A number of historic properties in and around the capital city will throw their doors open tomorrow, inviting the public to have a look around and explore some of the region’s most iconic structures.
The Crow’s Nest, Colonial Building, Newman Wine Vaults, the Supreme Court and each of the main downtown churches are participating in the NL Historic Trust’s annual Doors Open event.
Spokesperson Ted Blades says this year’s event will include a special public discussion on the old S.O. Steele building, also known as the Breakwater Books Building, next to the National War Memorial on Water Street.
(via Google Maps)
Blades told VOCM Open Line with Brian Callahan that local historian John Fitzgerald will highlight the building’s historic significance and its uncertain future.
“A couple of years ago the Liberal provincial government, as part of the (redevelopment) of the war memorial site, said they might turn it into a museum or something. Once the PCs came into power, they put a stop to that. Now they’re even talking about the possibility of tearing that building down.”
Blades says the Steele family has a direct connection to WWI and the National War Memorial.
Owen William Steele (Courtesy of Archives and Special Collections (Coll – 179), Queen Elizabeth II Library, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL)
“Owen Steele was one of the First 500, and kept a diary of his time in France and Belgium. (He was) sadly killed over there during the war, but that family’s connection…that building’s connection to the site is really important, so we’ve asked John (FitzGerald) to come in to talk about that.”
That will happen at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow at the old Breakwater Books Building.
