Amherstburg committee endorses list of potential heritage properties

The former General Amherst High School at 130 Sandwich St. S. in Amherstburg.

Amherstburg’s heritage committee has endorsed a list of potential properties for future heritage protection.

The committee met Thursday evening, where a list of 19 properties were ranked from highest to lowest priority.

Under Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, legacy properties must have at least a notice of intention to designate issued by January 1st, 2027, or they will be removed from the heritage register and could become vulnerable to demolition. If removed, the properties cannot be added back to the register for five years.

The two highest priority sites are the Boblo Dance Hall and 130 Sandwich Street South, which is the former General Amherst High School property.

The next highest priority group includes the Boblo Island Carousel House, Sailor’s Monument, Bumper Car Pavilion, Ferry Deck, and Power House, along with 150 Richmond Street, 849 Front Road South, and 433 Dalhousie Street.

Adam Coates, Heritage Planner for the Town of Amherstburg, says many of the residential properties are considered low risk because of the care shown by homeowners.

“The town with the HCD [Heritage Conservation District] is in good shape from a heritage conservation standpoint compared to many municipalities and what they’re facing. This committee and the municipality have done a good job at trying to protect those properties.”

Last month, council approved moving forward to start the process of designating the former General Amherst High School property as a heritage site.

Coates says work is already underway on both top-priority sites.

“130 Sandwich is ongoing currently. We have a notice of intention to designate that has been sent out and there’s discussions with the property owner. Then of course council has directed the Boblo Dance Hall... work has been completed on that from the administrative side, a cultural heritage evaluation has been done or is very close to being complete for that property.”

Amico owns the properties on Boblo Island included on the list.

Amherstburg councillor Linden Crain says while the buildings are historically important, he’s unsure a heritage designation alone will lead to redevelopment.

“If the developer’s not putting money into it now, when it’s designated I don’t believe that’s going to persuade them to put more money into it. The Dance Hall, out of all the buildings on Boblo, I think has the most potential. It’s probably one of the buildings that has some life in it still. But designating it, I don’t think it’s going to push anything across the finish line.”

With the committee now backing the priority list, town staff will continue researching the properties before bringing recommendations to council at a later date.

Property owners will have the opportunity to speak before council, who will decide whether to issue formal notices of intention to designate the sites.

If approved, property owners would then have a 120-day appeal window before council makes a final decision on the designation.