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A decrepit building in Sandy Hill once home to Lester B. Pearson isn’t worth saving, partly because it was important to the political career of the former prime minister, city heritage staff have decided.
The community association is disappointed and hopes municipal politicians will reverse the staff recommendation.
The two-storey, red-brick building is the Uganda High Commission, but the operations of the diplomatic mission haven’t been based out of 231 Cobourg St. since 2014 because the structure is unsafe.
The latest rendering for the Uganda High Commission at 231 Cobourg St. in Sandy Hill.
The high commission wants to demolish the building and construct a new one on the land, but the city needs to approve the plan because the property is in a heritage conservation district.
City heritage staff agree that the building should be razed. They also support the proposed design for a new building. The recommendation was published on Thursday in a report to city council’s built-heritage subcommittee, which will discuss the property during a meeting next Thursday.
Action Sandy Hill first wrote to the city in spring 2017 opposing the demolition, pointing out the Pearson connection in arguing the building’s significance.
The Wilbrod/Laurier heritage conservation district plan says the community is important because it was home to many politicians and senior civil servants.
On Thursday, community association president Chad Rollins said the city should be protecting buildings in heritage conservation districts. He said heritage buildings don’t stand a chance if one of the arguments against keeping them is the cost.
“Rather than respecting its own policies and practices, city staff have bent over backwards to accommodate the desires of the Ugandan High Commission,” Rollins said.
There was brief skepticism over Pearson’s residency on the property until research and personal accounts confirmed he lived there for a brief period.
A photograph from inside 231 Cobourg St. taken in July 2017. (Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia)
Pearson lived there between 1955 and 1958 when he was minister of external affairs. The time period is key; he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957, potentially giving greater importance to the building.
However, the house most associated with Pearson is on nearby Augusta Street. The house has heritage protection because of its association with Pearson. He lived there between 1947 and 1954.
City staff acknowledge Pearson’s historical importance, but they don’t see how it relates to 231 Cobourg St.
“He resided at 231 Cobourg St. for a relatively short time and the place is not explicitly and meaningfully associated or identified with his work as minister of external affairs,” a staff report says.
It’s not the original building on the property. It was constructed in 1945, replacing a nineteenth-century house. The high commission bought the property in 1985 for its diplomatic offices.
Journalists for this newspaper toured the building last summer. It was in terrible shape. Walls were cracked from building settlement. Basement floors were buckling. There was major water damage.
An engineer hired by the high commission’s architect suggested the owner should construct a new building suitable for the current ground conditions.
The high commission will need to get approvals this month from the built-heritage subcommittee, planning committee and city council before moving ahead with its redevelopment plan.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
The community association is disappointed and hopes municipal politicians will reverse the staff recommendation.
The two-storey, red-brick building is the Uganda High Commission, but the operations of the diplomatic mission haven’t been based out of 231 Cobourg St. since 2014 because the structure is unsafe.
The latest rendering for the Uganda High Commission at 231 Cobourg St. in Sandy Hill.
The high commission wants to demolish the building and construct a new one on the land, but the city needs to approve the plan because the property is in a heritage conservation district.
City heritage staff agree that the building should be razed. They also support the proposed design for a new building. The recommendation was published on Thursday in a report to city council’s built-heritage subcommittee, which will discuss the property during a meeting next Thursday.
Action Sandy Hill first wrote to the city in spring 2017 opposing the demolition, pointing out the Pearson connection in arguing the building’s significance.
The Wilbrod/Laurier heritage conservation district plan says the community is important because it was home to many politicians and senior civil servants.
On Thursday, community association president Chad Rollins said the city should be protecting buildings in heritage conservation districts. He said heritage buildings don’t stand a chance if one of the arguments against keeping them is the cost.
“Rather than respecting its own policies and practices, city staff have bent over backwards to accommodate the desires of the Ugandan High Commission,” Rollins said.
There was brief skepticism over Pearson’s residency on the property until research and personal accounts confirmed he lived there for a brief period.
A photograph from inside 231 Cobourg St. taken in July 2017. (Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia)
Pearson lived there between 1955 and 1958 when he was minister of external affairs. The time period is key; he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957, potentially giving greater importance to the building.
However, the house most associated with Pearson is on nearby Augusta Street. The house has heritage protection because of its association with Pearson. He lived there between 1947 and 1954.
City staff acknowledge Pearson’s historical importance, but they don’t see how it relates to 231 Cobourg St.
“He resided at 231 Cobourg St. for a relatively short time and the place is not explicitly and meaningfully associated or identified with his work as minister of external affairs,” a staff report says.
It’s not the original building on the property. It was constructed in 1945, replacing a nineteenth-century house. The high commission bought the property in 1985 for its diplomatic offices.
Journalists for this newspaper toured the building last summer. It was in terrible shape. Walls were cracked from building settlement. Basement floors were buckling. There was major water damage.
An engineer hired by the high commission’s architect suggested the owner should construct a new building suitable for the current ground conditions.
The high commission will need to get approvals this month from the built-heritage subcommittee, planning committee and city council before moving ahead with its redevelopment plan.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
