Council asked to block demolition of 150-year-old 'workers' cottage'

The city's municipal heritage advisory committee is recommending council use a heritage designation to block a plan to demolish a 150-year-old building on Park Hill Road East to make way for a three-storey mixed-use apartment building.

A demolition permit submitted by the owner earlier this month prompted an emergency meeting of MHAC Monday, during which the committee voted unanimously to recommend council approve a notice of intent to designate the building under the Ontario Heritage Act.

That recommendation will be tabled at the Dec. 5 council meeting.

The city had wanted to advance the proposal with a report and recommendation to allow the demolition, outlining the owner's plan to build 10-unit residential and commercial building on the site.

Although the city was in pre-consultation with the owner in January, at which time a heritage impact assessment (HIA) was requested, it has yet to be completed.

The city received site plan application in October and an incomplete demolition permit application on Nov. 3.

The property is not listed on the heritage register. It is, however, adjacent to a listed property and its own heritage value is unknown other than its building date, somewhere between 1867 and 1875.

Had the building been listed, it would have prompted a 60-day hold on the demolition permit.

Heritage planning staff was only notified about the demolition permit last Friday and were tasked with bringing forward a report to council in two days, evaluating the building's heritage value and options for consideration.

Senior heritage planner Jeremy Parsons outlined the situation, saying that even though an HIA hasn't been submitted, since the property is neither listed nor designated, a demolition permit can still be considered.

The city has 10 business days to issue the demolition permit after receiving the completed application.

"Based on research conducted to date and a lack of identified cultural heritage value, Heritage Planning staff are not recommending that the property be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act," Parsons wrote in his report to MHAC.  

"Instead, Heritage Planning staff are recommending that an HIA and salvage plan be required, that brick masonry be retained and integrated into the proposed design, and that any excess brick be salvaged for donation."

Consultation with MHAC is still required under the Heritage Act and if council chooses to go with a notice of intention to designate (NOID) the property and block the demolition, that piece would be satisfied by Monday's emergency meeting.

Over the weekend, Parsons was able to piece together some research for MHAC, including the fact the one-storey building was likely a tenanted structure built by bricklayer George Dando.

Based on that research, he said staff are of the opinion the building satisfies two heritage criteria since it's representative example of 19th century working class home and has contextual value. But since it's been significantly altered, its heritage value is considered minimal, Parsons said.

MHAC member Michelle Goodridge said she found it "incredibly disappointing" the owner was asked to submit an HIA in January and didn't bother.

"I appreciate that staff have gathered some information for this presentation...but without having a proper HIA I feel we cannot make a decision on this," she said.

Goodridge, added that despite there being a fair amount of infill development in the surrounding neighbourhood, "workers' cottages" like this are part of the "founding blood" of that part of the city and fears there soon won't be any left.

She wanted to encourage council to go with a NOID.

Coun. Corey Kimpson agreed, saying staff haven't been given the proper amount of time to investigate the building's full heritage value.

"I have a number of concerns about how this has managed to be put through," she said. "I don't think we should be looking at this until we have that proper Heritage Impact Assessment."

"It appears to be a pretty solid building with a ton of character that is indicative of the dwellings of workers in Cambridge that made Cambridge what it is today," she said.

MHAC's recommendation will be included on the Dec. 5 council agenda.

A previous version of this story indicated council would make a decision at tonight's meeting. The recommendation has since been added to the Dec. 5 council meeting instead.