Heritage Conservation District
Heritage Conservation District
The RPRA and the Rockcliffe Park Foundation have the shared mandate of celebrating the history and preserving the heritage nature of Rockcliffe. The entire Village of Rockcliffe Park is designated as a Heritage Conservation District under the Ontario Heritage Act. The special heritage character of our village is defined by its green spaces and park-like setting, narrow curving roads, generous lots and gardens, and houses set unobtrusively within a visually continuous green landscape.
The Heritage Conservation District Plan (required by the Ontario Heritage Act and passed unanimously by Ottawa City Council in 2016) is intended to protect and promote the special heritage character of our community.
In March 2020, the community applied for designation of Rockcliffe Park as an Historic District of National Significance. To read the application for national historic site designation, click here.
Background
The Village Council officially designated Rockcliffe Park as a Heritage Conservation District in 1998. Earlier, the Village had commissioned a study to determine whether it should become a Heritage Conservation District under the Ontario Heritage Act. Architect Julian Smith and historian Victoria Angel carried out the research and held well-attended public meetings to review draft material with all villagers. Agreement was unanimous on the merits of designating the Village as a heritage district and on a set of Management Guidelines to guide development while protecting the Village’s heritage character.
The study identifies the importance of the park-like character of Rockcliffe Park as a setting for a diverse collection of styles and periods of houses: “Some Heritage Conservation Districts derive their primary significance from a dominant architectural style or period. In the case of Rockcliffe Park, the architectural character of individual residential and institutional properties is secondary to their landscaped settings.” (p. 43). The study may be purchased at the Community Police Centre, although its management guidelines have been updated and clarified with the Heritage Conservation District Plan.