HERITAGE LONDON FOUNDATION

June, 2010

This month brings exciting news about the Red Antiquities Building on Wellington Street, which you will recall had been threatened with demolition. This unique heritage building has now been purchased and the first phase of its renewal will begin this summer!

An innovative agreement between Heritage London Foundation and The Pathways Skill Development and Placement Centre, both charitable organizations, will enable the restoration and renovation project to go forward as a joint venture that will provide supervised skill enhancement for unemployed and underemployed people in our community. As a result of the agreement, Pathways has made a generous initial contribution to the project to enable the building purchase to proceed.

This is a ground-breaking initiative in that two quite different organizations, one whose mandate is to save and establish viable contemporary uses for heritage buildings, and the other whose purpose is to assist individuals in preparing for and obtaining meaningful employment, have come together at the intersection of these differing goals. The result will be the restoration and renovation of a London landmark built in 1873.

The first active phase of the project, stabilizing the foundation, will begin this summer.

We are extremely grateful to the 200 Londoners who were willing to back a long shot by contributing to save this threatened piece of London’s heritage late in 2009 and early in 2010.

It will be no surprise to you, however, that we still have a distance to go in funding the full renewal of the building. The project fundraising goal is $230,000. The SRAB Committee (made up of heritage and other community group representatives) is aiming to raise at least an additional $75,000, hopefully much more. Your donations will be directed toward the next (post-purchase) phases of the project. The restoration of the building’s exterior will be carefully supervised by heritage experts.

We ask that you consider a contribution, however large or small, and that you take the opportunity to promote this project when talking to friends, neighbours, and business colleagues. A pledge form is attached, or is available on-line at www.acolondon.ca or www.heritagelondonfoundation.org.

Download the SRAB Donation form here.

Find out more information on Our Vision here.

For more information on the restoration project here, click here.

Thank you again for your interest and support.

Committee Members: Julia Beck, Genet Hodder, Janet Hunten, John Manness, Kelley McKeating, Anne McKillop, Greg Yarker