A motion headed to the city's planning committee would add Queen's Athletic Field to the city's heritage registry.
The recommendation is from the Municipal Heritage Advisory Panel, which is tasked with the job of researching and identifying city properties that have cultural heritage value.
Queen's, located on Cypress Street in the West End, was built in in the 1930s. On June 5, 1939, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister Mackenzie King visited Sudbury. As a result, its name was changed from ‘Athletic Field’ to ‘Queen’s Athletic Field’ in honour of the visit.
The designation gives the properties a certain level of protection when builders or the city want to make changes, and raises their awareness and profile locally as a historical site.
Growing the city's heritage registry by about four properties a year is one of the goals of the 2015-2018 Strategic Plan.
“The city has already taken a leadership role in this initiative by listing the David Street Water Treatment Plant at 355 David St., the former Copper Cliff fire hall at 7 Serpentine St. in May, 2014, and the Anderson Farm in July 2016,” a staff report on the plan says.
Once designated as a heritage property, the city must receive 60 days notice if an owner or developer plans to demolish the site.
“This allows time for the municipality to decide whether to begin the designation process to give long-term protection to the property, or determine that the building would a better candidate for documentation in the City's Archives and, potentially, salvage prior to demolition,” the report says.
