(PHOTO: Construction equipment in front of the Bradley-Craig barn / January 2016. Photo by Dan Pak.)
Laura Osman reports for CBC Ottawa:
The City of Ottawa is taking Richcraft Homes to court, alleging the builder has neglected to make necessary repairs to a historic barn in the city’s west end.
Two years ago Richcraft got permission from city council to demolish the 145-year-old Bradley-Craig barn in Stittsville and reconstruct it at Saunders Farm, an agricultural tourism site in Munster. The developer plans to build box stores in its place.
But the plan, which sparked fury among some heritage advocates, appears to have fallen through. The demolition permit granted by the city expires on Jan. 28, and Saunders Farm says it hasn’t heard from the builder.
Now those same advocates fear the towering red barn is being left to fall into ruin.
The city is taking Richcraft to court over allegations the builder failed to make necessary repairs to the old barn.
The city filed a property standards order on March 10, 2017, but it was never followed, according to an emailed statement from Stuart Huxley, senior legal counsel for the city.
A charge issued under the Ontario Building Code Act is currently before the Ontario Court of Justice.
Read the full story here, including comments from Bradley descendant Marguerite Evans and Heritage Ottawa’s David Flemming.
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UPDATE:
CBC’s Giacomo Panico interviews StittsvilleCentral.ca editor Glen Gower about the barn: