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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-15-034 - Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study REPORT TO: Planning & Strategic Initiatives Committee DATE OF MEETING: April 20, 2015 SUBMITTED BY: Alain Pinard, Director of Planning, 519-741-2200 ext. 7319 PREPARED BY: Leon Bensason, Coordinator, Cultural Heritage Planning, 519-741-2200 ext. 7306 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: March 20, 2015 REPORT NO.: CSD-15-034 SUBJECT: KITCHENER CULTURAL HERITAGE LANDSCAPE STUDY _____________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the findings and conclusions of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study (CHLS) dated December 2014 and prepared by The Landplan Collaborative Ltd., including the 55 areas identified in Appendix 4 and 6 of the CHLS as significant cultural heritage landscapes, be approved; and, That the Planning Division engage property owners and other stakeholders in proceeding with Phase Two of the CHL conservation process as outlined in Community Services report CSD-15-034. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In February 2014, the City commissioned a team of professional heritage consultants led by the Landplan Collaborative Ltd. to identify, evaluate and document significant cultural heritage landscapes (CHLs) in Kitchener. Under the guidance of a study team made up of representatives from the City, Region and Heritage Kitchener committee, and in consultation with the public, the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study (CHLS) identified 55 areas in the City as significant CHLs. On November 4, 2014 Heritage Kitchener endorsed the findings and conclusions of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study as outlined in report CSD-14-110. This report provides Council with an overview of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study approval of the study findings, conclusions, and the next steps to be taken by Planning Division staff in proceeding to work toward conserving significant CHLs in the City. *This information is available in accessible formats upon request. Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866- 969-9994 for assistance. 2 - 1 BACKGROUND: The completion of an inventory of significant CHLs in Kitchener was identified as a critical first step in responding to provincial, regional and municipal policy requirements on the conservation of significant CHLs. Consequently, the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study was identified as a divisional priority in the Corporate Business Plan for 2014-15. The study was undertaken by a team of consultants led by the Landplan Collaborative Ltd. In completing the study, the City joins only a handful of municipalities in Ontario to have completed a comprehensive inventory of significant cultural heritage landscapes. On November 4, 2014 Heritage Kitchener endorsed the findings and conclusions of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study as outlined in report CSD-14-110. REPORT: The Province of Ontario through the Provincial Policy Statement, requires that significant cultural heritage landscapes (CHLs) be conserved. In addition, the Regional Official Plan directs area municipalities to designate significant CHLs in their Official Plans and establish policies addressing the conservation of significant CHLs as a means of identifying cultural heritage resources and undertaking proper planning. As a result, the City must inventory significant CHLs; list them on the Municipal Heritage Register; identify them in the Kitchener Official Plan; and require that significant CHLs be conserved. Cultural Heritage Landscape A is defined in the Provincial Policy Statement (2014) as, d by human activity and is identified as having cultural heritage value or interest by a community, including an Aboriginal community. The area may involve features such as structures, spaces, archaeological sites or natural elements that are valued together for their Examples of cultural heritage landscapes include but are not limited to heritage conservation districts, parks, cemeteries, trailways, neighbourhoods and industrial complexes. Staff report CSD-14- overview of the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study, including reporting on the study parameters and process, evaluation and public engagement methods, and study results, conclusions and recommendations. Study Purpose The purpose of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study is to identify, evaluate, inventory and map significant CHLs in the City of Kitchener. Direction on the study methodology was taken from the Regional Implementation Guidelines for Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation. The Regional implementation guidelines were endorsed by Regional Council in August 2013, to serve as a policy tool providing 2 - 2 detailed guidance in the application of ROP policies, and in this case, direction to area municipalities on how to proactively identify, document and conserve significant CHLs. It is important to note that the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study serves to inventory only establish an . Approval of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape not Study will in itself designate property under the Ontario Heritage Act or place establish a more complete picture and understanding of cultural heritage resources that are of value to the community and confirms answers to the following key questions: What properties and areas in Kitchener are significant CHLs? Where are they located? Why are they of cultural heritage value or significance? Establishing an inventory of significant CHLs is an important first step in a three-phased CHL conservation process. Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation Process Inventory CHLs Inform PARTS Central Identify CHL Plan &Intensification boundaries Study Evaluate significance Public and Stakeholder Monitor and conserve & document Engagement CHLs through the attributes List CHLs on MHR heritage review process Determine Regional Identify CHLs in OP interest Determine CHL priorities & Implement preferred recommend conservation conservation options in options for priority priority order, as CHLs in an Action Plan directed by Council Completed 2015-2017 Community Engagement Phase One - CHL Study The Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study was undertaken in two parts.Part one involved reviewing candidate areas; undertaking historical research and field 2 - 3 surveys; seeking community input; and shortlisting CHLs for further evaluation. Part two involved evaluating short-listed CHLs using criteria consistent with the Regional implementation guidelines; identifying the cultural heritage value, attributes and boundary of each CHL; further public engagement and consultation; and making specific recommendations and conclusions. The study identified and documented 55 significant CHLs in the following categories or types: Residential Neighbourhoods - 12 CHLs o Parks, Natural Areas and Other Public/Private Open Space - 7 CHLs o Transportation Corridors and Streetscapes - 17 CHLs o Institutional Landscapes - 3 CHLs o Commercial, Industrial and Retail Landscapes - 2 CHLs o Agricultural Landscapes - 3 CHLs o Residential/Estate - 3CHLs o Cemeteries - 7 CHLs o Grand River Valley Landscapes - 1 CHL o In addition to identifying 55 significant CHLs, a number of other conclusions and recommendations were made in the study, including most notably: that four additional areas of the city besubject to research and evaluation to o determine if they warrant identification as significant CHLs; and, that the City give priority to the conservation of significant CHLs identified in o older residential neighbourhoods, including developing design guidelines to assist property owners in addressing on-going maintenance and improvement of heritage property. The study was very well received by the public, with positive comments and feedback provided at two public meetings and in a survey / questionnaire. Prior to the study being considered by Heritage Kitchener, three property owners raised some concern or objection with significant CHLs identified as the Warehouse District, Downtown, Westmount Golf Course and Doon Presbyterian Church Cemetery.City staff met or communicated with each party in an effort to address and resolve their concerns (see Community Engagement section of the report). A digital copy of the full Cultural Heritage Landscape Study is available for view and download on the following webpage:www.kitchener.ca/chls. The study includes the results of an online public questionnaire/survey (Appendix 4); a copy of the evaluation matrix used in identifying the significance of each significant CHL(Appendix 5); and a more detailed boundary and written description of the cultural heritage value of each significant CHL(Appendix 6). 2 - 4 Phase Two CHL Strategy Phase Two of the CHL conservation process would see City staff apply some of the information from the CHL Study to inform current Planning initiatives, and address Regional and City policy requiring that significant CHLs be prioritized, identified in the Official Plan, and listed on the Municipal Heritage Register. In addition, as part of an overall CHL Strategy, anAction Plan would be prepared recommending specific conservation options for priority significant CHLs. CHL Study to inform other Planning initiatives The Kitchener CHL Study was prepared in 2014, in part to position the City to inform other major Planning studies and initiatives scheduled for 2015-16. Information on areas and attributes of cultural heritage landscape significance may assist staff in efforts related to planning around rapid transit station areas (PARTS), and in particular work on the PARTS: Central Plan which is currently underway. Similarly, theCHL study may in addressing residential intensification in established neighbourhoods. Of the 55 significant CHLs identified in the study, 25 significant CHLs are located within the Kitchener central neighbourhood area. Significant CHLs to be prioritized In order to make best use of City resources and apply efforts where they are most needed and effective, some order of priority should be assigned to the 55 significant CHLs identified in the CHL Study.Significant CHLs assigned a higher priority would benefit most from conservation measures being applied sooner than significant CHLs having a lower priority. Work on assigning priorities would consider: the feedback and input received from the public through the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study, including the questionnaire and survey results; the specific recommendations made by the consultant team as identified in the Findings and Conclusions section of the CHL Study; if the significant CHL is currently afforded any heritage status or protection through designation or listing; and, whether the significant CHL is currently experiencing or is expected to experience negative impacts from various factors of change such as development or intensification. It should be noted that some of the 55 significant CHLs identified may only need to be monitored as they do not require new, additional or updated conservation measures (e.g. a designated property where cultural heritage landscape significance and attributes are already adequately addressed). Staff recommendations regarding CHL priorities would be discussed and reviewed with Heritage Kitchener before being presented to Council. 2 - 5 Identification of Significant CHLs in OP and Listing on MHR to be considered by Council As part of Phase Two, anamendment to the Official Plan would be drafted consideration, and would serve to identify the 55 significant CHLs on Map 9 of the new Official Plan (Cultural Heritage Resources). The identification of significant CHLs in the Official Plan is a policy directive of both the Regional Official Plan and the new Kitchener Official Plan. A report addressing the listing of significant CHLs on the Municipal Heritage Register in accordance with the new Official Plan would also be drafted for Council consideration. City staff would conduct more public engagement in outlining the potential implications of listing significant CHLs, including how heritage review at a landscape scale could apply where development, site alteration or infrastructure projects negatively impact CHL attributes and identified heritage resources. Preparation of an Action Plan recommending conservation options for priority CHLs Finally,in consultation with Heritage Kitchener and key stakeholders, an Action Plan would be prepared, recommending specific conservation options for priority significant CHLs.Examples of possible conservation options are identified in the Implementation discussion below. The Action Plan would also consider the recommendation to examine other areas of the city as potential significant CHLs, in making recommendations on how Council may wish to proceed. Phase 3 - Implementation The third and final phase of the CHL conservation process involves monitoring and conserving significant CHLs through the existing heritage review process; and implementing preferred conservation options for priority significant CHLs, as directed by Council. Once a significant CHL has been identified in the Official Plan and listed on the Municipal Heritage Register, proposed development, site alteration and infrastructure projects will be reviewed to determine whether the cultural heritage resources and attributes of the significant CHL are being conserved. Heritage review at a landscape scale and mitigation measures may be required where impacts are identified. Phase Three would also see the City initiate work on implementing the preferred conservation options for priority significant CHLs, as directed by Council.Such work would consider the priority assigned to significant CHLs; possible financial and resource implications; and have to be scheduled into the heritage planning work plan. There are a number of strategies that may be used in conserving significant CHLs. The most effective strategy reflects an appropriate level of heritage conservation desired by the municipality, property owners and the broader community, and includes provincially 2 - 6 legislated tools under the Ontario Heritage Act and Planning Act. Several examples are outlined in the table below: Ontario Heritage Act Planning Act Part IV designation of an individual Identification and designation of property.significant CHLs in the Official Plan and related OP policy. Part V designation of a Heritage Conservation District.Implementation of recommendations from special studies such as Heritage Conservation easement agreements. Impact Assessments, Conservation Listing of a significant CHL on the Plans and Scenic Corridor Management Municipal Heritage Register as an Plans. individual or grouping of non-designated Area design guidelines. properties. Provisions through implementing zoning, site plan control and subdivision agreements. The most appropriate conservation strategy for any given significant CHL may include one or a combination of conservation tools, and not all tools may be appropriate or effective depending on a number of considerations. The location, size and type of significant CHL; the attributes that contribute to establishing value and significance; and the feedback received from property owners and other stakeholders, are all factors that will be considered in recommending a preferred conservation option to Council. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The identification, evaluation and documentation of significant CHLs in Kitchener supports the Quality of Life Community Priority of the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan by establishing greater public appreciation and understanding of cultural heritage resources and protecting cultural heritage resources through the employment of various forms of conservation practice. The Cultural Heritage Landscape Study also supports the Development Community Priority to ensure that the conservation of identified cultural heritage resources is addressed in reviewing development applications and planning for infrastructure improvements. Efforts to conserve significant CHLs in Kitchener are also closely tied to establishing and maintaining vibrant neighbourhoods, which is a focus of the comprehensive neighbourhood strategy, and which is likely to be identified as a community priority in the upcoming update to the strategic plan. 2 - 7 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study was completed within the budget established from an existing Capital account. City staff would complete the next phase (Phase Two) in-house. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM, CONSULT & COLLABORATE Considerable efforts were made to engage and inform the public, neighbourhood groups and other key stakeholders in regard to the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study (also referred to as Historic Places Kitchener in some communication).These efforts included hosting two public information meetings; developing a dedicated webpage where answers to FAQs and presentation materials were made available; seeking comment through a questionnaire and survey; and placing advertisements in local newspapers. City staff and the consultant team also collaborated with the public by using the information and feedback received, particularly from the survey and questionnaire, in identifying and evaluating significant CHLs and in making specific study recommendations. More information on these and other engagement efforts are described in the Community Engagement section of CSD-14- this report. While the majority of the feedback received regarding the study was very positive, four objections were raised by the end of the study process (including discussion at the November 4, 2014 Heritage Kitchener Committee meeting): The Westmount Golf and Country Club submitted a formal response from its Board of Directors requesting that the Westmount golf course be removed from the inventory of cultural heritage landscapes. The basis of the objection relates to the view that the Board of Directors should have sole control over the future of the property. Two property owners expressed concern with the identification of the Downtown as asignificant CHL. One of the same property owners also expressed a concern with the identification of the Warehouse District as a significant CHL. The basis of the concern from both property owners was that such identification could impact redevelopment potential and infringe on private property owner rights. Both property owners referenced that they own property that Council resolved not to add to the Municipal Heritage Register. 2 - 8 Correspondence was received from the Pastor of the Doon Presbyterian Church in Cemetery as a significant CHL, and that such status might encumber the future use of the cemetery and burden the congregation with unforeseen costs or regulation. These objections were considered by the study and consultant teams, and the opinion remained that the above referenced significant CHLs meet the criteria for being identified as significant CHLs, contribute to the culture of the City, and should continue to be identified as significant CHLs in the study. Prior to the CHL Study being considered by Heritage Kitchener, staff met or corresponded with those who expressed a concern with the recommendations of the CHL Study. Staff explained why these areas should continue to be identified in the study, citing the significance of the respective sites and that the conservation of significant cultural heritage resources is a matter of provincial interest that requires the municipality to balance the rights of property owners with objectives that are in the broader community and public interest. Further, staff advised that the objective of the CHL Study is to establish an inventory only, and that how significant CHLs should be conserved would be the subject of further consultation and study, that should reflect the combined level of heritage conservation desired by the municipality, the public and property owners. Letters of objection from the Westmount Golf Course Board of Directors and Doon Presbyterian Church received following the original circulation of staff report CSD-14- 110, are included in Bto this report. The minutes of the November 4, 2014 meeting of Heritage Kitchener, where delegations spoke both in favour and against some of the study recommendations, are attached in . A final copy of this staff report has been emailed to all individuals, neighbourhood the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study. This includes the individuals and groups who submitted correspondence or appeared as delegations at Heritage Kitchener in favour and in opposition to some of the study recommendations. This report, together with a link to a digital copy of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study, advance of the committee meeting. CONCLUSION While we tend to think of heritage as individual assets, our cultural heritage resources are in fact interwoven into the fabric of our communities, and need to be considered in a broader cultural, community and landscape context. embodied not only in its buildings, but also in the open spaces, commercial and industrial districts, cemeteries, whole neighbourhoods and other landscapes that are rich history, culture and identity. 2 - 9 The 55 significant CHLs identified in the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study provide important information about, and opportunities for, understanding the peoples, events, processes and activities that have shaped, and are continuing to shape Kitchener. In identifying significant cultural heritage landscapes, the City is taking the first but critical step toward conserving those places and spaces that help to instill civic pride, foster a sense of community, contribute toward tourism and stimulate the local economy through investment and building activity. Perhaps most importantly, these our significant CHLs are the places and spaces that tell story. REVIEWED BY: Brandon Sloan, Manager of Long Range & Policy Planning ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy CAO, Community Services Department Appendices: CSD-14-110 (staff report regarding CHL Study to November 4, 2014 meeting of Heritage Kitchener). Correspondence received following circulation of CSD-14-110 Minutes of the November 4, 2014 meeting of Heritage Kitchener. A digital copy of the CHL Study is available for view and download on the following webpage: www.kitchener.ca/chls.Limited hard copies of the study are also available for th view within the Planning Division, on the 6 floor of Kitchener City Hall (200 King Street West, Kitchener). 2 - 10 REPORT TO: Heritage Kitchener Committee DATE OF MEETING: November 4, 2014 SUBMITTED BY: Brandon Sloan, Manager of Long Range & Policy Planning,519- 741-2200 x7648 PREPARED BY: LeonBensason, Coordinator, Cultural Heritage Planning, 519-741- 2200 x7306 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: October 15, 2014 REPORT NO.: CSD-14-110 SUBJECT: Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study _____________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the findings andconclusions of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study datedOctober 2014 and prepared by The Landplan Collaborative Ltd., beendorsed by Heritage Kitchener. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Province of Ontario requires that significant Cultural Heritage Landscapes (CHLs) be conserved. In addition, the Regional Official Plan directs area municipalities to designate CHLs in their Official Plans and establish conservation policies. As a result, the City must inventory significant landscapes; list them on the Municipal Heritage Register;identify them in the Kitchener Official Plan; and require that significant CHLs be conserved. The City of Kitchener is progressive and widely recognized for its policies and programs to conserve cultural heritage resources.In response to the provincial, regional and municipal policy direction, the completion of an inventory of significant CHLs was identified as a divisional priority in the Corporate Business Plan for 2014-15. The City commissioned a team of professional heritage consultants led by the The Landplan Collaborative Ltd. to identify, evaluate and document significant CHLs in Kitchener. Under the guidance of a study team made up of representatives from the City, Region and Heritage Kitchener committee, and in consultation with the public, the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study (CHLS) has identified 55 significant CHLs. A Cultural Heritage Landscape (CHL) is adefined geographical area that may have been modified by human activity and is identified as having cultural heritage value or interest by a community, including an Aboriginal community. The area may involve features such as structures, spaces, archaeological sites or . (PPS 2014) 2 - 11 BACKGROUND: The proposal to initiate a study to identify CHLs in Kitchener was introduced to Heritage Kitchener in May 2012. In 2013, terms of reference for the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study were prepared, and in November 2013 Heritage Kitchener/Council appointed 2 members of the Committee to the Study Team. Staff have provided verbal updates to Heritage Kitchener throughout 2014, including making a presentation about the study at the September th 30 Heritage Kitchener meeting. REPORT: The City of Kitchener has a diverse range of cultural heritage resources that provide an important means of defining local identity, enhancing the quality of life of the community, and supporting and promoting economic prosperity. The City, through its policies and programs, is committed to conserving cultural heritage resources including cultural heritage landscapes. Policy Context The conservation of significant features of cultural interest is identified under the Planning Act as a matter of provincial interest. Section 2.0 of the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS, 2014) -being depend in part on conserving cultural heritage resources. In this regard, Policy 2.6.1 of the PPS requires that significant built heritage resources and significant cultural heritage landscapes be conserved. A Cultural Heritage Landscape (CHL), as defined in the PPS, is adefined geographical area that may have been modified by human activity and is identified as having cultural heritage value or interest by a community, including an Aboriginal community. The area may involve features such as structures, spaces, archaeological sites or natural elements that are valued together for their interrelationship, meaning oExamples of CHLs include, but are not limited to, heritage conservation districts, parks, cemeteries, trailways, neighbourhoods and industrial complexes to name a few. Bridgeport bridge and the Walter Bean Trail adjacent the Grand River 2 2 - 12 of built heritage resources, cultural heritage landscapes and archaeological resources in a manner that ensures their cultural heritage value or interest is retained under the Ontario Heritage Act. The Regional Official Plan (ROP) adopted by Regional Council in 2009 contains specific policies to ensure that CHLs will be conserved within the Region. This includes the policy directive that area municipalities designate CHLs in their Official Plans and establish associated policies to conserve such areas. In 2013, the Region of Waterloo prepared an Implementation Guideline for Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation. The implementation guideline is a policy tool that provides detailed guidance in the application of ROP policies, and in this case, direction to area municipalities on how to proactively identify, document and recognize CHLs through their designation in local area official plans, as required under the ROP. In compliance with the ROP, the new Kitchener Official Plan adopted by City Council in June 2014, includes policies to ensure the conservation of cultural heritage resources (including CHLs) which reflect and contribute to the history, identity and character of Kitchener. These policies include: that the City will develop, prioritize and maintain a list of cultural heritage resources which will include the following: a) properties listed as non-designated properties of cultural heritage value or interest on the Municipal Heritage Register, b) properties designated under Part IV and V of the Ontario Heritage Act, c) cultural heritage landscapes, and d) heritage corridors; (Policy 12.C.1.3); that the City, in cooperation with the Region and the Municipal Heritage Committee (MHC), will identify, inventory and list on the Municipal Heritage Register, cultural heritage landscapes in the city (Policy 12.C.1.8); that cultural heritage landscapes will be identified on Map 9 in accordance with the Regional Official Plan and the Official Plan, and that Map 9, may be revised without the need for an Official Plan Amendment at such time as cultural heritage landscapes are identified (Policy 12.C.1.9); and, that the City will require the conservation of significant cultural heritage landscapes within the city. (Policy 12.C.1.10) The Ontario Heritage Act provides a framework for the conservation of properties and geographic features or areas that are valued for the contribution they make to our understanding and appreciation of a place, an event or people. In 2005, the Act was strengthened to provide municipalities and the province with enhanced powers to conserve -designated property of cultural heritage value or interest on the municipal heritage register.The municipal heritage register is the official list or record of cultural heritage properties and resources that have been 3 2 - 13 identified as being important to the community. The task of each municipality to identify, evaluate and conserve cultural heritage resources begins with compiling an inventory of properties and resources that have lasting cultural heritage value or interest to the community. Since 2005, the City ofKitchener has focused considerable effort on formally identifying and listing built heritage resources that are of significant cultural heritage value or interest. Until now, no comprehensive inventory hasbeen undertaken of CHLslocated in Kitchener. Cultural Heritage Landscape Study Parameters The purpose of the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study is to identify, evaluate, inventory and map significant CHLs in the City of Kitchener. Direction on how to proceed with the process was taken from the Regional Implementation Guidelines for Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation. A project steering committee made up of a study team, consultation group and consulting team was established to provide direction in terms of defining and interpreting the goals and objectives of the study; in determining the level of detail necessary to make the cultural landscape descriptions useful and meaningful; and in undertaking the work to complete the study. The study team provided advice and direction to the consulting team and was made up of heritage planning staff from the City of Kitchener, the Cultural Heritage Specialist from the Region of Waterloo, and two members of the Heritage Kitchener Committee. The consultation group was established to provide input and comment at key stages of the study process and included representatives from Planning, Development Engineering, Transportation Planning, Operations, Information Technology, as well as Communications and Marketing. A Resource Planner from the Grand River Conservation Authority was also part of the consultation group. The Landplan Collaborative Ltd., assisted by Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects, and Archaeological Services Inc., had the task of completing the study which was done in two phases, as follows: Phase OnePhase Two Review list of preliminary candidate Evaluate short-listed CHLs using criteria CHLs identified by staffconsistent with Regional Implementation Guidelines Undertake historical research and conduct field surveysIdentify cultural heritage value,attributes and boundary of each CHL Seek community input through a public engagement processDocument CHLs throughphotographs Shortlist candidate CHLs for further Further public engagement and evaluation in Phase Two.consultation Conclude by identifying significant CHLs Study Process Prior to the initiation of the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study, heritage planning staff identified 57 sites in Kitchener as possible candidate areas worthy of further investigation. These areas were identified based on C 4 2 - 14 resources in the city. The list included open space areas such as parks and golf courses; residential estates; transportation corridors such as scenic roads; and larger areas that contain a full range or concentration of resources that have previously been identified as being of interest from a CHL perspective, such as the area traditionally known as the warehouse district and existing heritage conservation districts. The Regional Implementation Guidelines for Cultural Heritage Landscape Conservation require that landscapes be classified into historical themes. Eleven historical themes are referenced in the guidelines including Pioneer Settlement, Agriculture, Industry & Commerce and Transportation to name a few.These themes were refined by the consulting team to address Kitchener specific conditions by adding Early Residential Development to the thematic classification, in recognition of the cultural contribution of several older residential neighbourhoods to the character of the city. Following extensive fieldwork, historic research and public engagement, the consulting team proceeded to evaluate the significance of the 57 candidate sites using criteria consistent with the regional implementation guidelines and the PPS definition of a CHL. Specifically, the evaluation measured significance based on indicators of cultural heritage value or interest; historical integrity; community value; and finally Regional significance. Study Results The work resulted in the refinement of the list of candidates and the identification and documentation of 55 sites as being significant CHLs, as listed in Appendix of this report (and shown on the map included in Appendix 4 of the CHL Study). The 55 sites are identified under the following categories or types of CHLs: Residential Neighbourhoods - 12 CHLs Parks, Natural Areas and Other Public/Private Open Space - 7 CHLs Transportation Corridors and Streetscapes - 17 CHLs Institutional Landscapes - 3 CHLs Commercial, Industrial and Retail Landscapes - 2 CHLs Agricultural Landscapes - 3 CHLs Residential/Estate - 3 CHLs Cemeteries - 7 CHLs Grand River Valley Landscapes - 1 CHL Of the 55 CHLs identified, 10 sites have moderate value or significance; 23 sites have considerable value or significance; and 22 sites have considerable value and Regional significance. In accordance with the methodology identified in the regional implementation guidelines, CHLs scoring in 4 or more criteria under the heading Criteria for Regional Significance were identified as having considerable value and Regional significance. CHLs identified as having moderate value generally scored in fewer categories and criteria than those withconsiderable value. A copy of the evaluation matrix is provided in Appendix5 of the study, and a more detailed boundary and description of the cultural heritage value or significance of each CHL,is provided in the data sheets in Appendix 6 of the study. 5 2 - 15 Additional Study Findings and Conclusions Theconsulting team also identified a number of other recommendations and next steps within the Findings and Conclusions section of the study. These include: the identification of other areas in the city meriting future examination and evaluation for potential significance as a CHL; recommended improvements to the evaluation of residential neighbourhoods, particularly in relation to the regional criteria; consideration of developing design guidelines as a conservation tool for older residential neighbourhoods; continuing the C, protecting urban forest areas, and of assembling public open space land along the ; investing in telling the heritage story of several of the CHLs identified in the study; understanding that maintenance of the CHL inventory is a continuing process, and that some priority should be given to developing a more complete inventory of residential neighbourhoods, landscapes associated with the .Grand River corridor, and the remaining agricultural areas within the city; making the information contained in the CHL study publicly accessible; and, usingthe inventory as a planning tool in the assessment and management of CHLs, to include listing significant CHLs on the municipal heritage register, identification in the official plan, as well as consideration of other conservation tools and practice in consultation with property owners and the public. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The identification, evaluation and documentation of significant CHLs in Kitchener supports the Quality of Life Community Priority of the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan by establishing a greater public appreciation and understanding of cultural heritage resources and protecting cultural heritage resources through the employment of various forms of conservation practice. The Cultural Heritage Landscape Study also supports the Development Community Priority to ensure that the conservation of identified cultural heritage resources is addressed in reviewing development applications and planning for infrastructure improvements. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The study was completed within the budget established from an existing Capital account. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM and CONSULT: In order to determine the understanding and appreciation of CHLs and generate public interest and input, several engagement tools were utilized throughout the study. A webpage was created specifically for the study and contained information on the study goals and objectives, FAQs, notice of public information meeting dates, and copies of presentation materials. A brochure providing information on the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study was printed and made available at community centres, the Kitchener public library and at city hall. 6 2 - 16 Posters advertising the date and time of public information meetings were also circulated. Two public information meetings were held. The first public meeting was onJune 11, 2014 andincludeddiscussion on the study objectives;what constitutes a cultural heritage landscape; the variety of heritage resources that exist within candidate cultural heritage landscapes; and how the public can provide input and feedback throughout the study process. The second public meeting held on September 11, 2014described the outcome of the CHL evaluation process and the significance of each of the 55 CHLsidentified. Both meetings were advertised in The Record, local community newspapers, information meetings were well attended and featured a formal presentation, display panels and a question and answer session. Notice of the study process, public meeting dates and ways in which to provide input and feedback was sent by e-mail to various community and interest groups including all neighbourhood associations, First Nations representatives, the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, and property owners who asked to be put on a mailing list. A number of private property owners who own property identified as an individual property of interest in the study (e.g. estate residential, institutional properties, etc.) were also circulated information by mail. The questionnaire asked respondents to rank their top ten CHLs; to identify sites they believe should be added to the list of candidates; and to expand on what they value in a CHL. Sixty- three responses were received on-line with several others submitted at the public meeting. See Appendix 3 of the study for the online results of the questionnaire. Of the general comments received, the overwhelming majority were positive and responded favorably to the study objective of identifying and conserving CHLs. While the majority of the feedback received regarding the study was very positive, two objections were raised as follows: The Westmount Golf and Country Club submitted a formal response from its Board of Directors requesting that the Westmount golf course be removed from the inventory of cultural heritage landscapes. The basis of the objection related to the view that the Board of Directors should have sole control over the future of the property; and, Objection over the identification of parts of the downtown and in particular the warehouse district, was identified by the owner of the Huck Glove property on Victoria Street South in the warehouse district, who expressed concern that such identification would impact redevelopment potential and infringe on private property owner rights. Both objections were considered and discussed by the study team and consulting team. The opinion remained that the golf course, downtown and warehouse districts are important to the culture of Kitchener and meet the criteria for being identified as significant CHLs. 7 2 - 17 Staff responded to both parties to explain why these areas should continue to be identified in the study, citing the significance of the respective sites as identified in the study, and that the conservation of significant cultural heritage resources is a matter of provincial interest that requires the municipality to balance the rights of property owners with objectives that are in the broader community and public interest. Further, staff advised that the objective of this study is to establish an inventory only. How CHLs identified in the study should be conserved will be the subject of further study and should reflect the combined level of heritage conservation desired by the municipality, the public and property owners. A summary of the comments received online to the questionnaire, and a copy of the correspondence with the Westmount Golf and Country Club are to this report. In addition to there being two members of the Heritage Kitchener Committee represented on the study team, City staff provided regular updates to Heritage Kitchener regarding the study and its findings. This staff report and a link to the Cultural Heritage Landscape Study document were posted on the Cultural Heritage Landscape Spage with the th November 4 Heritage Kitchener agenda, in advance of the Heritage Kitchener meeting date. CONCLUSION: In order to generate a more complete needs to expand its knowledge base beyond the recognition of built and individual heritage resources to the identification and protection of important CHLs. In completing an inventory of significant CHLs in Kitchener, the City will establish a more complete picture and understanding of the cultural heritage resources that are of value to the community and may be deserving of some form of conservation. It is important to note that the purpose of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study is one of establishing an inventory only. The study in itself will not designate property or impose restrictions. Rather, the study provides a starting point from which theCity will continue to engage with property owners and the public on how significant CHLs in Kitchener should be conserved in recognition of the It is the recommendation of Heritage Planning staff that the findings and conclusions of the Kitchener CHL endorsement, staff would proceed to prepare a report to City Council to be considered in 2015, ance of the Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study and direction on moving forward in identifying priorities and appropriate conservation strategies. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Brandon Sloan on behalf ofAlain Pinard, Director of Planning Appendices: Listing of the 55 significant CHLs identified in the CHL study. Public comments received online to the questionnaire and correspondence with the Westmount Golf and Country Club. Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study and appendices dated October 2014 prepared by The Landplan Collaborative Ltd.- available for view and download at www.kitchener.ca/chls. 8 2 - 18 Appendix: Listing of the 55 Significant CHLs Identified in the CHLStudy See Appendix 4 of the CHL Study at www.kitchener.ca/chlsto view corresponding map AGRICULTURE L-AGR-1 Woolner Farmstead L-AGR-2 500 Stauffer Drive L-AGR-3 Steckle Homestead CEMETERIES L-CE-1 First Mennonite Cemetery L-CE2 Mount Hope Cemetery L-CE-3 Doon Presbyterian Church & Biehn-Kinzie Family Cemetery L-CE-4 L-CE-5 Strasburg Lutheran Pioneer Cemetery L-CE-6 Bridgeport Free Church & Memorial Cemeteries L-CE-7 Woodland Cemetery COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL & RETAIL L-COM-1 Warehouse District L-COM-2 Downtown GRAND RIVER L-GRC-1 Grand River Corridor INSTITUTIONAL L-INS-1 Freeport Hospital L-INS-2 Civic District L-INS-3 RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOODS L-NBR-1 Caryndale Neighbourhood L-NBR-2 Civic Centre Neighbourhood HCD L-NBR-3 Onward Avenue Neighbourhood 2 - 19 L-NBR-4 Pandora Neighbourhood L-NBR-5 L-NBR-6 Upper Doon HCD L-NBR-7 Victoria Park Neighbourhood L-NBR-8 Westmount East & West Neighbourhood L-NBR-9 L-NBR-10 Cedar Hill Neighbourhood L-NBR-11 Central Frederick Neighbourhood L-NBR-12 Mount Hope/Breithaupt/Gildner/Gruhn Neighbourhood PARKS & PUBLIC OPEN SPACE L-OPS-1 Pioneer Tower West L-OPS-2 Huron Natural Area L-OPS-3 Chicopee L-OPS-4 Westmount Golf Course L-OPS-5 Victoria Park L-OPS-6 Rockway Neighbourhood, Gardens & Golf Course L-OPS-7 Doon Golf Course TRANSPORTATION L-RD-1 Dodge Drive L-RD2 Doon Village Road L-RD-3 Groh Drive L-RD-4 Hidden Valley Road L-RD-5 Huron Road L-RD-6 Jubilee Drive L-RD-7 Mill Park Drive L-RD-8 Pioneer Tower Road & Lookout Lane L-RD-9 Plains Road L-RD-10 Reidel Drive L-RD-11 Stauffer Drive L-RD-12 Tilt Drive 2 - 20 L-RD-13 Trussler Road L-RD-14 Union Street & Union Boulevard L-RR-15 Canadian National Railway Line L-TRL-16 Iron Horse Trail L-TRL-17 Walter Bean Trail RESIDENTIAL / ESTATE L-RES-1 Homer Watson House L-RES-2 Sims Estate L-RES-3 Woodside Homestead 2 - 21 AppendixB:Public Comments Received Onlineto the Questionnaire and Correspondence with the Westmount Golf & Country Club Public Comments Received Online to the Questionnaire Q. Are there other cultural heritage landscapes of significance that you feel should be h added tote list of candidate sites already identified? Why? For example, does it help to tell the history of your community? Is it notable due to its design or physical form? Does it create a sense of place? 1.Test I feel the grand river trail is important and under threat by recent development. A good example is the area along Zeller drive. This was 2.formerly agricultural/ forrested and now is flanked by houses. It is hard to enjoy this trail when you can see into people's back windows. A terrible loss. The Uniroyal factory, formerly Dominion Tire, on Strange Street should be added. Designed by Albert Kahn and built in 1912, the work done there was responsible for Kitchener becoming the "Rubber Capital of Canada. For background documentation, please consult "Rieder Rubber and 3. Romance : How Kitchener became the Rubber Capital of Canada" by Susan Mavor. An e-version has been forwarded to Rod MacDonald at Landplan and Leon Bensason, VCity of Kitchener Are there early first nations landscapes that should be recognized and/or 4.early settlement landscapes (Bridgeport, Lower Doon,etc.. Those pieces of the story seem to be missing. The homes around the KPL -it is where the founding fathers of Berlin lived. 5. Possibly look at sections of Bridgeport or along the Grand River. 6.Freeport Bridge 1021 Doon Village Road > birthplace of artist Homer Watson (near Tilt 7. Drive) Joseph Schneider Haus on Queen Street; although it's re-created Doon Heritage Village; the Kaufman Footwear building; Krug Furniture building; VIA rail station (what will happen to the train station when the transit hub is 8. relocated to King and Victoria?). The jog in Queen Street at King Street - don't ever let the transportation planners try to straighten this out by demolishinga building or two. Courtland/Queen intersection ... homes, rowhouses, Bread and Roses co- 9. op Peoples places who are/were important to the growth and heritage of 10. Kitchener Waterloo. How 'bout Shirk Place in Bridgeport (incl the part above Woolwich)? Or 11. Laurel Creek through Bridgeport? Or Macville Ave? 12.Unsure. 2 - 22 Kind Edward school and neigbourhood. Historic school and surrounding 13. houses Conestoga College WLU 14. UofW WLU St. Jeromes Pearl Place/Scott Street/Irvin Street: this is a little pocket of very old houses, some traditional Berlin vernacular homes, on very quiet streets close to downtown. In the case of Pearl Place, it's a dead end, and half the street has already been knocked down for a development. Irvin is one-way, kind of 15. out of the way and forgotten, with both single-family dwellings and rental properties. It has low-income housing and higher-end homes. It has a history, and at least one resident who is now in her late 80s who was born on the street and still lives there. Q. Do you have any information or personal stories that would explain why you value any of the candidate sites listed above? 1.test I am a mason that worked on several of the sites listed. I specializein stone 2. and restoration. For background regarding the Westmount neighbourhood-one of Canada's first "planned subdivisions"-please consult "Westmount: The Tie that Binds 3.the Twin Cities" by Susan Mavor. A PDF version of this book has been forwardedto Rod MacDonald at Landplan and Leon Bensason, City of Kitchener. I liked the idea of a document like a coffee table book that showcases the cities landscapes. Perhaps a future project would be to create such a book 4. working with local historians. Connecting the tangible elements in the landscapes with real people and their stories. I just love Woodside and feel that we do not celebrate the City's (and 5. Region's) political history enough. I value the history of downtown Berlin / Kitchener. Walper hotel & stories of 6. the days of prohibition told by elders from the community. Some of the sites I chose because I believe they are most at risk from development, benign neglect, or intentional neglect (i.e. Woodside National Historic Site). Shameon this community and indeed the entire country for 7. not uttering more than a whimper when the Federal government closed the property; the Region should step forward and fund/operate it at the level it deserves. History is a big thing to me. You need to know where you came from and what your family or people did before you. It's needs to be saved for our 8. children and children's children to know what people had to go through to get top where we are today. Caryndale, aside from the fact that the topography is virtually unaltered, has interesting stories. All the houses are different and many have their original 9. owners, others house second and third generation inhabitants. Many of the Caryndale inhabitants are members of the Carmel New Church and the 2 - 23 settlement is built around the church. The church building was recognized by architects for its unusual style. It is both visually and culturally unique; developed over an approximately 40 year period one house at a time and as an intentional community. Although it is fairly recent (1960s) as a community, its roots are in kitchener in the C19th. 10.Simply the most culture, history and beauty in some of these areas. Caryndale Neighbourhood (L-NBR-2) is of significance to me because I was raised inthe community of Caryndale and went to the private school here - The Carmel New Church School. This neighbourhood is a religious 11.community and represents something very special in Kitchener. It is unusual and quite neat to have a community that was built around a church and school. I would love to see this area conserved because I believe it has significant cultural heritage. I have lived in Caryndale since my parents built their home at the top of Chapel Hill Drive in 1969. For several years before that, we grew a large plot of potatoes on their lot, which did wonderfully in the rich but sandy soil. 12. Caryndale has a unique "country in the city" atmosphere that is instantly felt by all who come here. The history of how this community was established is fascinating and worth preserving. With regards to #2 -Residential Neighbourhood - 13. http://www.carmelnewchurch.org/about.html I have the pleasure of living with my young family in Caryndale. There is a 14.great sense of community in the neighbourhood . We love the large lots and access to the nearby Caryndale woods. I grew up in Caryndale until my 20s. A year and a half ago my wife, two boys and I moved back to Caryndale and into the house I grew up in. This is 15.a great neighbourhood to raisechildren. It was built around the church and many of us still believe in the uses of a community like this one. It is number one on my list by far. I spent the first 25 years of my life in the community of Caryndale. It's such a unique area in Kitchener-Waterloo, with the incredibly individualized homes and twisting and hilly roads. Many of my high school friends who grew up outside of Caryndale, knew of it well and shared in reminiscing 16.about visiting the park or outside basketball court or even just going for a peaceful, quite walk or bike ride around "the figure-eight," as we called it. It is also a friendly neighbourhood. Everyone waves to everyone, even if you don't know them. There's nothing quite like this community in KW from my experience exploring our city. The caryndale neighborhood demonstrates a time when the land was valued and respected for what it was. Homes were built with the natural shape of the land and each home was unique to the family who built it. It 17.also has large properties and beautiful greenery and trees. This neighborhood is in stark contrast to the generic neighborhoods that are built now. The caryndale neighborhood is an important part of this city's cultural heritage. 18.Since I live in the Central Frederick neighbourhood, I appreciate the lovely 2 - 24 old homes, tree-lined streets, and sense of history one has when one walks around the neighbourhood. It's full of families, an active neighbourhood association, arts and culture --people who are talented and want to share that with others in the neighbourhood. Irvin Street, on the other hand, used to be part of the redlight district, and still has residents with drug and alcohol issues. But I feel that's what makes it a healthy neighbourhood, one where everyone takes it for what it is. Q. Do you have any additional comments, ideas or suggestions regarding this study? Did you notice that we missed something, or is there a site you think we should add to or remove from the list? Your feedback is appreciated. 1.test -Leon My ratings 2.1. Westmount 2. Westmount Golf Course 3. Union Street 4 First Mennonite Cemetery 5.Gildner GreenNeighbourhood I think it is a great idea to identify these areas and buildings. The City dida 3. good job with the starting list. I am not convinced that streetscapes are landscapes in and of themselves. 4.They are scenic, but would be best preserved if part of a neighbourhood or rural landscape. I'm not a resident of Kitchener and so the neighbourhoods don't mean as 5. much to me. It's difficult to choose among the cemeteries and parks! I would really like to see Woodside preserved. it's not only our heritage, but 6. Canada's Heritage. it teaches our children what life was like back then. I don't know enough about most of the sites to rank them, so I just picked 3 7. obvious ones from the list. We do need to be careful to maintain neighbourhoods that have historic 8. value that are close to the rapid transit developments. The four churches at Weber, Frederick, and Queen: Lutheran, zion United, 9. Trinity United and St. Andrews Presbyterian. 2 - 25 Correspondence with the Westmount Golf & Country Club 2 - 26 2 - 27 2 - 28 2 - 29 C Kitchener Cultural Heritage Landscape Study and appendices dated October 2014 prepared by The Landplan Collaborative Ltd. The Kitchener CHL Study is available for view and download at www.kitchener.ca/chls 2 - 30 2 - 31 2 - 32 2 - 33 2 - 34 2 - 35 2 - 36 2 - 37 2 - 38 2 - 39 2 - 40 2 - 41