Halifax’s historic Morris House was moved from the city’s south end to the north end in January but the building’s restoration has been slow, due in part to stumbling blocks over funding.
Since its arrival in the north end, the 249-year-old heritage home has gone from sitting on girders to being supported by a full basement.
Any big project involving volunteers can expect delays but the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia says the essentials are being taken care of.
“A contractor is donating the electrical work. We have a grant for the city for the windows,” says Phil Pacey, a spokesperson for the organization. “We have other grants for other work on the building.”
Once the restoration is complete, the house will be used as affordable housing for young adults.
“We anticipate that we’ll be able to have five young adults living in the building, more or less in a family-style accommodation,” says Pacey.
While many laud the effort to breathe new life into the city’s oldest wooden building, some in the neighbourhood say they wish they had been consulted about its use.
Provincial funding was withheld due to concerns that the plans for the house weren’t appropriate for an area already beset with social and economic pressures.
“It’s going to be just like the rest of these houses around here, gonna have the youth move in, gonna trash it,” says north-end resident Nicole Eltvik. “It looks trashed as it is so it just looks like it’s gonna be, no offence, another crack house around here.”
But partners in the Morris House project say affordable living space for youth is desperately needed. They will have a chance to make their case for funding from Nova Scotia Housing on Oct. 7.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Ron Shaw
