Old Mill Heritage Conservation District Development

In response to community feedback, Council, sitting as Committee of the Whole, voted to pause the project development. Additional information related to the discussion regarding this project at Committee of the Whole can be found in the May 9, 2023 meeting minutes. This decision was ratified at the May 23 Council meeting.

Correspondence has been sent out to property owners to let them know. Any questions related to the project can be directed to heritage@kawarthalakes.ca Documents from the project will continue to remain available for information online and by request.

The Old Mill-Pumpkin Hollow Plan development will continue to a second round of public meetings to provide updates on the current status of the project and introduce draft policies and objectives for the area. Come out and have your say!

The first meeting will be held in person at the Victoria Park Armoury on April 27, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. . A second virtual meeting will be held on May 1, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom for those who are unable to attend in person. Advanced registration is required for the virtual meeting. Both meetings will cover the same content.

The Old Mill-Pumpkin Hollow Plan phase will kick off in September 2022 with two public meetings to introduce the project, answer questions and begin brainstorming as to how you would like to see the neighbourhood develop and how to preserve its heritage features. Come out and have your say!

The first meeting will be held in person at the Victoria Park Armoury on September 15, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. in the North End Room and will include a presentation by staff, Q&A, and a brainstorming session. A second virtual meeting will be held on September 20, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom for those who are unable to attend in person. Advanced registration is required for the virtual meeting. Both meetings will cover the same content.

We have also launched a new tool on Jump In to help brainstorm ideas about what is important to you about the neighbourhood and what you would like to see preserved in future. Check it out and add your thoughts!

An article outlining the study and its results that were presented to Council was featured in the Peterborough Examiner on July 26, 2022. Check it out to see some of the highlights from the discussion.

The heritage conservation district study is now complete and results from a two year review of Old Mill neighbourhood in Lindsay have come forward to Council recommending a plan to move forward.

The primary significance of the area is that it is the original settlement site of Lindsay (Purdy’s Mills) and also contains a large number of historic residential properties. Public consultation is largely in support of the designation, as heard through a series of public meetings and participation on Jump In, Kawartha Lakes.

Council adopted the recommendation to develop a heritage conservation district plan to guide future development in the area. It will take approximately 12 months to complete with more public consultation to be included.

The final study is available under Documents.

We will be holding our next two public meetings for this project on March 26, 2022 at 7 p.m. and March 27, 2022 at 2 p.m. These meetings will cover the same content and will discuss the draft study and timeline for completion and will be an opportunity for the public to provide feedback and ask questions. The meetings will take place on Zoom and advanced registration is required. The registration form can be found at the links below:

March 26 Registration

March 27 Registration

Questions can be submitted in advance of the meetings by email.

Recordings of the meetings will be uploaded to Jump In for those who cannot attend.

A draft text-only version of the study has been released for review and comments. Staff are looking for input on the study and any additional information on the history and heritage features of the area that should be included. Input can be provided through our survey.

We are also looking for input on the proposed boundaries for a future district. There are two potential boundaries and the rationale for each can be found in the Recommendations section of the draft study above. The proposed boundaries have been drawn on a map which demonstrates the dates of construction for the properties in the area and shows its historical development from the middle of the nineteenth century until today.

A copy of the draft study and the boundary options are available under the Documents tab.

Welcome! This new section on Jump In, Kawartha Lakes is designed to help encourage and gather public feedback on the Old Mill Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Study.

In this section you will find information on the Old Mill HCD Project, spearheaded by Emily Turner, Economic Development Officer - Heritage, and you can follow along with the progress being made.

You can also take part in the interactive areas such as the forum, polls and idea sharing. This is project is meant to be a collaboration and we want to hear from you. Have a look around and jump into the discussion.

Public engagement is an important part of the designation of a heritage conservation district because it help answers questions you might have about district designation and allows you to identify and protect the things about your neighbourhood that are important to your community. You are encouraged to get involved in the study process, especially if you live in the Old Mill area. We are looking for input on the study development and about the history of the study area and the buildings within it.

Please be aware that in an effort to continue physical distancing and keep our community safe, we will be holding many of our community engagement activities online. If you are not able to access online materials, please contact us for alternate formats. Information about our public engagement sessions, resources, surveys and more will be posted below for you to access. Check back often as this page will be updated regularly as the study progresses.

Community Meetings

We will conduct community meetings throughout the study process. All residents, property owners, and business owners are invited to attend and participate in community meetings to ask questions and provide feedback on the study. Community meetings are your opportunity to help shape the future development of your neighbourhood. Information about the time, date, and location of public meetings will be posted here as they are scheduled.

Materials, including video recordings, from the community meetings will be posted here for you to access throughout the study process.

Our first community meetings were held on August 13 and August 18, 2020. Our next public meetings will be scheduled for early 2021. Information on these sessions will be available on this page.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to continue social distancing for the safety of both members of the public and our staff, we will be holding some of our community meetings and engagement sessions online. We will be facilitating these in such a way that community members can join both by video and by phone. If you are not able to access these virtual meetings, please contact us so that we can provide the material for you in an alternative format.

There are a variety of steps and three phases to designating an HCD, including Identification, a Study Phase and a Plan Phase. The project is currently in the Study Phase.

Study Approval

Initial Identification

An area is identified as a potential heritage conservation district by staff, members of the community, or the Municipal Heritage Committee. Preliminary research is conducted to determine if the area has potential for designation, such as identifying if the area has a concentration of historic properties or buildings with specific architectural interest.

Municipal Heritage Committee (MHC) Recommendation

The Municipal Heritage Committee makes a recommendation to Council to begin an HCD study in a defined geographic area.

Council Approval

Council approves the MHC recommendation and directs staff to begin the HCD study.

Study Phase (9-12 months)

HCD Study Phase

The HCD study begins. The identified study area is examined for its architectural, historical, and contextual merit. Researchers look for important historical stories, architecture, and development patterns that define the local area. Boundaries for a potential HCD are identified which may or may not be the same as the study area depending on the findings of the visual property surveys and research.

Public Consultation (throughout Study Phase)

At the beginning of the study phase, notices are circulated and property owners in the area are notified. Public meetings and surveys are held to solicit input and involve the local community. Community members are invited to participate in the the HCD Study Advisory group and provide input and information to staff to help with the study.

Study Complete

The study is completed and presented to Council. It makes recommendations about whether the study area should be designated, what features are important, and what the boundaries should be. Based on the recommendations in the study, Council may choose to proceed with a district plan using the boundaries recommended by the study.

Plan Phase (6-9 months)

Plan Phase

The plan phase begins. An overall plan is created which will direct future growth and development in the area. It includes overall policy statements and design guidelines for construction.

Public Consultation (throughout Plan Phase)

At the beginning of the plan phase, public notices are circulated and property owners in the area are notified. Public meetings are held to solicit input and involve the local community. Community members are asked to think about how they want to see their community evolve to help develop the plan. A draft plan is presented to the community for input.

Plan Complete and Designation

The plan is complete and presented to Council for approval. Council passes a by-law to designate the district. Notices are circulated to the Ontario Heritage Trust and property owners. The area is now designated as a district. Development and growth in the area are guided by the district plan.