Heritage Kitchener will be considering adding two more buildings to the city’s register after being a part of the community’s identity for nearly 100 years.
The buildings in question are St. John’s Catholic Elementary School at 99 Strange St. and the former Bridgeport United Church at 40 Bridge St.
The Catholic school is a two-storey red brick building that was built in 1929, following a rise in new families and children after the First World War.
The church was built a few years later, in 1933 and was originally called the Emmanuel Evangelical Church, but changed its name in 1987. It has also already been declared a local landmark.
The Heritage Kitchener committee meeting will begin on Tuesday at 4 p.m. If the committee chooses to move forward with the process, it would contact the owners and start working with them towards designating the building. According to the City of Kitchener’s website, receiving the designation would allow the city to help conserve the buildings while “enhancing its unique character.”
In a report to the committee, staff say that the city is working to evaluate high-priority properties in areas that are undergoing significant redevelopment. The province has also given all municipalities until January 1, 2027, to pursue designation; otherwise, they will be removed from the register and can’t be added for another five years.
As of now, both buildings are listed as non-designated properties of cultural heritage value or interest on the Municipal Heritage Register.
Currently, in Kitchener, there are 133 individually designated heritage properties.
