Parts of the vacant Goodyear plant site in Bowmanville, Ont. will be demolished and other parts will be designated as heritage buildings.
The 15.5-hectare site, located at 45 Raynes Ave., has been vacant since the plant stopped operating in June 2016.
“It’s sad on one hand but we are moving ahead,” said Willie Woo, deputy mayor of Clarington, who used to work at the plant. “It’s an old building that has been sitting vacant since 2016. We’ve worked together with the developer, understanding he wants to move ahead too to take the buildings off the municipal register, other than the ones that we are to retain.”
In 2018, Clarington council added the property to the municipal heritage register for its cultural heritage value and interest (CHVI).
“The former Goodyear Tire and Rubber factory site is considered a significant example of the 20th century industrial complexes representing the once thriving manufacturing industry in Bowmanville,” states a staff report.
“The factory was instrumental in the early population growth and development of housing in Bowmanville.”
The present owner, Karina Developments, is hoping to redevelop the lands likely to residential or mixed use.
“It still is zoned industrial because that was its use but there is a change of use because we’re going through the secondary plan (process),” said Woo. “Industrial buildings in the middle of town like this, unfortunately, we certainly do not contemplate another industry going in there. Those days are gone. It’s going to be a lengthy process but it will make our downtown very vibrant.
“If you look at a lot of towns, especially in the early ‘90s, a lot of it was centred within the downtown and this industrial complex pretty well in the centre of Bowmanville,” Woo added. “It will help us meet intensification targets and it makes downtown Bowmanville walkable. It’s located along the valleylands and Bowmanville Creek.”
The request for demolition was prompted by a recent increase in unauthorized entry on the site, vandalism and fires set. Concerns have been raised about the current condition of the vacant buildings, the property and negative impacts to air and water associated with the recent fire incidents.
In May, the owner submitted a notice of intent to demolish certain buildings as required by the Ontario Heritage Act. The notice triggered a 60-day period for further evaluation of the property’s CHVI in order to determine whether to pursue designation of the property or to allow the proposed demolition to proceed.
The Clarington Heritage Committee (CHC) was consulted and at a special meeting in early June recommended to council a hybrid approach pursuing heritage designation of the cement house, powerhouse and chimney stack, and allowing the demolition of other buildings as proposed.
Clarington council supported the recommendation.
The owner also needs to provide a salvage and documentation plan and commemoration plan, as per the heritage impact assessment, which aims to protect the portions of the site to be designated and retained.
According to Woo, the demolition of the site could be lengthy and complex. The land and the building itself could be contaminated and it is important that “all potential contaminants are properly contained and disposed of, minimizing any adverse impacts to the community and the environment,” he said.
The timeline associated with the approvals is not known.
“Staff is awaiting information from the property owner confirming details about the method of demolition, how retained heritage structures will be protected, whether site alteration is required, and possible truck traffic associated with the demolition operation, in addition to the status of the provincial approvals that are required prior to demolition of contaminated sites,” the report indicates.
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