Dorval’s long-standing building known locally as the “Gardener’s house,” will be getting some much-needed tender love and care.
Dorval city council has agreed to go forth with a restoration project for the nearly two-century hold building located off Lakeshore Drive.
On July 13, council approved the funding of $23,000 to pay an architect to inspect the building and draw up official plans for its repairs.
“It needs love, it needs love, ” Dorval Mayor Edgar Rouleau said.
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The company, Design NFA has been selected to lead the building inspection according to the the city.
The city hopes to restore the building to its former glory, Rouleau said.
Rouleau says the city will be filing all the necessary paperwork to get approval for provincial and federal funding for the project.
The building is considered a historical site that needs to be protected and persevered, according to the city.
Rouleau says with the work that needs to be done on the project, the final bill could easily surpass $1 million.
Much of the building’s facade is beginning to show its age, with rot and decay chewing away the building’s wooden green framing.
The city says once all the official paperwork is put through they “optimistically” could start the work in the spring of 2021.
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“Everything will have to be original,” Rouleau said.
The city acquired the building in 2009 from the former owners, The Forest and Stream estate.
“This was not priority then, now we will start the plans,” Rouleau said.
They hope to use the building for public events and open the small space up for conferences, according to the mayor.
This is not the first time the city has restored a historic building in the area.
The former horse stables for the Forest and Stream Club was repurposed and re-opened as the Dorval museum in 2002.
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