The Royal George Theatre can be rehabilitated after Niagara-on-the-Lake councillors exempted the historical building from restrictions under the Heritage Conservation District study plan.

Councillors at their Feb. 25 meeting approved the expanded Heritage Conservation District study area, while exempting the theatre and about 11 other buildings that planning staff said received approval for work to be done.

Allowing the HCD study to move ahead means imposing temporary restrictions on alterations to the buildings within the area for a year.

Councillors also agreed to delay implementing the HCD study area for 30 days to allow property owners to submit building permits to the town. Deputy Lord Mayor Erwin Wiens, who introduced the motion to impose the pause on implementing the HCD study area, said it would be “unfair” to property owners to prevent work being done on their residences for a year.

“This is just to cover people who will come in this week (and submit) a building permit,” he said. “It is only a 30-day window.”

Tim Jennings, executive director of the Shaw Festival, said the owners are proposing within the next 10 months to have planning and heritage amendments approved for the theatre, as well as potential demolition work

Jennings said the Shaw is on an “accelerated timeline” to finalize provincial and federal funding resources to conduct the needed work on the building. He said Shaw officials have been discussing the proposed renovations of the theatre with city staff over two-and-a-half years

The Shaw Festival announced in August it will close the Royal George Theatre on Queen Street at the end of 2025 because of an eroding foundation.

The Ontario government is investing about $35 million toward the theatre’s reconstruction. The grant is contingent on the Progressive Conservatives winning the Feb. 27 election.

The Shaw community has already raised about $40 million for the project.

It’s estimated the theatre alone generates a roughly $70 million economic impact to the area, while the impact of the festival is $300 million.

The Shaw Festival took over the Royal George in 1981.

Over time the building’s foundation has been deteriorating because of water seepage. Rebuilding the theatre would also include installing accessible washrooms and elevators.

There is also a required 30-day period for the public to appeal the bylaw after councillors approved the HCD study area. The town will send out notices to each owner within the study area.

The town has hired Ottawa-based consultant Cultural Spaces, a heritage consulting firm, to conduct an updated Heritage Cultural District plan study.

The study area is bordered by Johnson and Queen streets to Palatine Place, Mississauga Street, Simcoe Street, Front Street to the dock area, Byron Street and King Street to John Street West.

Planning staff said the study area will not be the proposed boundary for the heritage district, but may include properties in the final area.

In 1991, an expanded study beyond the Queen-Picton Heritage Conservation District, which was created in 1986, identified 336 additional properties for potential inclusion in the area.

The current heritage district includes 10 blocks within the commercial area of the town, bordered by Gates, Prideaux, Wellington and Johnson streets.

By Kevin Werner for www.niagarathisweek.com.

Photo: Royal George Theatre. © Howard Clarke.