This page was created by Sharon Trac. 

Carleton Place Heritage Project - Part 2

Impact of the Condominiums

The historic site of the former Boulton Brown Mill operates today as private residences. These condominiums are located in the heart of downtown Carleton Place with private water views backing onto the Mississippi River. For 147-years this property contributed to the milling industry of the early days of Carleton Place until it was destroyed by a fire. The fire, though resulted in a significant and tragic loss for the community, enabled the site to take on a new functional use. In a Facebook post posted by the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum, they ask the community, "Do you remember? Was there talk of tearing the buildings down? Were the townspeople relieved that this historic building would be saved?" [19]. A local Carleton Place resident comments on the post exclaiming her appreciation for the 1980s interventions, "Very happy it got saved and made into nice condos for people" [20]. The locals were not the only ones who were happy with the decision and outcome, the project also received a lot of local news coverage all which advertise the newly built condominiums confidently. It is evident that the revival of the Boulton Brown Mill sparked a positive reaction in the local community and those surrounding it.

The adaptive reuse and transformation of a once industrial site to privately-owned, has brought life back to this site by making it once again functional. The opposition against demolition and a new build had ultimately made the Boulton Brown Mill more environmentally and economically sustainable. Conservation efforts and approaches as seen in the rehabilitation project of the former mill are important to architecture and building of today and the future. It lays a good foundation and serves as an example for heritage sites of good quality to be completely refurbished to better accommodate contemporary uses while maintaining its character-defining elements, tangible and intangible qualities. Many heritage sites that are vacant and suffering from the decay due to fire, poor maintenance, and/or the effects of the weather more often than not are left abandoned yet still occupying valuable space. In the case of the Boulton Brown Mill conversion to modern condominiums, it preserved the original exterior structure, replaced the roof, created new and smaller interior spaces, and implemented more windows. Through this intervention, the significant structure that resides along the Mississippi River in the historic core of Carleton Place was given another chance to serve its community like it once did some two hundred years ago.





Footnotes
19. Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum, 2022, "On February 7, 1970, Ritchie's Feed and Seed, located in the old Boulton Brown mill complex, caught fire," Facebook, April 5, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/Carletonplacemuseum/photos/a.173161679407401/5200952406628278/.
20. McDonald, Carol, 2022, "Very happy it got saved," Facebook, April 5, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/Carletonplacemuseum/photos/a.173161679407401/5200952406628278/.

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