The request for heritage designation was first communicated with the Owners in the summer of 2019 during the development review process for the Walker Power Building. Several meetings and email correspondence took place in 2019 in attempts to alleviate the Owner’s concerns/ reservations to the recommendation for heritage designation. Further, in September 2019, the draft heritage designat ion bylaw’s physical heritage attributes (ie. Elements that would become protected and regulated upon designation) were shared with the Owner in order to facilitate conversations or discussions about designation specifics. Neither the Owner nor representatives responded with interest to further discussion.

Subsequently, Report S 178/2019 Walker Power Building, 325 Devonshire Road - Request for Heritage Designation, was first scheduled for the Development and Heritage Standing Committee (DHSC) Jan 13, 2020 Meeting Agenda. Ms. Kathleen Montello, Solicitor representing The Walker Power Building Inc., had submitted a letter (dated Jan 4, 2020) to Heritage Committee outlining objections to the Designation. Ms Montello was present at the Jan 13, 2020 meeting and after some back-and-forth deliberations, ultimately requested for a deferral of the agenda item. At her request, Committee passed the motion:

“THAT the report of the Heritage Planner dated December 16, 2019 entitled Walker Power Building, 325 Devonshire Road-Request for Heritage Designation (Ward 4) BE DEFERRED to a future meeting of the Development and Heritage Standing Committee to allow for administration to meet with the applicant to discuss the effects of the Heritage Designation on development plans . Carried.”

A meeting took place with Administration on Jan 15, 2020 to discuss a number of outstanding issues with the property/development. At the meeting, Administration asked Ms. Montello again if she wanted to meet further about the heritage designation to discuss tweaks to the proposed heritage designation by-law, or if there were specific items that her clients disagreed about in the by-law. Because Ms Montello expressed no further desire to engage on the topic of heritage designation, no further meetings were schedule for or requested concerning this topic.

Item S178/2019 was subsequently placed on the agenda for DHSC March 9, 2020 meeting. However, Ms Montello requested for deferral again through email on March 4, 2020, citing her potential unavailability and that the easement and insurance issues were still in progress. Heritage Committee agreed to the deferral request.

The latest request for deferral has been received by Clerks on May 6 th , also via email from Ms. Montello, citing her unavailability for the May 11, 2020 DHSC meeting.