Rebuilding village icons

That was quite the event at Wellington Town Hall last Thursday night.

You could divide the audience into four groups, of about equal size: those standing up at the front who were associated with the project; those sitting down in the audience who got there really early; those standing up in the audience who got there early; and those who got there on time but couldn’t make it past the door. Perhaps with hindsight they should have rented Highline Hall; but you know what political organizers say about packing small rooms to overflowing rather than leaving empty seats in large rooms.

Yes, there is obviously a high level of local interest in the new Drake Devonshire hotel. Some people were no doubt there to make sure that the Drake people knew of their service or product. Some were there just to see the presenters eat some urban humble pie about the cost of their renovation, or to get some snickers out of their unfamiliarity with local names; and they were not disappointed on either count. But let’s give credit to the audience and say that the majority were there out of genuine curiosity and a wish to see the Drake Devonshire succeed.

What we received were assurances that the site is fully compliant with all planning and conservation criteria, and that the new Drake Devonshire will open in “late summer.” We were shown plans that look both site-sensitive and consistent with local architecture. The dining room, with its cantilevered glass corner wall looking out over the creek and high, barn-like ceiling, seems particularly appealing. A Wellington landmark looks like it will be revived and rejuvenated. So let’s give credit to the Drake people too, and welcome innkeeper Chris Loane and his family.

Meanwhile, across the street from the Town Hall lies not just a local landmark, but a focal point for our village. On Canada Day, it will be the place where we look to celebrate our 150th anniversary. What an unfortunate occurrence, then, when a tree chooses to fall down right on top of the gazebo in our municipal park— leaving us with a broken platform upon which to hold our celebration.

I spoke to Bob Stock of the Wellington Recreation Committee— which, together with the Wellington and District Business Association, organizes our Canada Day events— who tells me they have been planning some special 150th anniversary events on top of our usual street dance, parade, pancake breakfast and so on, and that the treefall will certainly crimp their style. I also spoke to Mayor Peter Mertens, who tells me that the gazebo is covered under the County’s insurance policy, and that a pro forma claim has been filed; but who also tells me that the policy has a $25,000 deductible and that the County may not find it economical to see the claim through.

So right away, there are a couple of big questions. First, will the County find the funds to rebuild the gazebo, if it has to find the first $25,000? Second, even if the gazebo is rebuilt, will it be ready for July 1?

Our Canada Day organizers are highly doubtful on that latter score.

But I think there is a more basic question. Should what is rebuilt just replicate what was there already, or can we do better? When you get right down to it—and I mean no disrepect to its creators—no one I knew ever used the gazebo for sitting in the hot summer afternoons; and no event that I ever saw used it as a stage. It was more like a multi-sided backstage room, a place to dump your equipment or wait out your turn on a makeshift stage tacked onto the front of the gazebo. It was pretty to look at, but not very functional. That means we need to ask ourselves: just what do we want to use it for?

In fact, while it has been here a long time, the gazebo wasn’t originally a gazebo at all. There was a bandshell in the park. There’s a picture of it above, dating back to the early 19th century, (thanks to Paulette Greer).

Our Wellington park is a magnificent asset. The fertile minds and careful hands of Wellington residents have already brought us the wonderful park playground and beach boardwalk, to name just two projects. To reconceive and rebuild Wellington’s focal point with fresh eyes and fresh hands, as a joint venture between the County and the people of Wellington, would be a wonderful 150th anniversary present to ourselves.

Whatever our gazebo becomes, the Drake Devonshire has set the restoration bar pretty high for us. And if so many people could turn out to learn renovations to a private property, think how many people would be lining up at the door to have their say, bursting with good ideas about a property that belongs to all of us. They’d have to rent the DukeDome itself. Heads up, Dukes: you might have to reschedule that playoff game.

David Simmonds’s writing is also available at www.grubstreet.ca.