Taylor Hazell Architects was honoured to serve as a Sandstone Sponsor for the 18th annual Heritage Awards, hosted by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO), in the Distillery District last week. The evening was a vibrant celebration of dedication to the conservation of Ontario’s architectural heritage, bringing together a community passionate about preservation and advocacy. Our firm’s partner, Jill Taylor, proudly participated as a juror to recognize projects that embodied the goals of each award category.

The Heritage Awards attracted dozens of inspiring submissions, ranging from in-depth research spanning years of volunteer work to remarkable advocacy, storytelling, and Jane’s Walk initiatives. Projects included the revival of traditional craftsmanship and books on Toronto’s architectural icons, such as the history of Casa Loma. Organizations like the Marine Heritage Society of Southampton showed extraordinary commitment by rallying in the face of disaster to rescue an iconic Lake Huron Lighthouse.

Ambitious architectural restoration and adaptive reuse projects demonstrated how large-scale sites can be transformed to serve new purposes for generations, seamlessly blending historical significance with contemporary needs. Smaller projects also stood out, with social housing, community activism, collaboration and leadership in teams at the forefront. Efforts by individuals, small groups and larger teams demonstrated how heritage conservation begins with a shared belief in preserving our built history.

A heartfelt congratulations to Award recipients Tamara Anson-Cartwright, Marilyn “Duffy” Davidson and Mary-Jean Page whose unwavering dedication continues to inspire progress in the field. Their work exemplifies the tireless activism and vision needed to safeguard our architectural past for future generations.

The event, masterfully organized by ACO’s dedicated Executive, staff and volunteers, underscored the organization’s 33-year journey of “fighting the good fight” for heritage conservation. The ACO’s leadership is decades long and now more than ever—as legislation is undermined by a government that was supposed to uphold its value—ACO has shouldered the burden. Please give generously and join them as volunteers and advocates.

The Awards served as a powerful reminder that preserving our cultural landscapes goes beyond saving buildings—it’s about connecting people, creating new stories, and redefining what heritage and cultural preservation mean. The next step is to broaden this vision and actively shape the future of our shared history.

For more information about ACO: www.acontario.ca acoheritageawards.ca