Demolishing Wolseley

[old medic]

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.

Among the buildings to be demolished is ‘O’ Block, built in the Depression and recognized on a federal government list as a heritage building because of “its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.”

Also cleared out will be three mess halls, two barracks and an office building along the south edge of the site, and the large, L-shaped ‘P’ block near Oxford St.

The first three buildings at the south end of the site are set to be demolished this summer and raise the possibility of more housing development in the area.

If that happens, a question remains about the new $1.3-­million building with a green roof not designated for demolition, that would sit isolated from the rest of the base along the southern-most edge of the site.

“It’s kind of depressing,” London historian Joe O’Neil said Monday. “London has a long, rich military history. The more they cut back on the base and the barracks, people won’t realize how big of a military centre we were.”

The three largest buildings that front Oxford St. will remain: The original 1886, U-shaped A block that houses the RCR museum; the 31 Canadian Brigade Group headquarters; and a $15-­million support-services complex in the northeast corner of the site built only a few years ago when London was still an area support unit.

But the multi-year demolition and divestment of the other buildings, rumoured but not confirmed until now, is a harsh blow to the city’s history, economy and future of the military, said New Democrat MP Irene Mathyssen (London-Fanshawe).

“It is cuts by stealth, a little bit at a time,” she said.

“They keep saying they are not going to make cuts that impact communities but they are . . . without any concerns for the families in the community and the very fact these jobs inject a lot into our local economy.”

The more buildings that are demolished, the more likely support staff and military staff will be moved, she said.

“It underscores that all their talk about supporting the troops and the families is nothing but talk.”

More and more, Canadian cities are realizing they need to rely on the military in times of crisis, said Mathyssen, citing Calgary’s flood as one example where soldiers were called in to help.

“If they are demolishing the building, we are going to have fewer and fewer military personnel. What does that mean to our ability to deal with a crisis?”

The downsizing in buildings comes a year after the federal government announced Area Support Unit (ASU) London on the site would close and dozens of staff would lose jobs as part of a nationwide cut in military spending due to the end of Canadian operations in Afghanistan.

“The support functions provided by ASU London have been transferred to other military organizations in Ontario. Following a review of the infrastructure at Wolseley Barracks in London, three buildings have been slated for demolition in the summer of 2013 as they are no longer required by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces,” said Area Engineer Lt.-Col Paul Fredenburg in an e-mail exchange.

“These are aging infrastructure that is almost 60 years old and is no longer suitable or required for use. Demolition is less costly than refurbishing or repair.”

A second phase will clear out three mess buildings, with the messes moved to Beaver Hall.

A third phases will involve demolition of historic ‘O’ Block and the nearby ‘P’ Block.

There’s no timeline yet for the second and third phases, Fredenburg said..........

story continues at link

 

[GAP]

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.....

 

[The_Pipes]

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.

 

[a_majoor]

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...

 

[George Wallace]

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? 

 

[Michael OLeary]

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.

 

[George Wallace]

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

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

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  >

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

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.