Heritage committee endorses workplan for possible designations

The former General Amherst High School at 130 Sandwich St. S. is on a workplan by the town's heritage committee regarding properties that could be designated as heritage.

The town’s heritage committee has endorsed a workplan which specifies which properties are the most important in terms of heritage designation.

The endorsement came at last Thursday evening’s committee meeting at Amherstburg town hall and it allows administration to “strategically focus its resources” on the top two groups of properties.

There are four groups of properties in heritage planner Adam Coates’ report, ranking from highest priority to lowest priority. Of the properties in priority group one, they are the dance hall on Boblo Island and the former General Amherst High School, 

There are still discussions with the proponent regarding the latter and the redevelopment proposal.

The second priority group includes many Boblo properties, including the Carousel House, Power House, washroom/chapel and Sailor’s Monument. Others  are private homes including 150 Richmond St., 849 Front Road South, 11 Middle Side Road and 433 Dalhousie St.

“Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA) through the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) introduced significant impacts to the Town’s Heritage Register. Properties currently listed as non-designated Properties of Interest (POIs) face legislated timelines for removal from the register if formal designation is not achieved. Specifically, non-designated properties that were included on the register as ‘legacy listed properties’ by December 31, 2022, must have a Notice of Intention to Designate (NOID) issued by January 1, 2027. If the designation process is not initiated by this deadline, the property must be removed from the register and cannot be relisted for a period of five years,” Coates stated in his report. “While the Amherstburg Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Plan protects many properties within its study area, the Town currently monitors 19 POIs that fall outside the HCD boundary. To provide further context, the HCD study area encompasses 36 individually designated properties and 106 properties of interest. Further, the HCD includes 79 properties that were on the Considerations for POI list.”

Coates added: “To ensure the municipality can reliably meet the statutory timelines introduced by recent amendments to the OHA, it is recommended that local designation procedures adhere to the minimum provincial notification requirements. Exceeding these statutory minimums introduces administrative duties that can jeopardizes the ability to issue a Notice of Intention to Designate (NOID).”

Coates said other municipalities are creating priority lists as well, with the lists being based on “risk of potential loss.” He said he has attended many of the sites and also reviewed research on the properties.

“By endorsing the proposed work plan, the heritage committee ensures administration can strategically focus its resources on designating Priority Group 1 and 2 properties. This phased strategy is essential for navigating the demanding Bill 23 timelines and ensuring long-term protection for Amherstburg’s most critically at-risk heritage assets prior to the 2027 cutoff,” said Coates.

Committee chair Simon Chamely wanted it clarified that if none of the properties are registered, they would fall off the list and would not be able to go back on for five years.

“It’s a five-year window until they could be relisted as a Property of Interest,” said Coates. “The threshold for that has also changed and it would need to meet more criteria to become a Property of Interest. Within that, there is no ability to stop demolition through the Ontario Heritage Act.”

Chamely said it would be possible demolition permits could start coming in next year if the properties on the list aren’t designated. 

Councillor Linden Crain asked about properties on Boblo Island, with Coates stating some work has been done on some of the buildings to secure them. Crain said he didn’t believe if the buildings were designated, it wouldn’t necessarily mean more money would be put into them.

The dance hall “has the most potential,” he believed.

“Designating it, I don’t think, would push anything across the finish line,” said Crain.

Chamely said the dance hall is a beautiful building with “so much history in Amherstburg.” Committee member Stephanie Pouget-Papak asked if the dance hall is part of the conservation plan for the island, with Coates stating it is listed as part of that plan.

Heritage committee endorses workplan for possible designations

By Ron Giofu