There has been a lot of community and media interest recently about the property at 202 Highway 20 West (known as the Timmsdale House), the property at 662 Foss Road, and the Town’s former Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (MHAC). The facts are as follows:
202 Highway 20 West – Timmsdale House
- In July 2016, Council received a request to designate the property at 202 Highway 20 West (known as the Timmsdale House) as a heritage site. The request came from residents and nearby neighbours of the property, not the current or potential owners (neither of whom wanted or supported a heritage designation).
- The inventory of possible properties of cultural heritage value provided to the Town by the MHAC did not include the Timmsadale House and noted it had no cultural heritage value as it was considered to be a modern house.
- The Town received a professional engineering report by Shoalts Engineering (see below) that indicated it would be a “monumental task” and cost at least $2.2 million to repair the building.
- Council agreed unanimously with the MHAC comments, the Shoalts Engineering report and professional staff recommendations (see below) to not designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act.
- Council directed staff to work with the new owners to preserve architectural features or elements of the home that can be integrated with the redevelopment of the property.
- Efforts will be made to forward the documentation and photographic records of the Timmsdale House to the Pelham Historical Society and the Welland Museum.
- “Council will continue to honour Pelham’s unique and diverse history,” said Mayor Dave Augustyn. “Conservation of our cultural heritage resources, like the Fenwick Flag Pole and Old Pelham Town Hall, are important to our community because they inform our future.”
662 Foss Road
- The inventory of possible properties of cultural heritage value provided to the Town by the MHAC did not include this property and there was no information regarding it.
Additional Information About the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (MHAC)
- A Heritage Register lists all properties that have been designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. The Town currently has a Register that lists five designated properties.
- A Heritage Register may also include properties that are not designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, but that Council believes to be of cultural heritage value or interest.
- A municipality is not required to have a Heritage Committee under the Ontario Heritage Act.
- The Pelham MHAC was first formed in 2010 and its members were appointed by Council and included the Town’s Planning Director and a Councillor as ex-officio members.
- The MHAC worked on identifying potential properties with cultural heritage value for an inventory. This inventory was never presented to Council for approval.
- Council acknowledged the work of the MHAC and recognized that it was unreasonable for a volunteer committee to complete the inventory. In February 2015, Council decided that the MHAC should take a pause and directed staff to hire a consultant to complete this work.
- In June 2016, the Town followed through on this commitment to hire a qualified individual to continue the work of completing a heritage inventory of non-designated properties.
- It is anticipated that this inventory of non-designated properties will be presented to Council and the public during the Fall of 2016.
- After Council approves the inventory of non-designated properties, it will consider re-establishing a Heritage Advisory Committee.
For more information, please contact:
Dave Augustyn, Mayor
905-892-2607 ext. 317
Darren Ottaway, CAO
905-892-2607 ext. 318
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