They formed a neighbourhood group to try and save a heritage house, but in the end it's the process that most irks many residents of Glasgow Street North.
The house, a once-stately 135-year-old two storey located at 202 Glasgow St. N. near Exhibition Park that has been used as a rental duplex for several years, will be demolished soon, replaced by a slightly larger house of similar style.
The city has given its okay, Heritage Guelph has no complaints and pleas by neighbours at a recent committee of adjustment hearing proved futile.
"We can't do much about it being delisted (off the heritage register) or demolished. That ship has sailed," said Mary Cabena, who helped form the Neighbours of Glasgow Street North Community Action Group to fight for the house.
With all the approvals in place, the neighbours would need seven councillors to object to the approvals in order to get the file reconsidered. That is unlikely.
"We have our Ward 3 councillors behind us, but our hopes are slim," Cabena said.
Neighbours complained plans for the new house look like a triplex waiting to happen, with an enclosed exterior stair access and what they felt was questionable-sized accessory apartment on the top floor.
But Craig Purdie, who has owned the home for several years, flatly denies that is the plan.
"There is nothing nefarious here. No hidden agenda," Purdie told the committee of adjustment, adding that he and his wife will be returning to Guelph from Alberta to retire to the home.
"Allegations that we want to build a triplex, rent it out and make a whole bunch of money is completely nonsense," Purdie said.
The newly-formed neighbours group are concerned about the process involved in getting the house demolished. They didn't know about it until the homeowner applied for some minor variances for the new house.
They feel they should have been alerted earlier on.
"If it can happen to 202 Glasgow Street it could happen anywhere," said neighbour Laura Bolton. "You could wake up and there could be a wrecking ball at the house beside you."
Todd Salter, the city's general manager of planning services, said the city's bylaws are governed by the Ontario Planning Act and that any notice to neighbours legally required was given.
Because the house was a listed on the heritage register as a "non-designated" property, it could be removed by Heritage Guelph without the more stringent conditions placed on designated properties.
"They concluded it wasn't a significant heritage resource," Salter said.
As for demolishing the building, Salter said "there is no requirement to notify of a demolition permit" being issued for a building.
Salter said the primary test for a demolition permit being issued is whether or not the dwelling will be replaced by another residential dwelling.
"The new dwelling passed that test," Salter said.
It should be noted that most of the homes on Glasgow Street are on the city's historical register.
"He is fully within his rights to demolish the home," David Bolton said. "But it brings into question the effectiveness of our municipal government."
The group said they didn't show up at the Heritage Guelph meeting that decided to delist the property off the historic register, or the city council meeting that rubber stamped that decision, because they didn't know about it.
They felt they should have been given notice of that move and the move to demolish the home.
Cabena and others attended the committee of adjustment meeting to voice their concerns, but variances needed to build the home were granted by a 3-2 vote.
"If we're going to lose a historic building, we want it to be a single family home," Cabena said.
