It’s one of the final steps needed to designate the Fergus Grand Theatre under the Ontario Heritage Act.
At a recent Centre Wellington Township meeting, councillors gave their approval to a Heritage Centre Wellington recommendation authorizing staff to proceed with publishing the notice of intention to designate the Fergus Grand Theatre under the Act.
In discussion, councillor Fred Morris said as a brief background, “this is something that the heritage committee has had a desire to do for some time.”
The director of parks and recreation was approached prior to the extensive renovation and restoration of the theatre last year.
“Under his advice, the recommendation [for the designation] was withheld until those renovations were completed,” Morris said.
Councillor Mary Lloyd asked if the designation would affect the windows across the front of the building or the doors.
“Would it prevent them, or us, in the future, from making major repairs to the original facade?”
The explanation provided to council was that the designation was applied to specific attributes of the building. While the original doorway falls within that protection, the adjacent windows do not.
Heritage committee representative Kathy Baranski, who drafted the report, said very rarely are interior items covered under such designations.
“But because the tin ceiling is still original and in really good shape, and the terrazo floor is in good shape – both are in the designation,” Baranski said.
She added the glass inside the transom is also original, so it is included in the designation, along with the stonework. Essentially, it covers the remaining original portions of the building which are in good shape.
Baranski noted in her report there was a congratulatory letter from someone in Hollywood, who was told the theatre was being re-constructed and showing first-run movies.
“It’s got a really interesting history,” she said. As a result, she believed it was something worthy of designation. She noted in the future, if any renovations were needed, it would simply require a heritage permit and would be discussed at both the heritage committee and building department levels.
“We know regular updates and maintenance is required. But we try to protect the items which are really important,” Baranski said.
Council subsequently passed the recommendation to authorize the designation process.
