La Fontaine house reno is complete
A six-year renovation project has dragged the Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine house back from decades of decrepitude on Overdale. It was the only thing spared when the entire block was razed in 1987.
The house isn’t going to be become a public benefice. Once details of the interior are completed, it will be sold into private hands. I imagine some large corporation may snap it up as a prestige ornament to their downtown headquarters.
David 10:55 on 2020-09-24 Permalink
What a shame. I always liked the idea of turning the house in to a museum of the history of Canadian democracy. We owe so much more to Lafontaine and Baldwin than the vast majority of us realize. A museum about their work and how it continues to effect us today would go a long way towards making their story better known to Canadians.
Ian 16:26 on 2020-09-24 Permalink
Strangely, Projet Montreal is hailing this as a great victory and patting themselves on the back:
“En 2012, Projet Montréal déposait une motion pour demander à la Ville de sauver la maison Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine – 8 ans plus tard, on peut crier victoire!
Ce matin a eu lieu l’inauguration de l’ancienne maison Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine, premier ministre du Canada-Est et grand défenseur des droits des francophones, qui aura été restaurée brique par brique durant les 6 dernières années.
Riche symbole historique et architectural, cet important monument de Montréal était laissé à l’abandon depuis plus de 30 ans : il aura aujourd’hui retrouvé ses airs d’antan ! ✨
On parle du projet de restauration juste ici” (links to the same rad-can page as Kate posted)