Old Plough will be demolished when vacated

By Cecilia Nasmith

Northumberland County council voted Wednesday for the demolition of the old Golden Plough Lodge, once residents are relocated in the new Golden Plough Lodge – following Councillor Scott Jibb likening the old building to a 1983 K Car.

All of us of a certain age were thrilled to have a $500 car when we were young, Jibb explained – but then you spent $1,000 in repairs the following year and $1,000 six months after that.

“And when were were done, we still had a $500 car,” he said.

Director of Public Works Denise Marshall had reported on the matter previously, with an eye to retaining the building, or possibly just the auditorium, to have ready for an overnight warming room in future winters. In such a case, Marshall had detailed extensive remediation and renovation costs that would be incurred.

Previous reports from Marshall also had costing on demolishing the building and erecting a pre-fab structure on the site for that purpose.

Addressing the report before council Wednesday, Jibb had many more details to add from the time he and fellow Councillor John Logel toured the facility personally. Based on his years of service with the Hamilton Township building department, he provided an overview.

“It was my objective to not tour the rooms but actually get to the basement, get to the electrical, get to them mechanical, get to the bones of the building,” he said.

And he saw much more, like the flat rooves, the failing foundation wall of the auditorium, and the beautifully maintained and landscaped courtyard that had a crumbling masonry wall on one side.

“I looked at my original concept of we-have-a-building-we-should-be-able-to-use-it-for-something,” he admitted.

The staff report suggests potentially keeping the auditorium, “built, from what I can tell, in 1972. That is the newest section. It was added on to the existing building, which means it is a three-sided structure – there is no north wall.

“The electrical and heating systems are antiquated. They enter into a mechanical room possibly as far north as 100 ft. from the section we might want to look at keeping,” he pointed out.

“The fire alarm is an add-on. The water main comes into the building 100 ft. north of the section we might want to keep.”

The auditorium is a 20-ft.-high ceilinged area needing window repairs and asbestos replacement. And the way it is configured, it is not good for use as anything much besides an auditorium.

It can be done, Jibb summed up. But what would it take?

“This building is a 1983 K Car that doesn't have a lot of value when you spend a lot of money on it,” he stated.

Logel agreed with Jibb's assessment. He called the building “tired and worn out,” adding that when the new building was decided on in 2019, the plan had been to demolish the old one. Staff confirmed that money for that purpose was even part of the budget.

“Hearing what I heard today just solidifies it,” Councillor Brian Ostrander said.

“With a green field, with a new site, we can do so much more for the citizens of Northumberland County, including possible options for next steps for the homeless in the community.”