By Becky Day
Every municipality in the greater Niagara region seems to have its sticking point when it comes to heritage preservation.
Thorold's former city hall, a designated heritage building, remains abandoned and awaiting its fate. Photo by Doug Draper
Thorold, Ontario, the city’s former city hall building has become as contentious as the Port tower condo project now destined to replace so much of the heritage district in the historic old community of Port Dalhousie, located along the southern shores of Lake Ontario in St. Catharines.
Strapped to a roller coaster of political nonsense and inaction, Thorold’s aging city hall building has been held hostage for more than three years, waiting for local politicians to decide their next move.
The heritage structure located at 8 Carleton St. n Thorold – also once home to L.G. Lorriman Public School – rots quietly as it awaits its fate. If the city doesn’t act soon, the designated site will suffer irreparable damage.
All too often, residents across the greater Niagara region have seen the same fate overcome other heritage buildings that fall into neglectful hands. In nearby Buffalo, for example, residents and visitors to that city have witnessed the half-collapse of a 19th century livery stable in what is lovingly known to some as the the city’s “cottage district.” Claiming ‘demolition by neglect’ on the part of the livery stable’s longtime owner, residents are working with the city and others to restore this historic treasure.
In the case of the building that housed Thorold’s former city hall,it seems it has been held as a pawn in a chess game between Thorold politicians and the constant power struggle has barred any type of restoration progress. Meanwhile, the dwindling property with so much potential is caught in the crossfire, waiting for another purpose. For there to be any chance of saving it, the city needs to make a move, like yesterday.
A 19th century livery stable in Buffalo's scenic cottage district collapsed to a point of near extinction two years ago thanks to years of neglect by its former owner. A group of Buffalo residents is now working to restore it. Photo by Doug Draper
The Ontario Heritage Act was amended in 2005 and the new legislation contains provisions which enable municipalities to require that owners of designated buildings maintain the structures and their heritage elements. These by-laws are intended to prevent “demolition by neglect”. Under the new legislation, a landowner who is refused a demolition permit has the option to appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) who will make the final decision on whether or not a demolition permit should be issued. Where the OMB refuses to issue a permit, the landowner would have no choice but to preserve the heritage building.
“The record of the OMB of late has not been in favour of preservation of Ontario’s heritage,” said Pamela Minns, long-time Niagara heritage authority. She has deep concerns that this building could become the next victim of demolition by neglect if something smart isn’t done with it quickly.
“The building has not been in use for a long period of time, it is costing the taxpayers’ money, and at the same time, it is deteriorating,” she said.
Developer Phil Ritchie tried to obtain the building three years ago to turn it into much needed affordable seniors housing. Ritchie’s favourable track record in the city speaks for itself. After restoring the Keefer Mansion Inn and the Old Mill on Pine St., he and Keefer Developments have helped transform Thorold to a new level
Had the city shown some foresight and given Ritchie the go ahead back then, Thorold would have a beautiful place for seniors to live today. Instead, Mayor D’Angela and his Council put the brakes on the project when the notorious city hall move was still fresh.
“Phil Ritchie has great respect for built heritage,” said Minns. “All kinds of terrible decisions are made in some of Ontario’s municipalities when it comes to heritage preservation, but this is one of the worst decisions I have experienced by a Municipal Council when the answer could have been so simple.”
Recently, Ritchie made another try for the building, but failed to make the short list for funding through Niagara Regional Housing. There is still a possibility that the project could be chosen in the next round of funding, but there is no guarantee.
In the interim, Thorold city council has declared the building surplus and issued an expression of interest to developers with a deadline of early December of 2009. At the same time, they didn’t make a move to change the building’s zoning status, which could affect Ritchie’s chances.
Being an old school, the building itself is not the most attractive in Thorold. This has some questioning why it is so important for the heritage to be preserved.
“Saying that this building is ugly and unimpressive does not have a bearing on the decisions being made,” Minns added. “Many older buildings are not always to our liking, but they represent the architecture of the time and were built for the planned use at the time.”
To add to this whole mess, former Mayor Don McMillan, who moved City Hall from Allanburg to 8 Carleton St. S. when he was in office, is pressing Council not to turn “this valuable property over to developers.” Rather, he has spearheaded a push to convert the building into a “first-class” seniors centre. But if they don’t have housing in Thorold, how will they enjoy a first class senior’s facility?
“The sensible and sound decision to make is to convert the old school building to seniors housing and to repair the present Seniors Centre,” said Minns. “We need to put personal agendas aside and make some common sense decisions here.”
For now, the city continues to shell out thousands of dollars each year for the running maintenance of the building until they can agree on a way out. To the average citizen, Thorold Council does not appear to be getting any closer to a resolution.
It goes without saying that heritage structures certainly deserve more urgent consideration than this, but this situation is not uncommon when the past meets the political present.
A solution exists somewhere for this building, and there is no reason to continue spending money the municipality could use elsewhere. But if Thorold Council cannot come to terms soon, this building could be the next to meet the wrecking ball. What a shame that would be.
(Story posted with files from Doug Draper.)
Becky Day is a freelance journalist that resides in Thorold. She has followed the community and Thorold politics closely over the last few years. For more news and opinion, visit her blog site “Thorold Politics at its best” at http://beckydayblog.wordpress.com/
(If anyone in the Buffalo area would care to contribute an update on efforts to save the treasured livery stable referred to in this story please submit a story and any photos available to Niagara At Large or its publisher Doug Draper at drapers@vaxxine.com)
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