Take notice that the Council of the Corporation of the City of Guelph intends to designate 79 Suffolk Street West as a property of cultural heritage value or interest under section 29, Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter 0.18.
Description of the property
79 Suffolk St. W. is located between Glasgow St. N. and Park Ave. The legal description is Part Lot 3, Part Lot 4, Plan 145.
Statement of cultural heritage value or interest
The residential building at 79 Suffolk St W is worthy of designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act because it meets five of the nine prescribed criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest, according to Ontario Regulation 9/06 as amended by 569/22. The subject building at 79 Suffolk St W has design and physical value, historical and associative value, and contextual value.
Design/Physical Value
The subject property meets criterion 1 as an early locally quarried limestone mixed-use building with residential and commercial space.
The subject property meets criterion 2 because the building has a high level of physical integrity, well maintained stone and retaining most of its original architectural design and features.
Historical/Associative Value
The subject property meets criterion 4 as an example of a historic mixed-use building combining commercial uses with family homes, a frequent typology in Guelph’s early development.
Contextual Value
The subject property meets criterion 7 as it supports the architectural character of the area through its limestone construction and Italianate features mirrored on adjacent properties and others in the neighbourhood.
The subject property meets criterion 8 because it is physically linked to the surrounding neighbourhood through material and architectural expressions and functionally linked to the area as a very early commercial space in the rapidly developing St. David’s ward of the late 19th c.
Description of heritage attributes
The following elements of the property at 79 Suffolk St. should be considered as heritage attributes in a designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act:
Building form, including:
- 2-storey building with gable roof line
- Broken course limestone walls
- Wall quoins
- Corbelled parapet walls
- Round head window and door openings with quoining, keystone and cut stone lintels
- Tooled sills
- Door case with transom window and sidelights
- Corbelled balcony
It is intended that non-original features may be returned to the documented earlier designs or to their documented original without requiring Council to amend the heritage designation by-law.
A more detailed description of the property’s cultural heritage value may be found in staff’s report to City Council dated June 10, 2025 at www.guelph.ca.
Notice of objection
Any person may send a notice of objection to this proposed designation, before 4 p.m. on Friday, July 18, 2025. This notice must be sent by registered mail or delivered to the Clerk of the City of Guelph and must set out the reason for the objection and all relevant facts. If a notice of objection is received, the Council of the City of Guelph shall consider the objection and make a decision whether or not to withdraw the notice of intention to designate the property within 90 days after the end of the 30-day objection period. If Council decides not to withdraw its intention to designate, a heritage designation bylaw must be passed within 120 days after the date of publication of the notice of intention to designate. Council must publish a notice of passing of the designation by-law which is followed by a 30-day appeal period when appeals of the by-law may be given to the Ontario Land Tribunal for a hearing and decision.
Stephen O’Brien
City Clerk
City of Guelph
1 Carden Street, Guelph ON N1H 3A1
For more information
Imogen Goldie (she/her), MPlan | Project Manager, Heritage Planning
Planning Services
519-837-5616 x 4240
[email protected]
Notice date: June 19, 2025