MEETING PREVIEW: Heritage Guelph Meeting for November 4, 2024

It’s going to be a busy slate for the Heritage Guelph meeting this November with changes, plans, designations, and maybe even a hint of conflict (?). Yes, there are new designations and future designations to consider, as usual, but there’s also the year-long plan to designate as many properties as possible and that massive designation project, the Heritage Conservation District study of the OR Lands. But wait, there’s more…

NOTE #1: If you would like to delegate to one of the items at the meeting, or to access an alternative meeting format, get in touch with Craig Vallesi, Policy Planning Clerk, by email at craig.vallesi [at] guelph.ca or by calling 519-837-5616, extension 3913. Deadline is October 4 at noon.

NOTE #2: This meeting will take place in-person at City Hall and virtually on Cisco Webex. You can find the link on the agenda page for this meeting on the City’s website.

Ontario Reformatory Heritage Conservation District: Release of Draft Plan and Guideline – The Heritage Conservation District process is nearing its completion for the Ontario Reformatory property with this second and final phase. There’s no report about what’s in the plan and guidlelines for that report, but those materials will be included in the planning meeting agenda, which will be released on the Thursday before this meeting.

Advisory Committees of Council Framework Update – As you may recall, the clerks’ office has spent the last year reviewing the various Advisory Committees of Council to see if there should be any changes to their set-up, and in the case of Heritage Guelph, the only thing that’s being recommended is a name change: Heritage Advisory Committee.

Progress Update on 2024 Individual Designations – At the beginning of the year, committee approved a slate of 22 properties to make priority for designation. As we get to the end of year, all but nine – except for the ones that are in the area covered by the Downtown Heritage Conservation District – have been completed. You can see the list here.

Appointment of a member of Heritage Guelph to delegate at the November 13, 2024 Council Planning Meeting – Council will be asked to approve the heritage designation of the old greenhouse on the University of Guelph campus at the November planning meeting, and that’s controversial because the U of G’s Board of Governors wants to tear it down. A member of Heritage Guelph will be appointed to defend their position at the council meeting.

99 Maltby: Heritage Attributes and Designation Recommendation – The final approval of this property was deferred from the agenda last month. Reminder: This old farmhouse meets six of the nine prescribed criteria for defining cultural heritage value or interest under Ontario Regulation 9/06.

328-332 Woolwich: Heritage Attributes and Designation Recommendation – This Gothic Revival-style row house was brought to committee’s attention last month, and it will now be recommended that the designation be sent to council for formal approval based on the fact that it meets five out of the nine criteria for a Part IV heritage designation under Ontario Regulation 9/06.

136 Glasgow St: Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report – In terms of future designations, we start with this very recognisable house in the Exhibition Park area. According to the report it’s a “blend of an Italianate Villa with Second Empire attributes, made particularly striking by its usage of its blend of stone and red clay brick sourced from a manufacturer north of Glen Williams” and it was notably home to prominent Guelph citizen and one-time mayor Thomas Gowdy. The home meets six of the nine criteria under Ontario Regulation 9/06.

59 Green St: Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report – Slightly up the road, but in the same general area, there’s this unique example of “mid-19th century three bay, hipped-roof Georgian limestone house, replete with Neo- Classical refinements.” The home also has a connection to “both the history of the Chalmer’s Presbyterian Church in Guelph, and the legacy of the Thurnell family, who were early and integral members of Guelph during its formative years.” For those reasons, the home covers four of the nine criteria outlined in Ontario Regulation 9/06