(English version follows)
Nous avons récemment appris que le comité de démolition de votre municipalité a autorisé la démolition de la résidence située au 190, rue Main. Nous vous écrivons afin de faire appel de cette décision. Notre organisme s’oppose à la démolition de ce bâtiment.
La résidence visée par la démolition est située à l’intérieur du site patrimonial de North Hatley. Ce secteur, cité et protégé par votre municipalité depuis 1987, couvre le cœur du village et regroupe une quarantaine de bâtiments historiques, maisons bourgeoises cossues, villas et chalets ayant été érigés aux abords du lac Massawipi au fil des ans. Construite à la fin des années 1930, la résidence du 190, rue Main fait partie de ce secteur historique et est inscrite au Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec. Votre municipalité a donc le devoir et la responsabilité de protéger ce patrimoine.
Par ailleurs, nous tenons à rappeler que l’inventaire des ensembles d’intérêt patrimonial de la MRC de Memphrémagog, réalisé en 2015, a reconnu les qualités exceptionnelles du village de North Hatley. Cet inventaire insiste notamment sur la richesse de son cadre bâti et lui attribue le plus haut niveau d’authenticité. Il mentionne également que ce site n’a pas de comparables dans votre MRC. Dans ce contexte, toutes les mesures doivent être prises afin de protéger les bâtiments patrimoniaux qui contribuent à la richesse du secteur, ce qui inclut le 190, rue Main.
Finalement, en plus des raisons évoquées plus haut, le plan du projet de remplacement ne semble pas avoir été rendu public, ce qui ne permet pas à la population de se prononcer de façon éclairée sur ce dossier. C’est pourquoi Action patrimoine s’oppose à la démolition du 190, rue Main et nous nous vous demandons de refuser cette demande.
- M. Felix Rousseau, Action Patrimoine
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We have recently learned that the demolition committee of your municipality has authorized the demolition of the residence located at 190 Main Street. We are writing to you to appeal this decision. Our organization is opposed to the demolition of this building.
The residence targeted for demolition is located within the North Hatley heritage site. This sector, cited and protected by your municipality since 1987, covers the heart of the village and includes some forty historic buildings, plush townhouses, villas and cottages that have been erected on the shores of Lake Massawipi over the years. Built at the end of the 1930s, the residence at 190 Main Street is part of this historic sector and is listed in the Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec. Your municipality has a duty and responsibility to protect this heritage.
We would also like to remind you that the inventory of heritage sites in the Memphremagog MRC, completed in 2015, recognized the exceptional qualities of the village of North Hatley. This inventory emphasizes the richness of its built environment and attributes the highest level of authenticity to it. It also mentions that this site has no comparables in your MRC. In this context, all measures must be taken to protect the heritage buildings that contribute to the richness of the sector, including 190 Main Street.
Finally, in addition to the reasons mentioned above, the plan for the replacement project does not seem to have been made public, which does not allow the population to make an informed decision on this file. This is why Action patrimoine is opposed to the demolition of 190 Main Street and we ask you to refuse this request.
- M. Felix Rousseau, Action Patrimoine
Please reverse your decision to demolish the building at 190
Main St, North Hatley. It lies within the designated historic area of North Hatley and is of historic value in and of itself,
As it stands, it enhances the shoreline of the lake and contributes to the unique nature of the Village of North Hatley.
Marita Gilliam
4175 Chemin Magog
Traduction DeepL
S’il vous plaît, revenez sur votre décision de démolir le bâtiment au 190 Main St, North Hatley. Ce bâtiment se trouve dans la zone historique désignée de North Hatley et a une valeur historique en soi,
Tel qu’il est, il met en valeur les rives du lac et contribue au caractère unique du village de North Hatley. – Marita Gilliam
argumentaire posé, sérieux, guidé par cette évidence : notre village est un bijou! abattre la maison rose du 190 rue Main serait en complète contradiction avec la sauvegarde de sa beauté! une aberration….
DeepL translation
serious argument, guided by the obvious: our village is a jewel! tearing down the pink house at 190 Main Street would be in complete contradiction with the preservation of its beauty! an aberration….
– pascale galipeau
Merci à Action Patrimoine pour nous aider à mettre en valeur et faire connaître le patrimoine bâti et les paysages culturels pour l’ensemble du Québec. Ce qui distingue North Hatley des autres villages du Québec, c’est cette combinaison unique de paysage culturel, naturel et patrimoine bâti . Le patrimoine bâti n’est pas réservé qu’aux bâtiments d’une certaine grandeur, à une certaine époque, ou possédant un style architectural particulier. Le patrimoine de notre village, c’est la combinaison de son site naturel enchanteur avec sa variété de bâtiments historiques, chacun racontant à sa façon, une page de l’histoire de North Hatley et ses habitants. En 1997, à l’époque du centenaire de North Hatley, George Cage écrivait dans le livre North Hatley, A centennial Reflection, que le village comptait en 1984, “150 heritage buildings” (North Hatley Historical Society, 136).
Qu’est-il arrivé à plusieurs de ces bâtiments historiques? Ils ont été démolis. Aujourd’hui, le patrimoine immobilier associé au site patrimonial de notre village est passé à seulement 44 bâtiments. Le 190 Main Street fait partie de ce petit ensemble historique et c’est pour cette raison que je m’oppose à sa démolition.
DeepL translation :
Thank you to Action Patrimoine for helping us to promote and publicize the built heritage and cultural landscapes for all of Quebec. What distinguishes North Hatley from other villages in Quebec is this unique combination of cultural, natural and built heritage. Built heritage is not limited to buildings of a certain size, period, or architectural style. Our village’s heritage is the combination of its enchanting natural setting with its variety of historic buildings, each telling in its own way a page in the history of North Hatley and its inhabitants. In 1997, at the time of North Hatley’s centennial, George Cage wrote in the book North Hatley, A Centennial Reflection, that in 1984 the village had “150 heritage buildings” (North Hatley Historical Society, 136).
What happened to many of these historic buildings? They were demolished. Today, the heritage buildings associated with our village’s heritage site have been reduced to only 44 buildings. 190 Main Street is part of this small historic complex and for that reason I oppose its demolition. – Marie-Claude Beaudette
It is an unfortunate concept that the seeing of plans for the building that would replace the old building would somehow help us to decide whether or not to destroy the existing historic, heritage building.
It’s often said that when we lose pieces of our past, we lose our history. Without history, we cannot knowledgeably form a future, we cannot properly educate our children, and we cannot enjoy a broad perspective of visual witness to that history.
No, 190 Main is not that old, but to preserve and restore it will allow it to grow deeply, into the history of our village.
Traduction DeepL :
Il est malheureux de penser que le fait de voir les plans du bâtiment qui remplacerait l’ancien bâtiment nous aiderait en quelque sorte à décider s’il faut ou non détruire le bâtiment historique existant.
On dit souvent que lorsque nous perdons des morceaux de notre passé, nous perdons notre histoire. Sans histoire, nous ne pouvons pas nous forger un avenir en connaissance de cause, nous ne pouvons pas éduquer correctement nos enfants et nous ne pouvons pas profiter d’une large perspective de témoignage visuel de cette histoire.
Non, le 190 Main n’est pas si vieux, mais le préserver et le restaurer lui permettra de se développer profondément dans l’histoire de notre village. – Alexandra Reid
What is the process to oppose and how could we help being owner in NH but living abroad?
Hello. The notice to register an opinion was published here on January 11 : https://fanhca.org/2023/01/11/avis-publique-demande-de-demolition-dimmeuble-public-notice-building-demolition-application/
Hello Jean,
The process to oppose was before the committee looked at all the evidence and granted permission to demolish. That process was set out in the signs posted on the property, at the post office and at town offices and, perhaps the town website though I can not confirm that as I did not look.
Currently, the process is approximately half way through a 30 day appeal process and you can send your thoughts by e-mail to the village offices.
190 Main is a privately owned property and the house has been neglected over several years prior to the current owners purchasing it. They purchased it “as is” in the hopes they could save the house and retire there. It has also suffered 90 years of flood damage due to its proximity (within 10 feet) of the stream and the lake. Any amount of money spent in restoring the house in its current location is at risk to future floods and weather systems are getting more aggressive rather than calmer. The cost of lifting and moving the house is prohibitive and has been rejected as a solution for several reasons.
It is only a permission to demolish granted to the home owners, who have been coming to North Hatley for over 25 years have, as recently as last week, hired another expert to go through the entire building, flood ravaged basement to the attic, in order to discover ACTUAL full costs to save the building and make it liveable/healthy for their retirement years. If that can not be done, the house will be replaced with a newer house that fits the architecture of the zone and is positioned a healthy distance from the stream and the lake.
Hope this helps.