Restoration work on the historic Haldi House in Fort 91原创 could begin within a few months, after 91原创 Township council approved a heritage alteration permit at its meeting on May 14.
The Township plans to demolish additions that were made to the Haldi House between the 1960s and early 2000s, when it was operated as a restaurant called the Bedford House.
Then the Haldi House will be restored, moved slightly, and placed on top of a new foundation and basement that will raise it up a bit higher above the local floodplain.
Council voted 7-1 in favour of issuing the permit, with Councillor Kim Richter opposed and Mayor Eric Woodward recusing himself from the vote.
The project is the first phase of a long-awaited plan for the Fort 91原创 waterfront, increasing public access to the area east of the Jacob Haldi Bridge.
Township staff noted that the funding for this part of the waterfront project has already been approved by council, and once given the go-ahead, demolition would likely start within a few months. The council put aside $4.1 million for this phase of the waterfront project last year.
The restoration will bring the home back to its original appearance, preserving as much of the original structure as possible. Sewer, water, and electrical systems will be upgraded to modern standards. The building will then be turned into a multi-purpose public space. The entire project was expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete.
Haldi House was built in 1908 for Jacob and Jessie Haldi. Jacob was a Swiss immigrant who worked as a butcher, farmer, and owned a significant amount of land around Fort 91原创.
The eight-bedroom Edwardian house was built by local contractor W.H. "Billy" Brown.
After his death in 1930, Jacob Haldi left money in his will for the construction of the first bridge linking mainland Fort 91原创 to Brae Island across the Bedford Channel, on the condition that a ferry service to Maple Ridge be established. The ferry service took many more years to get going, but the bridge was built. The current bridge leading to Brae Island is the third bridge on that site, all named after Haldi.
Starting in the 1960s, the original two-and-a-half storey house was buried in the middle of a series of additions and expansions, most put in place to allow the operation of a restaurant. The Bedford House closed in the 2000s, and the Township bought the property in 2005. It's been maintained, but largely empty ever since.
