On the chopping block
Planning board to make recommendation on whether home’s heritage status should be revoked
The fate of Charlottetown’s oldest log home is one step closer to a resolution.
However, a public meeting on Wednesday for input on the future of the historic home saw little feedback from the 40 people who attended.
Residents had until noon Thursday to provide written feedback on owner Ray Campbell’s application for the city to revoke his home’s designation status as a heritage resource in order to receive a demolition order.
Much of the meeting consisted of an overview of the home by a city planner, as well as Campbell himself addressing the crowd.
With previous intentions of turning the home into a café, Campbell has said his hands were tied after he lost his insurance on the log home.
“Without insurance I can’t put money into it, and nobody here would put money into a place they can’t put insurance on,” said Campbell, who also said he didn’t
previously apply to have the status revoked because he was told by a city staffer it likely would not be approved. “Basically, I was told I could apply, but it would be a waste of time.”
In late July, Campbell took the issue into his own hands and began taking the structure down without a work permit. This led to the city filing a stop work order,
with Campbell then filing an application to de-list the heritage property.
Campbell said he felt the city believed his initial intention was to demolish the building, which he disputed.
He said he hopes to dismantle it piece by piece and later rebuild it on his property in York.
“This thing about me always wanting to be the person to destroy this property, I would like everyone to know that it not true. I would like to dismantle and reconstruct it.”
Campbell also said during the meeting that he previously offered the house to the city for free, albeit through the media. When asked, Campbell said previous offers to purchase the home have fallen through.
Only three other residents provided feedback during the meeting, one of whom asked why the city didn’t take Campbell up on the offer. However, council said it had never received a formal offer to take the home.
Lena Webster, Campbell’s wife, also spoke at the meeting and said he was up against the wall.
While the house belongs to Campbell, Webster said she may have done the same out of frustration.
“It’s kind of a catch-22 situation where the city doesn’t want to lose a heritage building, but the owner is in a position of what the heck is he going to do with it, when you can’t get insurance and it is crumbling and falling apart,” she said. “I just want people to see both sides of it; he’s not just trying to demolish a heritage building.”
The city’s planning board will now take any feedback into consideration before making a recommendation to council.