Two B.C. sites make the list of top 10 endangered places in Canada

Heritage Canada The National Trust has released the list of top ten endangered places, and two B.C. sites feature prominently on it.

The organization says both Point Grey Secondary School and Peace River Valley are endangered.

It claims the school’s seismic mitigation program is poised to reduce historic Point Grey Secondary to rubble.

It calls the school ‘one of the most significant heritage high schools in Vancouver and an impressive historical landmark in the Kerrisdale neighbourhood.’

Given the Vancouver School Board’s (VSB) handling of past seismic upgrades— the demolition of Charles Dickens and Lord Kitchener schools, and the planned demolition of General Gordon and l’École Bilingue—along with the SMP’s inadequate funding envelope, heritage advocates are concerned that the school board will resort to widespread demolition, even in the case of Point Grey Secondary. They say that seismic upgrading costs are inflated due to years of deferred maintenance and that the VSB also claims that older schools are inadequate for today’s educational needs.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: Given the Vancouver School Board's (VSB) handling of past seismic upgrades— the demolition of Charles Dickens and Lord Kitchener schools, and the planned demolition of General Gordon and l'École Bilingue—along with the SMP's inadequate funding envelope, heritage advocates are concerned that the school board will resort to widespread demolition, even in the case of Point Grey Secondary. They say that seismic upgrading costs are inflated due to years of deferred maintenance and that the VSB also claims that older schools are inadequate for today's educational needs.

Heritage Canada The National Trust is calling on the VSB to thoroughly document the heritage values of Point Grey Secondary and other heritage schools.

The organization is also concerned about Peace River Valley in northeast B.C. and the dangers it is facing from hydro power projects.

It is concerned about projects like the Site C dam that would flood the valley, threatening agricultural land, forest and heritage sites.

The Site C project would also destroy 78 First Nations heritage sites— including burial grounds—as well as 337 archaeological sites, 27 built heritage sites (including remains of fur trade forts), and 4 paleontological sites.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: The Site C project would also destroy 78 First Nations heritage sites— including burial grounds—as well as 337 archaeological sites, 27 built heritage sites (including remains of fur trade forts), and 4 paleontological sites.

The proposed $8.8-billion hydroelectric dam cleared major environmental hurdles with federal and B.C. governments last October. Construction is set to begin this summer.

The organization says the valley holds significant environmental, archaeological and historical value.

It contains many First Nations traditional and sacred sites, as well as heritage sites from the fur trade and later Photo by Richard Eriksson under CC BY 2.0 Photo by Robin, under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 periods of European settlement. The valley is also an important wildlife habitat home to 20 at-risk species and to BC’s only prime farmland north of Quesnel.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: It contains many First Nations traditional and sacred sites, as well as heritage sites from the fur trade and later Photo by Richard Eriksson under CC BY 2.0 Photo by Robin, under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 periods of European settlement. The valley is also an important wildlife habitat home to 20 at-risk species and to BC's only prime farmland north of Quesnel.

Heritage Canada The National Trust is a non-profit organization that tries to build a strong national heritage movement.

For the full list of top 10 endangered places, go here.