Clubhouse on the move

The old St. Matthews Lawn Bowling Club House is getting ready to enjoy new digs.

Bridgepoint Health was in the process of revitalizing its Riverdale site when it decided to find a new home for the heritage building on their 2,800 square-metre lot.

Much to their surprise archaeological information on the House of Refuge, a makeshift hospital for 19th-century small pox outbreaks was found.

So the city contracted the services of an archaeological firm to find house’s foundation this past spring.

Though a few pieces of pottery were discovered the rest of the treasure still lies beneath the sprawling lawn, Ward 30 councillor Paula Fletcher said.

“Unfortunately the foundation was not located in that area,” she said. “It was quite a large area.”

The area is full of city heritage a stone’s throw of St. Matthews including the Don Jail, Governor’s house and Gatekeeper house.
Rob Andrusevich, a city spokesperson, said the move was needed, as development had taken up most of scenery.

“The house was made to look over a nice lawn, park setting, so when the hospital was built up around that area it kind of reduced the look for the St. Matthews in later years.

“This way you get to make use of those beautiful porches as you look out over the park.”

Moved from the southwest corner by the Don Jail to Riverdale Park’s service road facing Broadview Ave., the new locale followed a winding path to get where it is.

“It took a lot of consternation, and then this fellow that specializes in moving heritage buildings came along and said I can move that right through the park,” Fletcher said.

Still, Andrusevich said the city is happy about the final decision.

“It’s a nice old historic building, so actually putting it in that location, right at the corner of the service road there and Broadview,” he said. “It fits in with the architecture in that area because there are some beautiful homes right across the street.”

All that’s left, Fletcher said, was a good coat of paint and 65 new native maples and oaks planted on the grounds to replace 11 non-native Austrian Pines.

“It’s a stunningly beautiful building, very gracious,” she said. “Step-by-step things are moving along.”

After renovations and community input, St. Matthews will be put into use by late 2010.

For more about Riverdale Park see:

http://www.mytowncrier.ca/viewthread.php?tid=13735&highlight=Riverdale%2BPark