Nov-23-PD02 11/22/04 7:16 PM D2 THE OTTAWA CITIZEN TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2004 CITY CANADA’S MOST EXTREME MAKEOVER Built by lumber baron and MP Joseph Merrill Currier between 1866 and 1868, 24 Sussex Drive was acquired by the Canadian government in 1943 and became the official residence of the prime minister in 1951. Louis St. Laurent was the first prime minister to live there. The above photo was taken in 1951. How the experts would fix 24 Sussex Drive With the prime minister’s official residence to live in the Gothic Revival Although the funding allot- gency of the situation at 24 since 1999. mansion, which was acquired ment officially ended this past Sussex, there are many pro- “All the important health and crumbling, MICHELE OBEROI asked three prominent by the government in 1943. March, the agency said it has $2 jects that need to be completed safety issues have been ad- builders how they would tackle the job. The National Capital Com- million remaining, earmarked in the various official resi- dressed,” Ms. Lawless said. mission has maintained the for 24 Sussex and the prime dences, she said. Although the $2 million allot- heritage building since 1987, minister’s official summer resi- At Rideau Hall, the Gover- ted for 24 Sussex and Harring- t is clear that the prime min- outdated kitchen and a sun- and the agency is aware it dence, Harrington Lake. nor General’s residence, for ton Lake will not solve all the ister’s residence at 24 Sussex room wrapped in plastic dur- needs some serious work. Un- “We know that it’s not example, about $27 million has homes’ problems, she said, “it’s I Drive, one of Canada’s most ing the winter months are just fortunately, the NCC says, enough,” said NCC spokes- been spent on renovations definitely funding that will go a prominent and historic build- some of the problems in the there’s not enough money to woman Anne-Sophie Lawless. since 1999, and much more long way to addressing the ings, is badly in need of repair. graceful old house, which was do the job. According to Ms. Lawless, a work remains to be done on most pressing needs.” But what needs to be done to 24 built between 1866 and 1868 by The NCC is responsible for memorandum to cabinet is be- the 320-hectare, 28-building The Citizen asked three ex- Sussex to make it warm, dry lumber baron and MP Joseph maintaining six official resi- ing prepared to request funds property. perts what they would do to and fully functional? And how Merrill Currier as a gift to his dences in the region, and was for future years but, until the At Stornoway, the official deal with those “pressing much would it cost? wife, Hannah. given $37 million in 1999 to funding is approved, the residence of the Opposition needs” and improve this his- Leaks, drafts, peeling paint, In 1951, Louis St. Laurent be- perform this task for five amount will remain secret. leader, $636,000 has been torically important Canadian blocked fireplaces, a seriously came the first prime minister years. While recognizing the ur- spent upgrading the property home. BILL TERON, DEVELOPER SANDY SMALLWOOD,ANDREX HOLDINGS PAUL DENYS, DENYS BUILDS DESIGNS ‘If you do a patchup … ‘An old house has lots of ‘Older houses are more of a you’ll do a patchup again’ potential to be comfortable’ money pit than newer ones’ s president of the Cana- the 10,850-square-foot main andy Smallwood says a One or two heat recovery ven- aul Denys loves old bill. dian Mortgage and building. “Now, with the num- house doesn’t need to be tilators could cool the house buildings. “They’re one Anne-Sophie Lawless, of the A Housing Corporation, ber of meetings held there, Scold just because it’s old. with minimal ductwork. The P of a kind,” said the NCC, said the central heating and deputy minister for the (the prime minister and his Lack of heat “is not a function ventilators allow fresh air to be award-winning restoration ex- system in 24 Sussex was in- Ministry of State for family) require of age, it’s often a introduced to the pert. stalled in 1984, and Urban Affairs in the their private quar- case of lack of main- building year-round “There’s some- the home’s win- 1970s, Ottawa de- ters.” tenance,” said the and, unlike the cur- thing about an aged dows went through veloper Bill Teron This type of reno- award-winning re- rent window air con- house or an aged a major rehabilita- visited 24 Sussex vation, however, storer of such Ot- ditioning units, they piece of furniture — tion in the 1970s. several times as a would require “a tawa treasures as the allow windows to you won’t ever be Another way to guest of then-prime very sensitive inte- Fleck-Paterson stay closed, increas- able to replicate it.” warm up the house minister Pierre grated design.” House, Davidson ing security. Still, “they have is through insula- Trudeau. Although Mr. House and Panet Heat recovery their issues.” tion. If the walls Mr. Teron said Teron has not been House, all built in ventilators cost If Mr. Denys were have a hollow cavi- renovating the inside the home re- the same era as 24 $3,000 to $4,000, but to work on 24 Sus- ty behind them, home “would be a cently, he has been Sussex. (Panet there’s a risk the cost sex, he’d start with and if the wiring is- fun project.” It following stories House, now the Em- could go as high as the house’s approx- n’t the old knob- would also be a historically about its deterioration. He said bassy of Angola, was restored $50,000, depending on how imately 90 windows. For and-tube variety, cellulose in- and culturally sensitive pro- fixing the home would be for less than $500,000; Fleck-Pa- many specifications the govern- about $150 per window, in- sulation can be sprayed in. ject, requiring a deep under- “costly, but not impossibly terson was restored for about ment would force. cluding labour and materials Because 24 Sussex uses radi- standing of the symbolism of costly. The interior is a normal $500,000; and so far about Once the obvious things are such as simple weather strip- ators, keeping the place cool the building and an ability to residential house.” $100,000 has been spent restor- fixed, and the heating and cool- ping, “we can make the old in the summer is tricky. preserve its integrity, he said. Because old stone buildings ing Davidson House.) ing systems are working proper- windows function as brand “You can’t get any cooling Before any work could be often have little in the way of “A n old house has lots of po- ly, Mr. Smallwood would look at new and airtight.” out of them in the summer,” started, a “total analysis of the insulation, Mr. Teron said, tential to be comfortable and innovative ways to make the For another $250 to $300, he said Mr. Denys, suggesting a role of the prime minister” “you’d basically have to build a warm.” home an energy-efficient show- could remove any old wooden forced-air system as an option, would have to be done, and new skin within the house.” Generally, a house is cold for place. Because of their mass, storm windows the mansion providing care is taken not to consultations between the This would preserve the exte- two reasons: problems with the many old buildings already have may have and put up no-main- damage the home’s original prime minister and his wife, rior, while allowing for up- heating system, or leaks in the an edge over new buildings for tenance aluminum storms to plaster and millwork. the official residence commit- grades in the infrastructure, in- structure. Before doing any energy conservation. further improve the energy ef- In the end, Mr. Denys said, tee and the technical crew cluding vapour barriers, insu- work. Mr. Smallwood would “Masonry is actually a good ficiency of the window. living in an old house is just would have to take place. lation, modern wiring, air con- arrange for an energy audit. building material when it comes New windows are also an plain expensive. “It would be quite an in- ditioning and better heating. Standard energy audits cost to maintaining heat,” he said, option, but potential moisture “The older houses are more volved process,” said Mr. Currently, the home has radi- less than $200 after a federal adding that the bit of fresh air buildup between the ther- of a money pit than the newer Teron, but an essential one to ators and no central air condi- government rebate is factored that does sneak into old homes mopanes is a concern. Mr. houses.” ensure the integrity of the tioning. In the heat of summer, in, but a house as big as 24 Sus- is beneficial. “You want the Denys prefers to keep the home was maintained. window-mounted air condi- sex might need extra work, Mr. house to do a certain amount of original glass, which may have He remembers the furore tioners are used. Prime Minis- Smallwood said. breathing.” served the home well for more over the indoor pool Mr. ter Paul Martin recently com- Once the house has been well The installation of energy-effi- than a century. Trudeau had installed during plained that 24 Sussex is cold sealed, the heating system cient technology such as solar “I always like the test of his time in office, but now in winter and hot in summer.