ELORA – The owner of a heritage building in Downtown Elora is looking to bring back a historic balcony.
According to a heritage permit application, Kat Florence Canada Company Limited is proposing to restore a balcony on the former “Commercial Hotel” building located at 43 Mill Street in Elora.
This is part of the redevelopment of the historic hotel which will include a ground floor commercial unit and residential on the upper two floors.
A report going before Centre Wellington Council on Monday says in 2023, the proponent approached the township about the possibility of restoring a
former balcony on the front of the former “Commercial Hotel” building through an encroachment on and over the municipal sidewalk on West Mill Street.
“Historical photographs and a painting by Group of Seven artist A. J. Casson entitled “Quiet Street” have documented the presence of a balcony from the 1890s to sometime between 1930 and 1943 when it was removed and not replaced. The proponent indicated a desire to reinstate the balcony as part of the redevelopment in a form similar to historic balcony on the structure,” the report said.
Staff say they have reviewed the application and had several discussions on various matters related to the balcony with the Proponent’s legal
counsel, consultants, and general contractor.
Based on the review, staff say the proponent has addressed concerns related to “sidewalk and underground utilities operation and maintenance, unobstructed pedestrian clear zone, insurance, indemnification, accessibility, pedestrian realm lighting, and ongoing inspection and maintenance of the balcony structure.”
Should council approve this project, staff are recommending the following conditions, among others, be included in the Encroachment Agreement:
- That the balcony be designed and constructed to cantilever over the municipal sidewalk;
- That an unobstructed pedestrian clear zone of 3.25 m metres from the sidewalk surface to the underside of the balcony and 2.00 metres from the facade of the building to the inside face of the vertical columns be maintained at all times;
- That the five vertical columns connected to the sidewalk be designed and constructed in a way that they are non-structural and can be easily removed by the proponent at the Township’s request to accommodate future operation and maintenance activities related to the municipal and utilities infrastructure within the right-of-way.
- That the proponent provide adequate lighting within the pedestrian realm in accordance with Township standards;
- That appropriate insurance coverage and indemnification be obtained from the proponent in accordance with Township policy.
- That the balcony be inspected by a qualified professional at a minimum once every five years, as recommended by the proponent’s heritage consultant, with any recommendations or deficiencies identified in the inspection report addressed within 12 months of date of the inspection.
The report will be presented for consideration at Monday’s 2pm meeting.
You can read the full report here.
