The City of Windsor is looking for more public feedback on a study that's looking to see if the Walkerville neighbourhood should be a heritage conservation district.
The Walkerville Heritage Conservation District study includes background and historical research, an inventory of heritage resources in Walkerville, discussions on the Walkerville boundary, assessing the existing planning framework, and examining potential alternative regulatory tools to address the future of Walkerville.
Since the first public engagement event in November 2023, the project team and researchers have completed a property-based inventory study and developed the draft study report to capture all their findings.
On Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, the city will be hosting a second public engagement event regarding the study and the findings to this point.
Ward 4 Councillor Mark McKenzie told AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show that the second public engagement event regarding the study and the findings to this point will be shared on Monday, Nov. 25.
"Here's the information that we've gathered. We've listened to the community on what they want and don't want. We've outlined all the boundaries and all of that," he says. "We're going to go back to the community and explain, here's the pros, here's the cons. What do you think of this? What do you think of the boundaries we've outlined, and how do we move forward with this?
McKenziesays this is all being done to protect heritage properties.
"There's so many of them on the heritage register but not actually designated heritage. So instead of going individually, which would be a huge process to start getting all of these as heritage properties, we said, why don't we just do the whole area," he says.
Walkerville was founded in 1890 by Hiram Walker, owner and producer of Canadian Club Whisky. The neighbourhood is characterized by large brick homes, wide streets, and plenty of trees.
McKenzie saysthey want to make sure if a property has to be torn down for whatever reason, whatever replaces it fits with the character of the neighbourhood.
"Most people who live in Walkerville moved there; they live there because of the heritage of the area. They like those older homes; most keep those homes up," he says.
The second public engagement will be held Monday, Nov. 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Willistead Manor at 1899 Niagara St. in Windsor.
Together with consultants M. R. Letourneau & Associates Inc., the Stage 1 results of the Walkerville HCD Study will be presented to those in attendance.