Rally to save Bryn Mawr heritage home in St. John's

Dozens of residents rallied outside a historic St. John's home on Friday, trying to pressure the property owner and city council to save the heritage building.

About 80 people gathered just outside the house known as Bryn Mawr, on New Cove Road, protesting a recent attempt to tear the building down.

• Demolition permit application submitted for Bryn Mawr in St. John's

According to the Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Trust, an application to demolish the property has been submitted to St. John's city council.

"We're here, trying to get city council to recognize the importance of this house and other places like it in our history, that we need to save for future generations," said Peter Jackson, president of the group, at the rally on Friday.

"We're losing our history, one house at a time."

The property is one of the few examples left of the Queen Anne architecture style in St. John's, according to Cory Thorne, the head of Memorial University's folklore department.

It was built by businessman James Baird as a summer home for his family in 1907. Bryn Mawr means "big hill" in Welsh.

We need to protect what we have left of our history to pass on to the next generation.- Peter Jackson, NL Historic Trust

"Its asymmetrical facade results from a seemingly random placement of towers, gables, dormers, bays and window openings, all elements typical of Queen Anne design," reads a description on Memorial University's Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage website.

The 109-year-old building was recognized as a provincial registered heritage structure in September 1993, but could still face demolition if city council doesn't act, according to Thorne, who is also a vice-president of the NL Historic Trust.

Councillor Sheilagh O'Leary is preparing a motion to designate the building as a St. John's heritage structure.

The motion would give the city more power to regulate any construction activity on the site. It will be introduced to council  April 11.

More than a thousand people have signed an online petition, organized by the NL Historic Trust, supporting the preservation of the building.

"There's not many of these houses left. You know we lost Winter Avenue. Richmond Cottage is in danger. We need to protect what we have left of our history to pass on to the next generation," said Jackson.

Jackson said he felt that at least five city councilors would support a move to preserve the house, and that it had a pretty good chance of being saved.