Owen Sound council has withdrawn its intent to designate the original St. Mary’s School under the provincial Heritage Act.
Designation of the 119-year-old building would protect it from the wrecking ball, but the withdrawal doesn’t mean the Bruce Grey Catholic District School Board will be able to demolish it right away.
The board has voiced their desire to tear down the structure, no longer in use, because they can’t afford to bring it up to code.
But councillors have been dissatisfied with the board’s proposal for redevelopment of the site, which the city hopes will include appropriate commemoration of the building along with as much architectual salvaging as possible.
The board hasn’t come up with a new approach since being told by the city several months ago to do better.
It says it won’t spend more money creating a new proposal unless the future demolition of the building is on the table, and it says it’s prepared to let the building sit vacant and boarded up if demolition is not allowed.
The attitude, along with the board’s lack of movement, did not sit well with many councillors on Monday.
They wanted to reject a recommendation from city manager Jim Harrold to withdraw the intent to designate and approach the board again in order to seek a solution.
Harrold told council the move leaves a significant amount of control in city hands, noting council would still be able to approve any plans made for the site, and could refile the intent to designate if necessary.
He did not cite a part of his report that points out there has been no hue and cry from the public regarding the preservation of the building.
Heritage conservation, the report notes, should be connected to structures “which are valued by the community.”
Councillors still weren’t happy with Harrold’s assurances, however.
Councillor Jim McManaman says the city wouldn’t allow other developers to conduct business in such a manner, and can’t believe many of his colleagues would consider going back to the board with what amounts to an olive branch.
He says that if a public body like a school board cannot be held accountable regarding a heritage building, the city will never be able to elicit that kind of accountability from a private owner the next time such an issue comes up.
He cited the now-demolished Queen’s Hotel as an example.
McManaman and Councillor Deb Haswell say the province is to blame, espousing the value of heritage preservation while giving no funds for that purpose, and then encouraging and paying school boards to tear down old schools and build new ones.
Councillors David Adair, Deb Haswell, Tom Pink and City/County Councillor Arlene Wright supported the recommendation, as did Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners, who broke a 4-4 tie in a recorded vote.
Councillors McManaman, John Christie, Peter Lemon and Bill Twaddle were opposed.
The mayor says her impression is that the school board simply doesn’t know what is being asked of it by the city.
She hopes council’s decision tonight will go a long way toward reopening the lines of communication.
She also says the city and the board need to realize that both sides serve the community and the students of St. Mary’s, and that should be the primary focus in finding a solution.