Despite the town having received a notice of intention to demolish the former Parliament Oak school building at 235 King Street, the future of the building remains uncertain.
At an April 25 Niagara-on-the-Lake council meeting, council amended the recommendations of the municipal heritage committee requesting more information from the property owner after hearing a presentation from former town councillor Clare Cameron of the Niagara Foundation.
On Feb. 10, a notice of intention to demolish the building was submitted on behalf of the property owner, Two Sisters Properties, which wants to tear down the entire school building with the exception of the 1915 Parliament Oak stone tree marker, the Castellani Statuary commemorating the Underground Railroad, the two bas-relief panels on the south side of the former, and the large-format carved oak tree panel located on the east side of the building.
Earlier this month, at an April 5 municipal heritage committee meeting, members responded to council’s request to advise on whether any additional information was required. At that meeting, specific artifacts from the former school were identified, such as a time capsule and the name of the school engraved over the entranceway. The committee also requested a commemoration plan for the interpretation of the history and heritage value of the property be prepared by a qualified member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals, which would outline how the history of the site would be interpreted in the future. They also called for a waste salvage plan.
At the town council meeting Tuesday night, Cameron provided additional background about the significance of the school building to Niagara-on-the-Lake’s heritage, including its importance in terms of education, post-war growth, and youth, as well as information about the original architect, Lionel Ashton Hesson. As well as listing additional artifacts of significance identified in the heritage impact assessment, the foundation asked council to request that the property developer acknowledge the site for its 67 years of use as a public school; salvage and rescue some of the building materials, including slate chalkboards, brick, and hardware; and acknowledge the architect and his work.
A motion was passed by council requesting more information from the property owner based on the recommendations of the municipal heritage committee and input from the Niagara Foundation.
Cameron also urged council to designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act, saying that demolition was “premature.” Currently, the building is listed on the town’s municipal register of properties of cultural heritage, value or interest. On March 3, a revised application for development of a hotel on the site was submitted and deemed complete. Council has 90 days from that date to serve notice of intent to designate under the act.