LIBERALS ABANDON BPH HERITAGE BUILDINGS – RUNCIMAN
Brockville – Ontario’s Liberal government is abandoning heritage buildings on the grounds of the Brockville Psychiatric Hospital by failing to maintain and heat units with roof leaks and wall cracks that expose the interiors to outside elements, according to Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman.
“We’ve been advised by officials and a masonry expert that the government’s refusal to heat the buildings and repair wall and ceiling leaks will result, over time, in irreparable damage to the units,” said Runciman.
The units in question were under renovation in 2003 as the first step in phase 2 of a major Corrections project that was cancelled by the newly-elected Liberal government, despite Dalton McGuinty’s pre-election promise that he would complete the project.
Runciman raised the issue last month with staff in the office of the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, but they refused to take corrective action.
“They’ve maintained and heated the units since 2003 and now they say it’s unnecessary and walk away from their preservation,” charged the MPP.
The MPP’s office has contacted the Heritage Elizabethtown-Kitley committee and they have committed to review the situation.
“Hopefully community concern and pressure will encourage the government to reverse their ill thought-out decision,” Runciman concluded.
