Historical site on the Rideau Canal razed by fire in 2023

LAURIE WEIR

The demolition of the former water treatment plant on Old Mill Road in Smiths Falls is underway, but one of the salvaged items was broken in the process. The town’s director of community services, Stephanie Clark, said it should still be repairable.

The remains are being demolished after a fire razed it in 2023.

The streets surrounding the site have been cordoned off this week as crews work to dismantle the structure. According Clark, the process began last year.

“Demolition was actually mobilized in December. The crew started with interior work, and shortly after all relevant permits were processed in January of this year, they commenced the outside work,” Clark said.

While exterior demolition coincided with Heritage Week (Feb. 17 to 23), Clark said it was not deliberate.

“This is simply a coincidence,” she said.

The timing, however, was noted by Ted Outerbridge, a local historian and illusionist. Outerbridge shares stories about Smiths Falls’ past on social media, often highlighting his home, the Keyhole House — named this because of the keyhole-shaped entrance. His stage show, originally performed exclusively in Smiths Falls, Mysteries of the Keyhole House, brings historical stories to life and has continued since expanded to other venues outside the town.

“Why did they start demolition during Heritage Week when the rest of the province was celebrating heritage?” he asked.

While researching the old water treatment plant, Outerbridge discovered it was originally built as a grist mill in 1868 by the Gould family—the same family who developed the land where his home stands.

“When Marion and I returned from our performance in Peterborough last Saturday (Feb. 22), the first thing we did was visit the demolition site,” Outerbridge said. “We were very impressed with the warm welcome we received from the Integricon site superintendent. I explained that I was a local historian and a board member of the Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum. He showed us the stone they had been salvaging and gave us permission to photograph it.”

Clark said the contractor was provided with a list of items to salvage, including the building’s date stone.

“… That stone cracked in several places during removal,” she said. “We do, however, have all the pieces, and it is my intention to oversee the repair, given that this was one of the items identified by the Municipal Heritage Committee. I was on site this week, and while the stone is incredibly fragile, it appears to be a relatively easy fix.”

Clark said there have been several reactions from the public about the demolition.

“There are so many mixed opinions on the demolition of the building,” she said. “On one hand, it’s certainly a huge loss to the heritage of the community, while on the other, it’s a building that, unfortunately, for various reasons, became incredibly difficult to save.”

Clark said town council’s decision to proceed with full demolition was not taken lightly and followed extensive discussion and review.

The demolition is being carried out by a contractor secured through the town’s insurance company, which specializes in projects of this nature.

“I too was disappointed that the date stone was damaged, but I know that the crew on site is working as carefully as they can,” Clark said.

The building was originally constructed in 1868 as a grist mill for Jason Gould. A three-storey brick addition was built in 1886 under Adam Foster’s ownership. The town acquired the building in 1910 for waterworks, expanding it in 1924, 1927, and again in 1952 to support filtration operations. It provided drinking water to the community until it was decommissioned in 2010.

The estimated cost to demolish and dispose of the building is $5.2 million. The project is expected to take about a year to complete.

There has been interest in the site by a local developer. Prior to the fire, the Saumure Group of Companies (SGC) expressed interest in creating a mixed-use property, including a wedding and meeting venue with visitor accommodations, high-end apartments and/or condominiums with construction starting in 2026/27. SGC still showed interest in the property following the fire.