123 Federal St LetterDear Patricia,
Thank you for your patience as we navigate this process. And thank you for shedding some
light as to what will be addressed at the hearing and the concerns of the historical
commission. I can assure you that no historical fence was removed nor was ever present at
123 Federal Street during our ownership.
The previous structure was dilapidated, damaged, subject to insect infestation and overdue
for replacement. The individuals who removed the fence can attest to its being held up in
places only by the bushes that enveloped it or bungee cord. The exterminator we hired can
attest to carpenter ant damage. Any further damage was due to mishap and parts had been
removed. At the time of its removal I had assessed the fence to be modern, corroborated
by the fence company. I have since spoken to the previous homeowner and abutting
neighbours and they have reinforced that assessment. The previous homeowner stated the
installation of all fencing both in design and material at 123 Federal Street has been in
recent years as they were the ones who put in the fencing.
When making choices for the new fence it was always in keeping with what was already
there and in consideration of the neighbourhood aesthetic. Our same style of fence , the
white wood capped flat board fence, and gate is echoed throughout the neighbourhood. I
have attached photos of neighbours in the area on Federal Street and Essex Street as
examples. We even went so far as to match the colour of the fence to the exact colour of
our meticulously restored windows. My personal background of decades of work and
training in heritage management and conservation lends to a more conscientious approach
to my residence.
Beyond our careful considerations of design, our priority is to allow an element of safety to
our property, specifically our backyard. It was paramount to create an enclosed backyard
space for the safety and security of my child. We live on a busy street both to vehicular and
pedestrian traffic. It is a necessity to provide a safe and private space where my child can
play away from such traffic.
Our overall goal is to create a beautiful frontage to our home that does not take away from
the architecture but complements it, while simultaneously fulfilling the needs of our
property. We believe our design (the full scope as seen in my embarrassingly rudimentary
drawing) does just that and has been well received by our friends and neighbours. The
fence we have installed and full scope of work will in the end be a more a ppropriate design
than what was previous there. As is the nature of all historical areas, they are not stagnant
but constantly growing and evolving. They are adaptable and reflect a life lived. We can
only hope to respectfully grow and evolve as a family along with our house and
neighbourhood.
Kindest Regards,
Marisa Lindholm