage-conservation-areas-a-resource-guide/ heritage-conservation-areas-legislation/ Examples: • City of Vancouver HA1 and 2 (Gastown and Chinatown) • City of Richmond: Steveston Village Conservation Area Prepare an information document • City Council • Part of Planning Short term: Prepare the Design Review Panel The Heritage Coordinator, with assistance from for the Design Review Panel (DRP) • Heritage Coordinator staff and Heritage guidance document. a consultant and input from groups involved, to Coordinator work to educate them on heritage • City departments Medium and Long term: Review the effectiveness produce a primer on current best practices in • City of Rossland conservation and new design. • Heritage Commission of the document in guiding the DRP on heritage heritage conservation, relevant examples, and funding for heritage Include information to support DRP • Design Review Panel conservation matters and revise and update as goals for revised guidelines. conservation participation in heritage project • Heritage consultant necessary. Prepare the primer based on the Standards and • Columbia Basin Trust review and the preparation of new Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places planning grant design guidelines. in Canada. • Volunteers Revise design guidelines for • Planning department • Part of Planning Short term: Prepare a statement of significance Guidelines should use language similar to that Rossland’s Downtown and Midtown • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage for the Downtown to guide the new design found in the Standards and Guidelines for the Transition Planning Area including • Design Review Panel Coordinator work guidelines; build consensus for the new Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. • City of Rossland guidance for: • Heritage consultant guidelines; review history of design guideline New design should complement existing heritage funding for heritage • New design decisions and perceived successes and failures. buildings while appearing contemporary rather conservation • A less prescriptive perspective Medium term: Consultant to review with Heritage than mimicking historic buildings of the area. • Columbia Basin Trust • Consider recommended/ non- Commission the history and best practices for Less prescriptive regulations can allow the planning grant recommended approaches guideline today; produce and approve revised neighbourhood to evolve and assist in building on • Volunteers design guidelines for both areas. the overall character of the area. Long term: Implement and monitor the Refer to Section 3.2.2 of this plan for effectiveness of the new guidelines and revise as recommendations on preparing new design needed. guidelines.
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 79 Goal 2: Facilitate informed heritage decision-making
2c. Supportive technical and planning tools Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Inform the public S1, 3 Dedicate a page on the City’s • Heritage Coordinator • Part of Planning Short term: Identify process, resources and content Promote and discuss the Heritage Management Plan about heritage in O4, 5, website to heritage information. • City departments staff and Heritage goals for website production. Identify ways in which the community and Rossland 8, 9, Prepare a series of online posts or • Heritage Commission Coordinator work Medium term: Produce the first key topics in the volunteers can become involved in heritage 10, 12, articles about heritage conservation • IT technicians • Volunteer time series as trials. conservation in the City. • Volunteers 13, 14, that present information about Long term: Monitor effectiveness of the website Emphasize the involvement of all City 15, 22 the City’s approaches, policies material, note revisions required and complete the departments in the heritage program. and projects related to protecting A3, 4, series. Continue to update the City’s website with Provide information on planning processes, the 5, 6 heritage resources and managing community-friendly heritage information. change. heritage register, heritage conservation areas, R1, neighbourhood character, heritage revitalization 2, 3 agreements and other topics, as well as walking tours, sign programs and other information. Examples: City of New Westminster https://www. newwestcity.ca/heritage Village of Cumberland https://cumberland.ca/ topics/heritage/ Make archival documents and • City of Rossland • Staff time Short to Long term: Ongoing program of making Review the current management of material and photographs, research material and • Heritage Coordinator • BC Museums archival and information material accessible. identify strategies for improving access. any heritage planning studies more • Rossland Museum and Association and/or Engage with the Rossland Museum and Columbia easily accessible to the public. Discovery Centre Columbia Basin Trust Basin Institute. • Columbia Basin Institute grants • Columbia Basin Trust • Volunteer time Place low-resolution copies of archival documents Heritage, Museum and and photographs online. Archives Grant (ii) Inform the public S1, 6 Develop more detailed neighbourhood • City of Rossland • Part of Planning Short term: Make available neighbourhood Build on information in HMP Appendix E, Rossland heritage character statements as • Heritage Coordinator staff and Heritage character statements as a starting point for Neighbourhood Character. about Rossland’s O6, 7, heritage planning a tool to manage development • Heritage Commission Coordinator work decision-making (See Appendix E, Rossland Use the heritage values, character descriptions 8, 12, and change in Rossland’s • Consultant • Heritage Commission Neighbourhood Character). program 14, 15 and character-defining elements as guides for new neighbourhoods, with the goal of • Heritage BC’s Heritage Medium term: Develop more detailed design and development. A3, making the decision-making process Legacy Fund neighbourhood character statements and add Ensure wide distribution of the statements to 5, 7 simple and transparent. • Columbia Basin Trust them to the heritage register (see Strategy 2d(i). planning grants City staff, homeowners, residents, builders and Applies to both residential buildings Monitor community reception and effectiveness of developers and awareness of how they are to be and commercial buildings in statements in retaining character. used. residential areas. Long term: If community becomes concerned Ensure that new design complements existing Include description, heritage values about the loss of character in particular historic heritage buildings while being contemporary and and character-defining elements. neighbourhoods, present the idea of establishing not mimicking the historic buildings of the area. Monitor development in historic design guidelines for those areas with a format and language consistent with the Standards and Refer to the Standards and Guidelines for the neighbourhoods to ensure Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. application of the statements. Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada..
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
80 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Goal 2: Facilitate informed heritage decision-making (ii) Inform the public Prepare an information brochure to • City of Rossland • Part of Planning Short term: Identify process, resources and content City (with assistance of Consultant, if need be) about Rossland’s guide the development community • Heritage Coordinator staff and Heritage goals for brochure production. to agree on review process, and to develop clear heritage planning and the public on the City’s heritage • Consultant Coordinator work Medium term: Produce first several in the series as short user-friendly guide to that process, ideally program (cont’d) planning process. • Heritage Commission trials. with a flow chart. Present the review process as • Columbia Basin Trust Include the need for the addition to the heritage grants Long term: Monitor effectiveness of the brochure, straightforward and transparent to note revisions required, revise and publish. register and preparation of a statement of ensure clarity about the planning significance for a property in order to access process for the development conservation tools. community. Develop heritage planning guides • City departments • Part of Planning Short term: Identify process, resources and content Streamline the process by providing a checklist for the Downtown and Transition • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage goals for production of heritage planning guides. of requirements including what aspects of the areas outlining the heritage • Heritage Coordinator Coordinator work Medium term: Produce heritage planning guides project will be reviewed by CHC and staff. These conservation planning process and • Heritage Commission and review. aspects are defined by the character-defining with the goal of making the review • Columbia Basin Trust elements for the area. process simple and transparent. grants Long term: Monitor effectiveness of the guides, note revisions required, revise and publish. Include the need for the addition to the heritage register and preparation of a statement of significance for a property in order to access conservation tools. Include a reference to the revised design guidelines for each area. Example: City of New Westminster https://www.newwestc- ity.ca/heritage/heritage-and-development (iii) Advice to S1, 3 Develop an information package to • City of Rossland Planner • Part of Planning Medium to Long term: Prepare information guides Develop an information package to assist property residential property O6, 8, assist homeowners and property • Heritage Coordinator staff and Heritage and discuss with CHC and homeowners monitor owners to rehabilitate or renovate existing homes, owners 10 owners to rehabilitate or renovate • Building Inspector Coordinator work whether the guidance is effective. or build new, in ways that are in keeping with their homes that are in keeping • Heritage Commission • Heritage Commission neighbourhood character A3, 4 with neighbourhood character. Consider involving neighbourhood stakeholders in R7 the review process to ensure community input.
2d. Heritage Inventory and Register Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to / examples Ref. funding* (iv) Heritage S1, 5, Add top-priority places identified in • Heritage Coordinator • Part of Heritage Short term: Review the register for potentially Regularly review Rossland’s Heritage Register to register 6 the Inventory or nominated by the • Heritage Commission Coordinator work endangered heritage properties and prioritize new prioritize, document and safeguard historic places O7, 8, public to the heritage register once • Public nomination and • Heritage Commission resources. that matter to the community. 9, 15, per year. consultation • Volunteers Medium term: Consult the Inventory in order to Use the thematic framework, Rossland’s lesser 22 Prepare statements of significance • Columbia Basin Trust prioritize properties to add to the Register. Add known stories, the heritage inventory and other grants A5 for registered heritage properties. properties in order of priority as funding and staff strategies to identify gaps in the heritage register. resources allow. R1, 5 Ensure a robust community See Appendix C for sample heritage register nomination and consultation Short to Long term: Ongoing program of adding evaluation criteria. process as a critical part of adding resources to the Register and monitor progress on Refer to Writing Statements of Significance resources to the heritage register. including resources that reflect the broad range of https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/5422/ Rossland’s heritage values. sosguideen.pdf
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 81 Goal 2: Facilitate informed heritage decision-making
2d. Heritage Inventory and Register Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Heritage register Integrate the Register into the City’s • Heritage Coordinator • IT staff Medium term Use the heritage register databases to create an cont’d. mapping and GIS system. • IT technician • Volunteers online interactive map that is available to the public. Refer to: City of New Westminster’s GIS map sys- tem: http://newwestcity.maps.arcgis.com/apps/ Shortlist/index.html?appid=f3f60a01a7f34b44b f9ee91dae876df3 Consider adding Rossland’s • City staff • City of Rossland Medium term See HMP Appendix E, Rossland Neighbourhood neighbourhoods and development • Heritage Commission budget for heritage Character. permit areas to the Heritage conservation Refer to: Writing Statements of Significance Register as a way of guiding new • Heritage Commission https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/5422/sos- design. volunteers guideen.pdf Prepare Statements of Significance • Heritage Commission • City of Rossland Short to Long term: Ongoing program of preparing Refer to: Writing Statements of Significance for all registered historic places. • Heritage Coordinator budget for heritage Statements of Significance for all registered https://www.historicplaces.ca/media/5422/sos- Ensure the statements are • City staff conservation historic places. guideen.pdf consulted as part of the • Heritage Commission Short to Long term: Ongoing commitment to Promote the use of statements of significance foundational documents for City volunteers providing statements of significance as a way of as a reference for the public when considering staff to use in making land-use integrating heritage conservation in development renovations or new construction. planning and design decisions decision-making. affecting registered historic places. Consider adding properties on the • City staff • City of Rossland Medium to long term Prepare a Report to Council that includes a 1985 Heritage Building Inventory • Heritage coordinator budget for heritage recommendation and resolution that these into the heritage register. • Heritage Commission conservation properties be considered for addition to the City’s • Heritage Commission heritage register. volunteers Include in any prioritization for the preparation of statements of significance. (ii) Heritage S1, 5, Develop existing heritage • Heritage Coordinator • City of Rossland Short term: Review and adopt the Inventory that Review Rossland’s Inventory for its ability to inventory 6 inventory as a repository for places • Heritage Commission budget for heritage is part of the HMP document. reflect the full range of heritage values. O7, 8, nominated as having heritage value. • IT technician conservation Medium to Long term: Ongoing program of Include criteria such as threat of damage or loss, 9, 15, Integrate the Inventory into the • Public nomination and • Heritage Commission adding resources to the Inventory through staff rarity, need for conservation incentives, thematic 22 City’s mapping and GIS system. consultation volunteers and Heritage Commission identification or public gaps and others as appropriate. A5 Prepare a prioritization matrix to nomination. Prioritize: R1, 5 aid in determining which and when Ongoing monitoring of the effectiveness of the • City-owned or managed assets such as buildings, historic places should be added to Inventory. parks, trails, community amenities and others. the Inventory. • Cultural landscape and natural heritage to Ensure a robust community reflect significance of these resources. nomination and consultation • Include core heritage values for each place. process as a critical part of growing See Appendix G for inventory resources to 2020. the inventory
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
82 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Official Community Plan considerations Goal 2: Facilitate informed heritage decision-making
OCP section Policy concept Purpose Heritage, Review and update periodically the 2020 To ensure the Heritage Management Land Use Planning Rossland Heritage Management Plan. Plan is kept up-to-date and relevant with changes in Rossland and in the heritage conservation field. Heritage, Use the Standards and Guidelines for the To implement a consistent standard of Land Use Planning Conservation of Historic Places in Canada best practice conservation, to include as the guiding document for all heritage cultural heritage landscapes on City land, conservation work in Rossland. rehabilitation to heritage buildings, new additions that conserve and enhance heritage property and others. 17.2.1 Continue to support and maintain an active Ensures a cohesive and comprehensive Community Community Heritage Commission as a approach to heritage conservation guidance Heritage diverse, integrated and central body to and review. Commission coordinate heritage conservation initiatives in Rossland. Periodically review and revise as necessary the Terms of Reference for the Community Heritage Commission. Heritage, Coordinate the Rossland Heritage Ensures a coordinated and multi-disciplinary Land Use Planning Commission, Design Review Committee, approach to decision making in Rossland. Rossland Council for Arts and Culture with advice from BC Heritage Branch to facilitate informed decision making on the redevelopment, protection and restoration of heritage resources in the community. 17.2.5 Apply revised Design Guidelines for Ensures a non-prescriptive, best practice Schedule E, Downtown Rossland (Schedule E). approach to guidelines for heritage Schedule J Apply revised Design Guidelines for conservation and the public realm. Midtown Transition Special Planning Area (Schedule B) and its guidelines (Schedule J). Review and updated guidelines regularly based on current thinking related to heritage conservation. 17.2.7 Continue to formally add heritage resources Ongoing understanding of Rossland’s Heritage Register to Rossland’s Heritage Register as a way heritage values and places, and facilitates to protect and encourage restoration of heritage conservation and awareness in the heritage buildings. community. Integrate the Heritage Building Register (1985) into the formal heritage register.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 83 OCP section Policy concept Purpose 17.2.7 Prepare a Heritage Inventory as a way of Captures heritage values and heritage Heritage Inventory capturing heritage resources important to resources in a growing list for consideration the community and for identifying potential for the heritage register, and conveys an properties for the Register. understanding of the community at a certain Continue to add heritage resources to the point in time. inventory. Heritage, Continue efforts to support the Downtown Minimizes the loss of historic buildings Downtown Core Heritage Conservation Area and the and street character and ensures that any revitalization of Rossland’s Downtown as a new construction is in keeping with the commercial centre and tourist destination. character of the designated area. Ensure that new commercial buildings are consistent in character with the surrounding area. Neighbourhoods, Continue to bring attention to Rossland’s Maintains the character of neighbourhoods, Public realm historic neighbourhoods to ensure the including heritage values and resources maintenance of their heritage character. outside the Downtown. Support the development of neighbourhoods that are healthy, walkable, and connected physically and socially. Neighbourhoods, Support the conservation of heritage and Maintains the character of neighbourhoods, Public realm character homes and cultural and natural including heritage values and resources landscapes in Rossland’s neighbourhoods outside the Downtown. by giving consideration to tools available under legislation to protect or conserve heritage property. Heritage, Maintain and expand the use of the An existing, proven program that can be an Land Use Planning Revitalization Tax Exemption Program bylaw essential tool in heritage conservation in for the purposes of heritage conservation. Rossland. Neighbourhoods, Utilize financial incentives and instruments Utilizes heritage conservation incentive tools Public realm, such as density bonusing, DCC incentives, available under the Local Government Act to Housing and permitting incentives etc. to encourage accomplish heritage conservation goals. Residential Lands compatible infill development wherever appropriate and feasible. Neighbourhoods, Ensure that new buildings and features Establishes the importance to the Public realm, contribute to the sense of place in community of existing neighbourhood Housing and development permit areas and heritage character and acts to retain and enhance Residential Lands conservation areas through sensitive and that character. innovative responses to existing form and character. Heritage, Ensure that heritage values are considered Embeds heritage conservation in all aspects Land Use Planning in land management at every scale from of planning in Rossland. sites to local areas.
84 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 85 3.3.3 Goal 3 Conserve Rossland’s character- defining elements
Conserving Rossland’s character-defining elements involves understanding, recognizing and conserving a wide range of heritage values and built, landscape and intangible heritage resources that support community identity and character. Rossland’s tangible character-defining elements, including landscape features such as trails and viewscapes, those within the public realm such as streetscapes and public open spaces, and public and privately- owned built heritage together embody the city’s heritage values, making their ongoing conservation a key part of the heritage management plan. The stewardship of the city’s features that help define its character provides benefits for the community as a whole and conserves heritage resource for potential future uses and benefits. Rossland has a unique collection of built heritage features and an impressive record of conserving and re-using them. The character of the city’s neighbourhoods reflect different eras of community development. Rossland is a community that embraces and places high value on its natural environment and the ability to easily access and enjoy it. The city is committed to growth and economic development that protects the natural environment and promotes the efficient and equitable use of land, energy, water, and material resources. This emphasizes the need for heritage conservation that creates a livable city by balancing natural and cultural values, and addresses issues such as the impacts of climate change. Achieving a balance between the conservation of nature and the built environment and between the retention of heritage buildings while considering new or contemporary design concepts, and ensuring that intangible heritage values are recognized are all part of the ongoing conservation of the city’s identified character-defining elements. Intangible heritage is also considered a character-defining aspect of the community. It includes oral history, events, social practices and rituals, knowledge and skills, arts, storytelling and other non-physical heritage elements. Strategies associated with Goal 3: 3a: Promoting sustainability through conservation Heritage planning is the application of heritage conservation within the discipline of planning, with the goal of managing change based upon community heritage values. Heritage planning initiatives can help conserve a variety of valued aspects of a community, help retain intact, functional neighbourhoods, and assist with the integration of appropriate new development. In addition to the significant heritage buildings in the downtown, much of the character
86 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan of Rossland is found in its early residential neighbourhoods and in the cumulative impact of many modest homes showing original and added form and materials. Trails were overwhelmingly identified as significant by community members. These highly-valued and regularly used heritage resources should be maintained, rehabilitated, and interpreted as a means for increasing awareness and education about Rossland’s history and community heritage values. 3b: Incentives for heritage conservation Heritage incentives can be used to encourage the restoration and conservation of historic buildings and sites making conservation and retention of heritage resources a viable option for property owners in the context of redevelopment. Incentives can be financial or zoning-based. Official Community Plan considerations Policy considerations for inclusion in Rossland’s Official Community Plan that can assist in the conservation of Rossland’s character-defining elements.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 87 Goal 3: Conserve Rossland’s Character-Defining Elements
3a. Promoting sustainability through conservation Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Environment S6 Initiate and support sustainable • City departments • Heritage Coordinator Short term: Raise community awareness of role of Link heritage conservation to sustainable projects O4, capital projects in the City of • Heritage Coordinator • Community groups heritage conservation in community sustainability. and adapt and renew rather than replace existing 12, 13 Rossland. • Heritage Commission • Volunteers Medium and Long term: Encourage conservation structures. • Design Review Panel • Columbia Basin Trust A3 Develop a culture of sustainable projects that promote sustainability. Use green technologies for conservation projects. entrepreneurship. • Community groups funding R2 such as Rossland Research organizations in the Columbia Basin, Streamkeepers, Kootenay Boundary region and elsewhere for Rossland Society for potential partnerships, information sharing and Environmental Action educational opportunities. and Friends of the Develop relationships with environmental Rossland Range volunteer groups, businesses and entrepreneurs to collaborate on sustainable actions in Rossland and the wider region. Develop conservation strategies • City departments • Organization by Short term: Raise community awareness of climate Prepare conservation strategies and develop for responding to the impacts of • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator change impacts on heritage resources. material to place on the City’s heritage website. climate change. • Design Review Panel • City staff Medium and Long term: Safeguard heritage Address adaptations such as relocation of Link strategies with those found in • Community groups resources subject to impacts from climate change. heritage resources, building flood-proof open Rossland’s Strategic Sustainability • Volunteers spaces, mitigation such as using sustainable Plan. materials and storm windows and communication such as community awareness. Refer to: Building Resilience, https://www. historicplaces.ca/media/49493/resilience_en_ june%202016.pdf Conserve character-defining natural • City departments • Heritage Coordinator Short term: Raise community awareness of Identify natural areas, parks and open spaces and heritage features. • Heritage Commission • Community groups Rossland’s character-defining natural heritage add them to the heritage register as appropriate. Protect sensitive and character- • Design Review Panel • Volunteers features. Refer to Ecological Restoration Guidelines for defining native ecosystems. • Rossland Society for • Columbia Basin Trust Medium and Long term: Conserve character- BC, http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fia/documents/ Environmental Action funding defining natural heritage features. restorationguidelines.pdf (ii) Public realm S1, 3 Further develop the historic • City departments • Heritage Coordinator Short term: Make available neighbourhood Build on information in HMP Appendix E, Rossland Neighbourhood Character. O7, 9, neighbourhood character • Heritage Commission • Volunteers character statements (see Item 2a. 12, 13 statements (found in Appendix E) as • Design Review Panel • City of Rossland Medium term: Monitor development and its Use the heritage values, character descriptions a means of ensuring development • Consultant funding for heritage reception in the community. and character-defining elements as guides for A3, respects the form and character of conservation projects new design and development. 4, 8 Long term: With community support establish neighbourhoods. • Columbia Basin Trust Refer to: Guidelines for Writing Statements of R5, 9 design guidelines for areas where community Ensure the statements are easily identifies neighbourhood character is eroding. Significance available on the City’s website. See also strategy 2c(ii)
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
88 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Goal 3: Conserve Rossland’s Character-Defining Elements
3a. Promoting sustainability through conservation cont’d. Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (ii) Public realm Consider visual resource • City departments • Organization by Short term: Understand visual resource Use provincial guidance found at https://www2. cont’d. management tools and techniques • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator management as a key aspect of the conservation of gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/forestry/ for the conservation of visually • Design Review Panel • City staff Rossland’s heritage. managing-our-forest-resources/visual-resource- important heritage features in the • Community groups Medium term: Develop visual resource management wider landscape. • Volunteers management tools and techniques. Long term: Implement visual resource management. Promote the retention of character- • City departments • Organization by Short term: Raise staff and community awareness Consider character-defining public realm resourc- defining parks, cultural landscapes, • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator (see Strategy 1b(ii) and (iii) - Integration of es at initial planning stage. vegetation and views. • Design Review Panel • City staff conservation efforts. Refer to: Standards and Guidelines for the Conser- Integrate heritage conservation into • Community groups Medium and Long term: Conserve identified vation of Historic Places in Canada https://www. new public realm design. • Volunteers character in the public realm. historicplaces.ca/media/18072/81468-parks-s+g- eng-web2.pdf Prepare a plan for the restoration of • City departments • Organization by Short term: Raise community awareness. Prepare a conservation plan for the cemetery: the Columbia Cemetery. • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator Medium term: Prepare a conservation plan and https://www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org/ • Design Review Panel • City of Rossland heritage apply for funding for implementation. wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Conservation_ • Consultant conservation funding Planning_Methodology.pdf • Columbia Basin Trust Long term: Implement the plan and prepare and • Heritage BC’s Heritage implement a maintenance plan. https://www.ncptt.nps.gov/articles/cemetery- Legacy Fund conservation/ https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/ briefs/48-preserving-grave-markers.htm Involve heritage in the preparation • City of Rossland • Heritage Coordinator Short term: Identify funding sources for preparing a Incorporate additional accessible remnants of of a Trails Master Plan for the city • Kootenay Columbia • Capital projects budget Trails Master Plan. Work with staff and a consultant the original rail grades, Dewdney Trail and others and surrounding area. Trails Society • Columbia Basin Trust to prepare the plan. noted for having heritage value. • Heritage Commission • Teck Resources Ltd. Medium term: Begin implementation of Master Build interpretation into the plan using physical • Tourism Rossland • Volunteers Plan as funds allow. markers and expanded trails map. • Design consultant Long term: Monitor and maintain the growing extent of trails interpretation. Develop streetscape design that is • Heritage Coordinator • Organization by Short term: Use the historic neighbourhood List specific character-defining elements found in informed by the neighbourhood • City departments Heritage Coordinator character statements to identify characteristics of a particular streetscape and prepare strategies character statements. • Heritage Commission • Public Works capital Rossland’s streetscapes. for street improvements in keeping with those funding for street Medium term: Implement improvements to streets character-defining elements. improvements taking into prepared conservation strategies • Heritage Commission Long term: Maintain the particular strategies.
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 89 Goal 3: Conserve Rossland’s Character-Defining Elements
3a. Promoting sustainability through conservation cont’d. Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (ii) Public realm Incorporate aspects of heritage and • City departments • Organization by Short term: Identify sign system opportunities. Review the sign manual to determine how the cont’d. interpretation into the City’s sign • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator Medium term: Implement inclusion of heritage strategy’s branding, messaging and design can manual and in the production of • Design Review Panel • Resort Municipality and its interpretation in sign system opportunities reflect with the Rossland’s historical context new signs. Initiative funds as they arise. and heritage values as identified in the Heritage • Heritage BC Heritage Management Plan. Legacy Fund Long term: Maintain the presence of heritage and its interpretation in the city’s sign systems. Revise the sign manual to include direction • Columbia Basin Trust on being inspired by or incorporating heritage Community Outdoor content in the City’s sign systems, such as Revitalization Grant information kiosks, pedestrian wayfinding and interpretive signs. (iii) Built heritage S1, 6 Continue to encourage the • City departments • Part of Planning Short term: Raise community awareness. Incentives can include promoting new infill staff and Heritage O5, 8, retention of character houses • Heritage Commission Medium term: Monitor community awareness of buildings or additions to existing houses, instead Coordinator work 12, 13 in historic neighbourhoods and • Heritage Coordinator neighbourhood character, or its disappearance. of demolishing and building new. • City of Rossland staff attention to neighbourhood • Design Review Panel Revisions to zoning bylaw can address the issue A3, character for new residential Revise wording in zoning bylaw to address the 4, 6 tendency to construct large, out-of-scale buildings. of large residential buildings that are not in buildings. character with the neighbourhood. R5, 7 Allow the subdivision of larger Long term: If community feels it necessary, consider development regulation with a focus on Encourage the conversion of existing single-family properties to result in new homes to multi-family residences. development that is more in scale. providing incentives for character retention.
Promote the rehabilitation • City departments • Part of Planning Short term: Raise community awareness (see Refer to Laneway and Infill Residential of heritage buildings to meet • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage Strategy 1c. - Awareness). Development Guidelines in the City of Vancouver’s Coordinator work community needs, such as • Design Review Panel Medium term: Consultant to review with Heritage zoning and development bylaws. • City of Rossland staff community venues, affordable Commission the history and best practices for housing, live-work and local guideline today; produce and approve revised business expansion space. design guidelines for both areas. Long term: Monitor effectiveness of the revised Schedules E and J. Continue to promote a culture of • City departments • Part of Planning Short term: Raise community awareness for the Recognize that the rehabilitation (adaptive re- retention and reuse of existing • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage benefits of retention and reuse of Rossland’s built use) of existing built heritage will represent the buildings and materials through: • Design Review Panel Coordinator work heritage. vast majority of conservation projects (rather • City of Rossland staff • Sensitive infill or additions to Medium term: Put in place guidelines for than preservation or replication of buildings), as existing buildings rehabiliations, and prepare for the use of Heritage defined in the Standards and Guidelines for the • Adaptive reuse and conversion of Revitalization Agreements. Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. existing single-family dwellings to Good examples of rehabilitation are found in multi-family Long term: Monitor effectiveness of the rehabilitation work and revise guidelines where Heritage Revitalization Agreements in many local results are nominal. communities using this development tool.
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
90 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Goal 3: Conserve Rossland’s Character-Defining Elements
3b. Incentives for heritage conservation Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* (i) Commercial S1, 6 Provide effective incentives that • City staff • Part of Planning Short term: Review effectiveness of current For existing historic properties, promote the use properties O5, 8, encourage developers to retain • City departments staff and Heritage incentives. of Heritage Revitalization Agreements, employing 12, 13 heritage. • Heritage Commission Coordinator work Medium term: Monitor retention efforts vs. the ability to vary regulations as incentives for • City of Rossland staff deterioration of heritage buildings on current heritage conservation, or the waiver of permit A3, fees in return for heritage conservation. 4, 6 property. Offer grants for the conservation of facades of R5, 7 Long term: Consider grants to provide incentives for greater uptake of private owner heritage buildings associated with historic properties. retention Refer to City of Vancouver Facade Grants Program. Accept variations in development in • City staff • Part of Planning Short term: Raise awareness of acceptability of Examples: return for heritage conservation. • City departments staff and Heritage adaptive re-use. • Additional floor space • Heritage Commission Coordinator work Medium term: Monitor retention efforts vs. • Relaxed parking requirements • Design Review Panel • City of Rossland staff deterioration of heritage buildings on current • Bonus density property. • Financial incentives • Subdivision leading to an increased value of Long term: Promote adaptive re-use. subdivided land Take advantage of the heritage • City staff • Part of Planning Short term: Raise awareness of the tools. Refer to Section 3.2.3 Heritage Conservation Tools conservation tools available under • Heritage Commission staff and Heritage Medium and Long term: Monitor use of the tools for Rossland. the Local Government Act. Coordinator work for their effectiveness. See also Heritage Conservation Tool Kit for Local • City of Rossland staff Governments https://www.richmond.ca/__ shared/assets/SVCSattachment322549.pdf Consider reestablishing the use of • City staff • Part of Planning Short term: Review extent of uptake. Refer to Section 3.2.3 Heritage Conservation Tools the Revitalization Tax Exemption • City departments staff and Heritage Medium term: Raise awareness of tax exemptions. for Rossland. Bylaw for the protection of the • Heritage Commission Coordinator work city’s heritage resources. • Design Review Panel • City of Rossland staff Long term: Monitor retention efforts vs. deterioration of heritage buildings on current property. See Action item 2b(i) regarding the • City Council • Part of Planning Short term: Prepare for public process. Consider aspects such as siting, height, massing, creation of a Downtown Heritage • Heritage Coordinator staff and Heritage Medium term: Conduct public process for roof form, door and window configuration, and Conservation Area. • City departments Coordinator work Conservation Area; have a character statement exterior materials. Prepare a statement of significance • Design Review Panel • City of Rossland staff prepared. Examples: for the Downtown Core to guide • Heritage Commission • City of Vancouver Chinatown and Gastown Long term: Enact the creation of a Downtown Heritage Conservation Areas new building design. Rossland Heritage Conservation Area. Allow new construction projects • City staff • Part of Planning and Short term: Raise awareness of the tools; prepare Ensure developers of new construction projects to access incentives in return for • City departments Development staff and an understanding of what extra costs might be. are made aware of the available incentives during extra costs associated with the • Heritage Commission Heritage Coordinator Medium and Long term: Monitor use of the tools project discussions with staff. conservation of heritage and area • Design Review Panel work for their effectiveness. Request a statement of significance as needed character. • City of Rossland staff to access tools under Part 15 of the Local • Heritage Commission Government Act.
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 91 Goal 3: Conserve Rossland’s Character-Defining Elements
3b. Incentives for heritage conservation cont’d. Strategy SOAR Action Who is involved Potential resources and Time frame How to Ref. funding* ii) Residential S1, 6 Promote the use of Heritage • City staff • Part of Planning and Short term: Raise awareness of the tool. Use this tool for properties with high heritage Development staff and neighbourhoods O5, 8, Revitalization Agreements in • City departments Medium and Long term: Monitor use of the tool values or high visibility and community Heritage Coordinator 12, 13 residential neighbourhoods. • Heritage Commission for its effectiveness. recognition (eg. Miners’ Hall). work Consider reestablishing the • Design Review Panel A3, Revitalization Tax Exemption • City of Rossland staff 4, 6 Bylaw for the protection of • Heritage Commission R5, 7 neighbourhood heritage resources. Consider a moderate increase in • City staff • Part of Planning and Short term: Identify typical situations. Consider aspects such as the siting, height, mass- Development staff and development rights in return for • City departments Medium and Long term: Propose zoning changes ing, roof form, door and window configuration, Heritage Coordinator character home conservation. • Heritage Commission to incentivize the retention of character with a and exterior materials of houses that form the work • Design Review Panel Character Home Program. character of each neighbourhood. • City of Rossland staff
Apply existing Small Lot Residential • City staff • Part of Planning Short term: Raise community awareness for the Consider alterations to this zoning if uptake is only Zoning Bylaw #2518 to promote the • City departments staff and Heritage benefits of this existing program. modest. Coordinator work retention of smaller homes. • Heritage Commission Medium and Long term: Monitor effectiveness of Refer to https://www.toolkit.bc.ca/diverse-zoning- • City of Rossland staff • Design Review Panel the program and modify and promote program if strategies-diverse-communities there is little uptake. Allow small infill housing on even • City staff • Part of Planning Short term: Raise community awareness for the Examples: small lots, as a compatible scale of • City departments staff and Heritage benefits of small infill and link to affordability. • City of Vancouver Laneway Housing program Coordinator work densification. • Heritage Commission Medium and Long term: Propose very small infill • City of Vanouver infill housing guidelines for • City of Rossland staff • Design Review Panel housing for any property, regardless of its size. many RT zones • City of West Vancouver infill housing Research the applicability and • City staff • Part of Planning Short term: Discuss feasibility of applying BC Examples: feasibility of using non-monetary • City departments staff and Heritage Building Code relaxations with the Building • Equivalency provisions in the BC Building Code, incentives. • Heritage Commission Coordinator work Department. Heritage Building Supplement and Green • City of Rossland staff Medium and Long term: Monitor local uptake of Building Code. • Volunteer researchers non-monetary incentives • Non-monetary incentives such as land use regulations relaxation, development or density bonuses. Encourage incorporation of • City staff • Part of Planning Short term: Raise community awareness about Make the detailed historic neighbourhood neighbourhood character-defining • City departments staff and Heritage character-defining elements in each of Rossland’s character statements the standard for elements in new developments in • Heritage Commission Coordinator work neighbourhoods. understanding community character and make • City of Rossland staff residential neighbourhoods. Medium and Long term: Monitor for uptake in available at City Hall and on the City’s website. awareness and incorporation of neighbourhood Examples character-defining elements in new residential • City of Vancouver RT zoning district design projects. guidelines
* See Appendix B for further information on potential funding sources.
92 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Official Community Plan considerations Goal 3: Conserve Rossland’s Character-Defining Elements
OCP section Policy concept Purpose Heritage, Review and update periodically the 2020 To ensure the Heritage Management Land Use Planning Rossland Heritage Management Plan. Plan is kept up-to-date and relevant with changes in Rossland and in the heritage conservation field. Heritage, Use the Standards and Guidelines for the To implement a consistent standard of Land Use Planning Conservation of Historic Places in Canada best practice conservation, to include as the guiding document for all heritage cultural heritage landscapes on City land, conservation work in Rossland. rehabilitation to heritage buildings, new additions that conserve and enhance heritage property and others. Heritage, Continue to encourage new developments Encourages building materials that enhance Housing and and the redevelopment of established areas Rossland’s character. Residential Lands to incorporate natural and local materials for building that reflect the particular character of the neighbourhood. Heritage, Provide community and economic Provides additional rationale for property Built environment incentives for property owners to assist owners to retain and rehabilitate their with the protection and rehabilitation of heritage properties. the City’s heritage resources. Heritage, Prepare a built environment sustainability Establishes a policy for the conservation of Housing and policy. energy conservation and efficiency in both Residential Lands new and rehabilitated heritage buildings. Heritage, Continue to encourage the integration of Encourages landscape materials that Land Use Planning, indigenous trees and plants for landscaping both enhance Rosslands’ character and Natural to maintain the heritage character of the contribute to its natural heritage and Environment area, while respecting identified cultural ecological and habitat diversity. landscape features. Heritage, Assist properties owners with technical Has a direct impact on influencing the Community information relating to the conservation, conservation of heritage by the private Economic protection and rehabilitation of heritage sector. Development resources. Heritage, Consider the heritage value and special Ensures that heritage planning goals are Housing and character of areas, districts, streetscapes, met and encourages the involvement of all Residential Lands, cultural landscapes and individual City departments in heritage conservation. Public Realm properties in all community planning initiatives. Heritage, Support residential development that is Ensure the ongoing conservation of existing Housing and compatible in scale, character and mass neighbourhood heritage character. Residential Lands with adjacent residential development.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 93 OCP section Policy concept Purpose Heritage, Work with Tourism Rossland, Chamber of Trails are one of the most frequently Parks and Trails, Commerce and Kootenay Columbia Trails mentioned heritage resources in Rossland. Community Society to continue to develop, maintain This policy concept encourages embedding Economic and interpret local and regional trails. trails into heritage conservation planning Development Create a regional trail map that is available and expanding and interpreting trail at local businesses, tourism info centre and networks through community collaboration. other locations. Heritage, Enhance the character of Rossland’s To integrate heritage considerations Public Realm Downtown and selected neighbourhoods by into the public realm that reflect the reflecting heritage values and interpretation real heritage values of the community, in urban design features and landscaping. preventing the implementation of heritage pastiche. Public Realm, Incorporate heritage and interpretive Incorporating heritage and interpretive Transportation aspects into guidelines and actions in aspects into the City’s sign and wayfinding Rossland’s Sign Manual. strategies leading to an enhanced sense of Create standards and guidelines for place and cultural heritage education. directional and wayfinding sign systems that align with the community’s heritage and vision. Public Realm, Protect significant viewscapes and view Views and viewscapes, particularly those Natural corridors throughout Rossland. to the surrounding mountain landscape are Environment identified as considerable heritage assets for Rossland. Public Realm, Protect and sustain urban trees and forests, Rossland’s trees have been identified as an Natural both natural and cultivated, throughout important heritage asset. Urban trees and Environment Rossland by considering the preparation of forests provide benefits such beautifying an Urban Tree Strategy. and cooling the city, removing pollutants, providing habitat for wildlife, providing food and connecting people to nature. Parks and Trails, Recognize and balance the multiple Understanding the integrated heritage Natural purposes and uses of parks, such as cultural and ecological values in parks and open Environment events, recreation, sports, ecosystem green spaces and embedding heritage services, commemoration and aesthetic conservation into their protection and enjoyment. development. Protect and steward identified cultural heritage landscapes within the city. Natural Protect and restore the function of sensitive Understanding the integrated heritage and Environment ecosystems and natural areas, including the ecological values in the city’s natural areas development of habitat corridors. and embedding heritage conservation into their protection and enhancement. Natural Provide direction for climate change Acknowledging climate change and taking Environment, mitigation and adaptation planning and action to both reverse the trend and taking Sustainability actions for heritage conservation purposes, mitigating measures to protect cultural and ecological reasons and quality of life in natural heritage resources. Rossland.
94 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Le Roi mine c.1900. BC Archives i-55662. mine c.1900. BC Archives Le Roi
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 95 3.4 ACHIEVING THE VISION
IMPLEMENTATION The long-term success of the Heritage Management Plan depends on considered and regular implementation of the recommendations and actions found in Section 3.3 of the management plan, dedication of City staff time and resources and the ongoing engagement of stakeholders and the public. While the management plan indicates a range of time frames for undertaking recommendations and actions, the plan is designed for these to be completed incrementally and over time, as resources become available.
Key principles for Heritage Management Plan implementation • Understanding that this Heritage Management Plan is an aspirational, ambitious and comprehensive long-term road map that is meant to be implemented in incremental steps over time. • Doing what is possible by undertaking early, short-term actions that are easily accomplished with available resources. • Committing to ongoing review and implementation of the heritage actions found in the HMP through Official Community Plan policy. • Actively pursuing funding opportunities for heritage. • A commitment by the City of Rossland for consistent annual funding and human resources for the heritage program to support incremental and impactful implementation. • Building on success and documenting the tangible outcomes that demonstrate the achievement of the plan’s recommended actions.
While the implementation of Rossland’s heritage program will be contingent on a number of factors not yet known, here are nine initial actions to consider to effectively kick-start Rossland’s heritage program: 1. Goal 1a.(i) Appointing or hiring a Heritage Coordinator 2. Goal 1a.(ii) Re-establishing a new Heritage Advisory Commission with a new terms of reference and greater advisory powers 3. Goal 1c.(iii) Setting up the City’s Heritage Program website 4. Goal 1c.(v) Finding a modest amount of stable funding for the heritage program within the City’s current budget 5. Goal 2c.(ii) Have a consultant write at least three neighbourhood character statements for the three oldest neighbourhoods: Upper Rossland, Lower Rossland and Happy Valley using this report’s observations as a starting point. 6. Goal 3b.(ii) Have a consultant propose associated design directions for the three oldest neighbourhoods: Upper Rossland, Lower Rossland and Happy Valley using this report’s observations as a starting point.
96 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 7. Goal 1b.(ii): Without adding new internal meetings, have the Heritage Coordinator identify and notify other City departments how their actions impact heritage conservation and heritage values in Rossland. 8. Goal 2b(i): Begin work towards the creation of a Heritage Conservation Area for Downtown Rossland. 9. Official Community Plan: Begin work towards heritage content for the upcoming Official Community Plan review.
MEASURING PROGRESS The purpose of performance measures is to provide a consistent approach for systematically collecting and reporting on the performance of Rossland’s heritage programs and activities. This creates a road map that outlines the linkage between allocated resources and expected outcomes and results, charts the City’s level of achievement, and provides information for work plans and budgets. Measures of success are suggestions, and the City should decide what they can accomplish, starting small and tapering up. Performance indicators should be reviewed yearly.
Performance indicator Measure of success • Active Steering Committee and Community Heritage Commission Yes / No meets regularly and involved in implementation projects. • Level of inter-departmental awareness of the heritage conservation 33% good program and conservation activities within the City. • Amount and consistency of staff and heritage coordinator time 33% good devoted to the heritage program and heritage planning. • Stable funding and human resource allocation for City of Rossland Yes / No / Dollar amount per year heritage program. • Number and diversity of resources added to the heritage inventory 33% good and heritage register, and their reflection of Rossland’s geographic, thematic and cultural diversity. • Vision and values statements reviewed and updated as needed. Yes / No • Level of ongoing engagement and involvement with First Nations 33% good and multicultural groups. • Interpretive plan completed, with improved and expanded sign and Yes / No interpretive programming. • Level of engagement of residents and community groups in heritage 33% good projects, events and programs. • New heritage web pages developed Yes / No • Number of visitors to the heritage website pages. Identify quantitative number • Level of public interest in heritage sites, walking tours, Museum & 33% good Cultural Centre and other programs. • Heritage and cultural tourism recommendations enacted. Yes / No
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 97 APPENDIX A: RESEARCH SOURCES
BC Archives – GR 2940 - Heritage Branch Administrative and Site Files, Rossland, 1978-1980: https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/ Document/Finding_Aids_Atom/GR-2501_to_GR-3000/gr-2940.pdf Series GR-3692 - BC Heritage Trust funding project files. https://search- bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/bc-heritage-trust-funding-project-files. BC Archives – MS 2009 – Margaret Ormsby Fonds – Heritage Conservation Branch records: Publications: https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum. bc.ca/heritage-conservation-branch-publications. BC Archives - Series GR-1548 - Heritage restoration project files https:// search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/heritage-restoration-project-files. • Union Hall: https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/miners- union-hall-rossland-2 • Court House: https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/miners- union-hall rossland BC Minister of Mines. Annual Reports. Collingham, Mollie E. A History of the West Kootenay District in British Columbia. University of British Columbia, 1947. Columbia Basin Trust. Communities Adapting to Climate Change Initiative: Climate Change Adaptation Discovery Tool. 2011. Dobson Engineering Ltd. City of Rossland Watershed Management Plan. 2002. Hall, Colin M. “Heritage, Heritage Tourism and Climate Change.” Journal of Heritage Tourism, September 2015. Hibben, T.N & Co. The Trail Creek Mines, British Columbia: Their History and Development. 1896. Jones, Shannon L. Planning for Sustainability and Climate Change in Mountain Based Resort Municipalities: A Case Study of Whistler and Rossland, British Columbia. University of Rossland, 2005. Jordan, Rosa and Derek Choukalos. Rossland: the First 100 Years. Rossland: Henry Lefevre, 1995. Kingsmill, Harold. First History of Rossland, B.C. Rossland: Stunden & Perine, 1897. Lefevre, Harry. The British Columbia Mining School: A Brief History. Rossland, B.C.: H. Lefevre, 1993. McDonald, J.D. The Railways of Rossland, British Columbia. Rossland: Rossland Historical Museum Association, 1995. McDonald, J.D. The Story in the Rocks: The Geology of Rossland, British Columbia. Rossland: Rossland Historical Museum Association, 1995. Mouat, Jeremy. Roaring Days: Rossland and the History of Mining in British Columbia. Vancouver: UBC Press, 1995.
98 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Mining History Journal. National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Cultural Resources Climate Change Strategy, 2016. Ripmeester, Michael. “Placed on the Margins: The Idea of Chinatown in Rossland, British Columbia, 1890-1902.” Mining History Journal, 1997. Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre. Rossland Memories: Oral History Project. Shearer, Ronald A. The Chinese And Chinatown Of Rossland: Fragments From Their Early History. University of British Columbia, 2018. Stoddart, Mark C.J. Making Meaning Out of Mountains: The Political Ecology of Skiing. Vancouver: UBC Press, 1995. Turner, R.J.W. et. al. GeoTour Guide for The West Kootenay, British Columbia. Geological Survey of Canada Open File 6135. Wray et. al. Sustainable Regional Tourism Destinations: Best Practice For Management, Development And Marketing. CRC for Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd., 2010. Whittaker, Lance ed. Rossland, the Golden City. Rossland: Rossland Miner Ltd., 1949.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 99 APPENDIX B: HERITAGE FUNDING SOURCES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Potential Funding Sources Rural Dividend Fund – Province of British Columbia Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/ economic-development/support-organizations-community-partners/rural- economic-development/rural-dividend/program-details2 Two potential categories are relevant: 1. Community Capacity Building Projects that build the resources, capabilities and capacities of communities to deal with their key economic challenges and changes. Projects that provide or improve a community’s potential services to support economic diversity, expand market accessibility and enhance quality of life to attract investment. Examples: Business Plans, Feasibility Studies and Capital Investment Strategies. 2. Community and Economic Development Projects that help rural communities plan to build a foundation for economic development, economic resilience and/or growth, or improve community vibrancy. Projects that implement strategies or initiatives to support economic development, resilience, diversification or growth. Examples: Destination Trail Projects, Economic Development Plans and Strategies, Community Economic Development projects, Tourism Master Plans, Agricultural Development Plans. Funding Stream: Project Development - Maximum Funding of $10,000 Support for communities with limited capacity to undertake preliminary work (e.g. feasibility assessments and business cases) to develop strong future projects. Eligible applicants can apply for up to 100% of total project cost. An approved project development grant does not provide a guarantee of funding in subsequent applications submitted to government of B.C funding programs. Heritage Legacy Fund of BC Website: https://heritagebc.ca/heritage-legacy-fund/ Two relevant categories: Heritage Awareness Program for the research, documentation, presentation, and publication of information about specific community heritage resources. Heritage Planning Program for the creation of planning documents to assist with heritage conservation and awareness. Indigenous Partnership Program (potentially) for initiatives to further
100 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan reconciliation with Indigenous peoples through collaboration. Columbia Basin Trust Community Development Program: Website: https://ourtrust.org/grants-and-programs-directory/community- development-program/ Strategic, broadly-supported projects that address community challenges or take advantage of unique opportunities that have significant positive impacts on Basin communities; Capital projects such as construction or renovations of facilities and capital assets; and Community-based research and planning projects such as feasibility studies, community planning processes, impact assessments, business planning for community amenities and business retention and expansion studies excluding any that are obligations of government such as Official Community Plans. Heritage, Museum and Archives: Website: https://ourtrust.org/grants-and-programs-directory/heritage- museum-and-archive-grants/ Community Gaming Grants – Province of British Columbia Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/gambling- fundraising/gaming-grants Programs must have been in operation for at least 12 months prior to application. (In other words, a grant will not be awarded for a program that is being offered for the first time.) To receive a grant, the program must fall into one of the following sectors: • Arts and Culture • Sport • Environment • Public Safety • Human and Social Services • School Parent Advisory Councils and District Parent Advisory Councils More information is available in the Guidelines and Conditions documents, links to which can be found at the bottom of this page. Resort Municipality Funding https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/tourism-immigration/tourism-re- sources/tourism-funding-programs/resort-municipality-funding-rmi Heritage BC list of funding sources Website: https://heritagebc.ca/resources/funding-opportunities/ Kootenay Savings Credit Union Community foundation may be useful, but didn’t find anything specific: https://www.kscu.com/Community/CommunityFoundation/ Teck Metals Community Investment: https://teck.service-now.com/community
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 101 Educational Opportunities Heritage BC offers online webinars on a diversity of relevant topics: https:// heritagebc.ca/learning-centre/webinars-on-demand/. Many of the courses and sessions offered by Heritage BC and the additional sources below offer PIBC or AIBC credits. The BC Association of Heritage Professionals holds a one-day BC Heritage Professionals Meeting in Burnaby each November. https:// cahp-acecp.ca/ bc-yk/ Heritage BC https://heritagebc.ca/learning-centre/heritage-bc-workshops/ University of Victoria https://continuingstudies.uvic.ca/culture-museums-andindigenous- studies/topics/heritage-studies Vancouver Heritage Foundation https://www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org/learn-with-us/ National Trust for Canada Regeneration Works https://regenerationworks.ca
APPENDIX C: SAMPLE HERITAGE RESOURCE EVALUATION CRITERIA
These sample evaluation criteria have been created using a values-based methodology. A historic place may be evaluated for protection, conserva- tion, inclusion on the heritage register, designation or other action if it is considered to have heritage value by the community. Every community is different. Evaluation criteria or an evaluation matrix for the City of Rossland must be developed and customized based on the com- munity’s heritage values, its goals as a community and its heritage program. Heritage Values 1. The place is under threat from damage or loss through proposed development, neglect or other reasons and has heritage value. 2. The heritage place has aesthetic, design or physical value such as: • Rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expres- sion, material or construction method • Display of craftsmanship or artistic merit • Demonstration technical or scientific achievement • Is a valued natural heritage feature such as a viewscape 3. The heritage place has historical, scientific, educational or associative value such as: • Direct association with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organi- zation or institution that is significant to a community • Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding
102 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan of the region’s history • Potential to yield information that contributes to an understanding of a process or system • Demonstration or reflection of the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to the community 4. The heritage place has contextual value such as: • Importance in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area • Physical, functional, visual or historical links to its surroundings • Landmark status 5. The heritage place has cultural or social value such as • Yielding, or having the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture • Has association with traditions, rituals or events important to the com- munity Other Considerations 1. The heritage place helps fulfill the goal of full representation of the six themes identified for the City of Rossland. 2. The heritage place helps fulfill the goal of identifying heritage resources that are geographically dispersed throughout the City. 3. The place is important in demonstrating the evolution, theme, pattern or community identity in the history of Rossland. 4. The heritage place has the potential to contribute to economic development or to be useful in the everyday lives of people in the region. 5. The place has the ability to contribute to the social well-being of the community. 6. The place has the potential to contribute to the biodiversity, cultural landscape diversity, agricultural independence or the mitigation of climate change within the community or region.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 103 APPENDIX D: THEMATIC OVERVIEW OF ROSSLAND’S HISTORY
An exploration of themes that tell the story of Rossland underscores its historical context and serves to re-affirm the history, identity and heritage values of the city through an understanding of its heritage and character. This information is then used to identify a wide range of heritage places, and to inform the heritage strategies and actions for managing change and development in Rossland that will ensure the conservation of its heritage values. Themes guide judgements about what types of heritage resources might exist on a site or in an area, and what assistance might be required to assess their heritage significance. The use of major themes can draw attention to gaps in existing histories which could lead to an incomplete assessment or community heritage register. The historical significance of a resource can be assessed by checking whether it physically demonstrates or fits into any of the historical themes which shaped the area in which the resource is located. The themes can be used to consider how the resource demonstrates or achieves other heritage values, such as technical excellence or educational potential. Themes can help identify links between information known from historical sources such as documents or oral histories, and identify historical associations not physically apparent or previously identified in the field. Themes can be integrated into the assessment of significance by: • Identifying the significant theme(s) demonstrated by or associated with the heritage resource • Contributing to the description of the physical elements and the systems or processes of the resource • Creating a context for a resource such as how it was used, constructed or formed • Identifying heritage values associated with a historic place by providing multiple storylines and identifying a broader range of heritage values • Draw out significant historical aspects of a place when writing a statement of significance • Used in a gap analysis to identify heritage resources, tangible and intangible, which may be under-represented on a heritage register • Comparing similarities and differences of a specific type of resource or site The following themes encapsulate Rossland’s heritage and connect the City’s history to community heritage values and historic places. Each identified historic place, site, or intangible element identified by the community should be able to find a place within one or more themes. The intent of the themes is to succinctly describe the history, physical character and central stories found in its community heritage, and as such create a useful tool in assisting in the understanding, identification and characterization of the City’s current and future historic places.
104 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Theme 1: Physical geography/natural environment 1
Rossland, originally known as the Trail Creek mining camp, lies on the eastern Some community-identified features slope of the southern extremity of the Columbia Range, which gradually associated with this theme include: merges into plateau land south of Canada’s international boundary with the • Green space, connecting trails United States. and trees The city is located high in the Rossland Range, the southern extension of B.C.’s • Beautiful, clear air Monashee Mountains. Rossland’s complex and mineral-rich geology is mostly • Natural and ecological assets made up of Jurassic-aged volcanic and intrusive rocks which are part of the Quesnellia Terrane. Geologists theorise that a collision of tectonic plates pushed the Quesnellia Terrane (and the other terranes that made up the Intermontane Superterrane) on top of ancestral North America and forced it eastwards, carrying gold-copper veins in the intrusive “Rossland Monzonite” and the volcanic host rocks of the Elise Formation. Over 150 million years, a combination of tectonic uplift and erosion has exposed these minerals, making the way for future mining activities. Ten million years ago, an ice age created U-shaped valleys, eroded mountaintops, and left behind glacial drift in the region around Rossland. The deeply eroded geological feature known as the Rossland Break outlines the route of Trail Creek and its valley, which runs from the western boundary of Warfield, across the valley of Little Sheep Creek, through the Velvet mine to the Santa Rosa summit.1 Trail Creek flows into the Columbia River from the heights of the Rossland Range. Rossland’s complex geology has contributed to the rich ore bodies that contributed to its early success as a gold mining region. Its geography has influenced the character of the town and provided the landscape, including places such as Red Mountain and Mount Roberts, for the recreational mecca it has become. The Rossland area is encompassed by two biogeoclimatic zones: the Interior Cedar-Hemlock zone, dominated by western red cedar and western hemlock, at low to mid elevations, and the Engelmann Spruce- Subalpine Fir zone, dominated by Engelmann spruce and Subalpine fir, at high elevations. Mammals associated with the area include lynx, marten and beaver, coyote, cougar and black and grizzly bears. While early logging for building and mining construction, firewood and land clearing for settlement impacted the forests and their ecosystems around Rossland, many of these logged areas have since grown back, providing a coniferous second-growth backdrop for the city. Rossland residents highly value their natural and ecological assets for aesthetic and recreational reasons, and as seen in the activities of groups such as the Rossland Streamkeepers, Rossland Society for Environmental Action and Friends of the Rossland Range.
1 J.D. McDonald. The Story in the Rocks. 1995. photo. Rossland Silver/Tourism Dave
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 105 Theme 2: Mining gold, attracting visitors
2 The economy of Rossland and the surrounding region was founded on gold mining, smelting, and the forest industry, all of which were instrumental in Some community-identified features the settlement and development of the city. associated with this theme include: In 1890, deposits of gold-copper ore were found on the south side of Red • Miners’ Union Hall Mountain in the Monashee mountain range. With promising local assays • Court House, Fire Hall, Museum, and a fall in world silver prices, interest in the small camp at Red Mountain Senior’s Centre, Drill Hall boomed in 1894. This led to a major gold rush, which in turn filled Rossland • Agricultural past including the with miners and gold-seekers, business entrepreneurs and service providers Chinese Gardens from countries around the world, and led to the creation of the City of • Historical walking tour Rossland in 1897. • Rossland Cemetery The extraction of the gold required investment capital to develop the claims into successful mining operations. Claims were bought by financial interests, initially American, and later, eastern Canadian and British. Companies were formed and shares were sold to promote the development of the mines. Evidence of the City’s mining past is found in the mine waste dumps, mining adits and discarded broken rock around the edges of town. The seven financial institutions that existed here at one time were partially constructed with rocks excavated during mining activity. A number of historic buildings had gold vaults and several still do. In 1895 a smelter was built in Trail to process the Rossland ore, connected to the mines by a tramway, which dramatically reduced costs of transporting the ore to smelters in Butte and the western United States. In 1906, the Centre Star and War Eagle mines at Rossland and the smelter at Trail amalgamated to create the Consolidated Mining & Smelting Co. of Canada which became Teck Cominco and now Teck Resources Ltd. Eventually, all of the major mines in Rossland joined the consolidation. When mining in Rossland ceased, many local mining jobs were transferred to the Trail smelter. The local logging industry provided much needed timber for mine and mill construction, building houses, hotels, and other structures. Today Atco Lumber and Selkirk Mountain Forest Ltd are the two main forest companies operating in the area, and the Small Business Forest Enterprise Program has a presence here. Early settler agriculture focused on raising livestock, the Chinese Canadian population supplied the town with fruits and vegetable from their market gardens, and Doukhobor residents cultivated a communal farm just outside of Rossland. Today, the small farm holdings in Happy Valley and the remains of orchards evident around the town recall Rossland’s agricultural past. While molybdenum was mined briefly from 1966 to 1972, Rossland’s major employer is Teck Resources zinc and lead smelter in Trail, which employs 1,500 people in numerous capacities. In addition to the Trail smelter and the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital, new entrepreneurial ventures and a significant tourism industry are economic drivers in the city and
BCAR I-11968 region.
106 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan With Red Mountain as its anchor, Rossland today is a recreational tourism destination known for downhill skiing and a wide network of trails for cross- country skiing, mountain biking and hiking.
Theme 3: Building a golden city
Rossland was built on the boom of the gold rush. On the strength of its 3 status as a mining and financial centre and with the industrial world needing gold, Rossland was incorporated as a city on March 4th, 1897, under the Some community-identified features new provincial Speedy Incorporation of Towns Act, enacted to provide local associated with this theme include: government to quickly-growing resource towns. • Older and unique properties Rossland is an example an early B.C. industrialized mining town, connected throughout Rossland that still by transcontinental railways, that became a significant site of capital, maintain their old charm labour, and culture. By the end of 1897, Rossland’s population had grown • Modern styles mixed with the to 7,000, with miners, doctors, lawyers, saloons, churches, hospitals, the early architecture, like the Josie Rossland Board of Trade, a hospitality industry (including dance hall girls Hotel and prostitutes) along with many other enterprises. By 1897 the boom had passed and Rossland had become a mature city, its economy based on the production of corporate-run and capital-intensive mines. The historical buildings in Rossland’s downtown recall the city’s booming mining era and its importance across North America. Despite three disastrous fires in Rossland’s downtown (1902, 1927 and 1929) the city’s historic streetscapes still exist. While few of Rossland’s mining-era buildings are still used today for their original purpose, it is a testament to the town’s resiliency that historic buildings have seen a variety of uses over the years of their existence. The city’s buildings are related to both economics and politics. The first Canadian chapter of the Western Miners Union began in Rossland in 1896 resulting in the construction of the Miners’ Union Hall. Rossland had its civilizing influences. Local governments planted street trees as early as 1902, provided sewers, water systems, fire protection and street improvements, and have been active in preserving the city’s heritage. Schools, churches and hospitals have been an important part of the city’s history and growth. Houses and buildings built between the 1920s and World War II included flat-roofed Art Deco structures, interesting concrete and stonework by Italian craftsman. This indicates that people remained in their town after the end of the mining boom in 1929 and invested time, labour and money into the community. As the city grew, distinct areas of Rossland developed through different eras, seen today in the character of the city’s historical neighbourhoods. During World War II, the growth of the Consolidated Mining & Smelting Company brought new people to Rossland, with more expected to arrive post-war. Consolidated donated land in north and south Rossland accompanied by funds to construct streets and 120 wartime houses.1
1 Jordan, Rosa and Derek Choukalos. Rossland: The First 100 Years.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 107 A long-standing do-it-yourself tradition has resulted in a town with social and physical diversity and a sense of personal easy-going freedom. In many neighbourhoods, stuccoed post-war bungalows are interspersed with clusters of tiny former miner’s cabins on small lots and with modest additions, along with newly constructed houses. What remains of Rossland’s past are its historic buildings and sites, the community’s diverse neighbourhoods, social services, a tight-knit community and an alpine town that remains testament to its importance in the economic development of the Kootenay region and the wider province.
Theme 4: Off the beaten path: Rossland’s 4 community character Rossland’s character has been created in part by its remote location, which Some community-identified in turn has influenced why and how people live here today. For many who features associated with this theme move to the community, the question asked is “how did you find us?” include: The community of Rossland has been built upon the traditional territory • History of the Sinixt and of three First Nations including the Ktunaxa (Yaqan Nukiy), Okanagan, and Ktunaxa who used the the Upper and Lower Sinixt Bands, contributing to a rich culture that had surrounding hills for hunting flourished in this region for thousands of years. The Sinixt name for Rossland and collecting berries and is kEluwi’sst or kmarkn, the former a generic name for “up in the hills” and the plants latter a term for “smooth top,” referring to Red Mountain. • Still-existing ski bum town Documented evidence indicates that, while most of the Sinixt had relocated character their winter villages into American territory by the 1870s, Sinixt people • Location of Chinese market still continued to come north into their traditional territory each year, gardens particularly to hunt, harvest berries and undertake other plant and food- • Rossland’s un-gentrified state gathering activities.2 and affordability creating a mountain culture community Rosslanders appreciate the people that live in the community and who • Historic cemeteries make their community significant. The connection of people to their • Authentic and organic character community is a defining factor of the city. Politicians, community pioneers, entrepreneurs, artists, outdoor enthusiasts, service providers and others have all contributed to the character and culture of Rossland. The multicultural and immigrant experience is linked to many people who live in Rossland. The town boomed under the immigrant experience not just during the beginning of the last century, but during the skiing heyday of the 1970s, and is growing once again with an influx of newcomers arriving in Rossland today. As mining investors, many early immigrants were from the United States, with others from Ontario and other parts of Canada, Scandinavia, England, Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary and China. Among miners, shared experiences and hardships working in the mining industry helped eased ethnic tensions, but this did not extend to other residents of the city. Rossland’s Chinese Canadian population, typical
2 Randy Bouchard and Dorothy Kennedy. “Keeping the Lakes’ Way: Reburial and the Re-creation of a Moral World among an Invisible People.” Book review. BC Studies 128 Winter 2000/2001.
108 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan throughout most of B.C., were primarily employed as cooks, operators of wash-houses and laundries, and as house servants. Women in mining communities such as Rossland could not participate directly in the city’s major resource industry of gold mining. Rossland is a community whose population has always worked together. During the miners’ strike of 1901, a co-operative store was set up for the benefit of the miners and their families. Churches, a hospital, service groups, schools and other community and volunteer services were and are active in the community. A well-remembered Anglican minister known affectionately as Father Pat served the community of Rossland from 1896 to 1899. Rosslanders have been able to live in a clean rugged, mountain community, highly social and connected, with good jobs nearby. There is and always has been a laid-back Kootenay-centric pride in the community for being off the beaten track and non-corporate in outlook.3 Theme 5: Transportation, trails and 5 technology Some community-identified features Transportation routes, communication networks and technology have associated with this theme include: been important to Rossland for commercial development, social life and, • The Dewdney Trail, also an given the remoteness of the community, connecting the community to the important link in the Seven outside world. Summits epic mountain bike trail Rossland’s transportation heritage includes the waterways of Trail Creek, • Railway grade and Wagon Road Big Sheep Creek and Little Sheep Creek, which together define the valleys • Rossland telegraph building as natural corridors and trails for the seasonal migrations of the Sinixt, • Mining school Okanagan and Ktunaxa. • Old Glory weather station The construction of the Dewdney Trail, a four-foot wide wagon route connecting Hope to Fort Steele, was built in 1865 by Edgar Dewdney, later BC’s lieutenant-governor, helping to strengthen the newly established Colony of British Columbia and tying together mining camps and small towns across the province. Near Rossland, the trail followed Trail Creek, connecting to the waterway transportation route of the Columbia River. Today, the Dewdney Trail an important link for the Seven Summits epic mountain bike trail, with the Dewdney Trail Heritage Society currently restoring the trail for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Steam powered sternwheelers on the West Kootenay waterways were part of Rossland’s early transportation system. Ore from the Red Mountain mines was packed by horse down a trail to Trail Creek Landing, shipped by steamer to Northport in Washington state, then transferred by rail to Butte, Montana to be smelted. Two significant railway connections serviced the remote mountaintop community during the hard rock mining era of the late 1890s. The Columbia and Western (CPR) railway up Trail Creek from the southeast, and the Great Northern railway from Northport in Washington State that travelled through the Sheep Creek canyons.4 Each had to develop viable railway technology
3 Interview respondent. 4 Jordan, Rosa and Derek Choukalos. Rossland: The First 100 Years.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 109 to make the climb of 610 metres to the site of the mines at Rossland. After the consolidation of mines and the opening of the Trail smelter, a dedicated Canadian Pacific coach was added to the Rossland-Nelson route, departing Rossland at 6:00 AM to the smelter railway station at Tadanac. While many of the original train route rights-of-way have been lost to development, the remaining railway grades are now part of Rossland’s trail system. Rossland was further transformed by the construction of highways. In 1964 Highway 3B was constructed from an intersection with the Crowsnest Highway high in the Rossland Range at Sheep Lake, now known as Nancy e Lake, 28 kilometres south to Rossland. With its growing population, Rossland needed to develop utilities. In 1895, a group of Americans formed the Rossland Water and Light Company which
BCAR B-05142 was quickly replaced by the West Kootenay Power and Light Company in 1897. A wooden flume for water distribution was constructed and two generators to provide electricity to the commercial district, the mines and the smelter.5 Within the thriving though isolated community, newspapers were a vital source of communication. Over time, newspapers in Rossland included the Rosslander, Rossland Record, Rossland Times, Industrial World Weekly, Eve- ning World, Rossland Star and the long-lasting Rossland Miner. One institution that particularly exemplified technology in Rossland was the British Columbia Mining School. Located on Cominco’s Columbia-Kootenay mineral claim in Happy Valley, this facility educated 1,400 students in the ten years of its operation. The school focussed on the need for up-to-date technology to process extensive ore bodies of low grade. These scientific findings contributed to the understanding and development of mining technology in Canada.3 Today, the growth of the fibre-optic network has provided Rossland with the opportunity to welcome nomadic entrepreneurs and has lead to the introduction of high-tech industry in the city. Many of the old transportation routes of the past are now used as recreational trails.6 6 Theme 6: An alpine paradise Rossland has always been an alpine paradise. Residents consider access to nature inspiring and integral to their day-to-day life in the city. Throughout Some community-identified features Rossland’s history, the town’s proximity to Red Mountain has allowed all associated with this theme include: citizens easy access to the mountain and to alpine activities, both summer • Views of a favourite ski run, like and winter, uniting the community around outdoor recreation. Sally’s Alley Rossland has a long history associated with alpine skiing. In the 1880s, • The old style charm and Scandinavian miners in Rossland and other Kootenay towns became the uniqueness of the ski hill, like province’s first skiers, bringing with them their knowledge and love of the the old chair and the Lodge sport. They organized the Rossland Ski Club which held the first recorded ski competitions in Canada in 1897. The first downhill race was won by Olaus Jeldness, a Norwegian mining engineer and an early advocate for snow sports in Rossland.
6 Lefevre, Harry. The British Columbia Mining School: A Brief History.
110 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan The first Canadian downhill ski championships were held in Rossland in 1898, organized by The Norwegian Ski Club and part of Rossland’s first Winter Carnival. In the 1930s a rope tow was built on Red Mountain, and in 1942, the first vol- untary ski patrol was formed. The amalgamation of the existing Red Mountain Ski Club and the Trail Ski Club into the Red Mountain Ski Club in 1947 led to the building of the first chair lift on Red Mountain, the first in Western Canada and the longest in the country at the time. Volunteers with the ski club built the Red Mountain Lodge using timbers from the Black Bear Mine compressor. Formally established as a ski area in 1947, Red Mountain was hosted the first World Cup ski races in Canada in 1968. Easy access to outdoor recreation has produced many Olympic and World champions. Two alpine skiing Olympic gold medal champions, Nancy Greene and Kerrin Lee-Gartner are from Rossland, while the city also has produced numerous other Olympic and Paralympic athletes in cross country skiing, alpine skiing and snowboarding, as well as world champion mountain bikers. The arts and social institutions have been important to Rossland since its inception, with arts venues such as the Opera House built in the late 1890s, part of the early fabric of the town. The Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre is a community institution that, among other exhibits and community archives, has a Cominco Wing focused on the mining experience in Rossland and a ski wing focussed on the development of skiing in Rossland. Local artists continue to be active in the community, and celebrations play a major role in the lives of residents and visitors. From the first Winter Carni- val of 1898 to today’s festivals and events - Blizzard Music Festival, ReKindle, Golden City Days, Rossland Film Festival and many more - people in Rossland gather regularly to celebrate their community. Rossland’s alpine environment is used for recreation throughout the year. Summer and fall activities include hiking, mountain biking, hunting, and horseback riding, while other winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat tire biking, back country skiing and snowmobiling. Groups such as the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society, the Black Jack Ski Club, Friends of the Rossland Range, and the Red Mountain Racers represent a key support for sport. Other activities are also important. The Rossland swimming pool, built in 1932 by volunteers with donated land from the City of Rossland and mate- rials from Cominco, is a community institution. The Rossland-Trail Country Club, located on the north bank of Trail Creek, was established in 1922 and has now been developed into a world class, 18 hole golf course, renamed the Redstone Golf Course. Rossland was the home of the province’s first women’s hockey team from 1900 to 1918. This team was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. Hockey and curling have been enjoyed in Rossland continuously since the late 19th century; the Rossland arena was built in 1947. Soccer and lacrosse have been played locally in Rossland since the 1950s. Ryan Flett/Tourism Rossland photo. Flett/Tourism Ryan
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 111 APPENDIX E: ROSSLAND NEIGHBOURHOOD CHARACTER
DOWNTOWN ROSSLAND
Columbia Avenue from St. Paul Street Values and character Downtown Rossland is significant for its dense clustering of commercial, institutional and residential buildings reflecting the town’s gold mining era. Many of these historical buildings are valued survivors of two devastating fires and a weakening mining economy in the late 1920s. Columbia Avenue represents not only these early buildings, but also buildings from pre- World War II, wartime and postwar era. These later buildings are important markers of Rossland’s continuing invigoration over the decades since its mining heyday. The downtown area, currently represented by several blocks of Columbia Avenue, is important not only for its built heritage resources, but for its streetscape, street trees, public open spaces and public art. Views to the surrounding mountains strongly situate Downtown in its spectacular alpine setting. Downtown Rossland is important for its still-intact small lot pattern of development that supports small businesses and contributes to a diverse and local commercial life, fostering a sense that Downtown is the city’s social centre. Character-defining elements 1. Dense cluster of commercial and mixed-use buildings without side yards 2. Flat-roofed or rectangular false-fronted buildings from the gold mining era 3. Relatively level grading Columbia Avenue in the core area 4. Wartime and postwar institutional buildings and structures (including swimming pool) 5. Zero setback from the front property line 6. Historic commercial buildings (named in the Heritage Register), with traditional detailing of ground floor commercial storefronts, punched hole window openings on floors above, and simple wood or brick ornamentation, particularly at the cornice 7. View west to the mountains
112 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan North side Columbia Avenue at Queen St.
North side Columbia Avenue at Washington St. Tourism Rossland. Dave Heath photo. Heath Dave Rossland. Tourism
South side Columbia at Queen Street
UPPER ROSSLAND Values and character Upper Rossland is significant for its collection of fine old homes from the early 20th century, along with newer houses that have been integrated into the heritage building stock. The neighbourhood is valued by residents for its mature trees and generally sunny exposure, with views over the Trail Creek valley to the south and Happy Valley to the east. Important landscape features North side of Columbia at Washington Street include traces of the Columbia and Western (CPR) railway dating from Jubilee Street and Park Rossland’s early mining days, and the proximity to forests and Red Mountain ski hill above town. Responding to the neighbourhood’s topography and the presence of the railway right-of-way has resulted in a variety of building orientation, siting and exposure. Several of the neighbourhood’s sub-areas are named for former mines. Residents identified the area as distinct for having beautiful small houses, a funky character, different sized lots and plenty of charm. Upper Rossland features five areas identified in the 2013 City of Rossland heritage report as having significant clusters of heritage homes: Planer Hill, Planer Crescent
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 113 Upper Earl, Railway Y, St. Paul and Hospital Hill, named for the former Mater Misericordiae hospital at the corner of Columbia Avenue and Georgia Street. The area also features fine churches from the city’s first decades. Upper Rossland is valued as a friendly, family-oriented and neighbourly area with close proximity to Rossland’s downtown. Nearby community amenities include Rossland Summit School and recreational facilities such as Rossland arena, tennis courts, Jubilee Park and skateboard park. St. Paul Street at 2nd Avenue Nickel Plate (including Planer Crescent and Turner Avenue) was noted for its view of downtown, its neighbourhood park, easy access to trails, steep streets and its location on a historical stage coach route. Notable neighbourhood streets include Elmore and McLeod Avenues and Iron Colt Road at the top of the area, along with 4th Avenue East and Butte Street. Hospital Hill is valued for its panoramic view, well-maintained homes and a southern exposure. Coronation Heights is notable for its World War II-era houses built in 1939 and onwards, large yards, views, proximity to services, quiet leafy ambience, large trees, rock walls, and a mix of older homes and new residences located on subdivided original properties. Character-defining elements 1. Diversity of housing, such as miners’ cabins, Victorian mansions and single family dwellings with contemporary detailing 2. Grid pattern of the streets interrupted by topographic features 3. Curvilinear streets following historic railway rights-of-way 4. Views from high ground over Happy Valley, Trail Creek Valley and Lower Rossland 5. Views of surrounding mountains above town 6. Modest-sized housing on generous properties 7. Urban trees 8. Trailheads leading to mountain walks 9. Recognizable sub-neighbourhoods within the Upper Rossland area 10. Historic churches, commercial and institutional buildings 11. Proximity to Rossland’s downtown core
McLeod Avenue Iron Colt Road Nickelplate Road
Railway Street Elmore Avenue
114 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan LOWER ROSSLAND Values Lower Rossland, located downhill from Columbia Avenue, evolved beginning in the first decades of Rossland’s history. It includes Ross Thompson’s original townsite, laid out by J.F. Ritchie in 1894, consisting of east-west avenues Columbia, Leroi, Kootenay, Cook, and Thompson, plus north-south Leroi Avenue streets Davis, Earl, Spokane, Washington, Queen and St. Paul. Lower Rossland is valued for its mix of fine old homes, small houses that were originally modest miners’ homes, and World War II-era and postwar houses that have kept the neighbourhood a vital family-oriented community over the decades. Lower Rossland is important for its development on steep topography, traversed by a network of footpaths, and the former Columbia and Western (CPR) railway right-of-way, both of which have resulted in the construction Union Avenue of houses of diverse orientation and siting. Residents particularly mention the neighbourhood’s quiet ambiance, semi- rural private feeling, cooler temperatures in summer (as compared to Upper Rossland), large lots, and proximity to woodland recreational trails leading to the nearby valley bottom. The neighbourhood receives less snow in winter than other parts of the city. Lower Rossland features two areas identified in the 2013 City of Rossland heritage report, Lower Earl and Thompson Heights, that include significant Cook Avenue clusters of heritage homes. Leroi, Cooke, Thompson and Victoria Avenues, the Davis Street hill, Rossglen and the Southwest Corner define particular sub-regions within Lower Rossland, each with a distinct character and or community feeling. The character of Black Bear Drive, named for the original mine and townsite addition, is derived in part from its distinctive World War II and postwar houses. Pinewood, developed as a residential subdivision in the 1940s, has tree-themed street names. Thompson Avenue Lower Rossland is important for its evolution as one of Rossland’s early residential areas, today valued as a friendly family-oriented neighbourhood. Character-defining elements 1. Diversity of housing, from miner’s cabins to Victorian mansions to single family dwellings employing contemporary detailing 2. Grid pattern to the streets disrupted by topographic features 3. Historic sites of Chinatown and the Chinese Gardens Black Bear Drive 4. Views from high ground over Trail Creek Valley 5. Views of Upper Rossland and mountains above town 6. Modest sized housing on generous properties in older areas of the neighbourhood 7. Trailheads leading to forest walks, often following historic rail or road alignments 8. Recognizable sub-neighbourhoods within the Lower Rossland area 9. Proximity to the downtown core at north edge Pinewood Drive
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 115 Thompson Avenue, Rossglen Davis Street hill from Leroi Avenue
Southwest corner (Thompson Heights) Davis Street, Thompson Heights
RED MOUNTAIN Values The Red Mountain neighbourhood is named for the ski resort. The original name for Red Mountain, the geographical feature, was based on the colour of the soil. Red Mountain is valued primarily as place to live where outdoor winter and summer recreation are at the core of day-to-day life. With its planning oriented to the ski hill and a predominance of buildings that convey a contemporary interpretation of the traditional ski chalet, Red Mountain is valued for having a local and recreational focus and unpretentious ambiance. Character-defining elements 1. Postwar and more recent housing in a deliberate alpine style 2. Wide open landscape within evergreen forest 3. Red Mountain ski hill 4. Network of mountain trails and named ski runs 5. Views from high ground over neighbouring high country 6. Remnants, landscape features and artifacts from early gold mining activities on Red Mountain Tourism Rossland. Dave Heath/Red Resort photo. Resort Heath/Red Dave Rossland. Tourism
Red Mountain behind Village Red Mountain Village Caldera Drive
116 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan HAPPY VALLEY Values Developed as an agricultural area prior to the 1940s, the Happy Valley neighbourhood is valued as a quiet rural place located over the hill from the downtown core and featuring open agricultural land and southeast exposure. The character of Happy Valley is defined by large parcels of land and agricultural fields delineated by fences, and bounded by copses of trees. The groupings of early farm buildings reveal the neighbourhood’s history and role as a place of small mixed farms producing eggs, vegetables and other produce, and is valued for its future potential for urban farming. It is also the location of the historical Columbia Cemetery. Properties above the older flatter land are currently being developed with contemporary houses, taking advantage of the views over the valley and the good exposure to southern and eastern sun and light. Character-defining elements 1. Large plots of land with mixed farming uses 2. Agricultural buildings and farmhouses 3. Agricultural fields 4. Tree copses, hedgerows and windrows 5. Fencing 6. Columbia Cemetery 7. Views of the surrounding mountains
Happy Valley from Columbia Kootenay Road REDSTONE Values The Redstone neighbourhood is valued primarily as a quiet and contemporary suburb of Rossland, with large new houses on a sizable properties. Older properties not located in the new subdivision are valued by their residents for Redstone Drive looking north their quiet isolation. Redstone residents in general find the neighbourhood valuable for its proximity to forest and trails and the golf course. Character-defining elements 1. Recent houses in contemporary styles on large properties 2. Golf Course 3. Forest hillside and valley settings Junction of Silvertip and Lynx Roads 4. Trailheads to forest walks, often following historic rail or road alignments looking east
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 117 APPENDIX F: GLOSSARY OF HERITAGE TERMS
Accessibility The degree to which a historic place is easy to access by as many people as possible, including people with disabilities. Adaptive re-use Conversion of a building into a use other than that for which it was designed, such as changing a power plant or warehouse into a gallery space or housing. Artifact An object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest. Biogeoclimatic Zone A classification system used by the British Columbia Ministry of Forests for the Canadian province’s many different ecosystems. Character-defining element (CDE) The materials, forms, location, spatial configurations, uses and cultural associations or meanings that contribute to the heritage value of an historic place, which must be retained in order to preserve its heritage value. Conservation All actions, interventions, or processes that are aimed at safeguarding the character-defining elements of a cultural resource so as to retain its heritage value and extend its physical life. This may involve preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, or a combination of these and other actions or processes. Cultural landscape Any geographical area that has been modified, influenced, or given special cultural meaning by people. • Designed cultural landscapes are intentionally created by human beings. • Organically evolved cultural landscapes developed in response to social, economic, administrative, or religious forces interacting with the natural environment. They fall into two sub-categories: • Relict landscapes in which an evolutionary process came to an end. Its significant distinguishing features are, however, still visible in material form. • Continuing landscapes in which the evolutionary process is still in progress. They exhibit significant material evidence of their evolution over time. • Associative cultural landscapes are distinguished by the power of their spiritual, artistic, or cultural associations, rather than their surviving material evidence. Demolition is the systematic and deliberate destruction of a building (or fixture, chattel, and or equipment) or portion thereof. This includes not only removal of sections of buildings such as additions, wings and attached sheds but also integral design and structural components (both interior and exterior), surface finishes such as plaster or paneling, and design treatments such as store fronts, windows, and doors. Development cost charges Monies that municipalities and regional districts collect from land developers to offset that portion of the costs related to these services that are incurred as a direct result of this new development. Endangered species Wildlife species facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
118 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Fabric In conservation, fabric means all the physical material of a place that is the product of human activity. Habitat With respect to aquatic of wildlife species, the area or type of site where an individual or wildlife species naturally occurs or depends on directly or indirectly in order to carry out its life processes or formerly occurred and has the potential to be reintroduced. Heritage conservation areaA designated historic district or conservation area, which denotes a neighborhood unified by a similar use, architectural style and/or historical development. A Heritage Alteration Permit is required to make any changes in a Heritage Conservation Area. Heritage value The aesthetic, historic, scientific, cultural, social, or spiritual importance or significance for past, present, or future generations. The heritage value of an historic place is embodied in its character-defining materials, forms, location, spatial configurations, uses, and cultural associations or meanings. Indigenous Native to a particular place. InspectionA survey or review of the condition of an historic place and its elements to determine if they are functioning properly; to identify signs of weakness, deterioration or hazardous conditions; and to identify necessary repairs. Inspections Intangible heritage The practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills, as well as associated tools, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces that communities and groups recognize as part of their history and heritage. Integrity Generally refers to material wholeness, completeness, and unimpaired condition of heritage values. In the case of natural heritage, ecosystem integrity relates to the completeness of an ecosystem in terms of its indigenous species, functions, and processes. An unfragmented and relatively undisturbed ecosystem has the most integrity. Interpretation, Interpretive PlanA mission-based communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and meanings inherent in the resource, communicating messages and stories about cultural and natural heritage, and providing a wider understanding of our environment. (National Association for Interpretation) InterventionAny action, other than demolition or destruction, that results in a physical change to an element of a historic place. Invasive plant A plant that is both non-native and able to establish on many sites, grow quickly, and spread to the point of disrupting plant communities or ecosystems. Landscape An expanse of natural or human-made scenery, comprising landforms, land cover, habitats, and natural and human-made features that, taken together, form a composite. Maintenance Routine, cyclical, non-destructive actions necessary to slow the deterioration of an historic place. It entails periodic inspection; routine, cyclical, non-destructive cleaning; minor repair and refinishing operations; replacement of damaged or deteriorated materials that are
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 119 impractical to save. Mitigation Conservation measures that can be implemented to eliminate or reduce a threat and its effects on a CDE, or to minimize the potential impact of a threat to a CDE. Site mitigation can involve avoiding the CDE through redesigning a proposed development or excavating only a percentage of the site. Monitoring The systematic and regular inspection or measurement of the condition of the materials and elements of a CDE to document behaviour, performance, and rate of deterioration over time. Native Wildlife or plant species endemic (indigenous) or naturalized to a given area. Naturalized A non-native species that does not need human help to reproduce and maintain itself over time in an area where it is not native. Naturalized plants often form the matrix for a novel ecosystem. Non-native A species introduced with human help (intentionally or accidentally) to a new place where it was not previously found. Object a discrete item that has heritage value and can be collected or conserved. See also Artifact. Scale The sense of proportion or apparent size of a building or building element as created by the placement and size of the building in its setting. Sense of place The feeling associated with a place, based on a unique identity and other memorable or intangible qualities. Site circulation Movement patterns of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Species at risk An extirpated, endangered, or threatened species or a species of special concern in Canada. (Canada Species at Risk Act) Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (2nd edition, 2010 and any successors), Ottawa: Parks Canada. Statement of Significance (SOS)A statement that identifies the description, heritage value, and character-defining elements of an historic place. A Statement of Significance is required in order for a historic place to be listed on the BC Register of Historic Places. Stewardship Linked to the concept of sustainability, stewardship is an ethic that embodies responsible planning and management of cultural and natural resources. Streetscape The visual elements of a street, including the pavement (dimensions, materials), sidewalks, adjoining buildings and open space frontages, street furniture, lighting, trees and planting that combine to form the street’s character. Sustainability A group of objectives (economic, social, and environmental - the ‘triple-bottom line’) that must be coordinated and addressed to ensure the long term viability of communities and the planet. View or viewscape What can be seen from an observation point to an object(s), particularly a landscape or building.
120 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Fall Biking. Ryan Flett/Tourism Rossland photo. Flett/Tourism Biking. Ryan Fall
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 121 APPENDIX G: INVENTORY OF HERITAGE RESOURCES TO 2020 Resource Values Theme Type/description Rossland Range Geological, aesthetic and spiritual • Physical Natural resource values. geography/natural (geological feature) environment Natural beauty of the area Ecological, aesthetic and spiritual • Physical Natural landscape, values. geography/natural intangible quality environment Surrounding mountain views Ecological, aesthetic and spiritual • Physical Natural landscape, values. geography/natural intangible quality environment Clean air and water Ecological, aesthetic and spiritual • Physical Natural landscape, values. geography/natural intangible quality environment The whole town Historical, aesthetic values based • Building a golden Community, urban on form and character, and social city landscape values for people and community. • Unique community character Mountain culture community Social, cultural and recreational • Unique community Active community, values. character intangible quality • An alpine paradise Rossland’s underdeveloped and Social, historical, cultural and • Building a golden Architecture, streetscapes, un-gentrified state aesthetic values city intangible quality • Unique community character Urban trees Historical, aesthetic and ecological • Building a golden Trees, streetscapes, values related to Rossland’s city vegetation feature development and future • Unique community sustainability. character Miners’ maps Written or drawn record with • Mining gold, Historical documentation ability to illustrate past mining attracting visitors culture and environment. Environmental legacy items such Historical reminder of early mining • Mining gold, Industrial artifact or as mine tailings, waste rock piles activity, ecological/educational attracting visitors remains, industrial history values. resource Mining remnants: old adits, Historical reminder of early mining • Mining gold, Industrial artifact or mine shafts, roads, “glory holes,” activity, mining technology of the attracting visitors remains, industrial history mine sites on Red Mountain time. resource Mining sites on Kootenay Historical reminder of early mining • Mining gold, Industrial artifact or Columbia (Iron Colt and others) activity. attracting visitors remains, industrial history resource Fenced off Teck properties Historical value for early and • Mining gold, Industrial artifact or current mining activity, ecological attracting visitors remains, natural history value for future reclamation/ • Physical resource restoration. geography/natural environment
122 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Resource Values Theme Type/description Former mine sites/claims Historical reminder of early mining • Mining gold, Industrial artifact or associated with present activity, its economic association attracting visitors remains, streetscape, residential and commercial with existing historical buildings, • Building a golden group of buildings buildings aesthetic values based on building city styles and types. Old water tower location near Historical reminder of early mining • Mining gold, Industrial infrastructure the baseball field community, water distribution attracting visitors technology of the time. • Transportation and technology Ski runs such as Sally’s Alley, KC Social and cultural value related • Mining gold, Historical/current Ridge lookout, Poochies Cabin, to outdoor recreation, sport and attracting visitors recreational landscape, Blackjack ski club community health. • An alpine paradise structure (recreation), recreational activity Development and maintenance Social and cultural value related • An alpine paradise Recreational trail, of mountain trails and huts to outdoor recreation, sport (ski recreational activity legacy) and community health. Red Mountain resort and ski hill Association with skiing history of • Mining gold, Recreational infrastructure Rossland. attracting visitors and activity • An alpine paradise First chairlift in Western Canada Association with skiing history of • An alpine paradise Recreational activity Rossland and associated techno- logical advances. Red Mountain Racers Social and recreational values re- • An alpine paradise Recreational activity, lated to Rossland’s ski history community group, people Portions of existing rail grades, Social and cultural value related • Transportation and Industrial history locations of original rail grades to outdoor recreation, historical technology resource, railway artifact, record of past transportation • An alpine paradise recreational trail routes. Former mine sites/claims Historical reminder of early mining • Mining gold, Industrial history resource, associated with residential and activity and the development of attracting visitors active community, commercial buildings the town. • Building a golden buildings, neighbourhood, city streetscapes Jubilee and Old Centre Star Ecological and aesthetic values, • Physical Natural and cultural wetlands, other wetland educational values for Rossland geography/natural landscape resource features Summit School studies. environment Centennial wetland and Features that recall past farming • Physical Natural and cultural associated original farmland activity, ecological values, wide geography/natural landscape resource, variety of plant species. environment evidence of land use • Mining gold, (agriculture) attracting visitors Second growth forest Ecological and aesthetic values, • Physical Natural and cultural economic values based on past geography/natural landscape resource forestry practices. environment • Mining gold, attracting visitors Red-listed plant community Ecological and aesthetic values • Physical Natural and cultural discovered in 2016 geography/natural landscape resource
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 123 Resource Values Theme Type/description Mount Roberts Canada Day hike Social and recreational values • Unique community Ritual, event, intangible found in this annual event. character quality, recreational trail, • An alpine paradise recreational activity Old Glory hike Social and recreational values • An alpine paradise Recreational trail, found in this historic hiking route. recreational activity Seven Summits, Centennial and Social and cultural value related to • An alpine paradise Recreational trail Rubberhead trails outdoor recreation. Cross-country, walking and Social and cultural value related to • An alpine paradise Recreational trail biking trails outdoor recreation. Trail system and access trails Social and cultural value related to • Building a golden Urban landscape, through town outdoor recreation, compactness city recreational trail and walkability of the town. • An alpine paradise Kootenay Columbia Trails Valued for their role in developing, • An alpine paradise Community group, people Society maintaining and promoting Rossland’s trails. Fire lookout and weather station Historical, economic, scientific • Transportation and Industrial infrastructure, atop Old Glory values for past forest management, technology recorded history essential community service 1926- 1977, meteorological recording. Early cabins on the ski hill Association with early skiing and • An alpine paradise Recreational structure ski culture. Centennial Park and area Social and recreational values • Unique community Urban park, recreational related to community open space character trail and associated trails. • An alpine paradise Rossland Lions Community Social and recreational values • Unique community Urban park, campground Campground related to community open space character and associated trails. Esling Park and bluff Social and recreational values • Unique community Park related to community open space character and associated trails. Jubilee Park Social and recreational values • Unique community Park related to community open space character and associated trails. Heritage apple and other fruit Remnant features significant for • Mining gold, Plant specimen, evidence trees, and raspberry bushes that their association with agricultural attracting visitors of land use (agriculture) dot the landscape history. • Unique community character Chinese vegetable gardens Valued for the story and culture • Mining gold, Cultural landscape, of Chinese Canadians during the attracting visitors people, evidence of land mining era, rich and fertile soil that • Building a golden use (agriculture) supported vegetable growing. city Chinese cemetery Valued for the story and culture • Building a golden Cemetery, cultural of Chinese Canadians during city landscape the mining era, spiritual values associated with cemetery.
124 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Resource Values Theme Type/description Outdoor recreation and sports Historical and recreational values • Unique community Event and ritual history: All athletes, baseball, associated with the history of sport character curling, hockey, lacrosse, skiing, in Rossland. biking, track and field Arena Important community recreational • An alpine paradise Building, event and ritual amenity. Volunteerism Social value as a not-so-visible • Unique community Community group, people pillar in the history of Rossland. character Hospice volunteer training Social value as evidence of • Unique community Community group, people Rossland’s caring community. character House to house delivery Social and economic value as a • Mining gold, Economic ritual, event service from Rossland’s past. attracting visitors • Unique community character Cosmopolitan restaurants and Valued as part of Rossland’s • Mining gold, Retail buildings, ritual, retailers economic evolution and attracting visitors event community character. Joe Hill coffee house Social value as a local institution. • Building the golden Retail building, ritual, city event • Unique community character Downtown core, Columbia Values associated with Rossland’s • Unique community Built environment Street architecture, “old-timey” historic downtown and gold mining character look of downtown era, as well as contemporary adaptive re-use of buildings for new uses. Unique downtown storefronts Values associated with Rossland’s • Unique community Built environment historic downtown and the character adaptive re-use of buildings for contemporary uses. St. Andrew’s Church Constructed in 1898, it has spiritual • Building a golden Institutional building, value for association with both city ritual, events, intangible the Presbyterian and 1917 United qualities church congregations. Happy Valley Historical neighbourhood with • Unique community Neighbourhood, historical agricultural connections. character district, rural landscape • Building a golden city Pioneer family histories Values associated with settlement • Building a golden Intangible qualities history, community, shared stories city • An alpine paradise Heritage homes Values associated with settlement • Unique community Neighbourhoods, groups history, community, traditional character of buildings, individual building styles reflecting periods in • Building a golden buildings Rossland’s history. city
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 125 Resource Values Theme Type/description Heritage buildings Values associated with settlement • Unique community Streetscapes, Downtown history, community, traditional character Rossland, groups of building styles reflecting periods in • Building a golden buildings, individual Rossland’s history. city buildings Churches Aesthetic and spiritual values • Unique community Historical community, associated with religious and character groups, institutions community rituals. Schools Social and community values • Unique community Historical community, associated with education and character group, institution, school gathering places, curricula buildings development, youth. Courthouse Representative of system of law • Building a golden Government institutional and a distinctive regional form of city building court house in B.C. during the late 19th century City Hall/ Fire Hall One of the City’s oldest and most • Building a golden Civic institutional building important municipal buildings and city as one of B.C.’s oldest fire halls. Drill Hall Reminder of Rossland’s past • Building a golden Military institutional connections to the Canadian city building military, association with community life, design and construction. Seniors’ Centre Social value associated with events • Unique community Community service and respect for Rossland’s older character institution, events citizens. Josie Building Contemporary design reflects the • Mining gold, Contemporary building evolution of the City, association attracting visitors with recreation and ski hill, named • Building a golden for an early mine. city Brewery Social and retail/economic values, • Mining gold, Building associated with early beer brewing attracting visitors history in Rossland. • Building a golden city Bank of Montreal Substantial brick buildings and one • Mining gold, Building of four major banks competing in attracting visitors Rossland at its economic peak. FM • Building a golden Rattenbury was the architect. city Bank of Toronto Constructed in 1896, the first • Mining gold, Building masonry building constructed in attracting visitors Rossland, made of distinct rubble • Building a golden stone. city Banking vaults Located in several buildings, they • Mining gold, Building interior features are valued as a testament to attracting visitors Rossland’s economic value in the • Building a golden early 1900s. city
126 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Resource Values Theme Type/description Post Office Prestigious granite and brick • Mining gold, Building construction dating from 1901. attracting visitors • Building a golden city Miners’ Union Hall Association with Western Federa- • Building a golden Building tion of Miners Rossland Chapter city in 1895. Instrumental in Canadian • Unique community legislation associated with the character 8-hour work day and Worker’s Compensation. Aesthetic value in adapted Victorian-era architecture. Rossland Museum and Discovery Cultural, social, historical and • Mining gold, Repository for historical Centre and Archives educational values related to this attracting visitors artifacts, cultural his- important community institution. • Unique community tory artifacts, community character institution Ability to walk into town in a Values associated with a tight- • Unique community Intangible qualities few minutes knit, walkable community, both character physically and socially. British Columbia Mining School Scientific findings contributed • Building a golden Educational facility to the understanding and city development of mining • Mining gold, technology in Canada. attracting visitors Bike parks Social and recreational values • Unique community Park, recreational amenity related to outdoor activity. character Bike trails Social and recreational values • Unique community Trails related to outdoor activity. character Community and public art and Cultural and civic values related to • Unique community Public artworks, monuments the commemoration of people and character monuments, sculptures events, and contribution to the character of the city through art. John McKinnon plaque at Celebrates the 60th anniversary • Mining gold, Plaque, intangible qualities Nelson and District Credit Union of the Nelson and District attracting visitors Credit Union and honours the • Unique community community-based financial character organization. Olaus Jeldness statue Statue honouring Olaus Jeldness • An alpine paradise Monument, person who left his mark in Rossland as a superb skier who spearheaded the organization of ski clubs and skiing competitions. Father Pat memorial Association with dedicated and • Unique community Monument, person generous Henry “Father Pat” Irwin, character an Anglican deacon in Rossland between 1896 and 1899. Harry Lefevre Square Cultural and social value as a • Unique community Community rituals and community gathering place for character events performances, Christmas tree.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 127 Resource Values Theme Type/description Cenotaph Social and spiritual values related • Unique community Monument, people to commemoration of people who character perished in war. Betty Jenkins’, Andrea Jenkins’, Values associated with settlement • Unique community Residential buildings Becky Gilhula’s homes, others in history, community, traditional character heritage homes book building styles reflecting periods in Rossland’s history. Arts Councils, vibrant arts, Cultural values associated with the • Unique community Community group, people culture and music community importance of art and artists in all character genres in Rossland. Rekindle the Christmas Spirit Cultural and social values related • Unique community Community event, ritual and the downtown Christmas to this yearly event in downtown character tree Rossland. Miners’ Hall cultural events Cultural and social values related • Unique community Community event to ongoing public events taking character place in the Miners’ Hall. Mountain Market at the Cultural, social and historical • Unique community Community event Museum and Discovery Centre values related to this event at the character Museum and Discovery Centre. Downtown cultural events Cultural and social values related • Unique community Community event to ongoing public events in character downtown Rossland. Rossland Parkway Road Associated with the ways • Transportation and Roadway citizens spent their leisure hours, technology importance of keeping historical • Unique community roads open. character Oral histories, photographs and Importance of retaining docu- • Unique community Recorded history, historical artifacts held by older Rossland mentary and oral histories, shared character documentation, artifact residents community stories. Rossland’s senior residents Importance of oral histories, • Unique community People shared community stories. character Dedicated benches and Cultural, social and spiritual • Unique community Commemorative elements monuments values associated with these character and monuments commemorative features Tennis courts Dating from 1905, a reflection • Unique community Recreational site of the long-held appreciation character Rosslanders for tennis, recreation and outdoor pursuits Mountainview Cemetery Historical and spiritual value as • Building a golden Cemetery, cultural Rossland’s first cemetery. city landscape • Unique community character “Rossland Houses” or “Miners’ Character houses reflecting the • Building a golden Residential buildings Shacks” early mining and settlement city history of Rossland, probably • Unique community account for 1/3 of all residences in character Rossland and are found throughout the City.
128 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Resource Values Theme Type/description History of the railway Historical importance for the role • Transportation and Railway artifact of the railways in the settlement technology and development of Rossland. Buried trestle under Plewman Historical importance for the role • Transportation and Railway artifact Way of the railways in the settlement technology and development of Rossland. Rossland/Trail golf course and Early development of recreational • An alpine paradise Recreational feature first (original) clubhouse amenities, the 1922 Rossland Trail Country Club. Rossland Co-op Transportation Historical and cultural value as • Transportation and Institution, ritual, events, Society the 1933 institution created to technology intangible quality transport workers from Rossland to Trail. Thrift shop Rossland Health Care Auxiliary • Unique community Retail store Thrift Store associated with com- character munity service and the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. Swimming pool Oldest outdoor swimming pool in • Unique community Recreational feature the province, has served the com- character munity so well at the same site for • An alpine paradise over 80 years. Gold Fever Follies, Winter Cultural and social values as • Unique community Ritual, event, intangible Carnival, Fall Fair, Bobsled race important recurring events and character quality festivals • An alpine paradise Ross Thompson house Built in 1896 and valued for being • Building a golden Building built by Ross Thompson, the man city who Rossland is named after. Views of Lower Rossland, Mount Aesthetic and social values • Physical Viewscapes Roberts, Deer Park Hill reflecting the importance of geography/natural viewscapes and the associated environment mountain topography. • Unique community character • An alpine paradise Heritage homes on Hospital Hill Values associated with settlement • Unique community Streetscapes, groups history, community, traditional character of buildings, individual building styles reflecting periods in • Building a golden buildings Rossland’s history. city Character of Red Mountain Valued for its alpine character and • Unique community Neighbourhood Resort neighbourhood as a place to live where outdoor character winter and summer recreation are • An alpine paradise at the core of day-to-day life. Architecture through the ages in Represents values associated with • Unique community Built environment Rossland: 1897 to present day building styles, types and materials character that together tell the history of the evolution of the city.
City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan 129 Resource Values Theme Type/description Rail Grade, pack trails, Wagon Reflects the importance of early • Transportation and Transportation route Road to Warfield land transportation routes and technology their recreational value today. • Unique community character Dewdney Trail crossing the Significant as the first engineered • Building a golden Transportation route, Cascade Highway land transportation corridor city recreational amenity in the Rossland area, used by • Transportation and early prospectors to access the technology Rossland Range with its rich ore • Unique community deposits. Recreational value as the character intersection of the trail with the Old Cascade Highway marks the beginning of the end of the Seven Summits ride. Public spaces Significant public open spaces in • Building a golden Parks, open spaces the community that reflect the city city’s development and adds to its • Unique community character. character Talented local people over time Intangible values associated with • Unique community People, intangible features people in all professions that have character influenced Rossland’s culture. Sites associated with a history or Valued for the public recognition • Unique community Heritage sites, plaque story plaque and interpretation of Rossland’s character history. Homes on Thompson Avenue Values associated with settlement • Unique community Residential buildings and in Black Bear, Lesley history, community, traditional character Beatson’s home building styles reflecting periods in Rossland’s history. Trail signs Significant for interpreting the • Unique community Sign system historical stories associated with character the city’s trail system. Heritage signs on buildings Reflects the importance of • Unique community Sign system Rossland’s heritage buildings and character their commemoration by the community. Seasonal berry picking areas Cultural and social importance as • Physical Natural system or an activity related to the natural geography/natural ecosystem, ritual landscape. environment • Unique community character • An alpine paradise Sourdough Alley Historic Rossland street at the turn • Building a golden Group of buildings, of the century, a bustling hub of city streetscape, intangible commercial activity interspersed • Unique community qualities with housing. Fred Algers was the character first to make sourdough bread here.
130 City of Rossland Heritage Management Plan Resource Values Theme Type/description Francophone population Social and cultural significance • Unique community People, community reflecting the diversity of character Rossland’s communities. The heritage register Reflects the importance of • Unique community Recorded history Rossland’s heritage to the character community and the tools used to protect it. Mater Misericordiae Hospital Rossland’s first and much needed • Building a golden Historical medical full-service hospital, founded by city institution Father Lemay.
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