Sample Case Studies

Saint Edward's Church (Building Preservation)

Though this unusual eighteenth-century church stopped being actively used by the end of the nineteenth century, the structure has retained its heritage value. Having recognized the church's character-defining elements, the building's stewards conducted low-level preservation work, including ongoing repairs and minor replacement of building elements.

By preserving character-defining elements such as detail in the exterior form and the arrangement of the interior floor plan, this space of worship clearly conveys an eighteenth-century cultural community's architectural ideal, while demonstrating the sort of material use and building craft of the time.

Uniacke Estate Archaeological Site (Archaeology Site Preservation)

Once a working gentleman's farm, the Uniacke Estate is rich in archaeological resources as a result of a long period of declining use, where buildings and elements were gradually abandoned. Part of the ongoing work in the stewardship of the Uniacke Estate has been to identify the archaeological resources so that they can be understood and protected.

Diligent care has been taken to identify, understand and protect key elements, such as the property's hot house remains. The preservation of this character-defining element is key to understanding the developing life of horticulture and agriculture on this extensive early 19th-century estate. The complete heritage value of the historic place depends on the preservation of key elements such as this.

Wallace Swing Bridge (Engineering Work Rehabilitation)

Some time after the bridge was abandoned as a key element in an active rail line, the decision was made to convert the rail line into a portion of the Trans-Canada Trail. As a monumental engineering work on the rail line, the Wallace Swing Bridge was preserved by changing its use. The alteration included re-decking of the bridge to allow safe passage for hikers and the addition of guard and handrails to improve public safety.

These additions facilitated the change in use of this engineering work and protected the bridge's heritage value by retaining all the identified character-defining elements, with none of them altered or obscured.

Cossit House (Building Restoration)

Considered one of the oldest surviving buildings in Cape Breton, Cossit House had undergone many changes over the centuries. When it was acquired by the Nova Scotia Museum, the decision was made to restore the building to its earliest period.

Examples of the restoration included the removal of all the Victorian gable-dormers and the return of the windows to their original Georgian size and pattern. These careful decisions and the resulting work re-established the heritage value of the historic place in reference to its builder and first occupant.

Public Gardens (Landscape Restoration)

The Public Gardens are valued as one of the finest public Victorian formal gardens in Canada. A key character-defining element identified in relation to heritage value is the variety of monumental trees in the gardens, many of which were planted by visiting dignitaries, or in commemoration of significant events or anniversaries in the life of the community. These trees marked the development of the gardens and contributed to the landscape's heritage value by establishing the gardens' key place in the social and cultural life of the community.

In 2003, Hurricane Juan damaged or destroyed many of these key elements and in an effort to restore the gardens, the decision was made to replace the trees. In doing so, the gardens maintained its variety of species and retained its overall value.