1. Catherine Nasmith ACO President
Catherine Nasmith

Catherine Nasmith returns to the Presidency of ACO

I have been elected back to the Architectural Conservancy Ontario Presidency, succeeding Richard Longley, who now becomes Past President. 

Pardon the article written in first person, I will keep it short, but wanted to toot the horn of the organization a bit for anyone not familiar with it. http://www.arconserv.ca

In spite of the ongoing challenges of operating 25 branches spread across Ontario, ACO is one of the country's most effective heritage organizations, nimble, varied in its work and with a terrific track record of assisting communities preserve their important cultural heritage, buildings and landscapes.

The organization offers several services. Preservation Works is a roster of volunteer heritage professionals who for a modest fee to the organization offer preliminary advice on building condition, feasability for conservation and cultural value. Across the province we hold public information events like lectures, walking tours, Doors Open and have published countless books on Ontario history. While owning buildings is not a major activity, we do own three. We also form fundraising partnerships with like minded organizations to assist with projects that are within our objects.

In the past few years ACO Next Gen has grown to be an important force in the organization and the community.

The structure of the organization, with a provincial co-ordinating office and many branches, each with its own executive operating locally allows us to both advocate at the province on province wide issues and act locally. The network provides information sharing on strategy, fundraising, administration and programming. All of this is done by volunteers, with a tiny, overworked staff at the provincial office, led by the indefatigable Rollo Myers.

We have our headaches, as do all organizations, but a recent major bequest has given the organization some breathing room, time to catch a breath and make the investments in internal systems that will more effectively support our volunteers.

As tempting as it is to get involved in issues around the province, I want to focus my one year term on sorting out operational issues. Its a different kind of challenge for me, one that I am really looking forward to. 

2. ACO Toronto seeks Author for Book on Rosedale
Catherine Nasmith

For many years the Toronto Branch of Architectural Conservancy Ontario has dreamed of publishing a book on Rosedale architecture. The branch is  now in possession of all of the boxes of research compiled by the team led by Carolyn Neal. That material was catalogued by Sally Gibson in 2013.

ACO Toronto has rented a space at 401 Richmond Street where the material can be accessed and the author could work. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, 

the RFP and Catalogue are on Dropbox. 

3. Canada and World War I Historian
John Gilinsky

Somewhat of an offbeat story but definitely historically architecturally related. I am social, medical and cultural historian focusing on World War I especially the Canadian home fronts. I have visited 3 provinces to document, photograph and research religious institutional memorials, former (no longer mainly!) hospital buildings and structures and other WWI Canadian related man built edifices such as war memorials, war cemeteries and "munitions factories" and the like. I know first hand what architectural historians like Catherine the author of this GREAT blog have to do to put it out as I myself in November 2014 started a blog on Canadian World War I war poetry on wordpress.com. If anyone thinks that I can help them out if they have specific questions about specific buildings, building types, illustrations, contemporary periodical articles, archival references and the like I will be glad to help out. Thanks Catherine for all your time, efforts and considerations despite being a gloomy time period what with alone the "Manhattanizing" especially of downtowns across Canada. John Gilinsky

4. Development threatens historic Gould House in Uxbridge
Doug Moffatt, Uxbridge

A 39 unit "barracks" style condominium has been proposed for the 3.5 A. estate of Joseph Gould on Mill St. in Uxbridge. Under the development proposal by 2373521 Ontario Ltd.

The existing home of the Gould family, who were founders of Uxbridge, will be relocated on the site and sold as a part of the project. This house was the first house in Uxbridge to have electricity since the Goulds had developed an hydro electric plant at the Electric Light Pond. Surely there is some heritage here!

For more on this house see "Heritage Homes and Estates of Uxbridge and Scugog"Arculus & Hvidsten

Local residents are up in arms over the high density development and have formed "The Uxbridge Gouldville Citizens Association ". The application is for a rezoning in the area which is comprised almost exclusively of single family detached homes. There has been no explanation as to why this should be a "rezoning", not an OP amendment.

Because the Township of Uxbridge delayed making a decision the developer immediately rushed to the OMB charging "neglect of township to make a decision".

The Uxbridge Gouldville Citizens Association has retained David Donnelly to represent them and have promised to fight the proposal vigorously. Wayne Morgan who will be called as an expert witness states that "the proposal is contrary to the intent and policies of the Uxbridge OP, contrary to good planning and inconsistent with the good heritage conservation practice in the way it addresses the retention of the Isaac Gould House"

The Gould family first came to Uxbridge from Pennsylvania and were part of a large Quaker movement to migrate to the Area East and North of Toronto. Their settlements in Pickering Uxbridge and York Region have for the most part been swallowed up by Urban sprawl with little attention being paid to the contributions of these early settlers. There is an old "Society of Friends" Quaker cemetery at the corner of Kingston Rd. and Brock Rd in Pickering which is completely surrounded by excessive over-building of condominiums, town houses and commercial development. This little relic is part of the waves of Quakers heading for a better l ife in Upper Canada. The Township of Uxbridge has been a long-time twin with Catawissa Pa. and, curiously, until recently advertised on its approach signs "Proud of Our Quaker Heritage". The signs now say "Trail Capital Of Canada".

Joseph Gould came to Uxbridge in early 1800's and settled in Gouldville in a frame home which he built on the property on Mill St. He was a noteworthy figure in the 1837 activities of Mackenzie. It is suggested he attended a rally and tried to bring his Quaker sensitivities to the Rebels but wound up in jail for his efforts. He went on to become an M.P. and Warden of Ontario County. His son, Isaac, built the current house in 1866 and it was occupied by members of the Gould family until 1966. Isaac also became an M.P. in the Laurier Government. 

5. Another Failure for Ontario's Ministers of Culture? Vineland School

See letter below, at the very least it deserves a response. 

Dear Minister Coteau,

It has been a week since Brett House wrote to you on our behalf again requesting provincial action to save Vineland's 1895 schoolhouse, which is slated for demolition by the District School Board of Niagara in just a few weeks. We have not had any response from your Ministry since then. Similarly, the Mayor of Lincoln claims that the Town of Lincoln has not received any communication from your Ministry.

6. Natalie Bull: The Urban Consequences of Vanishing Churches
Natalie Bull, Executive Director, Heritage Canada The National Trust

Credit Conseil du patrimoine religieux du Québec

Please share this great article: http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/natalie-bull-the-urban-consquences-of-vanishing-churches

Thanks!

7. National Leadership Awards - Call for Nominations
Heritage Canada The National Trust

Heritage Canada The National Trust's Leadership Awards celebrate individuals, organizations and businesses whose work gives new life to Canadas communities.

The National Trust invites you to submit a nomination for our juried awards no later than May 29, 2015 in the following categories:

Gabrielle Léger Medal for Lifetime Achievement
Named after the wife of former Governor General Jules Léger, this award recognizes individuals for their outstanding service to the country in the cause of heritage conservation.

Lieutenant-Governors Award for Heritage Conservation at the Provincial/Territorial Level
This award recognizes outstanding achievement in heritage conservation by an individual or group in the province in which the National Trusts annual conference is held. This year it will be held in Alberta.

Recipients will be fêted at a gala ceremony as part of our annual conference in Calgary this October.

For information on submission criteria and instructions, and past award recipients, visit our website at www.heritagecanada.org.

For further information contact:
Carolyn Quinn
Director, Communications
cquinn@heritagecanada.org
613-237-1066 ext. 229; cell 613-797-7206

8. Herb Stovel Scholarship Fund - Calling Students and Young Professionals!
Heritage Canada The National Trust

The Herb Stovel Scholarship Fund is administered by Heritage Canada The National Trust in cooperation with a professional advisory committee.

The Fund awards one or more Canadian students or young professionals (age 20-35) pursuing post-secondary or graduate studies in built heritage conservation, or working in the field of built heritage conservation. With assistance from the Fund, Herb Stovel Scholars will receive support to deepen their capacity in heritage conservation through special projects, experiential learning or conference attendance.

SUPPORT

The Fund will provide two types of support:

Project bursaries up to $2,500 for candidates who propose special projects, results-oriented travel and participation at conferences and events that continue Herbs passion for community innovation and/or international dialogue in built heritage conservation theory and practice. Applications requesting support that is focused only on general tuition expenses will not be considered.
Heritage Canada The National Trust Conference bursaries cover the cost of travel, conference accommodation and registration (approximate value $1,000) for candidates to attend the National Trust's annual conference (Calgary, AB, Oct 22-24, 2015 or Hamilton, ON, Oct 20-22, 2016).

Application Process:

Please read the Terms & Conditions available at www.heritagecanada.org;
A proposal (max.1,000 words) that outlines the applicants recent achievements and aspirations in the built heritage conservation field, and the relevance of the proposed educational program or conference attendance to the applicants course of study, current research, or professional development;
Proposed dates of study or conference attendance;
Estimated project cost (if applicable);
A brief Curriculum Vitae including references;
Proof of Canadian citizenship; and
Proof of student status (if applicable).

Deadlines and Key Dates:

The deadline for receipt of applications is end of business day May 29, 2015 for project bursaries or National Trust conference attendance in October 2015 or 2016.
Successful candidates will be announced on June 30, 2015.
Deadline for disbursement of funds awarded in 2015 is December 31, 2016.

Email your application as one complete pdf document to: heritagecanada@heritagecanada.org (Herb Stovel Scholarship Fund as the subject line), or
Mail your application to:
Herb Stovel Scholarship Fund
Heritage Canada The National Trust
190 Bronson Avenue
Ottawa, ON
K1R 6H4

9. Alderlea Awakens!
City of Brampton

Alderlea Awakens!

Bramptons iconic historic mansion has been transformed into a magnificent event venue.

The much anticipated opening of Alderlea, Bramptons crown jewel, has arrived! Following a comprehensive project involving selective demolition, heritage restoration, adaptive reuse, and a complementary addition, Alderlea has been transformed into a magnificent event venue.

Built between 1865 and 1879 for Kenneth Chisholm M.P.P., son-in-law of John Elliott, a founding father of Brampton, Alderlea is one of the finest examples of Italianate architecture in Ontario. It is believed that Chisholm retained one of Canadas leading architects of the day, William Kauffman, to design the home after being impressed by his work on the Peel County Court House just across the street. The original grandeur of this structure included a large front lawn and garden which is currently Gage Park, Bramptons first municipal park.

In 1944, the Royal Canadian Legion purchased Alderlea, which they expanded in 1947 with a two-storey addition called Memorial Hall. The City of Brampton purchased Alderlea in December 2002 as part of its sesquicentennial in order to protect and conserve this significant cultural heritage resource in the heart of the downtown core.

With support from Council, the knowledge, skill, and collaboration of City staff, architects, consultants, contractors and specialist tradespeople, as well as the patience and cooperation of neighbours and the local community, Alderlea has come back to life.

The rejuvenation of Alderlea began in 2010 with the demolition of the Legion addition, followed by the removal of non-heritage elements from the structure. The next stages saw the interweaving of old and new. Original defining features on both the interior and the exterior were carefully restored or recreated, the latest climate control, electrical and mechanical systems were introduced, and a new addition was constructed.

As one approaches Alderlea, they are immediately struck by the Italianate architecture including generous eaves, large turned brackets, bay windows, wrap-around verandah, tall windows, wood detailing, corbelled chimneys, red and buff brick, and the delightful belvedere that crowns the roof.

Inside, especially on the main floor, the rooms further reflect the Citys commitment to retaining and restoring Alderleas unique heritage character while creating a modern, flexible space. Eleven foot ceilings, stunning decorative plasterwork, large wood moulding and trim, marble fireplaces, and a marvelous set of pocket doors with etched glass allude to the opulence of the mansions past. Many of these features were hidden under walls and ceilings for decades, like treasures waiting to be discovered. The elegant Dining and Morning Rooms are complemented by a décor theme inspired from 19th century interior design and furniture.

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Pavillion, which now houses the main event space, was a contemporary interpretation of the original conservatory that once graced the north façade of the Alderlea. It is named in honour of the sixtieth anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the throne as Queen of Canada. It features floor-to-ceiling windows and opens out onto the landscaped gardens.

Upon booking a function at Alderlea, clients will have exclusive use of the venue, whether the event is a wedding, conference, social gathering or photo shoot. This allows for a thoughtful use of space and rooms for every gathering, and enables guests to fully enjoy the beauty of the property. Alderlea can accommodate up to 80 people for sit-down events and 110 people for cocktail parties. The second floor, named the Chisholm Room, may be used as a bridal suite or breakout space. The venue features a state-of-the-art audio/visual system and WiFi. The original and restored details of this nearly 150 year-old space will charm visitors for decades to come.

Alderlea stands as a monument to our heritage and a showcase of the successful synthesis of classic and contemporary. Its revival will be celebrated with an official grand opening ceremony in spring/summer 2015.

10. Nominations Open for Top Ten Endangered Places in Canada
Heritage Canada The National Trust

Our 12^th Annual List of the Top 10 Endangered Places in Canada features heritage places we risk losing.

When we lose our heritage places it hurts us all!

At Heritage Canada The National Trust we work to save places that matter to Canadians supporting community groups and grassroots advocates with the tools and resources they need to save our heritage places.

That’s why we’re writing to you today to ask for your support. Help us make this a story about wins – not losses!

Wins like the Petrie Building in Guelph, Ontario.  Not losses like the Redpath Mansion in Montreal.

With your support we can put more heritage places on the winning side by providing the assistance and inspiration local communities need to save our endangered places before they make the Top 10 List.

Please help us make this a story about winning. Donate today and put us to work helping Canadians save the places that matter to them. 

Nominations Closed May 13, Announcement of final list will be made on May 26.

11. Blog T.O. Future for "Jilly's", Broadview and Queen
Derek Flack, forwarded by Richard Longley

This is what the new Broadview Hotel will look like Posted by Derek Flack / MAY 21, 2015 28 Comments Broadview HotelAs the last remains of Jilly's are removed from the facade of the Broadview Hotel, a good picture of the historic building's future has fin

Broadview Hotel As the last remains of Jilly's are removed from the facade of the Broadview Hotel, a good picture of the historic building's future has finally been revealed. Earlier schematics showed that renovation efforts would include a four storey addition to the building, which appears in the above rendering as a slick-looking glass box that will add significant square footage without overpowering the historic character of the structure.

The addition will be more prominent when viewed from Broadview Ave. rather than Queen St. East, from which it will appear somewhat hidden at the back of the building. City staff have recommended that the alterations to the building be approved (this rendering comes via a heritage report), which means that today's picture will likely be very close to what the final product looks like.

Click here for Link

12. Nasmith Avenue.com
Keith Lawrance, a curious resident of Nasmith Avenue in Toronto

Nasmith Avenue History

April 22, 2015 - Have you ever been curious as to how Nasmith Avenue got its name? Well, today is an important day for that question as it's 100 years to the day of a significant event in Canadian history that might be related to the "Nasmith" of Nasmith Avenue.

Nasmith Avenue is a relatively "new" street in the Cabbagetown / Don Vale neighbourhood of Toronto. Before Europeans arrived in the area, the Anishnabai (Ojibwa), Haudenosaune (Iroquois), Huron, Eries, Petuns and Neutrals met in this region to trade, hold councils and to conduct ceremonies. Once Fort Toronto / Fort Rouillé was founded, the migration of europeans to Toronto (renamed to York and then back again) began.

The area now known as Cabbagetown, once considered to be the outskirts of the city, started to be settled in larger numbers during the 1800s and local lore has it that Irish immigrants, escaping famines and poverty in Ireland, grew cabbages and other vegetables in their front gardens which certainly makes sense from a practical perspective.

Many of the homes in Cabbagetown were built during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 - 1901), however Nasmith Avenue saw its first homes occupied in 1926 (you can read the exact year and learn about the original occupants using the Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District's excellent searchable database). Therefore, Nasmith Avenue could be considered a "new block on the block".

Editor's Note:
No doubt Nasmiths find this story more interesting than some, but I am including it as it contains quite a bit of interesting Toronto history too!I am most grateful to the residents for pulling together this research.

Click here for Link

13. Toronto Star: Role of GG Nasmith in World War I
Mitch Potter

Toronto sanitation expert identified poison gas used at Ypres

When chivalry died in the trenches of Ypres a century ago with the dawn of chemical warfare, Canada didn’t know what hit it.

Day after day, conflicting reports grappled with the nature of the greenish-yellow noxious cloud that descended upon the Western Front in the late afternoon of April 22, 1915.

“Various Vapors Used By Enemy To Asphyxiate,” was the headline of one Canadian Press dispatch a week after the fact. “Howitzers Used To Throw Poisons,” said the subhead.

Then, on May 3, an even deeper shock: the first published accounts of how “the gates of hell opened and three Canadian brigades were pushed in” to hold the crumbling lines at Ypres against Germany’s new secret weapon. The Canadian toll: More than 6,000 killed, wounded and missing in “three days of terrific horror.”

For Toronto Star readers, the gas mystery unravelled the morning of May 15, in a Page One interview from the front with a well-known eyewitness who had more than a passing knowledge of chemistry.

Editor's Note:
I know its rude to brag about your relatives, but just this once. GG Nasmith was my grandfather's first cousin, and had no descendants.

Click here for Link

14. Toronto Star: McKenzie House and a little History of the Ontario Historical Society
Shawn Micallef

John McKenzie House a part of North York history

When you arrive in the City of Toronto from the north along Yonge St., it’s like entering an Emerald City with a great, Manhattan-style canyon down the middle. Downtown North York has a commanding skyline suddenly and on the wide sidewalks below there’s 24-hour life, a busy promenade by karaoke bars that go late into the night.

This thicket of buildings is finite though: it ends a block east or west of Yonge and transitions abruptly to the single-family homes of genteel Willowdale, though now with a few dashes of monster home too. North York is a new city and its incredible growth upwards happened by design, within new ring roads on either side of Yonge.

The initial plan was to bulldoze the historic John McKenzie House for the east ring road: Doris Ave. “Historic” in Toronto usually means the first families that settled there. Pioneer types, they had the good timing needed to get in the history books. First Nations get honoured this way less often, though that is slowly changing. The layers of history in Toronto continue to be added to as the stories of more recent immigrants, pioneers in their own right, get added to the historical record.

Click here for Link

15. Brantford Expositor: Onongaga Community Hall, J. Turner Architect to designate or demolish?
Michael-Allan Marion

BRANT COUNTY: The future of Onondaga Community Hall stirs debate

 0

Should Onondaga Community Hall be demolished or designated a heritage property?

Brant Coun. Brian Coleman filed a notice of motion for Tuesday's county council meeting calling for the hall be "demolished and that the lands be utilized as a greenspace, with a commemorative marker of the hall to be erected."

Meantime, a report from the county's heritage committee recommending the hall's designation is due to be discussed at council's planning advisory committee May 5.

Noting that he filed his notice of motion before he knew about the heritage report, Coleman, who represents the ward that contains the building, said Monday that he is willing to wait a month to give councillors and the public a chance to discuss the report.

"Another month won't matter," he said.

"I don't like the municipality to have to continue to bear a cost to keep a building that people aren't really using and has problems. That's my concern."

In his notice of motion, Coleman noted that the hall is located in an area regulated for steep erosion-prone slopes under the Grand River Conservation Authority.

He also referenced a staff report that stated that marketing the community hall is not in the best interest of the county because of its location and deteriorated condition.

Earlier this month, council's corporate development committee rejected a negotiated agreement that would have transferred the building's ownership for $1 to the Langford Conservancy, which wants to turn it into a community centre. At the time, councillors heard a presentation from a group of motorcycle enthusiasts proposing to buy the building and renovate it into a clubhouse.

Editor's Note:
The work of John Turner is important to the region, and to the province. This finely proportioned and exquisitely detailed building deserves to be retained and designated! Take a page from successful RFP for the Tremont Hotel in Collingwood, I am sure that many would jump at the chance to operate a business or facility here, for less than the cost of demolition. NOTE Re: J. Turner architect see Robert G. Hill, http://www.dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/1370 see also, Paul Dilse, JOHN TURNER AND ENGLISH ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCE IN SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO. SSAC Vol. 10(3) September 1985 pp.3-7 http://sextondigital.library.dal.ca/jssac/PDFs/Bulletin/Vol_10/vol10_no3_OCR_150dpi_PDFA1b.pdf

Click here for Link

16. Globe and Mail: Why the Gardiner East must GO
Alex Bozikovic

Tear it down: For Torontos brightest future, the eastern Gardiner Expressway must go

Years of debate and studying have gone into deciding the fate of 1.7 kilometres at the Gardiner Expressway’s eastern edge. At stake: hundreds of millions of dollars in development, a fully realized waterfront and Toronto’s future. Yet the mayor believes it must stay up. He’s wrong

Imagine: Toronto is thinking of turning a stretch of a downtown road into an elevated highway. This project would speed the trips of a few rush-hour drivers by a few minutes. On the other hand, the highway would run through a new waterfront park, scar a neighbourhoood and eat up valuable land, costing the city another $137-million up front.

It sounds crazy. And it is. Yet if Toronto rebuilds the east end of the Gardiner Expressway, this will be the tradeoff. This week, Mayor John Tory seems ready to lead the city, with misinformed arguments, into reconstructing the underused highway rather than tear it down. This would disrupt plans for a new district that would be, like the rest of the new waterfront development, walkable, dense, and prosperous – incurring huge financial and urban costs.

This is why Toronto must change direction. The Gardiner East must go. In a time when Canadian cities are starved for infrastructure dollars, Toronto can’t afford to fund a project that will have a frankly negative impact on its future.

Editor's Note:
For fifteen years I served on the Gardiner Lakeshore Task Force. Its last great achievement was getting the eastern leg of the Gardiner down under Mayor Mel Lastman. There were dire predictions of disaster....but guess what, a whole generation has grown up without it, and no-one misses it.

Click here for Link

17. Globe and Mail: An Open Letter Re: The Victims of Communism Memorial
Several Prominent Canadian Cultural Figures

Why the Victims of Communism memorial needs a new site

Dear Members of the Board of Directors of Tribute to Liberty – Ludwik Klimkowski, Alide Forstmanis, Teresa Berezowski, Christine Dang, Ivan Grbesic, Paul Grod, Markus Hess, Robert Tmej, Byong Gil (Ron) Suh:

We, the undersigned, respectfully ask your group to reconsider the construction of the Memorial to the Victims of Communism at its current location near the Supreme Court of Canada.

More than six decades of long-term planning and public consultation, together with millions of tax dollars, have reserved this nationally significant site for a federal courthouse that would frame a square centred on the Supreme Court. This judicial triad of buildings parallels the parliamentary triad surrounding Parliament Hill.

The pillars of our democracy rest on our parliament and our courts. Their physical presence – in the form of the parliamentary and judicial precincts of our national capital – represent Canada’s history, aspirations and democracy. This is our commonwealth and it belongs to all Canadians.

From an outside perspective, the current site was allocated to your group without the public consultation or engagement that such a decision merits. We know that you value Canada’s commitment to democracy, and believe you will recognize that this lack of due public process and disregard for decades of long-term planning is hardly democratic.........

Signed

Robert Allsopp, FCSLA, George Baird, FRAIC RCA, Shirley Blumberg, CM FRAIC, Edward Burtynsky, OC RCA, Jack Diamond, CC FRAIC RCA, Jack Granatstein, OC FRSC, Dan Hanganu, CM FRAIC RCA, Bruce Kuwabara, OC FRAIC RCA, Cornelia Oberlander, OC Hon. MRAIC RCA, Michael Ondaatje, OC FRSC, Vincent Lam, MD, Gabor Maté, MD, Marianne McKenna, OC FRAIC, John Michaluk, Raymond Moriyama, CC FRAIC RCA, Barry Padolsky, FRAIC RCA, John Patkau, CM FRAIC RCA, Patricia Patkau, CM FRAIC RCA, Brigitte Shim, CM FRAIC RCA, Howard Sutcliffe, CM FRAIC RCA, Bing Thom, CM FRAIC RCA

Click here for Link

18. Kitchener Waterloo Record: Mayfair Hotel Demolition
Catherine Thompson

Mayfair demolition could proceed within days

By midafternoon Tuesday, the sidewalks in front of the doomed Mayfair Hotel and the Hymmen Hardware building next door were blocked to pedestrian traffic.

Kitchener's chief building official, Mike Seiling, ordered hoarding to go up in front of the two buildings, at 11 Young St. and 156-158 King St. W., as well as three metres from the buildings in the lane that runs behind the buildings. The fencing had to be up by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The buildings' owner, Bernie Nimer, is required to apply for a demolition permit no later than noon on Friday, and Seiling said he will do everything he can to speed up the demolition.

Seiling was told by three independent engineers that the Mayfair building is in imminent danger of collapse, and that it could fall onto the adjacent Hymmen building, causing it to fall as well, so he is keen to see both buildings brought down as quickly as possible.

"As soon as we get it (the application), city staff will review it immediately," Seiling said Tuesday. "If it addresses all the things that the building code requires, how 140-150 King St. (adjacent to the Hymmen building) is going to be protected, amongst other things, then we will issue the demolition permit immediately."

It's not clear how soon after that the demolition would begin, but Seiling said the city will issue a press release when it does, given the amount of public interest. Attendees at Monday night's council meeting were vocal in their desire to see the buildings saved, clapping and calling out until Mayor Berry Vrbanovic called for order.

Their support did not sway council, however, which voted 6-5 to allow the demolition to proceed.

Until Seiling sees the demolition plan for both buildings, he can't say how long it will take for the buildings to be razed, but he'd been told the demolition of the Mayfair alone could take three to five days, depending on the weather and conditions on site.

The demolition will not likely involve explosives, and could include some painstaking demolition by hand, he said.

Nimer has said he will grass over the vacant lot by summer. His development plans for the site have been scrapped now that the heritage buildings must come down, but he told council Monday that "whatever I put there will also be iconic."

Editor's Note:
Demolition is in progress now.....sad given the successful rehabilitation of the Tremont in Collingwood, and Gladstone in Toronto. So much depends on the attitude of the owner.

Click here for Link

19. K-W Record.com: Diocese withdraws application to demolish Sacred Heart convent building in Kitchener
Catherine Thompson

KITCHENER — The Diocese of Hamilton has decided to withdraw its application to demolish the 1927 Sacred Heart convent building, after Kitchener's heritage committee moved to protect the building with a heritage designation.

"We're ready to work with you and that is why we've withdrawn the application," said Douglas Crosby, the bishop of Hamilton diocese, who came to city council Monday.

The city also shelved its plans to designate the property, "to provide the city and the diocese time to find a solution that will meet the needs of the diocese while conserving the building," said Leon Bensason, the city's co-ordinator of heritage planning.

The agreement buys time to find a solution, but does not prevent the diocese from applying at a later date to tear the building down, or the city from moving then to designate.

But the bishop warned he would "protest vigorously the designation of heritage when and if it comes back to council, and I want you to know that."

The city's heritage committee had moved to designate the convent, as well as the 1916 Sacred Heart church and a number of associated buildings on the property at

Moore Avenue and Shanley Street. The building housed the Sisters of Notre Dame, who taught at the Catholic school next door, until 1985, and has been used by a number of Catholic community groups.

But the convent has sat empty since 2008, and the diocese says it needs the 20 or so parking spaces the site would yield. The church has only seven parking spaces now.

"We do not make decisions about tearing down buildings frivolously or carelessly," Crosby told council. But, he said, the diocese's role isn't "to create and preserve museums. We're trying to promote parishes that thrive," and the reality is churches today need parking. The convent building "is in a state of great disrepair," he noted.

"We have to work together to move into the future," Crosby said. "Everything isn't historically valuable. We need to work together to determine really what is …"

Click here for Link

20. Stratford Beacon Harold: GTR Trainshed
Mike Beitz

Riversedge Developments still hoping to realize its ambitious community-based plans for Cooper site

The developer behind the recently rejected proposal for the Cooper site in Stratford is still hoping to work with the city on the adaptive reuse of the former locomotive shops.

Council voted earlier this week to turn down the offer from Riversedge Developments to purchase the property for a nominal fee.

“We are very disappointed, definitely,” said Riversedge principal Paul Veldman in an interview earlier this week, “especially because of what the nature of our proposal was – to work hand in hand with council, the community and staff to determine what a public-private partnership would look like that has everyone’s interest in mind.”

Riversedge would have taken the lead on that collaborative process, he said.

“Generally, when a private company facilitates the process, it opens the door to look at things differently, and this is what we do,” he said. “I always say, we’re in the business of making the messy make sense. And this situation, for 15 years, has been very messy.”

Details of the Riversedge proposal have not been made widely available to the public, and since it involves the potential sale of municipal property, city council has only discussed it in closed-door sessions (which it’s entitled to do under the Municipal Act).

But Veldman spoke openly about the plan Thursday.

To put it simply, “our process is the plan,” he suggested.

The first step, he explained, would have been to make the site secure, at no cost to the city, and remove the fire-damaged portion of the building.

In that regard, the “nominal fee” for which the company hoped to obtain the property is not nominal at all, said Veldman.

“The reality is, the project today has a negative value,” he said, suggesting that it might cost millions to get the building in a safe condition.

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21. The Record: Council De-designates to permit demolition
Hannah Eden

Kitchener's Mayfair Hotel demolition gets green light

KITCHENER — City council voted Thursday to remove heritage protection from the former Mayfair hotel, paving the way for its imminent demolition.

The vote to withdraw the city's notice of intention to designate the Mayfair came despite an effort by Coun. Frank Etherington to defer the vote to buy time for an independent assessment by a heritage expert on the potential to save the building.

Councillors debated the decision for three hours, and almost every councillor expressed sadness and disappointment at the decision.

"It's a shame that we're here," said Coun. Bill Ioannidis. "But when there is overwhelming evidence that the building is unsafe, we cannot ignore that."

Etherington urged a deferral to allow a heritage expert to comment on what it might cost to save the building, or at least a portion of it such as the King Street façade, saying he had campaigned to "preserve and protect Kitchener's few remaining heritage buildings."

He had asked for a short delay of 10 days, until city committee meetings on May 4, after the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario said it had experts who could work quickly to do a heritage assessment.

The city has a long legacy of seeing heritage buildings demolished, Etherington said, listing the losses of the old city hall; the Barra Castle, a strikingly unusual home on Queen Street South; the Forsyth shirt factory; and several buildings associated with the Lang Tannery.

But others rejected the proposal for a heritage report as unrealistic, after the city had received two expert opinions already and after it became clear that no one would be allowed to enter the building to carry out an inspection.

Editor's Note:
The situation is eerily like the Tremont in Collingwood Ontario, which thanks to Rick and Anke Lex is enjoying new life as an arts centre.

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22. National Post: Schooner Uncovered in Archaeological Dig at Toronto Waterfront
Kathleen McGouran

Archaeologists dig up 19th century schooner that might just be the oldest ship ever found in Toronto harbour

TORONTO • A routine archaeological excavation has uncovered a piece of Toronto history near the city’s old shoreline. The team that dug up remains of a 19th century schooner this week believes it may be one of the oldest ships found in the city yet.

“Based on what we have seen so far, this seems to be a vestige of one of the earliest vessels found in Toronto,” said David Robertson, the senior archaeologist and project manager of ASI, the firm doing the excavation.

Only the keel, lowest portions of the stern and bow, and a bottom section of the port (left)-side hull remain intact. Archaeologists believe the ship could date back to as early as the 1830s.

Robertson said he is not confident it will be possible to preserve the remains, but the team will complete a detailed study to find out everything it can about the vessel, a process that may include 3D scanning. It will be fully exposed, excavated and recorded.

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23. Stratford Beacon Herald: Cooper Site/GTR Train Shed Compromise
Mike Beitz

Council committee endorses compromise proposal to preserve nearly half of Stratford's Cooper site building

Those who want to see Stratford’s former locomotive repair shops preserved in their entirety may not get what they want.

Those who want to see the whole building levelled to the ground may not get what they want.

Those who want something in between may get exactly what they want.

City council’s committee of the whole approved a motion Monday night that, if endorsed by council next week, will eventually see just under half of the historic industrial building on the Cooper site preserved, and the remainder demolished.

More precisely, some 75,000 square feet at the east end of the building would be saved, and most of the westerly half – including the fire-damaged portion – would be taken down. The annex at the south side would also be demolished, but at a later date.

The city would consider some public uses for the site, and a commercial realtor would be engaged to market the remaining 75,000 square foot building over the next four months to potential developers for adaptive reuse.

“I think this proposal strikes a balance of what has been heard in the community from those who believe there needs to be some development on the site, and those who think that heritage needs to be looked at,” said Mathieson, as a standing-room-only crowd watched from the gallery.

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