Excavation work begins on several lots around the historic McKenzie Sharland Grocery store to create McKenzie Mews, which will architecturally reflect the designs of the neighbourhood in a complex of town homes.--NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
Heavy equipment has begun the first stage of development for a cluster of homes in River Flats that will make the historic McKenzie Sharland Grocery building a focal point of what will be called McKenzie Mews.
In the last three or four years considerable work has been done to acquire properties on Queen Street and Washington Avenue, demolish some properties, and carefully restore the historic home.
Some rezoning was required to allow for the construction of about 15 town homes that have been designed to be architecturally in keeping with the area, said Malcolm Sissons of Canadian Urban Building Evolution (CUBE) limited.
McKenzie Sharland Grocery is an historic building dating back to 1912.
It experienced significant damage in the 2013 flood and could no longer be the Sharlands’ home. Len Sharland was born in the house in 1931 and it was his parents who owned and operated the grocery store on the main floor from 1923. They lived in the rest of the house. Before the Sharlands owned the grocery store it was McKenzie Grocery.
CUBE’s objective is to facilitate “projects that are socially and environmentally responsible, and technologically advanced.”
Sissons carefully undertook the restoration of the grocery store that included a new foundation, a new roof, repairs to woodwork and even the removal of asbestos. All restorations were according to Parks Canada’s guidelines for historical properties. It will either remain a residence or be used as a visitor suite for the complex or as an amenity building for McKenzie Mews.
The city purchased the Sharland lot for $87,700 under a program to buy lots qualifying for provincial relocation after the 2013 flood. Immediate repairs were necessary, including removing and replacing the original foundation.
