Fleming Cottage Campaign Fact Sheet:

The cottage was purchased by the City of Halifax in 1948 and under the Heritage

Property Act it became a registered property in 1985. It was rented to various tenants

until Sept 1 st 2014 and has been vacant since. Friends of Sir Sandford Fleming Park

began a campaign to save Fleming Cottage in 2020 because the cottage was empty at

this point for about 5 years and HRM did not proceed with any of the 2016 scope of

work recommendations described in the following item.

Activities that relate to rehabilitation of the cottage:

1. October 2016 SP Dumaresq Architect Ltd was .engaged by HRM to provide

a Scope of Work for Fleming Cottage, the barn and the adjacent lands.

Result: HRM did not proceed with any of the recommendations provided in the

completed scope of work.

2. 2020 Friends of Sir Sandford Fleming Park submitted a petition signed by

over 1500 citizens calling for Halifax Regional Council to make the necessary

commitment and investment, in a timely manner, to restore Fleming Cottage at

30 Dingle Rd, as it was in 1908, as proposed in the October 2016 SP Dumaresq

Architect Ltd Scope of Work. It recommends the restoration of the cottage, barn

and grounds as they were in 1908, in recognition of “Sir Sanford Fleming's

incredible contributions to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, the British Empire and

indeed the western world.”

Result: Feb 9 2021 HRM Council motion as follows unanimously passed: “That Halifax

Regional Council request a staff report on developing a plan to restore and preserve Sir

Sandford Fleming Cottage, a registered heritage property owned by the municipality

and situated in Sir Sandford Fleming Park.”

Note: Friends of Sir Sandford Fleming Park in several follow on communications

requested that the cottage be rehabilitated versus restored so that it would retain the

addition that the 2016 SP Dumaresq Architect Ltd Scope of Work recommended be

removed.  Retaining the addition allows for the cottage to be open for more practical

uses and it keeps elements that are included in the national registry of historic places.

Friends of Sir Sandford Fleming Park originally supported restoration of Fleming

Cottage which would have resulted in demolition of the addition. Our position on this

changed after touring the cottage. For any practical use of the cottage the addition

would be required to remain. Heritage Canada supports rehabilitation versus restoration

providing the historic elements of the structure are retained. This option allows for

greater practical uses for structures.

Reference: Standards and Guidelines For The Conservation of Historic Places In

Canada, Second Edition

On June 15, 2022 S.P Dumaresq Architect Ltd. delivered a costing assessment to HRM

that provided up to date costing for the rehabilitation of Fleming Cottage. This costing

covered only the cottage rehabilitation. In the 2016 costing referenced earlier the

costing was for the Scope of Work for Fleming Cottage, the barn and the adjacent

lands. In addition, the 2022 costing included retention of the addition to Fleming Cottage

which was added sometime after 1909.

3. July 11 2023: Staff report referenced in item 2 presented to HRM council.

Result: There was a single recommendation to consider the possibility to move the

cottage to another location in the park as part of another project under review.

Friends of Sir Sandford Fleming Park do not support this and because there are too

many risks involved in moving the building it was not deemed by HRM as a realistic

option. Even if this was a serious option the odds of this being funded are unlikely. In

addition, In addition, this option was not feasible, primarily due to the heritage

designation on the building it cannot be moved without impacting its designation.

July 11, 2023 Regional Council draft minutes MOVED by Councillor Cuttell,

seconded by Councillor Hendsbee THAT Halifax Regional Council consider the

rehabilitation of the Sir Sandford Fleming Cottage, as the preferred option, be added

to the 2024/2025 Regional Council capital budget deliberations for discussion.

MOTION PUT AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

September 14, 2023 Community Planning and Economic Development Standing

Committee

Friends did a presentation that closed with the following request to this committee:

That HRM urgently fund the rehabilitation of Fleming Cottage from the 24/25 capital

budget, while pursuing funding from other levels of government.

Result:

HRM staff confirmed that Fleming cottage rehabilitation funding will not be included in

the HRM 24/25 capital budget however there is very good news as outlined in the

following:

Email response from HRM staff:

“Wednesday, Feb. 14 (Contingency: Wednesday, Feb. 28) - Parks & Recreation will be

tabling a request to include funding in the 2024/25 draft capital budget for design work

required to restore Fleming Cottage.  The design scope will be developed in

collaboration with Parks & Recreation and based on planned use of the facility and with

input from Heritage Planning in order to maintain the heritage registration.  

“Email response from Parks and Recreation explaining what the planned use will be:

1. “The redesign will be based on the need for additional space for the Adventure

earth Program, currently there’s is a waiting list for children.  There is also a need

for the environmentally themed youth action team called HEAT (Helping the

Earth while Acting Together) to have some space.   

2. Also, Recreation has been expanding its opportunities for senior outdoor

recreation services and believes the cottage to be great gathering point for this. 

On a side note, the youth will eventually create a community garden at the site of

the original garden.  This initiative will be led by the youth program, and they will

be looking for community involvement as well. 

 “Getting the design done is a good step forward. An important step in the bureaucratic

process, as without design and intent, HRM cannot put anything out to tender. “

Results: The Parks and Recreation capital budget of January 19 th 2024 that includes

getting design costs has been passed

Next steps for the cottage rehabilitation:

Now that the funding to allow for a tender to select bidder to provide design costs is

available the following items will likely follow if all goes will:

1. At some point in fiscal 24/25 a tender will be issued to get quotes on the design

cost etc.?

2. The costs would then be used for the next round of budget exercises for the

25/26 budget year?

3. Assuming this next budget is approved hopefully a tender then be put together to

get bids on the cottage work and to be completed in the 25/26 budget year.

Next steps:

Friends of Fleming to put together a communications plan that keeps the cottage

rehabilitation effort moving along.

John Mac Manus

Chair, Friends of Sir Sandford Fleming Park