Parliament Oak designation eyed
Parliament Oak School property may hold historical significance, according to Niagara-on-the-Lake town council, and should be protected from demolition after it is sold by District School Board of Niagara.
Town council approved a motion by Coun. Betty Disero Monday night that staff report on the possible registration for historic designation of the former elementary school on King Street in the Old Town.
“If there is a reason to list it, then demolition permits cannot be issued for 60 days,” said Disero. “I think we need to keep a watchful eye on what happens on this property.”
Bids on the 1.6-hectare property closed last Friday. The town had submitted three purchase offers to DSBN before the property went on the open market, but they were all rejected.
The motion regarding a possible historic designation follows a decision by council last week to put a temporary freeze on proposed changes for all institutionally zoned lands in the town.
An interim control bylaw was passed that will prohibit any changes for use of the 75-year-old school building and property for the next year while the town studies potential land uses.
“It’s kind of a sad state that we’re all paranoid …” said Coun. Terry Flynn, referring to what type of development could occur on the site when the property changes hands.
Councillors are particularly interested in two large stone features on the front of the building — one a narrative, the other an artistic representation of early Parliament of Upper Canada — and would like the town’s municipal heritage committee to look into their possible significance.
The inscription on the school says a session of the first Parliament chaired by John Graves Simcoe took place on the site — the town was then called Newark — under an oak tree in hot weather in 1793.
Director of community and development services Craig Larmour said he will try to report back to council at its Feb. 11 meeting, noting that the heritage committee meeting is the following day.
The town had hoped to buy the property and turn it into a community hub by renting space to nonprofit organizations. The Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Hub Group held a rally at the site last month and has appealed to Premier Kathleen Wynne to stop the sale by the school board.