NCC board decry 'embarrassing' state of decripit 24 Sussex Drive
Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jun 23, 2021 • 48 minutes ago • 3 minute read
“Embarrassing.” A “trainwreck.” “Political paralysis.”
A National Capital Commission board member minced no words Wednesday when warning about the decrepit state of 24 Sussex Drive, the prime minister’s official residence. A report on the six official residences the NCC manages lists 24 Sussex as the one most critically in need of repair. It says the commission needs to spend $17.5 million a year for the next decade to pay for nearly $90 million in deferred maintenance and to bring it and the other buildings up to snuff.
“It’s stating the obvious to say this is a delicate file,” said lawyer and board member Michael Foderick at Wednesday’s meeting. “There’s a measure of political paralysis with this government and with the last government. I think we forget we’re talking about some of the most cherished public assets of the highest national significance.”
That 24 Sussex has been allowed to deteriorate so badly “is a pox on many houses, including our own,” Foderick said, adding the NCC must do some “soul-searching” over what has been allowed to happen to the building “under our noses.”
“If my children ever asked me, ‘What did I do? How did I let that happen?’ I wouldn’t have a good answer for them.”
Since the last report on official residences in 2018, the buildings have continued to deteriorate with only 24 per cent rated in “good” condition compared to 34 per cent three years ago. Although the NCC has poured $26 million into the repairs since 2018, the cost of deferred maintenance has grown by about $6 million.
At 24 Sussex, building systems can no longer be maintained and require immediate replacement, the report says. The electrical system poses a fire hazard, the plumbing fails on a regular basis and the interior is rife with mould, asbestos and lead.
“Of all the things people ask me about in my role here at the NCC, I think ‘What’s going on at 24 Sussex?’ is No. 1,” said board member Deborah Lynn Morrison. “It doesn’t matter if they live in Ottawa or other parts of the country or their socioeconomic status. They all identify that as part of their identity too.”
In addition to 24 Sussex, the NCC is responsible for the governor general’s residence at Rideau Hall, the PM’s summer cottage at Harrington Lake, Stornaway, residence for the leader of the Opposition, The Farm, home to the Speaker of the House of Commons, and 7 Rideau Gate, which is made available to official guests of the government. The six official residences together have 49 support buildings. Sixty per cent of them are ranked as in either poor or critical condition. The buildings’ antiquated systems are also responsible for 60 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions by the NCC.
It’s been 60 years since the last significant refit at 24 Sussex. Built in 1867, the 34-room mansion has served as the PM’s official residence since 1951. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has chosen to live with his family across the road at Rideau Cottage on the grounds of Rideau Hall although 24 Sussex is still used for workspace by household staff.
At a minimum, the house requires abatement of hazardous materials, fixes to the building envelope, complete replacement of the mechanical and electrical systems, and construction of an accessible entrance and washrooms, the report says. Urgent repairs alone will cost $24 million.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, NCC chair Marc Seaman said the disrepair at the official residences “is a legacy of decades of lack of investment in the properties.”
“There’s a sense of urgency from the board,” Seaman said. “We recognize that these are official residence and they don’t belong to political parties. They belong to the people of Canada.”
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...4-sussex-drive
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