Heritage House In Downtown Moncton Won’t Be Demolished For New Apartments
MONCTON – Killam House, one of Moncton’s few remaining examples of Queen Anne-style architecture, has been saved from the wrecking ball.
A developer had wanted to tear the house down to create more space for an existing apartment building under construction at Gordon and Highfield Streets.
But City Council has voted in favour of amending the heritage conservation bylaw to include Killam House – built in the 1890s – as one of the city’s designated heritage properties.
Ashford Living Inc. president Patrick Gillespie says he was told the home was not a heritage property when he bought it but turns out it is considered one of Canada’s Historic Places.
“The potential for this problem wasn’t brought to our attention until we got past the point of no return. We tried. We withdrew the demolition application. We tried to work out something. We thought we had worked out something… and it just doesn’t work,” Gillespie told Moncton City Council on Monday night.
The council decision was not unanimous with Councillors Bryan Butler and Pierre Boudreau casting the two nay votes.
Boudreau appreciates the value of the home from the exterior but he says restoring it inside could cost a million dollars.
“We have failed this applicant miserably… miserably. It’s the city’s fault… it’s the heritage board’s fault for not proceeding to have it designated under our bylaw,” said Boudreau.
Mayor Dawn Arnold noted how this was a tough decision for council to make.
“There are ways that we can work with the developer. I really hope that we can find those. But these are also growing pains of a city… that is… growing. I mean we are going from a large town into a real urban centre,” Arnold said.
Public comments were also sought from residents.
Retired city employee Mike Sullivan wanted the house saved noting how few other examples of Queen Anne-style architecture still exist in the city.
S. Boyd Anderson felt it was already too late for the property and this situation “amounts to expropriation without compensation.”