Minutes of The Municipal Heritage Committee of The Township of Norwich
Feb. 5, 2007
Present: Joyce Pettigrew, Councillor Lynne DePlancke, Nancy Walther, Gail Lewis, regrets Marie Avey
Nancy Walther was nominated for chair by Joyce Pettigrew, accepted, all were in favour.
Gail Lewis was nominated for secretary by Nancy Walther, accepted, all were in favour.
As he resides outside of the Township Jeff Overeem cannot be on the official committee, he is asked by this committee to sit as an advisory member. Jeff's work on Rural Shapes is crucial to the completion of the book. We will need to know the Trillium Grant deadlines pertaining to the funding of Rural Shapes. It would be ideal to have this project completed this year, as it is the Bi-centennial of the Township.
We are also looking for additional members for the committee, it would be better to have representatives from all the wards.
Joyce reported that Vallee Consulting Engineers have contacted her to have our committee do a Cultural Heritage Impact and Assessment on the Rock's Mills bridge. The Province requires any project involving such a structure over 40 years old have a Heritage Impact Assessment completed before the project is begun. They had two examples of bridge projects in the Pt. Dover area. The present day bridge was built in 1955 by the London Bridge Co. We discussed the effects on the area and noted that $100,000.00 plus has been allocated from the tax base which represents approximately one third of the total cost. We will be requesting an open railing structure that is available at the same cost as a closed cement rail.
Motion by Joyce Pettigrew that she prepare the Cultural Heritage Impact Report and forward our recommendations affecting the Mill and 1854 Stover Kniffen House.
Seconded by Lynne DePlancke
Motion carried.
A letter will be sent to the CBO requesting that these assessments be completed before the demolition of any pre 1940 structures, therefore eliminating problems with this prodical in the future.
Nancy is to check with the Treasurer on the status of the tax incentives for designated properties.
We would also like to revisit the designation of the old Norwich library.
Our budget request for the coming year is $2,000.00 to cover designations and conference.
February is Heritage month and Heritage day falls in the third week. Annually we publish an article on the CHO's theme, as it appears there is no theme this year Gail will prepare an article incorporating our new members, the CHO mission statement and highlighting the publication of A Safe Haven the history of the Blacks of Oxford County written by Joyce Pettigrew.
The next meeting will be set depending on Jeff's availability.