Member Info Session: Heritage Panel with Q+A

Join us on September 26, 2024 at the St. Catharines Central Library, for a discussion on Heritage. There will be an oppotunity for Q&A with the panelists at the end of the discussion.

Underwriting Coordinator, Insurance Bureau of Canada

Marc has over thirty years of experience in the insurance industry. In July 2010, he joined Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) as Underwriting Coordinator, overseeing the activities of the Wordings Advisory Group and its various wording task forces and working groups. Through these committees, subcommittees and working groups, Industry benchmark policy wordings are developed as a foundation for member companies to draft their own policy wordings.

Marc started his career in the Property & Casualty industry in the late 1980’s, as an underwriter with the Chubb Insurance Company of Canada and subsequently with other Canadian and International insurers. Marc developed a specialty for underwriting large exposure personal property accounts, including heritage estate properties, antiques, jewelry and fine art schedules, vehicles collections, watercraft, rare sports memorabilia and wine cellars. Marc's career focus has been property underwriting and insurance portfolio management.

Marc is an active member of IBC’s CAMP team, which deploys to areas affected by large claims events. Marc was in Fort McMurray for the return of evacuees in 2016, Kamloops, BC in 2017, Halifax, NS in 2023 and most recently in Jasper, AB after the wildfires to meet with provincial and municipal officials and consumers and answer their insurance related questions.

Marc holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University in Montreal with majors in both Economics and Political Science.

Broker, The Mazzolino Real Estate Team, Re/Max Garden City Realty Inc.

Michael Mazzolino has been licensed as a real estate broker and developer in the Niagara region for 32 years, and has worked closely with the Municipality as well as the Heritage Committee on numerous properties. On each project, the history was well researched, and a goal was set to communicate with the City and Heritage with an aim to preserve and/or reinstate the architectural characteristics and detail. Prior to covid, Michael also sat on the board for the Downtown Association for nearly 10 years, as well as the board for the Niagara Symphony Orchestra which is the anchor tenant for the Performing Arts Centre.

Some of the properties include:

160-168 St. Paul Street. Mixed use residential/commercial building. Fully renovated and rebuilt inside and out (with permits and engineering), and currently rented to thriving businesses. The front and rear facades were fully restored under the City's Facade Grant Program. Built in 1856, many historical uses including The St. Catharines Journal, which was the original local newspaper prior to the St. Catharines Standard which took over in the early 1900's.

176 St. Paul Street (Business known as Bolete Restaurant). Mixed use residential/commercial building. Fully renovated and rebuilt inside and out, and currently rented to a successful high end restaurant (9 years in operation). Front and rear facades fully restored under the City's Facade Grant Program. Built in the late 1800's, it was a funeral home in the 1900's and a piano manufacturer along the original Welland canal prior too.

3-5 College Street. 6-unit residential building in the heritage district, purchased by the Neuman family, and divided into apartments for their employees. Heritage grants applied for and successfully utilized for preservation and reinstatement of original design elements.

1 King Street. Recently affected by fire, which spread from the neighboring property. Built by the Burgoyne Family in the early 1900's as their principal residence, while they operated the St. Catharines Standard Newspaper on Queen Street. Sold to Henry's furrier in the 1950's whom operated their business there until they sold in 2008. Heritage committee and City staff have been consulted regarding renovation, facade improvement, and possible intensification.

Michael continues to manage real estate throughout St. Catharines, and works closely with the City and Council to preserve integrity in real estate.

Principal/Senior Architect, 2M Architects Inc.

Michael Mirynech is the Co-Founder and Principal of 2M Architects Inc., with over 35 years of architectural experience throughout Ontario. A graduate of the University of Waterloo with both a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies, Michael has led numerous projects as a Project Architect, with construction values up to $25 million.

Michael is an award-winning architect, recognized for his work on large-scale and adaptive reuse projects, receiving accolades such as Project of the Year from Regional Niagara and the Niagara Construction Association. He is a dedicated member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the Ontario Association of Architects, where he has also contributed as a past member of the ASC Committee.

Deeply involved in the Niagara community, Michael has held leadership roles in the Niagara Society of Architects and the Niagara Construction Association, including positions as President, Vice President, Executive Director, and Board Member. He has also served on the Niagara Heritage Alliance, the Niagara College Program Advisory Committee for Construction Engineering, and has been a mentor for aspiring architects within the Ontario Association of Architects.

His commitment to the community extends to volunteer work with organizations such as Wellspring Niagara, Wells of Hope, and the Canadian Henley Rowing Corporation.

Michael’s dedication to environmental sustainability and outdoor adventure complements his architectural expertise, making him a respected figure in both his profession and community.

Executive Director, The Brown Homestead

Andrew is a co-founder and Executive Director of The Brown Homestead in St. Catharines, which is undertaking the adaptive restoration of the oldest home in the City and the historic homestead as a cultural education centre.

He also heads the Humeniuk Foundation, a 50 year old family foundation that empowers ambitious community building organizations.

Andrew also has a background in marketing and communications, and, in a past life, worked in theatre and independent film. He lives in Port Dalhousie with his wife, partner and muse, Jennifer.

Michael Ripmeester

Professor, Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, Brock University

Michael s a professor in the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies at Brock University. He is a cultural/historical geographer by training. Michael has published on the evolution of colonial landscapes, and particularly the Indigenous reserve system, in British North America / Canada.

More recently, he has been involved in a project that explores resident engagement with local mnemonic landscapes. He is the author, with Russell Johnston, of Meaningful Pasts: Historical Narratives, Heritage Landscapes, and Everyday Lives (University of Toronto Press, 2024) and of many single author and co-authored articles and book chapters. He is also co-editor of The World of Niagara Wines (2013), History Made in Niagara (2019), and Global Iconoclasm: : Contesting “Official” Mnemonic Landscapes (2024).

In addition, he has served as a consultant and on editorial boards and advisory councils for several journals.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

St. Catharines Public Library - Central Library Branch, 54 Church Street, St. Catharines, Canada