Thorold’s Old Post Office Finds a New Life
ACORN in a Nutshell: The Newsletter of ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVANCY ONTARIO
Pamela J. Minnis, Secretary-Treasurer of Heritage Thorold LACAC, sends us news about a former Dominion government building in the Thorold business area:
“This massive designated Dominion government building at 18 Front St. North, is one of our landmark buildings. Built in 1935 and opened in 1936, it was designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act in 2002. It was recently sold to Shannon Passero to be used as her main outlet in Thorold, to be appropriately called “The Post Office”. The business will move from The Old Fire Hall (also one of our landmark designated buildings) where she has been located for the past two years. Of course, retailing in a heritage building brings a new dimension to marketing and is seen as providing a perfect venue for displaying and selling a line of merchandise. The building is presently undergoing some restoration work and painting, to bring out the attractive heritage features of the building. The building will be open for business sometime in late August (announcements will be made of the opening dates). Our committee is installing a history plaque on the building so that the interesting beginnings of this former Dominion Government Building, used as Thorold’s post office, are recorded for all to view.
The Post Office officially opened in May, 1936 and was enlarged in 1957 by increasing the size from 6 to 10 bays. It was one of more than 240 federal buildings erected in the second half of the 1930s under the Public Works Construction Act which allocated $40 million for federal construction – intended to stimulate a depressed Canadian economy. N.A. Kearns a Welland Architect supervised the construction. Framed of steel with a concrete basement and Queenston limestone façade in a bold Modern Classical style, the building was erected by R. Timms Construction Ltd. Welland, at a cost of $37,082. Canada Customs and other federal business was also transacted here and, like most post offices, it became part of the fabric of the community and a meeting place.
We know you will want to view and explore this building – the exterior and the interior. You will see, first hand, how a heritage building can bring a new dimension to marketing.
This is another heritage building in our business area which is part of the massive change occurring in our downtown in its ongoing revitalization.”