Pre-Confederation manhole covers to get heritage protection
Committee recommends adding city’s last original manhole covers to registry of property of cultural heritage value
HAMILTON WILL OFFER belated protection to a heritage landmark citizens have carelessly — and literally — trampled underfoot since before Confederation.
Whether a 145-kilogram, cast-iron manhole actually needs, er, on-the-ground protection after surviving 158 years of infrastructure upheaval is likely beside the point, at least for local history fans.
Hamilton’s heritage committee has recommended adding the city’s last two original manhole covers — installed in 1859, according to the iron-stamped label — to the registry of property of cultural heritage value. One hides in plain site on a cobbled lane near busy James Street North and Mulberry Street. The other peeks out of a grassy area on Robert Street. (They also voted to henceforth call them “maintenance covers” after some debate.)
Neither is much to look at, frankly — unless you view the knobbly metal utility covers through the lens of history, said heritage committee chair Alissa Denham-Robinson.
“They’re a reminder of an important part of our story as a city and they’ve all but disap-
peared,” she said. “When you think about these last two having survived until now, it’s pretty amazing.”
The manhole covers were installed as part of Hamilton’s first waterworks system in 1859. That project was completed about five years after a devastating cholera epidemic killed more than 550 people in a city of 16,000 people. The city has repeatedly recognized the importance of that early clean-water system. The original pumping and treatment plant, now the Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology, is a national historic site. (Another manhole cover is also on display at the museum.)
The committee is also eyeing heritage protection for the ruins of the Barton reservoir — the first in the city — as well as the Ferguson pumping station, which pushed treated water to the downtown. Otherwise, it’s pretty rare for the committee to recommend protection for anything other than buildings, monuments or large structures. But to be clear, the proposal is not to give formal heritage designation to the manhole covers, said cultural heritage planner Chelsey Tyers.
Formal designation usually means legal limitations on how the owner can change the look of a designated structure without a heritage permit. Adding a structure to the heritage registry, by contrast, simply means city council must be notified 60 days before planned demolition or major physical change.
So, don’t expect anyone to hammer a bronze oval into the sidewalk near the Mulberry Street manhole. Also, don’t worry too much about someone pinching a suddenly famous manhole cover, despite Hamilton’s almost-aslong history of creative metal theft.
Water director Andrew Grice figures the utility covers could weigh in the ballpark of 145 kilograms, or more than 10 cinder blocks together.
Occasionally, heritage recognition of municipal infrastructure can create delays and extra costs. The city needs a heritage permit just to clean graffiti off the Thomas B. McQuesten (high-level) bridge, for example.
But because the manholes will not be formally designated, Grice said he is not expecting any problems. That’s good, he said, since the old utility covers hide shutoff valves for 70-year-old cast iron water mains that — while younger than their ancient manhole covers — will still likely need replacement at some point.
“We support the recognition, for sure,” he said. “But we didn’t really want a scenario that limited our ability to respond operationally.”