The future of the McConkey farmhouse on Innisfil Beach Road was front and centre at the May 1 meeting of the Innisfil Heritage Committee at Town Hall.
Newly-appointed chairperson Andrew Cowan presided over his first session, attended by a dozen local citizens who queried how the committee plans to protect heritage properties throughout the town.
The committee has been under fire from some residents who believe it hasn’t moved quickly enough to give Innisfil Council tools to protect older homes from falling prey to new residential and commercial developments.
A heritage home known as the Ness-Adair house, near the northeast corner of 20th Sideroad Innisfil Beach Road, was demolished April 2 to make way for commercial development.
Residents and the Alcona Business Association fear the McConkey house will meet the same fate if council rezones the property to allow a new Canadian Tire store.
The Heritage committee will present a draft list of properties it believes could be deemed heritage, including the McConkey house, at next Wednesday night’s council meeting.
“We are preparing an inventory of properties of heritage interest,” said committee secretary Kim Creamer. “It has to go to Council first. If approved, a registered list of heritage properties will be prepared. The list will be provided to Innisfil’s building department.”
The heritage list would be an ongoing project and would be open to suggestions made by any member of the public, said committee member Doug Warrington.
David Steele who lives on the 3rd Line, said formulating such a list “was great, but ultimately, Council has the authority to disregard the recommendations of the Heritage committee.”
Bill Pring, who represents Council on the committee, agreed.
“We are a committee assigned by Council,” Pring said. “If the committee presents our argument properly, probably the Council of the day will listen to us. Council has to look at its purse strings. The Heritage committee is focused on saving buildings. The Economic Development Advisory committee is focused on bringing new business to the town. Council has to focus on the whole town and is the boss and has the final say on all committees.”
The committee also adopted a motion to ask Council to establish a “Heritage Subdivision” in Innisfil, “for the preservation and conservation of buildings that cannot for any circumstance be successfully retained on their original site.”
“The McConkey house is a real good example of heritage in Innisfil,” said resident Marj Mossman. “Council will have the final say about Alcona’s heritage.”
Don Molloy, whose family lives across from the former McConkey property and near the site of the demolished Ness house, said he believes the six-bedroom house could be moved, if necessary, to another site.
His 11-year-old daughter, Ellen, is caught up in the story, too.
She will be asking shoppers at Sobey’s in Alcona on Saturday afternoon from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to sign a petition to save the 150-year-old homestead from demolition.
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