HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-20-019 - RBJ Schlegel Park Heritage Residence Adaptive Re-Use - Committee ConsultationREPORT TO: Heritage Kitchener Committee
DATE OF MEETING: November 3, 2020
SUBMITTED BY: Victoria Grohn, Heritage Planner, 519-741-2200
PREPARED BY: Mark Parris, Landscape Architect, 519-741-2600 x4397
WARD(S) INVOLVED: 5
DATE OF REPORT: October 20, 2020
REPORT NO.:
SUBJECT: RBJ Schlegel Park Heritage Residence Adaptive Re-Use Î
Committee Consultation
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PURPOSE:
To consult with the Heritage Kitchener Committee on an upcoming adaptive re-use
of an existing Heritage residence at RBJ Schlegel Park as a public washroom and
changeroom facility.
BACKGROUND:
RBJ Schlegel Park (formerly South Kitchener District Park, or SKDP) is a greenfield
park development undertaken by the City of Kitchener. The parkÓs master plan was
created and approved by City Council in 2013, with the initial Phase of development
kicking off in 2017 and completing in August 2020. The park is located at the corner of
Huron Rd. and Fischer Hallman Rd., and features artificial and natural turf sportsfields
(soccer & cricket), splash pad, playground, parking, trails and various landscaped
areas.
The City of Kitchener originally acquired the future park property in 1983, purchased
from E.E. Seegmiller Ltd. Prior to the industrial land owner, the property had been in
various private ownerships from its original purchase as part of 94,012 acres between
1795 and 1968. Upon acquisition of the property the City took ownership of the existing
residence as well as various out-buildings. The property under its address 1664 Huron
is listed in the City of Kitchener Index of Non-Designated Properties of Heritage Value
or Interest, added in September 2010.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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Heritage Impact Assessment (2016)
In 2016 the city undertook a Heritage Impact Assessment as a pre-requisite of site
development to assess the value and condition of the home and recommend a
conservation strategy. A statement of significance was prepared as follows:
The stone residence situated at 1664 Huron Road, Kitchener, Ontario, is a
representative example of a vernacular interpretation of the Regency cottage
design popular during the early to mid-19th century. It is an example of a once
common, but increasingly rare, combination of style and construction material
which is unique within the City of Kitchener and was heavily influenced by the
primarily Scottish and Irish settlement of the area. The residence is set back
from the road in between a large equipment storage lot and a community garden.
The residence remains largely intact although use of the property parcel has
been extensively altered since the land was last actively farmed, in its entirety, in
the 1960s.
The residence was constructed in c1860 by Richard Sheard. It is one of seven
stone residences constructed between 1850 and 1870 that survive in the
southwest corner of the municipality. The Regency cottage influence is
represented in the proportions and scale of the residence as well as design
elements including the hipped roof, symmetrical five bay front façade, and large
former centre doorway.
Based on the evaluation of cultural heritage value or interest, the following
heritage attributes have been identified:
One and one half storey residential structure;
Symmetrical five bay front façade;
Large field stone front façade and smaller field stone stone use throughout
remaining façades;
Medium pitched hipped roof with front and rear gable dormers clad in
painted tin;
Wide eaves with dentils; and
Association with the primarily Scottish settlement in the southwest corner
of the former Township of Waterloo a characteristic unique within the City
of Kitchener.
Structural assessment and therefore conservation strategy were deferred to a
Conservation Plan as the re-use of the building was being considered through the site
planning phase.
Conservation Plan (2017)
Following the HIA in 2016, a Conservation Plan was developed in conjunction with the
recreational and site planning of the park.
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At the time of the report it was known through spatial planning that removal or relocation
of the building was required to accommodate all recreational elements and a significant
green-infrastructure stormwater system. Various options were considered in the
Conservation Plan, including:
Restoration and retention in-situ
Retention in-situ as a ruin
Relocation
Documentation, salvage and commemoration
Relocation of the house within the property was determined to be the preferred
mitigation option as it retained the heritage attributes while also maintaining the number
of amenities of the SKDP Master Plan. Movement of the residence maintains the
physical and design attributes of the house and does not disconnect the residence from
the original property.
Engineering assessment within the Conservation plan determined that both
removal/reconstruction and direct relocation methods would be viable. Short term
conservation methods were also used, including demolition of a rear addition (identified
as non-original in the HIA), structural bracing, roof covering, pest control and ventilation.
Following the completion of the Conservation Plan, direction to relocate the residence
intact was recommended to Council through Staff Report INS-18-001. The
recommendation was approved by Council.
Adaptive Re-Use Plan (2018)
To inform the ultimate layout of both the site and the structure, an initial schematic
layout was completed to understand final cost implications, structural concerns, finalize
the building program, further building egress planning, determine servicing locations
and requirements.
Note: the design within the re-use plan was intended as a schematic only model for site
layout purposes. The final design of the building would be deferred to Architectural
design at the time of budget alignment.
Phase One Site Development (2017-2020)
RBJ Schlegel Park began pre-grading work in October 2017 and continued to its
ultimate completion opening in August 2020. Within Phase One of the parks
development was the bracing, preparation and moving of the Heritage residence to its
final location.
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In March 2019 the building was successfully braced, supported, moved and secured to
its new foundation. Images of the event are shown in the Appendices of this report.
Due to budget and capital funding limitations the interior and exterior renovation of the
building was not included in the initial phase. Funding for the design and construction
work was identified in 2020-2021 as part of the second phase of park development. The
building has been secured and hoarded since its placement and remains that way to
date.
REPORT:
The City of Kitchener retained the services of a+LiNK Architecture as the design
Architect of Phase Two development. Included within the phase was to evaluate the
previously developed washroom schematic and apply conservation principles to the
detailed planning of the washroom and changeroom facility.
The revised program now includes three (3) washroom stalls (two barrier free, one
universal) and four (4) changeroom stalls (three barrier free and one universal).
The adaptive re-use aims to connect an existing building and heritage elements, with
modern uses and design elements. a+LiNK has developed an evidenced-based method
to approach this process, as each heritage building and site condition is unique. Once
the building was relocated, some of the schematic design aspects and conservation
recommendations noted in the report no longer suit the adaptive re-use of the existing
building.
Due to some deterioration from the time of the adaptive re-use report in 2018 and
following its relocation, some recommendations of preservation vs. replacement (for
example, the fenestration and the roof, or removal of the dormers) have been adapted
to meet the current conditions. The following are adaptations planned for the building:
Existing Doors, Windows, and Openings - remaining windows and doors to be
restored or replaced with similar in-situ; refer to design layout
Existing Millwork - to remain where possible
Existing Dormer Windows (x2) - to remain and be restored or replaced with
similar in-situ
Former location of addition - opening infilled with concrete; to be removed to
allow for main entrance into facility
Structural elements - to remain or be upgraded as required for open span of
heritage house
Stone and mortar Î to remain and be repointed as required; majority of stone and
mortar to be repointed
The proposed concept considers and highlights the existing and former openings of the
heritage building and the former addition, providing new elements that weaves ÐlayersÑ
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of new and old through the use of screens/panels that weave into the existing building
fabric. These panels allow for access and openings into the building without
dramatically altering the existing exterior of the building. Panels in a material such as
Corten steel or wood (material to be finalized), can be used to conceal openings,
provide screens for visual connection and light, and allow for access through the facility
from north as a main entrance, and west through two smaller exits/entrances into the
splashpad area. The screens/panels can also highlight the existing original openings but
translate these into practical uses for the new program.
Proposed Concept Î Site Plan (2020)
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Proposed Concept Î 3D Renderings (2020)
Image 1 Î West facing, new primary entry and context within main throughway and entry trail
Image 2 Î South-west facing, new primary entry
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Image 3 Î North facing, new secondary entries to new splashpad utilizing existing building openings
Image 4 Î East facing, existing openings and dormer
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Image 5a Î West facing, close up of entry door and water fountain
Image 6a Î Interior perimeter aisle, exposed beams and ÐislandÑ washroom/changeroom stalls
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: N/A
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Appendix ÒAÓ Î Original Layout and Image
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November 2016 Î Southeast view, front side of house
November 2016 Î Southwest view, front side of house
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November 2016 Î Northwest view, south addition of house
May 2020 Î Former ÐsouthÑ face of the building, now north-east facing towards the splashpad
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Appendix ÒBÓ Î Proposed Site Layout
April 2020 Î Aerial image, Phase One development
Splashpad
Relocated Building
Playground
Trail and Road
(2021)
April 2020 Î Aerial image, relocated building
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Appendix ÒCÓ Î Drone Imagery
October 30, 2018 Î Looking north towards Huron Rd. Building in its original location with fields rough-
graded surrounding
March 6, 2019 Î Looking south at back of property. Building on-route to final location
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September 6, 2020 Î Looking south-east towards Fischer Hallman Rd. Building hoarded and fenced in its
current and final location.
September 6, 2020 Î Looking south. Former addition opening facing into the main circulation area
between new playground (left) and splashpad (right)
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