HERITAGE OTTAWA
Upcoming Matters
The City of Ottawa’s Built Heritage Subcommittee (BHSC) meets on Thursday, January 11 with three items on the agenda.
• An application to demolish the Château Laurier parking garage. The hotel owners indicate that the hotel's four-storey parking structure, built in 1969, has reached the end of its life cycle and must be removed for safety reasons. Since the Château Laurier is a designated building under the Ontario Heritage Act, any alterations to the exterior must first be approved by Ottawa City Council.
Read the City Staff Report here. Heritage Ottawa agreed that the present condition of the garage structure leaves no other option than demolition, while remarking that demolition is not normally permitted before design of a replacement structure has been approved.
An application for new construction of an addition to the building is expected in the coming months.
Update, January 11, 2017: BHSC recommended approval of the application to Planning Committee, which will consider the application on January 23 and make is recommendation to City Council. Council will consider the application on January 31.
• An application for demolition and new construction at 485 Maple Lane in Rockliffe. The building is located in the Rockliffe Park Heritage Conservation District (HCD) and is designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. The applicant seeks approval to replace the existing bungalow with a two-storey structure featuring a sloped hipped roof and rectangular plan, and a modern design with elongated rectangular windows in groups of three on the main façade. Read the City Staff Report here. Heritage Ottawa does not oppose the application, which conforms to the Rockcliffe HCD Plan.
Update, January 11, 2017: BHSC recommended approval of the application to Planning Committee, which will consider the application on January 23 and make is recommendation to City Council. Council will consider the application on January 31.
• A zoning by-law amendment and subdivision proposal for 21 Withrow Avenue in the old City of Nepean. The owner seeks approval to construct a ten-lot residential subdivision on the 0.8 hectares property. Kilmorie House, a 19th century stone building on the property dating back to the 1840's and designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 2016, would remain. Read the City's Summary here. A story about the house was recently featured in the Ottawa Citizen.
Ongoing Matters
The Sisters of the Visitation Convent
On January 10, Ashcroft Homes hosted a public presentation of its proposed plan for an adaptive re-use of The Sisters of the Visitation Convent / Les Soeurs de la Visitation Convent at 114 Richmond Road in Wesboro. The plan proposes a partial demolition of the convent, a designated heritage building. More than 100 people attended the presentation, including local Councillor Jeff Leiper. At this point, no application has been filed with the City of Ottawa (as required by the Ontario Heritage Act) to make these changes. More information about Ashcroft's proposed plan is available here.
The history of the Convent and Heritage Ottawa's previous advocacy efforts on its behalf were recently detailed here in our 50 Years | 50 Stories feature.
Heritage Ottawa will continue to advocate for the Convent's preservation.
Have Your Say on the Future of Sparks Street
What do you think the City should consider as it develops a plan for the revitalization of the Sparks Street Pedestrian Mall? The City of Ottawa invites residents to take an online survey and attend a Town Hall event with the Mayor on Saturday, January 13, 2018. Pre-registration is required. More information here.
Recent Matters
• A public meeting was held on January 8, 2018 to discuss the redevelopment of the former All Saints Anglican Church in Sandy Hill. A community-led not-for-profit group wants to build a nine-storey, mixed use building that would incorporate the old church, the exterior of which has heritage designation. More information here.
• On December 13, 2017 City Council approved an application to construct a rear addition to 51 Sweetland Avenue in Sandy Hill. Council also approved a new project for 667 Bank Street in the Clemow Estate East Heritage Conservation District in the Glebe.