Access for all to heritage properties
What is going on with Ontario-owned heritage properties? First Doug Ford’s bulldozers came for the Dominion Foundry in Toronto. In Hamilton, Century Manor is in crisis. And now Chedoke, a Southam estate on the Niagara Escarpment also known as Balfour House, could end up privatized through a 17-year lease.
Chedoke is Hamilton’s last great escarpment estate. Owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, it’s managed, reluctantly, by the City of Hamilton. This week, councillors are set to ratify a proposal to lease it for private use. The bidder would get Chedoke rent-free. Public access would be restricted to weekdays before 4 p.m., until 2039.
Despite controversy over access, profitability and the sole-sourced unsolicited bid, city council looks set to effectively privatize Chedoke through a long-term lease. But is private, restricted use the only option for this publicly owned property?
One Balfour Drive is a prestigious address and place of legendary beauty: once the site of an Iroquois settlement, it’s a secluded, 1830s estate associated with Canada’s oldest media chain — and presides over acres of UNESCO biosphere reserve.
With its historic architecture and acres of green space, this stunning property is such a precious gift to us as Ontarians. It’s just too important to be put in private hands.
Tucked away on a cul-de-sac near Chedoke Falls, one of the area’s gorgeous ribbon waterfalls, the place is so out-of-the-way that Hamilton once forgot it exists. When it was mentioned in Vogue magazine, the general public no longer knew how to find it. But long lineups at Doors Open Hamilton earlier this month show there’s a huge amount of interest in this spectacular, Ontario-owned property.
The Southams generously donated their escarpment estate to the trust. Since the donor’s death in 2013, visitors have been restricted to family, conservation students and select members of the press. Although the last permanent resident died nine years ago, a sign on the front gates still reads, “NO TRESPASSING: This is a private residence and is not open to the public.”
Chedoke was the home of St. Clair Balfour III — philanthropist, Hamilton Spectator alum and grandson of news baron William Southam, who gave Chedoke to his only daughter, Ethel May. Balfour was a Trinity graduate, veteran and important fundraiser for the University of Toronto. The year after he became president of Southam, he worked with Robertson Davies to endow the Massey College William Southam Journalism Fellowships, named after his grandfather. Last month, Massey celebrated the 60th anniversary of these fellowships with a full day of festivities. The guest of honour, Nobel laureate Maria Ressa, attended the gala dinner via Zoom.
With Chedoke, transparency and timing of meetings (during COVID and Grey Cup Week) have presented serious difficulties for public engagement. The ward councillor was on leave for much of the process.
Since the unsolicited, sole-sourced bid in 2019, the city has been reactive — rather than developing its own, proactive vision for Chedoke. There are plenty of lovely, privately owned properties in the area. The proposed use, which would close the property for 17 years, isn’t a good fit for a publicly owned venue.
For such an incredible potential visitors’ attraction, privatizing Chedoke would be a missed opportunity.
Forgone revenue is another unknown. Some quick calculations suggest this property could generate significantly more revenue via events. Compare the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse, a heritage property that generates substantial revenue as an event space. Another comparable is the Billings Estate, owned by the City of Ottawa, and also located in a newer residential neighbourhood. This estate was broken up, but still sits on eight acres of green space. Like the Schoolhouse, it’s part museum, part wedding venue.
Lost revenue, lost public access — privatizing Chedoke seems like a good deal for the bidder; for Ontarians, not so much.
Seventeen years is a long time.
Final approval lies with Ontario Heritage Trust, but will they grant it?
Chedoke is an inspiring place that all Ontarians deserve access to. Let’s keep Chedoke public.