A stone tower currently on the Forbes Estate in Cambridge could be on the move to make way for a residential subdivision made up of single detached dwellings and townhouses.
Polocorp Inc., the owner of 171 Guelph Ave., is proposing to redevelop the property, by maintaining the main house, demolishing other buildings and relocating the stone tower.
Cambridge city council will debate giving heritage designation to the main house while also moving the stone tower on Tuesday night.
City staff is recommending council approve moving the stone tower to Jacob’s Landing Park in Hespeler and to designate it under the Ontario Heritage Act in its new location.
A staff report suggests it “would create opportunities for the community to learn about, engage with, and celebrate its significance.”
“Regardless of its original purpose, staff has identified that the structure is significant because of its physical and design value and its association with Jacob Hespeler and should be conserved,” the report said.
According to the report, the tower is suggested to originally be a dovecote, a structure for housing pigeons or doves. The tower was once described as being divided into three levels, with pigeons on the upper floor, poultry housed in the middle and ducks on the lower floor.
“Polocorp has prepared a comprehensive heritage preservation plan for the property that has the support of City staff, four heritage experts and the Heritage Advisory Committee. We are confident that our proposal to restore the stone tower and designate it as a heritage building in the new location will ensure public access and its long-term preservation within the community,” Matthew Warzecha, Director of Planning and Development for Polocorp, said in an email.
If approved, Polocorp would also pay for the relocation work for the tower.
Once moved, the current proposal is for the City to adaptively reuse it as an observation tower with accessibility features, which would cost the City approximately $350,000.
