There is plenty of public outrage over the recent demolition of two heritage homes in the town of Harbour Grace, but some heritage officials say the issue is a complicated one.
Ridley Office, a stately stone building dating to 1838, and Stevenson House, which was built in the 1850s, were both demolished this week, much to the shock of residents.
Ridley Office was a rare example of early 19th century stone craftsmanship in Newfoundland. Its walls were two feet thick, consisting of inner and outer stone layers with a rubble fill and slate roof.
An assessment of the structure conducted by the Heritage Foundation in 2018 recommended that rotted and fire-damaged wood be replaced and that almost all of the interior and exterior walls be re-mortared and pointed, especially in the fire-damaged interior.
Ridley Office , circa 1910 (Heritage Foundation of NL)
The assessment also noted that inappropriate mortar, repointing and brick had been used in the past, and that as much of that previous material be replaced as possible.
In addition to fire remediation, some window repairs were needed and the slate roof was likely at the end of its useful life. One heritage expert tells VOCM News that much of the needed work should have been done decades ago, and what happened to Ridley Office boils down to a lack of government support. The cost to restore the building in today’s dollars would likely have been in the millions.
