Report in the Citizen that a “recognized” federal heritage building in Gatineau park is now at a critical juncture. The question, to renovate and try to find a use for it, or to knock it down and re-naturalize the grounds.
The house is small but architecturally interesting and evidently hosted some historical luminaries. A study recommending what should be done is due out in the next few weeks.
I’m not in any position to weigh the arguments this way or that, but I do know that JR Booth’s house at Kingsmere is gone gone gone; now a patch of trees. The NCC did try mightily to find a use for it but in the end knocked it down. I don’t know that we are any better for it being gone and as a piece of history we are poorer. I’m sure the NCC don’t want to obliterate swaths of history, they just don’t have the resources (or don’t allocate the resources) to pay for maintaining history on our behalf. Would people would squawk if money was diverted from trail grooming or Canada Day? I guess people squawk whatever decisions are made; so squawk for the things that matter to you.
