HERITAGE OTTAWA
The Built Heritage Subcommittee (BHSC) met on April 12 to consider two heritage applications.
The first was an application to alter 132 Lisgar Road in the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District by constructing an enclosed garage addition at the side of the house. City heritage staff recommended approval of the application. The Rockcliffe Park Heritage Committee supported approval of the application based on exceptional circumstances, as did Heritage Ottawa. Read the City Staff Report here.
The second was an application for demolition and new construction at 231 Cobourg Street, a duplex apartment building constructed in the 1940s and located in the Wilbrod-Laurier Heritage Conservation District (HCD). The building is considered a contributing structure to the HCD.
The building has been owned by the Ugandan High Commission since 1985. In 2014, the Commission abandoned the building due to its deteriorating condition. The building has remained vacant since 2014, without heat or electricity, resulting in its further deterioration. The owners have now applied to demolish the two-storey building and replace it with a new three-storey building that would serve as their offices. Read the City Staff Report here.
When BHSC first considered this application at its meeting of Feburary 2018, it recommended that the city commission an independent engineering report to determine the feasibility of preserving the building or at least part of it, or to work with the applicant towards an improved design if preservation proved unfeasible.
Action Sandy Hill and Councillor Matthieu Fleury opposed the application to demolish on the basis that the building was home to Lester B. Pearson from 1957 to 1959 during which time he won the Nobel Peace Prize. The building would be part of the Prime Ministers Row street museum currently in development. Read Action Sandy Hill's letter to BHSC here.
Heritage Ottawa opposed the demolition of 231 Cobourg on the grounds of demolition-by-neglect. Read Heritage Ottawa's letter to the BHSC here.
The BHSC voted against demolition, recommending to Planning Committee that it reject the city staff report.
Update: At its meeting of April 24, Planning Committee voted in favour of the demolition of 231 Cobourg Street as recommended by the city staff report. Councillor Jeff Leiper was the only committee member to vote against demolition.
City Council will make a final decision at its meeting of May 9.