The Royal George Theatre will be exempt from Queen-Picton Heritage District study restrictions after council approval, which will allow the 110-year-old building to undergo reconstruction after it closes at the end of this year.
The study enacted during last week’s Niagara-on-the-Lake council meeting implements a temporary restriction on property alterations in the district for a year following March 27.
Tim Jennings, executive director and CEO of the Shaw Festival, presented to council why the festival should be exempt from the study.
“We’re working toward rebuild of the Royal George Theatre on a very accelerated timeline,” he said.
To begin construction on this timeline, Jennings wishes to make sure the organization won’t be hampered by an “unintended consequence” of the bylaw, he said.
The Royal George is set to close at the end of the 2025 season for a much-needed rebuild.
The theatre, located at 85 Queen St., has occupied a part of NOTL’s heritage district for more than a century and has been under the Shaw’s ownership for more than four decades.
The exemption includes the theatre itself, 79 Queen St., 178 and 188 Victoria St.
“(They) are in part intended to encompass the footprint of a new Royal George Theatre site and to act as construction access,” Jennings said.
Coun. Gary Burroughs said that the whole point of the motion is to “support Shaw.”
“They have to go for funding and funding is dependent on support from the town,” he said.
Before approving the motion, Coun. Tim Balasiuk asked how many properties in the existing study area have already gone through pre-consultation.
“There’s a lot of people who have already gone through a bunch of processes and outlined their projects and already spent money to get to this point,” he said.
Kirsten McCauley, the town’s director of community and development services, confirmed 11 properties that have some planning approvals in place or pending applications.
Council decided these properties would also be exempt from restrictions.
Councillors also agreed to delay the inaction of the study for 30 days, allowing property owners to submit building permits to the town.
