Over on A Campus Resident I have recently published two stories about campus heritage. The focus is on two buildings slated to be either demolished or (in one case maybe moved). These stories are about more than simply preserving the buildings. The stories also explore the underlying principles that motivate campus development planning processes and animate the decisions the Board of Governors make. These are decisions typically made by the Property Committee which often focusses on the fiscal aspects of the projects as their primary concern.
The first story, published July 24, 2023, considers the decommissioned Power House that once was the source of all UBC’s steam heat. Click here to read the Power House story. The powerhouse is currently being dismantled.
The second story is about the Old Fire Hall. This story was published July 30, 2023. The fire hall ceased operation as a fire station in 1982. Since then it has been the vibrant center of artistic production. Click here to read the Old Fire Hall story. At time of publication we do not know whether the fire hall will be demolished or moved to a different location.
The stories of the powerhouse and fire hall point to the need to think beyond models of inevitable growth. They offer an implicit challenge to UBC’s adherence to the tactic of creative destruction.