Guelph's Petrie Building wins cash prize from crowd funding competition

Guelph's Petrie Building will be getting some extra cash to put towards its restoration, after winning first place in a division of the National Trust for Canada's "This Place Matters" crowd funding competition on Monday.

The "Top Off the Petrie!" campaign, led by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) and Tyrcathlen Partners, raised $23,000 through the competition's crowd funding platform and has been awarded an additional $15,000  — the first place regional prize in the small projects category.

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The cash prize and money raised from the campaign will be added to existing community donations, and will go towards fixing the upper facade of the Petrie Building.

"It was really amazing to see how [the campaign] spread," said Susan Ratcliffe, president of the ACO of Guelph Wellington.

"So we really owe thanks to the community."

The competition showcased 17 large projects and nine small projects from communities across the country that were raising money to save, transform or upgrade historic buildings and sites.

Historical significance

According to the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, the Petrie Building is the last remaining machine-stamped metal clad building in Canada.

It opened its doors in downtown Guelph in 1882, where A.B. Petrie ran a pharmacy on the ground floor.

"It's a landmark on Wyndham Street," said Ratcliffe. "This one is really special."

The building is currently being restored by Tyrcathlen Partners, but at a cost. Though restoration of the metal exterior is currently under way,  the mortar and pestle at the top of the building also require extensive work. In total, it will cost $375,000.

Restoring the metal exterior will cost approximately $300,000, which will be paid by Tyrcathlen Partners. The City of Guelph will provide up to $91,000 in tax relief over the coming years.

There are also several missing pieces of the building, like the pestle, that will be replicated and re-installed in the future, which will cost around $75,000.

Come fall, the ACO and local volunteers are planning to wrap up the campaign with a sneak peak of the restored interior.