Hamilton LACAC (Municipal Heritage Committee)
May 26, 2005

CALL TO ORDER
12 noon
Councilor Pearson arrived 12:22 pm
Councilor McHattie absent

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None

MINUTES - Hamilton LACAC Meeting, April 28, 2005
Approved

BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

• Provincial Locations Library
  Jaqueline McNeilly to e-mail current list of buildings used for filming to S. Paparella who will then forward the list to the Hamilton LACAC. Hamilton LACAC to provide information via e-mail to Jaqueline McNeilly. No items received.
  
  
• November Book Fair Table
  The Hamilton LACAC will arrange for a table at the November Book Fair. Committee. Members to give consideration with respect to volunteering. This Item has been added to the Outstanding Business List and will be added to the September agenda.
  
  
• Core Area Restoration Initiative - Municipal Office Accommodation as a Catalyst for Downtown Heritage Preservation
  Councilor Pearson was requested to take the idea forward to the May 9th meeting respecting the use of heritage buildings for City staff accommodation. Not dealt with at this meeting.
  
  
• S. Paparella was requested to follow-up with respect to the upcoming staff report.
  The structural assessment report has not been finalized. Staff is expecting the report from the consultant, prior to the end of May. Committee will be advised when it is available. This Item was added to the Outstanding Business List.

PRESENTATIONS (all presentations were received)

• Historic Places Initiative - Katherine Kirzati, Ministry of Culture
  A Canadian Registry of Historic Places has been established which sets standards and guidelines for registering historic properties and which offers tax incentives and funding for corporations owning for commercial properties ($30M -- $10M per year over 3 years -- maximum $1M per project).
  
  The Lister Block project is not eligible because any lease must run at least 20 years (the City's is a 15 year lease). The project also must be completely commercial -- residential use disqualifies the project. Victoria Hall and the old Bank of Montreal building could qualify.
  
  Staff indicated that because of lack of time and personnel, they can not be proactive in promoting this in Hamilton, but will consider dealing with local submissions if commercial property owners in Hamilton heritage buildings indicate they wish to seek registry and funding.
  
  
• Donna Lee MacDonald, Hamilton Artists Inc. respecting St. Mark's Church
  Hamilton Artists Inc. intends to ask for monies from the Hamilton Future Fund, Heritage Canada, and the Trillium Foundation to refurbish St. Mark's as their headquarters and to establish an endowment fund to sustain maintenance and operation of the facility.
  
  To that end the group will be asking the City for a moratorium on the property over the next 2 years while the money is raised. This designated heritage property is currently city-owned and requires extensive structural repairs.
  
  
• Draft Tree Cutting By-law - Cathy Plosz, Community Planning & Design
  LACAC members were asked for input into the draft Tree Cutting By-law -- to be done by e-mail.

APPLICATIONS FOR HERITAGE PERMITS

• Construction of an Addition to a Detached Residence within the St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation District 231 St. Clair Boulevard (Ward 3)
  Approved.

REQUESTS FOR HERITAGE DESIGNATION

• None.

OTHER BUSINESS FOR DISCUSSION

• Lister Block: Approvals Process and Staff Report
  No architectural plans, drawings or requests for permits have been submitted by the developers to date. Only an artist's rendition published in the Spectator exists.
  
  There was much discussion around the Wm. Thomas building adjacent to the Lister Block which will likely be demolished when the project proceeds. This building is listed as being of historic and architectural significance but is not designated.
  Both staff and Councilor Pearson balked at the suggestion that the property be designated in order to try to save it. (Apparently in 1999 LACAC was prepared to see the building demolished to facilitate a proposal to redevelop the Lister Block at that time.)
  
  A letter will be sent to Council stating that LACAC sees the building as having heritage value, but no motion to have it designated was put forward.
  
  The Lister project will be fully discussed at a special meeting of LACAC scheduled for June 16.
  
  
• Mission Statement Selection Tabled.
  
  
• Inventory & Research Sub- Committee
  requires additional LACAC members. The position was filled.
  
  
• Joint Plaquing Sub-Committee
  requires additional LACAC member under JP Committee mandate. Committee members were encouraged to attend a Joint Plaquing meeting to determine their interest. None did so. No action taken at this meeting.

ITEMS REFERRED FROM COUNCIL

• Correspondence from Eileen Butson, President - Auchmar; Millennium Fund, respecting the Auchmar Estate; Proposed National Heritage Site
  This group is proposing a multistage redevelopment of the property to accommodate time-share units, a VIP suite, the development of lecture, concert and cultural facilities, and the restoration of the property. The proposal was referred to Staff.

SUB-COMMITTEE REPORTS

• Joint Plaquing Subcommittee
  Minutes not available.
  
  
• Education Sub-committee
  No Report.
  
  
• Inventory and Research Sub-committee
  Committee members were encouraged to attend an Inventory and Research Committee meeting to determine their interest. A second member should be selected.
  
  
• Policy Sub-committee
  No report.
  
  
• Plaquing Priority Sub-committee
  A proposal will be put together and provided to Council, through the Hamilton Historical Board, stating the Plaquing requirements for the 2006 budget.

FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE COMMITTEE

• Former CIBC Building, 281 Herkimer -
  After a meeting with architects, it was determined that a variation on the design could make the conversion to a library more viable. However, the funding to do so would need to be raised and the project would not start for a few years. This City-owned property is on a Staff list to be designated.
  
  
• Victoria Hall
  Commercial and professional office space planned -- seeking tenants.
  
  
• Tweedside Church
  
  
• 2005 ACO/CHO Joint Conference
  
  
• CHO Newsletter, May 2005
  copies were distributed
  
  
• OMB Hearing
  The OMB granted the severance application for lands located at 30 Alma Street Dundas.

OUTSTANDING BUSINESS

• LACAC member required on the Joint Plaquing Sub-committee
• Letter to Chris Murray re. designation/recognition of the Red Hill Valley
• Plaquing requirements for 2006
• November Book Fair volunteers
• Staff report St. Mark's
• Proposed National Heritage designation Auchmar

ENDANGERED BUILDINGS LIST
(editorial comment: it is significant that this item has virtually been removed from the Agenda, and placed as an addendum at the end. )

(D = designated; ND = not designated; L = listed on the MHC list; NL = no status; NHS = National Historic Site)

• Victoria Hall (NHS, D)
  No discussion.
• Book House, Book Road East, Ancaster (D)
  No discussion.
• Treble Hall, John Street North (L)
  No discussion.
• Red Hill Creek Valley (L, ND)
  This designated site requires a member assignment.
  The director of the Red Hill Valley Project has been requested to contact LACAC, at the appropriate time, to discuss designation / recognition of some type for the Red Hill Valley.
• Lister Block, James Street North (D)
  There was some discussion around cleanup by film crews using the building.
• Auchmar, 88 Fennell Avenue (D)
  No further discussion.
• Hamilton City Hall (ND)
  No discussion.
• Smart-Turner Building, Barton Street (ND, L)
  Hamilton Health Sciences is considering using this property as a hospice.
• Carnegie Gallery, Dundas (D)
  The Gallery and City are in discussion about lease extension.
• St. Marks (D)
  Structural assessment report has not been finalized. Staff is expecting the report from the consultant, prior to the end of May.
• Tweedside Church (L)
  No further discussion.
• Former CIBC Building, 281 Herkimer Street (L)
  No further discussion.
• Tivoli, 108 James Street North
  With Royal Assent of Bill 60, the owners have an extended 90 days (from April 28) within which to apply for a demolition permit (provided they submit approved plans for erecting a new building on the site).