The fate of an historic University of Guelph greenhouse hangs in the balance as two proposed and opposing futures hit head-on.
Facing a financial crunch and costly potential repairs, university officials are looking to demolish the D.M. Rutherford Family Conservatory – located on Christie Lane, beside the University Centre building – while efforts are also underway to have it designated for protection under the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA).
City heritage staff say the building meets eight of nine provincially set criteria for designation, though only two are needed for protections to be put in place.
The U of G says it would cost $5 million to repair the structure, which it instead wants to replace with a commemorative garden.
The demolition plan, which includes replacing the greenhouse with a commemorative garden, will be presented to the university’s board of governors for a decision on Wednesday. Even if approved by the board, the designation decision rests with city council – then there is potential for appeals to be filed.
University officials are opposed to designation, the report notes.
It could be several months before the greenhouse’s fate is known.
“The (conservatory) structure is in very poor condition, has been condemned by consulting engineering professionals and remains closed to the public for safety reasons,” states the university report, noting the structure has not been used for academic or research purposes for the past 10 to 15 years.
“During a time of financial restraint, and considering the university’s current development priorities combined with limited capital funding, there remains little to no appetite on campus for continued investment in the (conservatory) structure’s further replication and maintenance.”
The greenhouse was built in 1930, designed by Lord and Burnham of St. Catharines and, according to an archived article from the University of Guelph, the building is one of the only remaining pagoda-like glass structures in North America.
The glass building incorporated limestone blocks from the foundation of original barns on campus.
“Current form of the structure is neither original nor in its original configuration; it has since been rebuilt twice, once in the late 1960s, when it was re-oriented to make way for the UC’s loading ramp; and again in 1998 when it was replicated with the current structure,” the university report explains.
Despite this, city heritage staff believe the greenhouse is worthy of designation under Party IV of the OHA, which is meant to preserve heritage assets for future generations to enjoy.
“The conservatory was not only an impressive centerpiece of the Ontario Agricultural College, and later University of Guelph campus, but has functioned as a popular meeting place for generations of students, faculty, and alumni,” states a city staff report to Heritage Guelph in July.
That report included a staff recommendation to proceed with the OHA designation process, which was approved by the committee and will be considered by city council next month.
Among the designation-worthy criteria identified by city heritage staff are:
- “it is an extremely rare and unique example of a glass conservatory in the City of Guelph;”
- “it displays a high degree of craftsmanship in its cypress wood, glass, and metal construction;”
- “it has direct associations with the Ontario Agricultural College and the history of horticulture in the Province of Ontario;”
- “it yields information that contributes to an understanding of the Guelph student and faculty community;”
- “it demonstrates the work of Lord and Burnham Ltd., significant builders of greenhouses and conservatories in nineteenth and twentieth-century North America;”
- “it is important in defining the character of the University of Guelph botanical gardens, which were designed around the conservatory;”
- “it is physically, functionally, visually, and historically linked to the University of Guelph botanical gardens, a landscape designed around the conservatory building;”
- and it “occupies a location of visual prominence, and is well known amongst students, staff, faculty, alumni, and citizens of Guelph.”
The cost of demolition is estimated at $250,000, with another $750,000 to be spent on creating a commemorative garden in its place. In total, the project has a $1 million price tag.
“While board (of governors) approval is not required for capital projects under $2 million, the vice-president (finance and operations) is seeking the board's endorsement of the proposed plan,” states the university staff report. “This endorsement is requested in light of the project's risk profile and proposal to decommission and dispose of a physical asset.”
