Kingston Penitentiary site could become cultural landmark

Kingston city council is set to review a bylaw tonight.

Kingston city council is set to review a bylaw tonight that could designate the former Kingston Penitentiary as a site of cultural value. The 8.5-hectare property, which closed in 2013, has become one of the city’s top tourist attractions, drawing thousands of visitors each year.

A heritage report to council highlights the penitentiary's cultural significance, noting its local, provincial, and national importance. The site played a major role in the history of Kingston’s federal penitentiary system and was central to the development of Portsmouth Village.

Council had previously requested the federal government remove the penitentiary property from a list of sites proposed for housing redevelopment. 

Instead, they suggested 340 hectares of other federally owned land within the city limits could be redeveloped for housing. The move to designate the penitentiary as a heritage site could help preserve its historical and cultural legacy.

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