Owners of 13 Stuart Street seek delay in council's intent to designate property

The owners of historic 13 Stuart St. are heading to Guelph City Council Tuesday night seeking more time.

At least their lawyer is.

Amidst fears that the stately mansion in the St. George's neighbourhood just east of Downtown Guelph is about to be bulldozed, city council has fast-tracked a notice of intention to designate 13 Stuart St. under the Ontario Heritage Act.

A lawyer for the property's owner will be at Tuesday's council meeting asking that council's notice of intention to designate be put on hold until the property's owners, John and Pamela Rennie, have a chance to respond.

In a letter to council dated May 18, Eric Davis, a lawyer with Waterloo-based law firm Miller Thomson, said his client deserves more time to respond to council's request.

"We hereby request that Council defer this matter in order to provide our client with sufficient time to adequately respond to the issues being raised by the city," Davis wrote.

The matter went before the city's Heritage Committee on May 8 and is now before council.

"This is an exceptionally expedited process, especially given the fact that no application to demolish has ever been filed by our client," Davis said.

The property was built in 1891. It is listed on the city's Heritage Registry, but has not received the more restrictive "designated" standing.

Davis said that no application to demolish has ever been filed and "As such, we see no prejudice to the city in grating (sic) the requested deferral."

A cease construction/demolition order was placed by the city on the door of the building.

The home is known both as both Duncolm Hall and Cutten House.

Last year the interior of the home was gutted after the Rennies purchased the property.

Heritage Guelph has expressed fears the property will be demolished before it can be designated.

Tuesday's council meeting is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Members of Heritage Guelph and other concerned citizens have also registered to appear as delegates.

Some members of the St. George's neighbourhood kept vigilant watch on the house over the long weekend for fear a demolition might happen. They took to Facebook to give updates throughout the weekend.