Demolition of historic buildings begins in Brantford

Destruction goes ahead after council votes to raze 41 south-side structures in downtown Brantford. The 41 severely rundown structures, some older than Canada, will make way for a YMCA and university residences. Photos by Toronto Star staff photographer Tony Bock. (June 8, 2010)

Demolition started today of a historic three block section of Colborne Street in downtown Brantford.  This is the last shop to show the 'customers' painted on the boarded-up windows. They had been displayed on many of the empty storefronts in the past.

Detail of one of the buildings that has been left to deteriorate.

 The demolition draws a crowd.

A turkey vulture flies over buildings that are awaiting demolition.

The building at the western end of the site was the first to go.

 A turkey vulture flies over buildings that are awaiting demolition.

Rear of one of the buildings that will come down.

Rear of one of the buildings that will come down, this was a tea importers at one time in its past.

A garden still growing at the rear of one of the buildings that will come down.

This was the Dominion Furniture shop.

This b&w photo was taken about ten years ago, when there were still a few businesses operating.

This b&w photo was taken about ten years ago, when there were still a few businesses operating.

This b&w photo was taken about ten years ago, when there were still a few businesses operating.

This b&w photo was taken about ten years ago, when there were still a few businesses operating.

Comments

[mike]

see that crap, even the 10 year old ones look horrible.
This is why they are coming down.
They have been empty for over 20 years most of them roting away, with not 1 person caring until they said they are coming down, then out of nowhere people cared.
to little to late.
This has been over 20 years in the making, our downtown is finally!!! looking great.
and We still have buildings on the North-side built in the 1900s, so they should now focus on those and force the owners to fix up the few that look like crap, and finally get the heritage committee to designate them as Heritage buildings which will force the owners to keep them up to code.

[Matthew Trevithick]

While it is good that these empty, rotting, abandoned buildings are being torn down to make way for structures that will have a purpose, you can't help but feel sad knowing the history these buildings went through. They've stood for nearly a century (or just a bit less than a century) and have had people, businesses, and memories come and go. The only way the buildings will now be remembered, is through archival maps, blueprints, and photographs.

[Luke Ventura]

So why couldn't they wait to have a PLAN for the land before taking these buildings down?

[a christensen]

there is "plan'- the run down area will be rejuvenated and revitalized with Laurier residence/campus and a long awaited YMCA new facility for brantford.

about time

sad that the old buildings couldnt be saved- but folks had 10+ years to try to save those buildings- now it is about getting something new built there.