Harbour Grace Mayor Terry Barnes admits the town is getting “lambasted” for the demolition of the Ridley Offices, but says the matter was out of council’s hands.
He says no one on council wanted to see the structure torn down, but “the state of the building and the private owner’s wishes” presented them with an “unenviable scenario.”
Ridley Offices was purchased by Harbour Grace Ocean Enterprises from Rhonda Parsons who had been trying to save the building until fire caused extensive damage to the structure. The property was then owned by Harbour Grace Ocean Industries.
Mayor Barnes says the cost of refurbishing the building was too great, and claims that Heritage NL gave the okay to have the building demolished.
In the meantime, Barnes says the owner of Stevenson House had been trying to sell the property. He says the costs of trying to refurbish the house proved too great.
“Nobody wants to see these buildings gone, unless you can get government to put money in to refurbish them, private individuals can’t do it.”)
