Regent facade, downtown heritage plan on council agenda
Administrator | Jul 08, 2013 | Comments 6
Peter Blendell, acting chair of the Regent Theatre Foundation, plans to address the committee of the whole this week regarding a building permit application for the facade of the Regent Theatre and the denial on part of the application due to Heritage Advisory Committee comments.
Blendell will explain the foundation has applied to planning for permission to carry out work on the facade of the historic Main Street Picton building – designated as historically significant. The application was circulated to the heritage committee which ruled it would not support two of the 10 items of work requested.
“The directors of the foundation have reviewed this decision and the language of the designation and based on that review and the needs of the Regent, we have concluded that the Regent should appeal the decision,” said Blendell.
The gist of his argument at the July 11 meeting will be that the changes are beneficial to the appearance of Main Street and are important to a group of patrons of the theatre.
“We claim that these alterations can be carried out in a manner which is consistent with the intent of the historical designation and sensitive to the historical character of Main Street.”
The Committee of the Whole will also be discussing the report of the Engineering, Development and Works Commission regarding the Picton Main Street Heritage Conservation District.
The purpose of the report is to adopt the Picton main Street Heritage Conservation Plan for properties located along Main from Talbot Street, to the harbour, including the traditional downtown core and the Main Street West areas.
The executive summary states the plan “includes design guidelines to help conserve the distinctive features of Picton Main Street… while allowing it to evolve and accommodate new buildings and public realm amenities in ways that enhance the special character of the area
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It really does not matter who approved the decision to destroy the marquis with ads Jim. It’s just sad that it happened. The Heritage people slipped up on this one. Also, I distinctly recall reading in the local newspapers initially that the ads would be confined to the wings. Those little improvements that you mention sound great but maybe its time the Regent balanced its budget the way the rest of us must. If the money is not there don’t foist these costs off on the taxpayer by asking for a big grant every year.
Jim good to see you post on County Live. You are correct about the Box Office door-I thought it would have been replaced long ago. Yes the front doors are not wide enough for allow a whellchair to come through.
It sounds like there is going to be a full scale renation to the front of the Regent. Where is the money coming for all this. Yes I was a box office volunteer for a long time,beginning when the Regent had get a new group of people to work and keep the Regent up and running. Kudos went to the Sweets–Barbara and David who spent
nearly half their time doing Regent work.
The debt was huge. Has it all been paid off now?
To correct Marnie’s incorrect assertion, the Heritage committee approved the installation on the marquee that is now back lit by the neon tubes on both the wings and the front.That is a fact.
This installation is successfully promoting the Regent fare, particularly to County visitors.
Doris, as a past Box Office volunteer must be aware that the doors at the front of the theatre no longer seal when closed so are the source of great heat loss in the winter especially when a north wind blows.The new historically appropriate doors would solve this expensive heat loss issue.As a bonus the doors would also be slightly wider and allow a person using a wheelchair or a walker to enter or leave by using just one side of each double door.Makes a daunting task a little easier.
Thanks to Peter and the Board of the Regent for their stewardship and thanks to the Council and the people of the County for their support.
Jim McMillan…long time volunteer
Where will the Regent get the money for these changes that they have proposed? They go to council hat in hand looking for a grant every year then they are on to more renovations and improvements. Have they ever thought of making do with what they have instead of hitting up the taxpayer for money all the time? Where does it stop?
I agree with Marnie about the signs where the neon tubing was. I am not in favour of much alteration to the front of the Regent.
However I caanot see how the Heritage group feels that the Main Street is one that can be be designated as a heritage district, maybe 50 years ago but most if the heritage buildings are gone.
Glad we do not have buildings on Main Street anymore but the one we had where Bruce Campbells office is,is still in tact.
The Regent folks made a big mistake when it ran ads across the front of the theatre where the neon tubing used to be. They said in the beginning that these promos for coming events would be on the wings only but quickly splashed them right across the front of the building. If they have any more bright ideas like this it is to be hoped that council will stick to its guns about the two items they have refused to support.