Aurora to mull hefty fines for unlawful heritage building demolition

Unpermitted demolition of two heritage buildings prompt council members to request exploration of harsher penalties

Yorkregion.com
May 8, 2019
Teresa Latchford

The demolition of a heritage building without a permit has prompted the town to discuss harsher penalties for offenders.

Town council was in the midst of considering a town staff report recommending the building located at 1625-1675 St. John’s Sideroad be delisted from the registered properties of cultural heritage value or interest and had 60 days to make a final decision.

The property included a 1960s two-storey brick worker house estate, an equestrian complex, 19th-century barn, a one-storey mid-century cottage and a house built after 1927.

But 40 days into the 60-day period, the owners of the property demolished a dwelling and the barn before being issued a permit to do so.

“This was an unfortunate situation as we were reviewing a report recommending the property be delisted but the applicant jumped the gun,” Mayor Tom Mrakas said. “It’s unacceptable and there should be a penalty for that.”

Town staff confirmed the owner of the property will still have to pay the permit fee and an additional fee (fine) with it. They also tabled a recent report that recommended -- naming future streets in honour of the property’s heritage, installing a heritage plaque, a donation be made to the town’s Heritage Reserve Fund and fieldstones be saved for the town to reuse.

These requirements have also been used in past cases when property owners demolished buildings without permits.

However, many councillors felt that just wasn’t good enough, including Mrakas and Coun. Sandra Humfryes who have filed a motion for council consideration later this month.

“We really want to ensure our heritage buildings are protected moving forward, this isn’t the first time we’ve gone through this,” she said. “We are looking for a significant fine that would actually not be worth the risk for developers.”

The motion addresses three things; directing town staff to explore and report back on harsher fines and penalties, changes to heritage property standards and incentives to upkeep maintenance, and to determine which of the over 600 current heritage properties of interest on the list need to be designated and plaqued and which can be delisted to avoid delays.

“We want to have a clear set of rules and consequences to avoid those who do just go ahead with demolition from saying ‘oops’ and getting away with a hand slap,” she added.

Mrakas pointed out that Aurora is built on its past and looks to its past to move forward as a community. There are tools that will address not permitted demolition and help keep heritage buildings from rotting away to nothing by requiring or incentivizing upkeep but town staff needs to see what is available to the town and what makes sense before council implements any policies.

Local history enthusiast Bob McRoberts feels protecting heritage buildings is an important step in preserving Aurora’s story.

He admits it’s a mixed bag of opinions when discussing the preservation and designation of buildings with historical significance in town. Some believe it is important to keep pieces of history alive to remind people where the town started and how it became what it is now but others don’t see the need to do so.

“I live in one of the only heritage designated areas in town and it gives me a sense of pride to do so,” McRoberts said. “My family has lived in Aurora for generations, I was born and raised here and I always wonder what it was like way back when.”

Wiping out buildings that are of historical value, one-of-a-kind or the last of its kind in town not only destroys the character of Aurora as a whole but also lets bits of its past crumble putting the retelling of the past at risk.

“Many people who are new to town use these designated buildings and their plaques to learn about Aurora and I think it gives them a sense of belonging if they know the history,” he added.