Peterborough City Council Supports Removing Former Montreal House From Heritage Register

Peterborough City Council supported removing the former Montreal House from the Heritage Register and not designating the property under the Ontario Heritage Act, at Monday night’s council meeting.

Photo by Jordan Cooper.

The property owner plans to build a mixed-use building that would include 75 "affordable" (80 per cent market rent) residential units through an agreement with CMHC along space that would be used to support the adjacent urban park.

Ashburnham Realty (AR), was the successful proponent through an Expression of Interest process the City undertook to select a developer for the property that the City had purchased at 220 King St. next to the future location of the urban park.

The City asked for developers to come forward that were interested in building on the 220 King St. site with components that would include affordable housing and sustainable features with a high level of urban design that would fit well with the adjacent urban park.

Ashburnham Realty purchased the corner property at Aylmer Street and King Street to consolidate with the property at 220 King St., which would allow for a larger mixed-use development.

Since February 2022, City staff have worked with Ashburnham Realty and its design team on a number of conceptual design iterations in an effort to preserve the heritage value of the former Montreal House and fulfill the original intent of the Expression of Interest, including a high level of urban design and alignment with the Official Plan.

After numerous design iterations, it became evident that there were multiple competing priorities including:

• the relationship of the building to the urban park,

• the preservation of the Montreal House,

• maintaining the agreement with CMHC to provide affordable housing,

• achieving the accessibility and sustainability requirements of the new build, and

• ensuring the development is not negatively impacted by the regulatory floodplain.

The Montreal House is significant for being one of the only local hotels that accommodated shantymen (lumberjacks) and under ownership of a French Canadian, Joseph Brault, it became a local gathering place for French and French-Canadian visitors and workers. Over time the establishment became a men’s only drinking establishment. By the late 20th century, the Montreal House emerged as a venue for emerging bands.

Now catering to both men and women, the tavern hosted numerous acts that have found local and national renown. Currently the building is used for a smokehouse restaurant.

Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee received a presentation from Ashburnham Realty at its meeting on June 23, 2022. The Committee recognized the challenge of balancing the competing priorities to move this project forward. Several Committee members spoke to the merits of moving forward with the proposal which would require the demolition of the Montreal House; however, they were reminded that their mandate is to consider only the heritage aspects of the Montreal House and the Committee adopted a motion to recommend that Council designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

A heritage designation for the property would end the public-private partnership for the construction of 75 affordable housing units on the property.

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