The City of Cold Lake is reevaluating the need for a municipal heritage designation program.
After first being looked at by council four years ago, it is once again being brought to their attention following a request from the Anglican Church in the summer of 2015. Implementing a municipal heritage designation program would prohibit any building that received the designation from being physically altered or demolished without written permission from the municipality.
“I just think that we should be proud of our heritage. I'm not from Cold Lake but I've lived most of my life here so I think we should recognize that there are some old buildings,” said Mayor Craig Copeland. “The city staff are going to work on the file and I'm sure it's going to come in front of council to fund; somebody will probably look at it professionally.”
In 2011, city administration conducted a review of sites within Cold Lake that could possibly receive heritage designation. Identifying Clark's General Store and the United Church as candidates, the potential of a program was brought before council in January 2012. At the time, they didn't move ahead with the program feeling it wasn't justified yet.
The Anglican Church approached city council in 2013, seeking a municipal heritage designation for the church building. After failing to submit their report and, subsequently, having the request turned down, the Anglican Church contacted the city about it again last summer.
“My recommendation is to bring in professionals that do historical reviews and develop policy framework. Council could do a review and geographically look at what buildings within the city would qualify,” said CAO Kevin Nagoya, adding that while it's not necessary, having a program with policies in place helps make for a transparent evaluation process.
“Council can do it now without policy in place, but if you get requests what's the threshold? It will have potential impacts on redevelopment a building can't be touched at all until approved.”
While the city doesn't have a heritage program themselves, sites can still receive provincial or federal designation if they're deemed historically significant to the province or country. On CFB 4 Wing, the five existing hangars, MacKenzie and Ecole Voyageur schools, and the Senior NCO Mess building have been designated as recognized heritage buildings. The radar station housing the Cold Lake Museum has the provincial heritage designation.
A municipal program would allow sites that only have local significance to be recognized. Council was divided on the matter, with worries over future issues stemming from the program.
“The province could designate a historic place, there's no need for the municipality to get in that sand box,” said Coun. Bob Buckle. “After the sale of a property, council gets into do we allow development and then you'll get interest groups saying ‘no' and we're stuck in the middle of it. As well as the upkeep on an abandoned property, sometimes the council is expected to come up with the money for upkeep in places with this designation.”
Along with prohibiting demolition and alterations of a building, Nagoya noted a municipal heritage designation program could see the city paying out compensation agreements to land owners claiming their property has been devalued as a result.
“I agree with Councillor Buckle. I think council should just stay away from this,” added Coun. Darrell MacDonald.
Coun. Kelvin Plain expressed that this is a matter council needs to seriously consider, as buildings within the city are aging.
“This is timely. I mean, the marina was built 30 years ago so if we don't have a new marina in 20 to 25 years, does it become historic if we want to preserve parts of it? It's an interesting discussion, there are business approaching 50 or 60 years old.”
Should council move forward with a municipal heritage designation program, it would require the formation of a heritage advisory body made up of professional, members of the public and municipal employees. Once a policy framework and application form is developed, that group would review the applications before passing chosen ones along to council for consideration.
If they decide to move ahead with a designation, a notice of intention would be issued to the property owner and advertised publicly for 60-days.
“We don't want to take somebody's ability to sell a building away from them, our council's not about that by any means,” said Copeland. “It's pure speculation whether Clark's or the Anglican Church would be a historical building, so let's set some policies to see if we're got some historical buildings and whether or not we need to protect them.”
The matter will be back before council at their next meeting on Feb. 2, with administration providing details on what the next steps and details regarding bringing in a professional heritage surveyor.
