At what point does an old building go from being obsolete to historical-or vice versa?
That’s essentially the heart of the issue surrounding the fate of the Cartwright Building, which currently stands at 89 Thomas St. E. in Greater Napanee. Earlier this month, L&A County staff appeared before council asking to have the building stripped of its historical designation, which would open a world of possibilities as to the future of the building-possible relocation, possible demolition, among others. Not surprisingly, those with a soft spot for preserving the town’s history are opposed to the idea. Council opted to leave the historical designation in place, at least for now. Those wanting to keep the building as is can breathe a sigh of relief but it won’t be long before the inevitable question gets asked: ‘now what?’
For the most part the brick structure has quietly faded to the background, not serving any particular function of note since the late 1990s.
Built in 1891, the building was once home to the county jailer, who was in charge of the neighbouring jail. That jail has since been transformed into the Lennox and Addington County Museum and Archives-a beautiful building that features a nice mix of updated amenities while still showcasing some of the jail cells.
The reason for bringing up the museum is to show that keeping buildings from the past around is a much easier sell when they can serve a modern purpose. The museum is a gem for the county, attracting visitors far and wide to explore the latest exhibit or to take part in various programs. The structure has been maintained and recently underwent a major renovation-the Cartwright Building on the other hand, has not.
As sturdy as the old jailer’s residence looks on the outside, there’s a whole host of concerns on the inside. Not to mention if the photos presented to council are any indication, it’s in need of a major spring-cleaning just to make it a little more visually appealing.
Council made the right decision in protecting the building for now-after all, once it’s gone; it’s gone for good. But that merely bought the old building some time. Unfortunately time is a bit of an enemy here as the more of it that passes without a more permanent decision, the more the building falls into disarray. As important as it is to honour history, at a certain point it no longer becomes financially feasible to keep a building around for old time’s sake. Sooner rather than later, someone will need to come up with a cost effective plan that justifies keeping the Cartwright Building around. Even better yet if that plan includes opening it up to the public and allowing guests to tour the building, somewhat akin to the Macpherson House. Much easier said than done given the estimated $1 million price tag on what it would take to make the building suitable for visitors. Council’s decision bought some time for someone to come forward with said plan-but the clock is ticking.
-Adam Prudhomme