Community based heritage redevelopment
The Almonte Heritage Redevelopment Group is an informal association of individuals who share a commitment to the revitalization of Almonte’s historic downtown core. Each building is an independent project and not all partners are involved in all projects. The shared vision is of a pedestrian friendly multifaceted residential and commercial neighborhood with a rich variety of businesses and a range of housing in both value and type and with cultural and recreational facilities in easy reach.
Since the 70’s 24% of identified heritage structures have been lost to the wrecking ball in rural communities. One significant reason is the reluctance of mainstream banks to offer conventional commercial mortgaging on these types of structures. Another is the absence of public assistance for heritage retention. This combined with trends towards urban sprawl and highway commercial development have led many small towns to suffer decay and the eventual death of the historic downtown core. In the last ten years, Almonte’s mill street has experienced a renewal. In the absence of availability of conventional financing over 75,000 square feet of space has been developed with initial funding by local “angel” lending. A further 50,000 square feet is currently in the planning stage.
The developments are being planned in the context of smart growth policies, sustainability and energy efficiency. We know that heritage retention can be viable Good architecture communicates respect for the individual and for the quality of life. We share a belief in the value of thoughtful architecture. We are committed to restoring the best of our built heritage and adding strong contemporary where we can.