Renovations keep Payette from Rideau Hall residence

Governor General staying At secret locale during repair work

Gov. Gen. Julie Payette has been unable to move into historic Rideau Hall because of ongoing renovations to the country’s most prominent heritage building.

The governor general’s office confirmed this week that Payette, who was sworn in Oct. 2, has not been able to take up residence in Rideau Hall’s private quarters, a roughly 5,000-square-foot space on the second floor of the socalled Monck wing. Citing security concerns, they’ve declined to say where she has been “accommodated” for the past seven months “to ensure the safety of the Governor General.”

Fresh off the ongoing disaster that is 24 Sussex Drive, the delay means the two most prominent official residences in the capital area — there are six in total — are not housing their intended dignitaries.

The National Capital Commission, which manages the residences, says work at Rideau Hall began in September, just as David and Sharon Johnston were preparing to depart the building, which dates to 1838 in the oldest section, after seven years in office.

(Sprucing up between GGs is said to be a normal part of these transitions, particularly given the different sizes and characters of viceregal families.)

The $1.7-million upgrade consists of “life-cycle improvements” generally focused on mechanical systems.

The work involves removing an old heating system and installing new heating, ventilation and airconditioning systems. The work involved a “significant portion” of the private quarters, the state offices, and other parts of the Monck wing, a massive addition named for Canada’s first governor general.

Also included is the renovation of a washroom to make it “universally accessible,” the installation of cabinets and window coverings, improved lighting and an update on “furnishings and furniture layouts.”

It is unclear how much input Payette, a former astronaut, had in decorating decisions or what changes were required to accommodate a teenager, her son Laurier, who was 14 at the time of Payette’s installation.

So, where has Canada’s viceregal been living ?

“For the transition and the extended construction period, the National Capital Commission assisted with temporary accommodations for the Governor General,” says a written response from the NCC. It, too, is declining to name the location.

Well, the most likely place would be in another official residence. However, 24 Sussex is out, as is Stornoway, unlikely is Harrington Lake or The Farm in Kingsmere (home to the Speaker of the House), leaving only 7 Rideau Gate.

And, indeed, the Citizen has learned that events normally scheduled at 7 Rideau Gate have been relocated to other locations.

The building is the official government guest house for visiting dignitaries. Acquired by the government in 1966, it is hardly shabby. Built in the 1860s by an early industrialist, the stone structure, in excess of 8,000 square feet, is about half-a-block deep and has housed many heads of state. It is, however, on an adjacent city street, not within Rideau Hall’s fenced 80 acres, where the 22-room Rideau Cottage is located, the temporary home for Justin Trudeau and his family since his election as PM in 2015.

Housing Canada’s first families is an expensive, complicated endeavour. There were media reports the government was spending an extra $2 million to improve security at Rideau Cottage, while 24 Sussex is said to cost thousands each month just to maintain the empty building.

Its future is uncertain. Not only are the repair bills astronomical — anywhere from $10 million to $38 million, depending on the plan — but spending gobs of public money on a mansion overlooking the Ottawa River is politically dicey.

24 Sussex, the Rideau Hall neighbour completed in 1868, was expropriated by the federal government in 1943. It was first used as the official residence of the prime minister in 1951 by Louis St. Laurent. By the time Stephen Harper lived there, it was termed a fire trap in desperate need of an overhaul.

As for the largely ceremonial function of Rideau Hall, it’s business as usual, apparently.