The Sunnidale community warmly welcomes the entire family (puppies included) and wishes them all the best of luck with their endeavours. And to all of you out there who attended the meetings and voiced your concerns over the fate of Woodlawn and its greater impact on the fate of the Sunnidale community, we want to say a heartfelt thank you. It was clearly all well worth it.

All the best to all of you. Good bye.

The Save Woodlawn Coalition

There is no word as to the status of the severance application or the heritage designation at this time. At last check with the City of Barrie, the severance application remained in place in the name of the former owners. We will be in touch with the appropriate city officials shortly and will return with more news as soon as it is made available to us.

Thank you for checking in again. See you again soon.

The Save Woodlawn Coalition

It’s official – there will be no COA in July.  According to the City of Barrie, there has been no new news regarding the application and no requests made by the applicants.  We still need public support however to have Woodlawn designated as a heritage property and we encourage you to contact EHodgins@barrie.ca if you haven’t done so already.

I know this community joins with us in wanting to see Woodlawn converted into a project we could all be really proud of.  Imagine its use as a wonderful B&B, an art shop/café or a museum! 

Also, if anyone browsing our site has interior photos of Woodlawn, please contact the SWC.  It would be much appreciated.

Thanks as well for your ongoing support and interest in this cause.  We will be needing the community to mobilize once again in the fall.  Thanks and enjoy your holidays !

The Save Woodlawn Coalition

The SWC met with Minister DiCoco recently to update her on the Woodlawn situation. They discussed the heritage designation of the property and the fact that Woodlawn has been included in the city’s inventory. The Minister remarked that locating specific resources of local cultural inheritance is the first essential step in conservation and protection. It is imperative to take into account patrimonial resources at an early stage to avoid resorting to last minute safeguards of invaluable community resources. This is precisely why the SWC put in motion the Intent to Designate Woodlawn as a heritage site. Communities such as Barrie have to keep a register of valuable properties with patrimonial interest. These registers serve to allow planners and developers access to locate zones that are deemed « heritage » and therefore protected today and in the future They also encourage communities to become more aware of its places of interest and its unique landmarks. The Ministry will continue to work in close cooperation with the city of Barrie, advising on how best to protect this property. The SWC encouraged the Minister to advocate for the designation of Woodlawn as a heritage site, as this stately home deserves to retire gracefully.

SWC

1)  The severance application still stands as a three-way division of the existing land – one new lot on either side of the current central lot on which the house stands for a total of three lots.  I think there may have been some confusion on this matter but the original application which asked for four lots was officially amended as of 16 May 2006.

2)  The applicant did not meet the deadline for the June COA, stating that the vegetation inventory was still incomplete.  The next COA is 19 July 2006 and the applicant must give the City 14 days notice if he plans to make that date.  That means he has until next Wednesday to let them know so that the City can let us know and update the sign.  As it stands right now, nothing is happening in July but we’ll keep you posted if we find out anything new.

3)  Still no word on the heritage designation.  We encourage all interested parties to help push for this designation by writing or emailing Heritage Barrie (c/o Eric Hodgins at the City of Barrie:  ehodgins@city.barrie.on.ca) as well as your local alderman to insist on the need for this important protective measure.  Without it, the future of this house is precariously uncertain.

NB:  A heritage designation does not mean that the house can not be altered in any way.  It simply means that its selected heritage features must be preserved.  Future owners will still be able to renovate for their own purposes as necessary.  For more information, check out the sidebar link regarding heritage designations.

Enjoy your long weekend and thank you for your continued interest.

The Save Woodlawn Coalition

 Picture:  Rodney St. Near Kempenfelt Dr., Barrie

This is an example of how properties like Woodlawn were carved up in the 30s and 40s when no consideration was given to the existing home, but simply to chop, chop, chop and squeeze in as many new buildings as possible. This property, located on Rodney Street, covered the entire block in its prime and was parcelled off by the owner. Fortunately, today’s Committee of Adjustment is more visionary and will make sound decisions based on good judgment, taking into consideration the impact that severances like this will have on a neighbourhood. The Save Woodlawn Coalition is working to preserve not only the woodlot surrounding this property, but the magnificent structure, so that with a heritage designation this fine old home will be returned to a semblance of its former glory.

SWC

If you are here for the first time, take a look at the original COA application.  Despite what has been said and written, nothing has changed from the original Committee of Adjustment Application.

Status of COA : 4 lots and no new ammendment to the original application to date.

The COA has asked for the tree inventory to be completed and is waiting for the Heritage Barrie recommendations.

SWC

Barrie Advance – Laurie Watt

Published: Thursday, May 25th, 2006

Barrie hasn’t been protecting its heritage buildings, said the chairman of the city’s Committee of Adjustment.

In discussing a severance application for the Woodlawn property, located at 96 Sunnidale Rd., Barry Vickers urged caution in allowing the splitting of the lot into three, before certain controls and assurances were in place.

“This is a marquis (sic) corner, a marquis (sic) building and a marquis (sic) lot,” said Vickers. “Barrie’s been woefull in protecting some of its historical heritage. We’ve lost so much of it already. It’s very much concerning me there’s a possible threat.”

A numbered company represented by Shawn Bubel has applied to the committee to split the parcel into three lots, so the Victorian home could become affordable to someone wanting to restore it.

“Most of the feedback I received (from the real estate agent) is that most people felt it was a lovely home, but they couldn’t afford to buy it and do it justice,” he said. “The family (that owns it until June 15, when the deal closes) had 10 children and did not do a lot of work to it.”

As a result, the home is dated inside, with old wallpaper covering the plaster walls. A virtual tour is still available online, by following links at www.savewoodlawn.wordpress.com.

Various city departments have called the severance application – which proposes carving off a lot on either side of the old home – premature. They’re looking for more detail on preserving historically significant trees, as well as designating the house itself.

But Jones Planning consultant Tim Cane said his client can’t provide all the information needed, until he knows he can sever the lots and sell them for custom homes – the design and footprint of which would determine how they would fit on the site and what trees would be affected.

Neighbours urged the committee of adjustment to deny the application, which would not only disturb the trees, but put create a precedent that would risk the large-lot atmosphere in the neighbourhood. Bubel said his ultimate goal is to see the house remain as a single-family home, rather than it be sold to someone who would open a rooming house. Making it affordable to a buyer who would fix it up means the site must be severed and lots sold, he said.

The committee of adjustment will deal with the issue once Bubel comes back with more details about the environmental and social impacts of his proposal.

Estate Sale Last Saturday

The cars were lined up the block.  Some who arrived at 8 a.m. were disappointed to see that the bulk of the goods had been sold prior to the start time.

Never the less, the folks that dropped by weren’t there just to buy a knick-knack but to see inside the Grande old home.

Surprisingly, the house looks to be in good shape. The inside is dated, pre- 60s, but certainly not in the state of disrepair purported by the developer.

This is a beautiful home, in need of some TLC.

SWC

Part of the time-frame consideration is that the issue of designating a property of historical significance is done by Council and they have a different meeting schedule than Committee of Adjustment and do take a summer break (last meeting is June 26 and the next is Aug 21).

So it is possible that this issue is going to be on hold for a while. Stay tuned.

SWC