Heritage Advisory Committee approves facade improvement grants

By Spencer Seymour, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Two Facade improvement grant applications, one relating to a commercial property and the other for a residence, were approved during Monday night’s meeting of the St. Marys Heritage Advisory Committee.
New sign, lights for Snapping Turtle
Building Inspector Jason Silcox prepared reports for the Committee on both a sign permit application for 145 Queen Street East as well as the facade improvement grant request. The sign, made of red cedar and painted with the store colours, will be approximately 28 inches across and hung off a metal steel frame. “This is a two-sided sign that would project off of the facade of the building,” said Silcox in the course of recommending the approval of the permit.
The next agenda item before the Committee was the Facade Improvement Grant proposal for 145 Queen Street East, presented by Cultural Services Supervisor Amy Cubberley on behalf of the applicants. In reviewing the proposal, Cubberley noted that the two gooseneck style lights, the aforementioned projecting sign, and two lights to illuminate the sign all met the necessary criteria.
Another planned facade improvement, that being the repainting of the building’s front exterior, was not made part of the Grant application as a result of painting being approved for a grant back in 2015.
Both the sign permit and facade improvement grant applications were approved by the Committee.
Heritage Permit for 52 Wellington Street South
The Committee also approved improvements in the works for the residential property at 52 Wellington Street South.
Building Inspector Jason Silcox described the Heritage Permit for the residence at 52 Wellington Street as “applying to cap the outer framework of the windows with aluminum in many locations” along with installing aluminum soffit and facia in several locations, thus continuing work that has already taken place previously in other parts of the building.
The Committee was appreciative that the proposed changes would not adversely impact the feature characteristics of the ginger bread gable ends of the structure. Furthermore, the Committee approved the Facade Improvement Grant for the scraping, priming and painting of two wooden gables as well as minor costs associated with the replacement of green carpeting on the porch.
Amy Cubberley summarized the nature of the Facade Improvement Grant Program for the Committee. “It covers 30% and it covers essentially any facade improvement that also meets HCD requirements. The focal point has been on commercial properties, such as signs and different elements of facade improvements related to commercial properties, but there are a handful of residential properties that are eligible as well.,
New Riverview Walkway Plaque
Amy Cubberley informed the Committee that the new Riverview Walkway Plaque was installed this past week. “It looks infinitely better than what was there, and it was a pretty quick install. They just overlaid it on the existing base. Check it out if you are down at the Riverview Walkway.”