Hello Ward 8 Neighbours,
After news that the Provincial government is rezoning the lands it sits on to make residential development easier, a group of dedicated heritage advocates met on August 31 to launch a new group aimed at saving the historic piece of Hamilton architecture.
For more details, please continue reading below…
Hamilton Mountain resident Pat Saunders, along with about 15 other heritage advocates, met on August 31 at Century Manor to come together and launched a new group, Friends of Century Manor.
The response from advocates comes in the wake of the province rezoning the former Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital lands to allow for single-family homes to be built.
According to the Hamilton Mountain News ,the group hopes to give their mission to save the historical building legitimacy, political clout and be able to raise funds.
The group will have to register with the Ontario Heritage Trust, as well as incorporate the group as a non-profit organization. An executive committee has been formed, as well as a group of members at large. A representative from Ward 8 Coun. John-Paul Danko’s office was also present at the gathering.
Councillor Danko has already come out against the provincial government’s decision to change the zoning for the property. In 2018 the province, city and Mohawk College agreed to purchase the 12.5-hectare former hospital lands. College officials said the institution, which has already incorporated the land into its 20-year master plan, is willing to invest millions into transforming Century Manor.
Well-known Hamilton historian and heritage advocate, Robin McKee, told the group that their focus should be to protect the building from demolition. He said even though Century Manor is designated a historical structure under the Ontario Heritage Trust, the province, which owns the property, can still demolish it.
Century Manor is the last remaining part of the original Hamilton Asylum for the Insane. It is one of Hamilton’s oldest buildings and an example of Victorian Gothic architecture.
The three-storey building, with its windows bordered up and brick façade strewn with graffiti, has sat vacant since 1995. Infrastructure Ontario has continued to provide minimal heat during the winter months in the building, but it refuses to permit visitors. The structure, though, continues to attract people who break in and over the years have damaged the interior.
A change.org petition, which you can sign here, has been created to help save Century Manor. A Facebook page has also been set up by members of the group to help raise awareness and keep residents informed.
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