A Surprise Deal on Climate Change
Months of negotiations among Democrats in the U.S. Senate has finally produced an agreement to invest in reducing fossil fuel dependency and meet the pledges that the United States has made under the Paris Climate Accords. If passed, the Inflation Reduction Act would be the largest investment in renewable energy in the history of the […]
MTBA becomes an Ottawa Green Business Member!
MTBA is proud to announce that we are now an Ottawa Green Business (OGB) Member! This means that we, alongside many other Ottawa businesses, are committed to reducing our impact on the environment in the short-term and moving towards net-zero emissions by 2050 (or sooner). The OGB Membership Program, run by the EnviroCentre, provides support […]
Heritage In Conflict
The destruction of cultural heritage in armed conflicts has become more and more prevalent in the past few decades, as shown by sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The proliferation of this destructive trend is correlated with the changing nature of armed conflicts, where cultural heritage is intentionally targeted due to its […]
Delegating Heritage in Sandy Hill’s Embassies
To the east of Sandy Hill, you can find a series of imposing, Victorian Era mansions that serve as embassies for countries across the globe. These grand structures are reminiscent of a time when Sandy Hill was the wealthiest and most prestigious neighbourhood in Ottawa. Moreover, their adaptive reuse demonstrates excellent conservation practice that we […]
Speaking Truth in Heritage
In June 2022, MTBA attended the annual Ontario Heritage Conference in Brockville, Ontario. The 4-day conference addressed many themes situated at the intersection of sociology and heritage. Professionals often face challenges in the field of heritage; however identifying social obstacles tends to be secondary to issues of technical interest. As heritage professionals, we can begin […]
Friendly Neighbours at The Dr. Robert Law House
One block west of MTBA’s office sits a nineteenth century Victorian home, set neatly back from the street at the corner of Laurier Avenue E. and Kind Edward Avenue. Like many buildings in the area, its red brick composition, stone base, and painted wood detailing recall its late nineteenth century origins, while mature trees and […]
The Gratification of Gradual Renewal
“The greenest building is one that is already built.” – Carl Elefante MTBA Associates’ friend and mentor Carl Elefante has shared with our team many words of wisdom, tours, presentations at the Association for Preservation Technology International (APT), and other conferences, including Climate Positive in L.A. in February 2020. He is a co-founder of APT’s […]
From Service to Serving: The Adaptive Reuse of All Saints Church
A quick stroll down the street from MTBA’s office in the Sandy Hill Neighbourhood you can find All Saints Church and Event Space; a picturesque stone church with a stout tower, pitched roof, and arched gothic windows. Originally built to serve a congregation of wealthy parishioners, the church now serves the community as a multi-purpose […]
Paths to Reconciliation: Healing Forests
For National Indigenous History Month, MTBA would like to highlight and commend local steps towards reconciliation: Healing Forests, an important Truth and Reconciliation program run by the National Healing Forest Initiative. In December 2015, the Residential School Truth and Reconciliation’s (TRC) Final Report was published to seek truth and increase awareness of the history and […]
Places for Pride – The Village
What better way to celebrate Pride Month than celebrating the longstanding history ofLesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2+) community in Ottawa? As we know, racial, sexual and gender minorities have a deep-rooted history in the cultural framework of many downtown neighbourhoods. While MTBA’s office is in the downtown Sandy Hill neighbourhood, just east of […]
