$12-million plan for former post office worries heritage group

CTV Kitchener: $12-million renovation What do architecture students think of renovation plans for an old Cambridge post office? Nadia Matos finds out.

City councillors in Cambridge voted 8-1 Monday night to approve the design for renovations to the old post office on Water Street.

Speaking to CTV News after the vote, Mayor Doug Craig said the $12-million project would “bring us into the 21st century in a very strong and very bold way.”

The approved design includes a glass-walled, 7,000-square-foot addition to the historic building.

Another glassed-in enclosure will be added to the third floor – and that’s drawn the attention of Heritage Cambridge, a branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.

Heritage Cambridge member Karen Scott Booth calls the proposed use for the space – which includes a library, restaurant and community rooms – a “marvellous” idea, but says she’s worried the renovation will play down the building’s heritage appeal.

“If you enclose it … it really obscures the entire south wall,” she said.

“This building was intended … to be viewed from all four sides.”

Scott Booth also says she’s concerned with the amount of time for public input on the design.

“It’s been very quick. We saw the design Thursday night … and then Monday night, it’s being voted on,” she said.

Craig says feedback received from the public Monday, including heritage concerns, will be taken to the project’s architect.

“This community is going to be proud of this in the end,” he said.

The mayor hopes the project will be complete by December.