A WONDERFUL WIN for the 'COMMUNITY PASSION AND COMMITMENT' to preserve a significant heritage assets and the legacy of Robert McLaughlin in Oshawa.
On Monday Mar 8, 2021 the City's Development Services Committee UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A MOTION TO DESIGNATE THE ROBERT MCLAUGHLIN HOUSE UNDER THE ONTARIO HERITAGE ACT.
The matter goes to Council March 29, and hopefully the motion to DESIGNATE will be approved by all of Oshawa Council.
It is quite a story... the house, vacant several years, had a fire in April 2019 that was set by a vandal. Soon after it was left unprotected from the elements when the tarp that was to cover the hole in the roof became unsecured. Add to that, the unsightly condition it presented with the shredded tarp and graffiti on the City's main street close to the downtown; and many property standards complaints to the City.
Then one month ago -the owner's letter about his intention to demolish the house, on the Agenda for the Feb 8, 2021 Development Services Committee meeting, seems to have been the TIPPING POINT FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK UP AGAINST DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT!
The public outcry objecting to the loss of this Oshawa heritage asset with its associative attributes to the legacy of McLaughlin family and the founder of Oshawa's significant manufacturing industry, mounted quickly with thousands in the past four weeks signing this petition http://chng.it/NHZ7mZvb
It has been documented that 195 Simcoe St. was vacant when someone caused the April 2019 fire. In fact it was vacant two years before, in 2017 when the owner appeared before Heritage Oshawa and first spoke of his intent to demolish the house. In 2018 the pervious Oshawa Council did not not agree to Heritage Oshawa's recommendation to designate the house. But in 2021, Heritage Oshawa for a second time is recommending to designate this property and now with the public speaking up, it seems the right steps for preservation will happen!
Here is a link to Courtney Bachar's Oshawa Express Article
https://oshawaexpress.ca/robert-mclaughlin-house-could-become-a-designated-heritage-property/
On Monday Mar 8, 2021 the City's Development Services Committee UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A MOTION TO DESIGNATE THE ROBERT MCLAUGHLIN HOUSE UNDER THE ONTARIO HERITAGE ACT.
The matter goes to Council March 29, and hopefully the motion to DESIGNATE will be approved by all of Oshawa Council.
It is quite a story... the house, vacant several years, had a fire in April 2019 that was set by a vandal. Soon after it was left unprotected from the elements when the tarp that was to cover the hole in the roof became unsecured. Add to that, the unsightly condition it presented with the shredded tarp and graffiti on the City's main street close to the downtown; and many property standards complaints to the City.
Then one month ago -the owner's letter about his intention to demolish the house, on the Agenda for the Feb 8, 2021 Development Services Committee meeting, seems to have been the TIPPING POINT FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK UP AGAINST DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT!
The public outcry objecting to the loss of this Oshawa heritage asset with its associative attributes to the legacy of McLaughlin family and the founder of Oshawa's significant manufacturing industry, mounted quickly with thousands in the past four weeks signing this petition http://chng.it/NHZ7mZvb
It has been documented that 195 Simcoe St. was vacant when someone caused the April 2019 fire. In fact it was vacant two years before, in 2017 when the owner appeared before Heritage Oshawa and first spoke of his intent to demolish the house. In 2018 the pervious Oshawa Council did not not agree to Heritage Oshawa's recommendation to designate the house. But in 2021, Heritage Oshawa for a second time is recommending to designate this property and now with the public speaking up, it seems the right steps for preservation will happen!
Here is a link to Courtney Bachar's Oshawa Express Article
https://oshawaexpress.ca/robert-mclaughlin-house-could-become-a-designated-heritage-property/
