Charlottetown log home remains a heritage property

A controversial log home in downtown Charlottetown will live to see another day.

At Monday night's meeting, council voted unanimously to reject an application to de-list 15 Hillsbourgh Street as a heritage property. 

"Heritage board discussed it, they said, aside from the potential of a sale, they still said that we need to review this based on its merit," said planning and heritage chair Greg Rivard.

He added: "The home is one of very few log cabins in Charlottetown and they believe that this had a ton of value for the City of Charlottetown. If you look at the building today, it certainly doesn't look like it has a ton of value, but for heritage it did."

The home has been up for debate for years. The owner, Ray Campbell, has been battling with the city to take it down, saying it was too expensive to restore and that he couldn't get insurance for the property. 

A new life in the works

But now, Rivard says a sale is in the works. 

"After planning board last week ... I learned that the property had been indeed sold and again that the purchase sale agreement has been signed," he said, adding he can't confirm what point the sale is at now. 

He did say that when the deal is finalized the buyer has plans to restore the home. 

"It's very encouraging that someone was willing to step up to save the heritage resource," Rivard said. 

Even if the new owner wanted to apply again to de-list the property, they could not do so for one year under city rules.