With the historic University of Guelph conservatory approved for demolition, school officials are once again opposing council’s decision to, sort of, protect it for future generations.
A notice of objection was filed with the city on Friday regarding council’s intent to designate the D.M. Rutherford Family Conservatory at 37 Christie Lane, located beside the University Centre, under the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA).
City council agreed to the designation – identifying only "salvageable steel” from the frame to be conserved – in November, then endorsed a demolition permit for the building earlier this month.
“It is not clear to us why any designation bylaw needs to be passed,” states the objection notice, authored by the school’s lawyer, in light of demolition approval. “This is because once the OHA demolition permit is implemented, any designation bylaw passed pursuant to the NOID would serve no purpose.
“We do not think the passing of designation bylaw is necessary in the circumstances.”
Though council approved its intent to designate the building on Nov. 13, the actual designation bylaw has not been considered at this point. Friday was the final day an objection notice could be filed, or the designation would have become official.
Now that an objection has been filed, council will be asked to re-affirm its designation intent or withdraw it. If the prior happens, the U of G can file an appeal with the Ontario Land Tribunal.
Last month, council unanimously approved a heritage designation for the conservatory at but the list of features to be conserved was dropped from nine to one – salvageable steel, to be included in the school’s plan for a commemorative garden.
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.
According to city heritage staff, who urged designation of the building as a whole, the conservatory meets eight of nine provincially set criteria for designation. Only two are required for designation.
“The university disagrees with the (notice of intent to designate)’s assertions that the conservatory meets eight of the prescribed criteria. However, because the preservation of the conservatory is being addressed through the OHA demolition permit, the university will not expand upon these concerns at this time,” the objection notice states.
University officials contend it would cost about $5 million to make the building safe for use once again, while the cost of demolition is estimated at $250,000. A commemorative garden, which is tentatively planned to be built in place of the greenhouse, is expected to cost another $750,000.
