City urged to protect dozens of historic buildings along LRT route
LRT planners say they're looking out for them, but the heritage committee wants to make sure
There are dozens of grand historic buildings along Hamilton's future LRT route – buildings that may be inches away from years of construction.
Now the city's official heritage group is cautioning planners to take care of them.
There are only a handful of official, provincially designated heritage buildings along the light rail transit route. But a Canadian inventory of heritage buildings in Hamilton shows more than 50 historic properties along the King Street East route alone. Some date as far back as 1870.
We're going to avoid major property impact as much as possible, period.- Paul Johnson, the city's head of the LRT project
The city estimates Metrolinx will acquire at least part of 250 properties along the $1 billion line.
Some properties will be trimmed. Some buildings may be demolished. The city's municipal heritage advisory committee wants planners will keep them informed.
David Beland says he worries that by the time people know about the heritage impacts, it'll be too late.
"Hopefully those concerns will be addressed early in the process and not left to the end," he said at a meeting Thursday.
Danielle Bury, the city's senior project manager of LRT planning, says that's the plan.
Metrolinx and the city will let councillors know on July 26 which properties will be impacted. That's when the city's LRT subcommittee meets again. Those plans will also be on display during public events in September.
Aidan Johnson, Ward 1 councillor, was worried about the impact on the Westdale Secondary School grounds, near the future Longwood stop. But in talking to planners, he said, that's been resolved "to my satisfaction."
Alissa Denham-Robinson, heritage committee chair, says she's not just worried about buildings, but the properties surrounding them. She doesn't want, for example, a property to be shaved off to the doorway of a heritage building.
Paul Johnson, the city's head of the LRT project, says planners are "fully aware" of the historic buildings.
"We're going to avoid major property impact as much as possible, period," he said.
Property acquisitions will happen along the line, not just at stops or intersections, he said. Planners will talk to affected property owners in the next few weeks.
As of 2007, four properties on the B-line route from McMaster University to the Queenston traffic circle were designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Those are the Right House, Victoria Hall at 66-70 King St. E., a commercial building at 320 King St. E. and the McMaster University historic core. There are more along the planned James Street North route, including Christ's Church Cathedral.
The Canadian inventory of historic buildings lists dozens of properties along the Main and King route. And the city's inventory of buildings of architectural and/or historical interest, which lists possible future designations, contains many more.
