Uganda High Commission showing 'contempt' for Rockcliffe, councillor says

Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster was looking for an explanation.

"I was just wondering if you can explain to me how you accidentally demolished a building," she asked.

Troster posed that question to Tom Joseph, who attended Ottawa city council's built heritage committee virtually on Tuesday.

"My apologies," said Joseph. "Again, I'm just a consultant."

Joseph was the only person available to speak to a proposal from Uganda's high commission to build an eight-bedroom mansion on the site of its now-demolished diplomatic residence.

To question after question, he answered "I have no information about that, sorry, my apologies."

Joseph provided no information at all except to call the project a renovation, since it would be built on the foundation left after the property was torn down — without a demolition permit, according to the city, which is pursuing enforcement action against the contractor as a result.

Demolition shows 'contempt for residents'

Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. Rawlson King said he's angry.

"I think it shows, frankly, a level of contempt for residents if you're not listening to them and you can't provide a proper delegation to the committee to provide rationale for changes, if you're not bringing professionals to the table who can provide comment," he said. "It's frustrating."

Rockcliffe residents did show up Tuesday, in person and furious. For them, Troster's exchange with Joseph is just the latest in a string of frustrations with a troublesome diplomatic neighbour.

Kirsten Crain lives right across the street. She said she's watched the former diplomatic residence fall into "decline" for a decade.

A look at the remains of the now largely demolished diplomatic residence at 235 Mariposa Ave. (Michel Aspirot/CBC)

"The owner has not complied at all with municipal property standards, with bylaws and with provincial law, and enforcement has been impossible. We've had many communications with [the bylaw department] and we're told that because it's a diplomatic residence there's very little that can be done," said Crain.

"The chronic non-compliance has really interfered with our enjoyment of our home."

Enforcement 'complicated,' say heritage staff

The diplomatic residence had heritage protection, as do all homes in the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District. It was a Grade 2 property which is considered less significant.

The home at 235 Mariposa Ave. in 2012. (Google Street View)

Lesley Collins, program manager for the city's heritage planning branch, said it can be challenging to deal with properties owned by foreign states.

There are currently six diplomatic or foreign-owned properties on the city's heritage watch list of at-risk properties, including another building owned by the Uganda High Commission.

"The challenge with those is more about how complicated it can be to do enforcement and do work when we have to liaise through Global Affairs," Collins said.

She didn't point to any issues with Global Affairs itself, but explained that the process involves extra steps through the city's protocol office.

"It's not that it's impossible, it's not that we can't work with people. It's just that there's additional steps that we need to take."

Neighbours seek conditions

Crain asked the built heritage committee to at least place conditions on any permit to build the proposed mansion on the site.

She asked for a wider setback to push the new home back, toward where the high commission wants a pool, and for real brick on the exterior in place of the planned veneer.

An architect's rendering of the rear of the proposed new building. (Bell + Associates Architecture)

She also urged more frequent inspection to make sure the high commission complies.

"Nobody would be happier than us if they built a high-quality, beautiful project that contributed to the heritage of our neighbourhood," she said, "but we have no trust that they will do that."

The committee voted for the application, but tacked on an amendment to push back the home. King and Troster also plan to bring forward more conditions before final approval.

"We're going to continue to work on that, to strengthen what is going to be brought to council," said King.