Hamilton’s cultural staff have ‘ambitious’ goal to designate over 60 properties in 2020

Hamilton's cultural staff acknowledge their long list of properties to designate historical this year may be too ambitious" to fulfil.

There are 64 properties on the cultural staff's 2020 list to be designated historical, with 33 of the buildings located in Ancaster along Wilson Street, including the Needle Emporium, Village Gate Montessori School, Masonic Lodge, old Ancaster Hotel, Postans House, Purple Pony, Ryerson United Church, Fraser House and the former Carriage Factory at 241 Wilson Street E.

Other properties proposed for designation in 2020 include Ancaster High School, the former Elfrida United Church, the former Bank of Nova Scotia on King St. E., the Cannon Knitting Mill on Cannon Street, Kenilworth Library, Regency Cottage in Stoney Creek, the former Union School on Rymal Road, and the Royal Coachman in Waterdown.

For the remaining 48 properties out of the total 112 identified to be designated over the next 15 years, staff have anywhere from two properties to six properties to designate for a year. In 2021, 2022, and 2023 there are two properties each year to designate, while in 2024 there are four properties and in 2025 there are five properties. The work plan includes 5 properties to be designated in 2030, four properties in 2032 and in 2035 there is one property to be designated (the Goldblatt House in Hamilton).

Definitely the list is ambitious," said Cultural Heritage Planner David Addington. We want to get to all the properties this year. We are doing what we can. But we have limited resources."

Steve Robichaud, director of planning, said the target dates for the properties to be designated were council adopted."

Council agreed to Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson's motion in July to accelerate the heritage designation of over 30 properties along Wilson Street. The recommendation came in the aftermath of the demolition of the Brandon House which was on the city's heritage list of cultural importance but was not designated.

Council also agreed to designate the Long and Bisby building on Sanatorium Road for this year.

It is overly ambitious," said Robichaud. It is a lot of work."

Heritage critics have charged Hamilton's heritage designation process takes too long, which has led buildings that are in the process of being designated to be demolished.

For instance, the Royal Connaught was initially to be designated in 2009, but staff are hoping to conduct the process in 2020. The Dundas Post Office and the Auchmar Gatehouse, which is deteriorating, were scheduled to have a heritage designation in 2013, but staff wants to finish the job in 2020.

Gore and Gage parks had been initially set for a heritage designation in 2011 but are now looking at 2020 for the honour.

The Friends of Gore Park have been very vocal (about getting a designation)," said Janice Brown, a committee member from the Durand Neighbourhood. How are we going to finish this workplan with unrealistic dates unless we get additional help?"

Robichaud said the city has hired some consultants to complete some of the designations. In addition, cultural and planning staff are working together to streamline" the heritage designation process.

Miranda Brunton, cultural heritage planner, says the workplan represents a significant amount of time and a significant amount of investment."

Meanwhile, Robichaud suggested staff will make the heritage designation process more transparent to the public by placing the staff workplan on the city's website so the community can see the progress being made on designation.

We get asked a lot (about property designation)," he said. This would be a good resource to the broader community."