YORK Civic Trust is calling on all residents in the city to think about local heritage following the collapse and demolition of an historic building.
The call is prompted by the collapse of an important piece of local heritage in Holgate on Tuesday April 4, when the roof of the Canteen Building of the former Carriage Works gave way - as reported by The Press.
The building was built in 1888 and had architectural detailing including oriel windows at either end, but bulldozers moved in on Thursday April 20 to remove the remains of the building.
CEO of York Civic Trust, Andrew Morrison, said: “In old photos of the railway workers entering or leaving the site, the Canteen Building was always present. It was the last remaining social building of the Carriage Works complex.
"There will be lots of people in York who remember using it, but after nearly 150 years this piece of the city’s railway engineering heritage is lost.”
The trust is putting out a call for members of the public to suggest what other York heritage is at risk. It is aimed to help prevent a similar fate as the Canteen Building, as well as raise the profile of some of the city’s forgotten buildings and other structures.
The trust’s civic society manager, Duncan Marks, said: “The Canteen Building wasn’t listed, but it was on York’s Local Heritage List. In almost 20 years, the city has lost nearly one in 12 of the structures on its Local Heritage List.
"We know York has world-class heritage such as The Minster and the City Walls – as recognised in York recently being added to the UK’s shortlist for UNESCO World Heritage Status – but we should also fight to keep our local heritage. It helps to tell a diverse, fascinating but often less-well known story of our city.
“We’re asking people to think of heritage in a broad way. It can include anything, such as buildings, bridges and street furniture. It might be a listed building standing empty, for example Bootham Park Hospital, or local heritage, perhaps like the Foss Islands Road cable bridge.
"It can be from any period, including the 20th century. Basically, if it looks old, in a bad way, or has stood empty for years, has signs of roof tiles missing and water getting in, or has been vandalised – then we want to hear about it.”
The heritage at risk identified by the public will assist York Civic Trust in compiling an ‘At Risk’ register for York - and, where appropriate, inform national heritage bodies with the potential for funding to save York’s vital local heritage.
To suggest heritage at risk in the city, contact York Civic Trust by email on info@yorkcivictrust.co.uk or on social media.
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