It was a hangout for war veterans and athletes over the decades, but soon the Wanderer’s Grounds Dry Canteen will be dust.
Halifax regional council voted last night to revoke the canteen’s heritage status and demolish it.
The derelict building at 5755 Sackville St. was built in 1947 by the Navy League of Canada.
In 2006, the municipality was set to demolish it when residents came forward arguing its historical significance. The next year, the municipality looked at spending $900,000 to restore the canteen and made it a heritage building.
But since then, efforts to work with rugby and football clubs fell through when city staffers discovered it would actually cost $2 million to fix the building.
What’s needed to bring it back to a usable state is “overwhelming,” said Coun. Jennifer Watts.
“It was a great place,” said Coun. Jerry Blumenthal. “I hate to see it go. It has all kinds of memories.”
