A
AlvinofDiaspar
Guest
Jarrek: I've deleted the other thread since this one covered the item.
AoD
AoD
|
|
|
J
Jarrek
Guest
But will people read this thread?
I think this thread merging is just killing the conversations/postings on this board.
I think this thread merging is just killing the conversations/postings on this board.
J
Jarrek
Guest
THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS
Port Credit loses a piece of its history
John Stewart
Mar 30, 2007
The sign hanging from the exposed inside wall today at the 1908-era Gray's House said "Blue: On Tap," but it was more like the blues on tap all around, as the historic structure was demolished.
Residents, historians, City of Mississauga officials and the developer all expressed deep regret that it had come to this: one of the few remaining slate-roofed homes in Port Credit and a vestige of the Gray family that founded its signature company, St. Lawrence Starch, was reduced to rubble.
Shortly after City Council on Wednesday again refused to include a new Port Credit library in the condominium development on the east side of Hurontario St. on the property where the house sits, developer Frank Giannone and Fram/Slokker Limited obtained a demolition permit to tear down the former Gray's Lakeshore bar.
Just after 9 a.m. today, demolition crews moved in and the building began to disappear.
"I'm very disappointed it's come to this," Giannone, a 23-year resident of Port Credit said.
"They have had five years to come up with a solution and they didn't," he added, referring to local ratepayers.
At the site, Janis Alton of the Port Credit Village Project (PCVP) and about a half-dozen angry residents demanded to see the demolition permit, which they were shown. Alton phoned City Hall to confirm that the demolition was legitimate, then watched in disbelief as a backhoe tore chunks out of the building.
"I'm very disappointed at what's happened here today," said Alton. "We were told this wouldn't happen until the summer and we would have a chance to consider alternatives."
Port Credit resident Dorothy Tomiuk said the building's fate was sealed when City staff presented a report that tied the preservation of the Gray House to the move of the library from Memorial Park to be incorporated in the new condo project. That proposal was vehemently opposed on March 21 by about 250 residents and was subsequently dropped by Council.
"The staff report was a ransom note: Move the library or the Gray House gets it," Tomiuk, a loyal library patron, said. "The City is the one that forced this choice."
Just minutes after Council voted on the issue, Mayor Hazel McCallion, one of two councillors who favoured moving the library, predicted the demise of the home, one of only a handful of slate-roofed buildings left in the area.
Historian Alan Skeoch, heritage chair of PCVP, said "big money has won."
While Fram/Slokker offered Gray House to residents for free, plus $200,000 towards reconstruction, the total cost of the project was far more than residents could ever hope to fund, Skeoch said.
He said the municipality and the developer will try to pin responsibility for the building's demise on residents for rejecting the library move. Despite residents' efforts, they were never able to separate the issues of the library, the Gray House and the redevelopment, he said.
"The mayor is a very stubborn woman," Skeoch remarked.
Giannone told The News that residents "decided the Port Credit library was more important to save than the Gray House."
Residents have been given ample opportunity to raise money for the marine museum originally proposed three years ago and have raised nothing, he said. His offer to build a public meeting facility still stands, although it will not include the library or Gray House as once envisioned. Remnants of the house, including the fireplace mantle, parts of the distinctive iron fence and remnants of each of the doors have been saved and may be included in the neighbourhood centre. Efforts will be made to save pieces of the slate roof as well.
Fram/Slokker has appealed its proposal to increase the height of the condominium towers on the Gray House property, from 10 to 16 and 22-storeys, to the Ontario Municipal Board. It hopes Council will deal with it before the summer break, said Giannone.
Demolition of the historic home, which was not designated for preservation, will simply reinforce neighbourhood opposition to that project, predicted Alton. "There is going to be huge resistance now," she said.
Port Credit loses a piece of its history
John Stewart
Mar 30, 2007
The sign hanging from the exposed inside wall today at the 1908-era Gray's House said "Blue: On Tap," but it was more like the blues on tap all around, as the historic structure was demolished.
Residents, historians, City of Mississauga officials and the developer all expressed deep regret that it had come to this: one of the few remaining slate-roofed homes in Port Credit and a vestige of the Gray family that founded its signature company, St. Lawrence Starch, was reduced to rubble.
Shortly after City Council on Wednesday again refused to include a new Port Credit library in the condominium development on the east side of Hurontario St. on the property where the house sits, developer Frank Giannone and Fram/Slokker Limited obtained a demolition permit to tear down the former Gray's Lakeshore bar.
Just after 9 a.m. today, demolition crews moved in and the building began to disappear.
"I'm very disappointed it's come to this," Giannone, a 23-year resident of Port Credit said.
"They have had five years to come up with a solution and they didn't," he added, referring to local ratepayers.
At the site, Janis Alton of the Port Credit Village Project (PCVP) and about a half-dozen angry residents demanded to see the demolition permit, which they were shown. Alton phoned City Hall to confirm that the demolition was legitimate, then watched in disbelief as a backhoe tore chunks out of the building.
"I'm very disappointed at what's happened here today," said Alton. "We were told this wouldn't happen until the summer and we would have a chance to consider alternatives."
Port Credit resident Dorothy Tomiuk said the building's fate was sealed when City staff presented a report that tied the preservation of the Gray House to the move of the library from Memorial Park to be incorporated in the new condo project. That proposal was vehemently opposed on March 21 by about 250 residents and was subsequently dropped by Council.
"The staff report was a ransom note: Move the library or the Gray House gets it," Tomiuk, a loyal library patron, said. "The City is the one that forced this choice."
Just minutes after Council voted on the issue, Mayor Hazel McCallion, one of two councillors who favoured moving the library, predicted the demise of the home, one of only a handful of slate-roofed buildings left in the area.
Historian Alan Skeoch, heritage chair of PCVP, said "big money has won."
While Fram/Slokker offered Gray House to residents for free, plus $200,000 towards reconstruction, the total cost of the project was far more than residents could ever hope to fund, Skeoch said.
He said the municipality and the developer will try to pin responsibility for the building's demise on residents for rejecting the library move. Despite residents' efforts, they were never able to separate the issues of the library, the Gray House and the redevelopment, he said.
"The mayor is a very stubborn woman," Skeoch remarked.
Giannone told The News that residents "decided the Port Credit library was more important to save than the Gray House."
Residents have been given ample opportunity to raise money for the marine museum originally proposed three years ago and have raised nothing, he said. His offer to build a public meeting facility still stands, although it will not include the library or Gray House as once envisioned. Remnants of the house, including the fireplace mantle, parts of the distinctive iron fence and remnants of each of the doors have been saved and may be included in the neighbourhood centre. Efforts will be made to save pieces of the slate roof as well.
Fram/Slokker has appealed its proposal to increase the height of the condominium towers on the Gray House property, from 10 to 16 and 22-storeys, to the Ontario Municipal Board. It hopes Council will deal with it before the summer break, said Giannone.
Demolition of the historic home, which was not designated for preservation, will simply reinforce neighbourhood opposition to that project, predicted Alton. "There is going to be huge resistance now," she said.
J
Jarrek
Guest
RIP Grey's House
G
ganjavih
Guest
It's a shame... so sad.
F
FutureMayor
Guest
I was in favour of moving the Library into the house.
While it was a nice attempt to save the house. I don't understand why couldn't the city work out a deal where we moved the HOUSE to the site of the current Library.
It would have been a win-win-win for all. New library at the current site, saved the historic house and the builder gets all this good public will and PR.
It was intresting to see that this is one rare ocassion where Council voted against Hazel. A real loss for Port Credit.
Louroz
While it was a nice attempt to save the house. I don't understand why couldn't the city work out a deal where we moved the HOUSE to the site of the current Library.
It would have been a win-win-win for all. New library at the current site, saved the historic house and the builder gets all this good public will and PR.
It was intresting to see that this is one rare ocassion where Council voted against Hazel. A real loss for Port Credit.
Louroz
S
spmarshall
Guest
Jarrek:
Who's number one?
Who's number one?
J
jeicow
Guest
The land Memorial Park on is mostly composed of garbage and other contaminants (I believe the Port Credit dump from the early 192s). The Town of Port Credit spend loads in the late 60s early 70s to bring it up to code (ie. making sure spill off wouldn't happen) but the garbage is still there and as a result there isn't enough "safe" dirt/ground to build on. That's one of the reasons that the current library is on "stilts" and off the ground for the most part.
O
Observer Walt
Guest
I also would have favored moving the library to Hurontario St. and incorporating Gray's into the new building. I saw the proposed plan and thought it looked good. Having said that, I don't live in the immediate area, and apparently sentiment in Port Credit was for keeping the library at its existing site. So be it, the local residents got what they wanted.
But I'm sorry the house got demolished in such haste, only a few days later. Could another option have been worked out?
Edit: I wouldn't shed tears over the Mount Charles structures. It's a different story; they have no particular architectural merit, and have been derelict for years anyway.
But I'm sorry the house got demolished in such haste, only a few days later. Could another option have been worked out?
Edit: I wouldn't shed tears over the Mount Charles structures. It's a different story; they have no particular architectural merit, and have been derelict for years anyway.
J
Jarrek
Guest
Sp: Richmond Hill is #1