Bottom Line (
December 16, 2009)
The bottom line is:
It is about 100 years old. Has been closed down due to safety concerns by the Fire Dept. Does not meet today's codes of anything. Some people like this buildings looks, some do not. No matter what grant money could be used to fix it up, the bottom line is the taxpayer would be paying for it and it is probally cheaper and safer to just replace it. Therefore tear it down. |
Richard (
December 14, 2009)
I too believe that the current owners will walk away, and that the sale of this historic structure will be a hard sell even if offered at pennies on the dollar. This is perhaps an opportunity for our under achieving economic development officer to redeem herself and create an interesting opportunity for private investors by identifying potential uses for that building. |
The True Concerned Kenorite (
December 13, 2009)
The Kenricia is old. Rip down the building and replace it with something new. |
lenny (
December 13, 2009)
Hold up folks with the government stimulus offer
(if not to late). I think people will be very upset in the near future if the mighty Kenricia comes down. It's part of Kenora's heritage. I say think before ya leap. Let's chip in a buy it. I'm in. |
Wanda (
December 13, 2009)
If you have ever been to Deadwood South Dakota, you will see a mid 1800's city center with all the old building fascades intact. In fact the local building code there mandates that any new construction must fit with the 1850's style. Yet when you go inside a lot of these older looking buildings, the interiors are well designed, built with modern materials and well lit. Not only that an area the size of Main St and Matheson St. has 80 small casinos that attract 100,000's of people a year. But I digress. You can with private capital, and some historic grants maintain the outside of the building, yet turn the inside into a valuable hotel, mall, touristy type place. It can be done, but not with city money or with the current owners! |
Linda (
December 13, 2009)
I would like to see the building put back to its original state, It would be a great tourist attraction seeing as this is what the town wants us to be. Lets get it fixed up and not let it "ACCIDENTLY" burn down like Minaki did. |
Randy (
December 13, 2009)
Sadly I think the current owners will walk away. If they borrowed money from a 3rd party lender to purchase the building, then I believe the lender will become the rightful owner. Unless the lender wants to sink millions of dollars into the building, which I doubt they will, they will want to sell the property quickly, but will buyers be lining up to purchase a "money pit" in a town with an uncertain economic future? I think you will see it sitting vacant for a long while to come. Could this be the start of Kenora's demise? |
Flower (
December 13, 2009)
It may be a thought to have the city purchase it and turn it into Councilor McMillan's Performing Arts Center (or whatever the Mayor thinks the unrefined people of Kenora might call it). In reality, losing one interior floor would give it magnificent height and losing interior walls would give it the space required to become quite a magical social headquarters. Maybe the first floor would be a gallery showcasing local art and culture. The millions the city is willing to invest in a brand new center (at some point) might be better invested now, into one of the last traces of history we have left. |
Peter t (
December 12, 2009)
Sad boo hoo... sign of the times. There are more shops closing every day in our downtown core. Soon there will be NOT MUCH LEFT. Look at the rest of this part of Ontario. So I say let this bulding rest in peace... Merry Christmas. |
norman (
December 12, 2009)
The Kenricia will end up burning down like the Minaki Lodge did. It's a prime piece of real estate, maybe a mall with tourist related sales. |
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