A huge bouquet of thanks goes to Jennifer Fenwick Irwin curator of the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum. If it wasn’t for her time and patience, I would not be able to post such great, and not so geat moments in Carleton Place history. Thank you Jennifer!
Prince of Wales School on High Street in Carleton Place-Torn down in the 70s
And the list goes on how these magnificent heritage buildings were torn down.
In my hometown of Cowansville, Quebec they tore down 7 heritage homes in two years in the 60s. Nothing was wrong with them. My grandfather’s stately home which was originally The Cowan House (founder of the town) was also torn down in the 90s.
You cannot get these buildings back EVER– Our heritage is– us working together to keep it strong through words, memories and action so we remember that our buildings and the remembrance of our ancestors matter. No bureaucrat ever created a town, province or country– and we need to project this message to our children and grandchildren. Once something is gone we never get it back.. EVER.
Teardowns like this and the Findlay house etc. should have been stopped in my mind.The term “teardown” was associated with outsized McMansions during the housing boom years. What a waste!
These photos just make me cry.
After
March 28th 1973-Ottawa Journal
Related Reading:
So What Happened to The Findlay House Stone?
The Carleton Place House That Disappeared
Before and After in Carleton Place — Be True to your School
Dim All The Lights — The Troubled Times of the Abner Nichols Home on Bridge Street
What is Heritage? — The Old Hotel in Almonte
lindaseccaspina 
You are so right to cry, Linda. Prince of Wales School was of superior quality. The destruction continues into recent years when the Town tore down a quality pre-confederation house on Bridge St (for a parking lot no less!) within the last ten years. Sadly, the lack of respect for our built heritage continues. Keep up the good work of celebrating and reminding us of the value of our people and their Town. One day, people will realize our real heritage is not in the museum.
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John– or should I say HI John!!!!– In my hometown of Cowansville, Quebec they tore down 7 heritage homes in two years in the 60s. Nothing was wrong with them. My grandfather’s stately home which was originally The Cowan House (founder of the town) was also torn down in the 90s. You cannot get these buildings back EVER– Our heritage is– us working together to keep it strong through words, memories and action so we remember that our buildings and people matter. No bureaucrat ever created a town– and we need to project this message to our children and grandchildren. Once something is gone we never get it back.. EVER.
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