ST. ANDREWS WEST, Ontario – The Township of South Stormont is taking the first steps towards demolishing the Raisin Region Heritage Centre.
The 110-year-old building is located in St. Andews West and for several years, the township has been exploring options to preserve the historic site.
At their meeting on Jan. 13, township administration explained to Council that their quest to preserve the building was coming to an end, and that in their opinion, the most viable and cost effective option was the demolition of the Raisin Region Heritage Centre.
The building, which is currently being used to store items belonging to the Cornwall Township Historical Society, would cost $892,393 to renovate it and bringing up to a point where it is safe to enter. An option for use of the building would be for it to serve as a historical archive, but that option would increase the total cost of renovation to $1,773,873.
The township has faced obstacles in both the possibilities of renovating the building, and on selling it.
While the township owns the building, it only owns five feet of property around it. The Raisin Region Heritage Centre is effectively landlocked, with no access to the road, and its plumbing and septic system is also not located on land owned by the township.
The land around the building is owned by the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO), who own and operate St. Andrews Catholic School next door to the Centre.
The CDSBEO has expressed no interest in purchasing the building or in selling land to the township to allow access to the road. The CDSBEO has indicated to the township that they would prefer to see the building demolished over health and safety concerns.
Currently, it is costing the township $15,000 annually to maintain the building. In 2018, the township received a quote from a contractor on the cost of demolition, which was estimated at $698,000 at that time.
Cornwall Township, which is the municipality that preceded the Township of South Stormont before amalgamation in 1998, designated the Raisin Region Heritage Centre has historically significant in 1978.
Before any demolition of the property can begin, the township must first repeal that historically significant designation from the building.
The public now has 30 days to appeal the township’s decision to repeal the historic designation. If the designation is repealed, Kevin Amelotte, the township’s Director of Parks and Recreation stated that the township will take the demolition project forward with a request for proposal and seek bids from contractors.
“I’ve been very much an advocate to preserve this building . . . but we’ve reached out like Director Amelotte said to multiple parties and there is just no interest,” explained South Stormont Councillor Andrew Guindon.
Amelotte said that the township would continue to work with the Cornwall Township Historical Society to find solutions for the building and for storage of the items currently housed in the Raisin Region Heritage Centre.
