Council considering post office heritage de-designation

Heritage de-designation at 45 Peel Street, Simcoe, has been discussed at Norfolk Council. 

Luke Edwards

Grant Haven Media

A Norfolk councillor got her wish to reconsider a previous decision made regarding potential de-designation of a Peel Street property, but in the end, council’s original decision stood.

At the April 28 Norfolk meeting, Coun. Kim Huffman requested a reconsideration of the decision they made at a meeting on March 24. At the time, councillors supported a request from the owner of 45 Peel Street in Simcoe - the old post office - to have staff look at removing the heritage designation on the building.

However, on further reflection, Huffman came to the conclusion that she voted before understanding all the facts.

“I have since gathered all of the facts, and I don’t think I know more about the designation of a building than our heritage committee and our staff,” she said.

A vote to reconsider requires two-thirds support from council, which Huffman received. While councillors supported the idea of taking another crack at the vote, they ultimately once again supported having staff start the de-designation process.

At the March meeting, staff recommended refusing the property owners request, citing a lack of evidence that the heritage designation was contributing to any undue hardship. A letter from the owner suggested they were having a hard time finding tenants, getting insurance or selling the building.

The property was already designated heritage when the current owner purchased it a few years ago.

Coun. Alan Duthie, who opposed de-designation when it first came up, reiterated his belief.

“To me this is not dissimilar to someone building a property next to a farm and then later complaining that it’s dusty at harvest season,” he said.

“You bought a property with a heritage designation, which you were aware of.”

The heritage designation for the property protects the exterior features of the building.