Grand Bank Downtown and Waterfront

Grand Bank Downtown and Waterfront in Grand Bank, Newfoundland and Labrador is on the 2019 Top 10 Endangered Places List.

Published with permission from the National Trust for Canada

 — Posted June 18, 2019

  • Maritime History Archives
  • Carl Rose
  • Andrea O'Brien
  • Robert Mellin

Location

Grand Bank, Newfoundland & Labrador

Why it matters

The historic waterfront and downtown core of Grand Bank retain the commercial buildings, timber warehouses and stately homes that testify to the town’s history as the bustling centre of the Grand Bank cod fishery.

More than any other community in Newfoundland, Grand Bank’s collection of buildings calls to mind the character of New England and Maritime seaside towns.

Why it’s endangered

The character of the town’s historic core and waterfront is ebbing away through the incremental loss and lack of maintenance provided to the significant buildings that could be the foundations of a revitalized Grand Bank.

The community’s multiple property owners, business and government leaders, and the heritage community need to collectively implement strategies that stem this tide, and that tailor the lessons learned in similar towns across the province and country to build on Grand Bank’s great potential.

This article is also available in French.

Canada's Top 10 Endangered Places List 2019

Glenora Neighbourhood

This Edmonton neighbourhood boasts the city’s highest concentration of historic resources with many detached houses designed by prominent architects in revival and Modern styles.

St. Vital Roman Catholic Church

Built in 1883, St. Vital is the oldest Catholic church in Saskatchewan.

Birtle Residential School

One of the last three remaining residential schools in Manitoba. Operating from 1889 to 1972, this brick building was completed in 1931.

Rubin Block

Opened in 1914, the building was designed by prominent Winnipeg architect Max Zev Blankstein.

Former St. Paul’s Anglican Rectory

Together with three different churches occupying the other corners, the Rectory is a key part of an historic ensemble leading to the heart of town.

Future Heritage Designations in Ontario

Ontario’s new More Homes, More Choice Act removes the abilities of municipalities to protect local heritage and gives final say over designation to appointed tribunals.

Ile d’Orleans

The cultural landscape of Ile d’Orleans still bears the physical imprint of the first families that settled the island in the seventeenth century and that went on to populate large sections of the new country.

Cyclorama of Jerusalem

The 120-year-old Cyclorama of Jerusalem is the only Canadian example of a painted circular panorama — an art form popularized in the nineteenth century.

United Memorial Church

The church was erected in memory of those who lost their lives in the Halifax explosion on December 6, 1917, and housed both Methodist and Presbyterian congregations.

Every year, the National Trust publishes its Top 10 Endangered Places List as part of its mission to raise awareness of the value that historic places bring to quality of life, local identity and cultural vitality.

The Top 10 Endangered Places List is compiled from nominations received as well as from reports and news items the National Trust has been following throughout the year. First published in 2005, the Top 10 Endangered Places List has become a powerful tool in the fight to make landmarks, not landfill.

The National Trust believes that historic places are cornerstones of identity, community and sense of place, yet every year, more are lost due to neglect, lack of funding, inappropriate development and weak legislation. By shining a spotlight on places at risk, the Top 10 Endangered Places List raises awareness about their plight and bolsters the efforts of local advocates working to save them.

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