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Heritage Districts

The Ontario Heritage Act enables municipalities to designate the whole or any part of a community as a heritage conservation district to protect and enhance groups of properties or neighbourhoods that collectively give an area special character.

In designating a district, we typically prepare and adopt a heritage conservation district plan, which provides guidance to both us and property owners in the care and protection of the heritage character of the district.

An area is designated under Part V (heritage conservation districts) of the Ontario Heritage Act and placed on the Municipal Heritage Register following:

Completion of a heritage study.
Consultation with both the Heritage Kitchener committee and the property owner(s).
Preparation of a plan.

The designated properties within the heritage conservation district are subject to a designating bylaw that identifies the boundary and adopts the heritage conservation district plan with policies and guidelines for change within the area.

We currently have four designated heritage conservation districts:

St. Mary's
Upper Doon
Victoria Park
Civic Centre

St. Mary's heritage conservation district

The St. Mary's heritage conservation district plan provides policies and guidelines to preserve the significant architecture and suburban landscapes unique to the post World War II housing character associated with the area.

Upper Doon heritage conservation district

The Upper Doon heritage conservation district plan contains policies and guidelines to conserve the architecture and landscapes unique to the rural character associated with the former village of Doon.

Victoria Park heritage conservation district

The Victoria Park heritage conservation district plan contains guidelines and policies aimed at conserving the significant Victorian architecture and romantic landscapes that are unique to the Victoria Park neighbourhood. A self-guided tour of the Victoria Park heritage conservation district is available, if you're interested in learning more about this historic community.

Civic Centre heritage conservation district

The Civic Centre heritage conservation district plan contains guidelines and policies to protect and preserve the Civic Centre neighbourhood which is linked to several key periods in development of the city and contains many buildings associated with important business people and community leaders.

Heritage Alterations

In some cases, the owner of a property designated under the Ontario Heritage Act may require a heritage permit to make changes to either the building or the property in question. Changes may include alterations, demolitions or new construction.

Heritage Property Standards Bylaw

Vacant buildings and structures located on heritage properties that are designated under Part IV (individual) or Part V (heritage conservation districts) of the Ontario Heritage Act, or identified as a property of high cultural heritage value and interest within a heritage conservation district are subject to the heritage provisions of the property standards bylaw.

For confirmation of a property's heritage status, or for more information, please contact Michelle Drake, heritage planner, at 519-741-2839 or Leon Bensason, coordinator, cultural heritage planning, at 519-741-2306.

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