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Local firm at Hawaii conference Oakville's ATA Architects Inc. has returned home from the world's largest environmental and natural conservation event in Hawaii after being invited to speak about its award-winning heritage project. ATA Architects Associate Mark Driedger was among more than 10,000 participants that included U.S. President Barak Obama, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), Google and the world's leading conservation authorities at the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress from Sept. 1-10. Driedger spoke about ATA's collaborative architectural project, the Harding Waterfront Estate (formerly known as the Holcim Waterfront Estate) along Mississauga's western lakefront. The Gairdner family's country retreat was an elegant home with beautiful views of Lake Ontario from its terrace. Its well-manicured grounds played host to social gatherings throughout the 1940s and 50s. But by the time the City of Mississauga purchased the property and hired Oakville's ATA Architects Inc. to restore it, the grounds were overgrown and vandals had broken windows and stolen any usable material from the house. The Holcim Waterfront Estate had been abandoned for three decades. Its last owners had used it as office space, dramatically altering the home's original interior. While the Oakville company was hired by the City of Mississauga to restore the grounds, which had been abandoned, it took a number of groups to bring the project to reality. Various departments from the City of Mississauga, the Mississauga Heritage Department and because the property bordered on the lake, Halton Conservation Authority, had a hand in conserving the landscape of the estate and its cultural and historical value. Last year, the property was recognized with a Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation, an accolade it shared with the City of Mississauga and Brampton landscape architecture firm Baker Turner Inc. At the Conservation Congress, Driedger explained how ATA was able to achieve 10 main concepts of conservation of the 1930s mansion and its surrounding grounds. They included rehabilitating the site to highlight its historical and cultural heritage value, preserving the landscape for its value and not for development and creating an extensive waterfront trail system along the lakefront. ATA also had to convert the space so that it could be used publicly for local events and gatherings and incorporate new uses, barrier-free access and building code upgrades without impacting the heritage value. Showing past and present photos, Driedger also touched on the process, challenges and successes of the project. Today, the Harding Waterfront Estate often hosts weddings and other events. It overlooks the Lake Ontario and is bordered by Joshua's Creek. The mansion on the estate has been named the Bell-Gairdner House, after the original owners. -- with files from Herb Garbutt 19 | Friday, September 23, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Do you Nominations due O c t 21, K n ow 2016 S omeone with a passion for helping others? YMCA Peace Medal Nominations Nominate someone today! Recipients will receive $500 for their charitable work, along with a YMCA Peace Medal at the YMCA Community Breakfast for Peace on November 23, 2016. Full details and nomination form at ymcaofoakville.org COSTA MAYA, MEXICO ESCAPE THE POST XMAS BLUES & SAIL IN ALL-INCLUSIVE LUXURY! JANUARY 4, 2017 | 7 NIGHT CRUISE FROM MIAMI ON THE INTIMATE SEVEN SEAS MARINER (700 GUESTS MAXIMUM) UP TO 30 FREE SHORE EXCURSIONS FARE INCLUDES: · Round-trip Economy Air from Toronto or Montreal · All Suite Balcony accommodation (min 356 sq. ft.) · FREE Specialty Restaurants · FREE Unlimited Fine Wines & Spirits · FREE Replenished Mini-bar · FREE Unlimited Non-alcoholic Beverages · FREE Shore Excursions · All taxes and gratuities From $3,399 USD PP - Category F $300 per suite on-board spending credit BONUS Fares are in USD, per person, based on double occupancy and subject to availability at time of booking. For full terms & conditions, please consult Regent Seven Seas Cruises website at www.rssc.com. TICO #50022739 CRUISE HOLIDAYS OF OAKVILLE 267 Lakeshore Road East (905) 337-2228 info@cruiseholidaysoakville.com