After more than two years of debate, a historic log home in Charlottetown has been sold to an owner who promises to restore it.
That word came Monday at the regular public monthly meeting of city council.
Council had just voted against allowing log home owner Ray Campbell from having the home at 15 Hillsborough St. delisted as a heritage resource, which would have allowed him to continue dismantling the home.
“The resolution tonight was to reject the delisting of the heritage property so that was unanimous but after the planning board meeting last week it came to my attention or I learned that the property had been, indeed, sold and that the purchase and sale agreement had been signed,’’ said Coun. Greg Rivard, chairman of the city’s planning and heritage board committees.
“It is good to have it behind me. After two-and-a-half years, yes, I am satisfied.’’
Ray Campbell
Rivard reiterated the new owner plans to restore the home.
“It’s very encouraging that someone is willing to step up to save a heritage resource.’’
The home is thought to date back well into the 1800s and is considered one of the oldest log homes in Charlottetown.
Campbell had originally purchased the property with the intention of turning it into a café but later began to discover that parts of the cabin were deteriorating.
He wanted to dismantle the entire structure and reassemble it at his property in York.
When he began taking it apart the city stepped in with a court order, ordering him to stop immediately or face fines.
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The matter was eventually settled out of court.
“It is good to have it behind me,’’ Campbell told The Guardian on Tuesday, noting that he had two interested buyers in the end. “After two-and-a-half years, yes, I am satisfied.’’
Earlier this year, Campbell told this newspaper that he was asking $150,000 for the property. Campbell wouldn’t say what he got for the house in the end, other than to say he received “market value’’.
Rivard said Monday’s council vote against delisting the home means the new home owner now cannot turn around and request council delist the property for at least a year.
Rivard added that this was never a Campbell-versus-the-city issue.
“I think it was always about process from the start. Once we started the process, really to get to where we are today, council finally had a chance to vote on the application. Until this point, we didn’t. I think there were a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions along the way, but it’s a good news story, I believe, for everyone involved. It’s one hopefully we can put to rest.’’
