Heritage Canada Foundation decries loss of Mount Allison’s historic Memorial Library

Ottawa, ON, December 16, 2011 – Included on the Heritage Canada Foundation’s (HCF) 2011 Top Ten Endangered Places list, Mount Allison University’s Memorial Library is the victim of academic indifference.  Work crews have dismantled portions of the entry archway of the handsome stone building, and heavy machinery has now moved in to finish the job.

Constructed in 1927 as a memorial to the students and alumni who gave their lives in the First World War, the building was partially paid for by funds raised through public donations. Described as “the most beautiful building on campus,” its plaques were registered as a military memorial on the National Inventory of Canadian Military Memorials.

In May, a notice of Intention to Designate by the provincial Culture minister was suddenly withdrawn. Hope for the building was dashed in November when a demolition injunction motion by the Save the Memorial Library Committee was dismissed.

The Board of Regents approved the demolition last fall to make way for a new $30-million fine arts and performance centre.  The board’s decision runs contrary to Mount Allison’s Master Plan, which recommends the retention and reuse of the historic library building.

The Heritage Canada Foundation is a national registered charity dedicated to the preservation of Canada’s historic places. Your support is vital to our work. Please join or make a tax-deductible donation today.

For further information:

Carolyn Quinn, Director of Communications, cquinn@heritagecanada.org

Telephone: 613-237-1066 ext. 229; Cell: 613-797-7206