# Demolishing Wolseley



## old medic (16 Jul 2013)

8 Buildings to come down

By Randy Richmond, The London Free Press
15 July 2013

http://www.lfpress.com/2013/07/15/eight-buildings-at-wolseley-barracks-to-be-demolished-the-free-press-has-learned



> The Canadian military, once a mighty force in London, is beginning a large-scale retreat from the city.
> 
> Eight of the buildings at historic Wolseley Barracks are set to be demolished or “divested” during the next several years, the Department of National Defence has confirmed to The Free Press.
> 
> ...



story continues at link


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## GAP (16 Jul 2013)

Everytime I hear about every second building slated for demolition that some historical society or other, or vested interest, wants them kept around for some....undefined purpose, just don't tear it down.

I like the idea of the occasional historical building with a rich history being kept to pass on the traditions  et al, but enough already....it's getting to the point they will start wanting to keep the old holes for the outdoor biffy's.....


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## The_Pipes (16 Jul 2013)

What's been passed around is that the Royal School Building HAD heritage status however after a large bathroom addition onto the building it's heritage status wasn't reapplied for, thus no active heritage status, thus able to be torn down. Someone can correct me but that's been the line passed around for the past year.


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## a_majoor (16 Jul 2013)

The real question that should be asked is how are they going to replace the capabilities that have been lost? The barracks and the Royal School building (O Block) are where the Battleschool houses troops and runs courses. "P" block houses various stores and the vehicle compound for two of the units. Even the Sgt's mess has an annex which is useful for conferences, training and a dining facility for courses. The LMFRC is housed in the JR's mess building, and the "office building" sounds like they are talking about 31 SVC BN HQ.

How much money is going to be "saved" by renting or leasing buildings all over London to carry out the various functions that were served by the buildings being demolished? How much more money is going to be "saved" by having to drive all over the city to various outlying leased buildings? 

Some of these buildings are very old and maybe in poor repair, so I can see a case being made for them to be replaced with more modern, multi functinal buildings, but this is another case fo penny wise, pound foolish. I can think of another very recent announcement that probably cost as much as was being spent on these buildings...


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## George Wallace (17 Jul 2013)

The_Pipes said:
			
		

> What's been passed around is that the Royal School Building HAD heritage status however after a large bathroom addition onto the building it's heritage status wasn't reapplied for, thus no active heritage status, thus able to be torn down. Someone can correct me but that's been the line passed around for the past year.



So you are saying that "Heritage Building Status" is NOT a permanent status and can be dropped for any reason?


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## Michael OLeary (17 Jul 2013)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> So you are saying that "Heritage Building Status" is NOT a permanent status and can be dropped for any reason?



There are also different levels of heritage status. 

*Wolseley Hall* - http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=3310

a.k.a. Wolseley Barracks National Historic Site of Canada



> urisdiction - Federal
> Recognition Authority - Government of Canada
> Recognition Statute - Treasury Board Heritage Buildings Policy
> Recognition Type - Classified Federal Heritage Building
> Recognition Date - 1989/10/19



*Royal School Building* - http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=11281



> Jurisdiction - Federal
> Recognition Authority - Government of Canada
> Recognition Statute - Treasury Board Heritage Buildings Policy
> Recognition Type - Recognized Federal Heritage Building
> Recognition Date - 1992/04/16



This, apparently, is a significant difference.


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## George Wallace (31 Jul 2013)

Another news article on Wolseley Barracks, including some comments from Parks Canada.

http://www.lfpress.com/2013/07/29/base-insiders-say-there-are-many-reasons-eight-buildings-on-wolseley-barracks-should-be-kept


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## Humphrey Bogart (31 Jul 2013)

The retreat already occurred in the 90's when 1 RCR packed up and moved to Petawawa.  On the down side all the new subalterns of the RCR won't get the opportunity to experience a week of "conferences"  ;D in London.  I think my liver still hasn't fully recovered a full two years after that "business" trip  >


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## Canadian.Trucker (31 Jul 2013)

RoyalDrew said:
			
		

> The retreat already occurred in the 90's when 1 RCR packed up and moved to Petawawa.  On the down side all the new subalterns of the RCR won't get the opportunity to experience a week of "conferences"  ;D in London.  I think my liver still hasn't fully recovered a full two years after that "business" trip  >


Not quite the same, but when I was running DP1 courses in Meaford we would always take the troops down there for an evening so they could tour the Regimental Museum.  Many a morning after was spent trying to collect myself for the long drive back to Meaford, at least it felt like a long drive.


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