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Coquitlam tries to stop wrecking ball on heritage home

The owner of one of Coquitlam's oldest homes says she wants her house razed so she can sell her property.
rochester
The roof of 609 Rochester Ave. in Coquitlam, a 100-year-old home the owner wants to demolish.

The owner of one of Coquitlam's oldest homes says she wants her house razed so she can sell her property.

But Ann Jones' bid for a demolition permit was halted last night by city council, which is fighting to save the private residence from ruin.

On Monday, council voted 8-1 (Coun. Bonita Zarrillo was the lone No vote) to temporarily stop Jones from bringing in the wrecking ball in an attempt to assess the heritage value of the property she's owned for the past 44 years. The home, at 609 Rochester Ave., is located south of the Vancouver Golf Course and is one of eight "primary properties" in Maillardville to potentially have historical value. 

According to the city heritage inventory — completed in 1986 by Vancouver heritage expert Donald Luxton and later revised in 2007 — the 1.5-storey home was built around 1920. Its unique characteristics include elements of the Craftsman and Edwardian building styles, a gabled roof and a wide front verandah. And, as noted in the inventory, its condition is "well maintained, in good repair with minor alterations only."

Mayor Richard Stewart, who said he visited the property recently, also commented on the beauty of a mature sequoia tree in the front yard.

But Jones and her son Peter told council they didn't know the home was designated as a heritage building until a few weeks ago. "No one has ever come to see me about the heritage list," Ann Jones told council. "We were unaware of any of this."

In his report to council, George Fujii, Coquitlam's director of development services, wrote that city staff met with representatives for the Jones family March 21 to discuss the possible heritage merits and to consider a Heritage Revitalization Agreement — a process designed to protect a heritage building by slightly altering or relocating it.

Two weeks later, Jones formally applied to the city for a demolition permit and, despite more follow-up from city staff, the owner's agent confirmed that Jones wanted the house torn down.

Peter Jones told council the home doesn't meet the city's heritage criteria nor is it in good shape. As well, the neighbourhood — which is undergoing an update under the Burquitlam-Lougheed Neighbourhood Plan and with the opening of the Evergreen Extension — is also changing to higher density. The plan, which is due to be complete in two months, calls for townhouses in Jones' area.

Peter Jones said his mother is elderly, unable to take care of the property herself and wants to sell — if not privately then to the city, he said.

"Developers don't want to deal with the hassle of a heritage home," Peter Jones said.

Mayor Stewart said city council has the jurisdiction to halt demolition permits for 60 days under Section 606 of the Local Government Act. The resolution means no changes are allowed on site until the matter is resolved between the owner and municipality, until July 28.

Coun. Brent Asmundson said of the 33 homes in the city heritage inventory, half are now gone. 

"It's an older building," said Jim McIntyre, Coquitlam's general manager of planning and development, of 609 Rochester Ave. "We have lost of a number of these over the years… We are looking for one more shot to work out an arrangement to save your building."

McIntyre, who spoke with the Jones after the vote to stop the demolition, told council he plans to set up a formal meeting soon.

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"PRIMARY" HOMES

The eight heritage homes in Maillardville deemed to have historical value are:

• 1746 Brunette Ave. (Booth Farm), built in 1901, owned by the city;

• 1120 Brunette Ave. (Ryan House), built in 1908, owned by the city;

• 1120 Brunette Ave. (Mackin House), built in 1913, owned by the city;

• 1319 Brunette Ave. (Hamlin House), built in 1910;

• 1313 Cartier Ave., built in 1910;

• 830 Laval Sq. (Notre Dam de Lourdes Church), built in 1938, owned by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vancouver;

• 310 Marathon Crt. (Brehaut House), built in 1898 or 1909;

• and 609 Rochester Ave., built in 1920, owned by Ann Jones.