Heritage Oshawa - Keeping Oshawa's Heritage Alive [Heritage Photo from the Thomas Bouckley Collection courtesy RMG]

welcome

To Oshawa as we remember it ... or perhaps as our parents and grandparents remember it.  This is the website of Oshawa's Municipal Heritage Committee, Heritage Oshawa, dedicated to "Keeping Oshawa's Heritage Alive".

Although we strive to protect the symbols of our past, what we do (Heritage Conservation) is ultimately a contemporary activity.

It contributes to our community today by helping to revitalize downtown areas, promoting pride in our community, and bringing the generations together in a common purpose. 

Heritage properties are tangible evidence of our past. They remind us of where we have been and assist us in deciding where to go next. They are like the family stories we hand down from generation to generation.

Heritage buildings are adaptable to new uses and Heritage Oshawa asks the questions, "Why let our stories disappear? Why demolish and fill up our landfills?"

Heritage NOW

HERITAGE NEWS!  Genosha Hotel Redevelopment Announced

Click here to read more further down this page.

Saving one downtown building is equivalent to recycling 1,344,000 pop cans.

NEW!  Environmental Resources

The environmental case for heritage preservation.  Demolition of heritage buildings makes no sense when you consider the impact on the environment.  Calculating the embodied energy of your heritage home helps puts the value of conservation efforts in perspective.

NEW!  What is a Heritage Plaque Program?

Read more about our local heritage plaque program and find out how your heritage home can be eligible.  See a full list of local heritage plaque recipients including photos.

UPDATED!  Heritage Reading Room

Why protect historic places? Read the latest heritage briefs related to heritage planning, the environment, more.

Discover Downtown - Heritage Walk

Discover Downtown Heritage Walk

Discover the heritage buildings of downtown Oshawa.  Enjoy our Heritage Walk or check out our interactive tour.

Feature of the Month

Some Oshawa stone buildings   >>>

Looking for resources for restoring your older home?

Check out our Heritage Home Resources for renovating older homes and buildings.

Heritage NEWS

Hotel Genosha Redevelopment Approved

After many years of sitting idle, the Hotel Genosha is being renovated and redeveloped.  Summers and Co. has received City Council approval to proceed with the renovation, restoration and redevelopment of the Hotel Genosha.  The goal is to have the Genosh opened as a student residence by the fall of 2010.  Click on the link to read the full report.

Council Meeting Minutes CM0941_Genosha_SummersCo.pdf


Regent Theatre Renovations Well Underway

Grand opening for Regent Theatre planned for October.  Read the full news report at:

http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/
oshawa/article/104148


Heritage Designations


Genosha Hotel, c. 1930
The Thomas Bouckley Collection,
The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa

The Hotel Genosha

The Hotel Genosha is the most recent addition to our list of Designated Historical Sites.

Initially the owners of the Genosha had resisted this initiative but in the end, all were on board with the project. The Genosh received official designation status on June 13, 2005.

MORE ABOUT DESIGNATIONS




Airport Designation Report

The future of the Airport lands is pending. Heritage Oshawa is investigating the south field as a Heritage Conservation District. Read more.