Heritage advocates won council’s approval to designate the historic Strathmore House and some adjacent buildings at the former Brookside property on King Street at its May 28 regular meeting.
Following a delegation from the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, Cobourg & East Northumberland, council reviewed several options recommended by town staff. The report gave three options: to continue with the status quo, or place a heritage designation on the building, or wait until the developer puts forward a plan and work towards a designation then.
While the rest of council supported seeking heritage designation and not waiting for the developer to put forward a plan, Mayor Lucas Cleveland delivered a dire warning, saying the province had 20 years to designate the building. Ultimately, if the developer fights council’s decision, it will end up before the Ontario Land Tribunal and it is pro-development.
“But again, folks, this is not a situation that is a good one to be in, in the sense that while there is a need to save to save the heritage, the reality is that we are children of the province, and that this decision will ultimately be left to the very government that chose not to designate it for several years. And so I hope that I am predicting incorrectly what is going to happen, but at the end of the day, I would be remiss not to suggest that, or to at least say that out loud,” he said.
Listen to the presentation and the debate.
In Their Words is a feature that allows people to listen to what is going on at the various councils within Northumberland. No spin. No opinions. No one is telling you what to think. Just what was said.
It is a chance you might not have otherwise to hear directly from your elected representatives. I hope you find it useful and informative.
Additional Resource:
A link to an interview with Architectural preservation advocate Rob Mikel, president of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, Northumberland and Eastern Ontario branch, from April 11, 2025
