WOODCHESTER VILLA.
File photo by Matt Driscoll
BRACEBRIDGE - A Bracebridge councillor is wondering if it is possible to restore Woodchester Villa by picking it apart piece by piece, before putting it back together.
Speaking at a general committee meeting on Tuesday, Coun. Liam Cragg questioned whether it would be possible to replace the historical King Street building with a replica, salvaging as many parts as possible from the original building.
Restoring the building bit by bit, he said, would likely cost more.
While Cragg admits his choice of words was too extreme when he initially suggested the building be “bulldozed,” he likens his suggestion to a mechanic who restores a car by stripping it down to the frame before reassembling it.
“He takes the whole car apart, salvages as many parts as he can, builds new parts to suit the ones that are worn out or no longer serviceable, and then he puts the whole car back together,” said Cragg. “Is it the same car? Yes it is.”
Protected by heritage designation, Woodchester Villa has also served as a community museum and dates back to 1882. However, it is currently closed to the public as parts of it have collapsed due to deterioration over decades of neglect.
Last year, town staff determined that it may cost upwards of $500,000 to restore the building.
“Will Heritage Ontario allow us to demolish the building that’s sitting there and then produce a replica, utilizing reclaimed or salvaged pieces from the existing building?” Cragg asked. “Nobody’s asking the question. So I’m asking the question — is that a possible avenue to look at?”
Town treasurer Carol Wakefield, however, responded by saying the property’s heritage designation would likely not allow such a process to happen.
Council has yet to make a final decision on what to do with the property.
According to information received from the town on Wednesday afternoon, a consulting team from Golder and Associates, TCI Management Consultants and EcoPlan has been selected to complete a report that addresses Woodchester Villa.
Chosen through a competitive bidding process, the team’s report is expected to be completed by the end of March and will provide the town with “sound advice” on heritage designation issues.
The historical building was constructed by Henry J. Bird, a local entrepreneur, and is a rare example of octagonal architecture. The building was one of the first in town to be electrified and to feature indoor plumbing.
The Bracebridge Rotary Club bought the property from Bird’s family in 1978 and began restoring it, before turning it over to the town two years later.