The Basilica Recreation Centre — Befiire and After

CHAPTER I: THE BLOCK

Richmond, Prince, Sydney and Great George Streets bound the block on which the Basilica Recreation Centre was built. Lieutenant Governor Fanning acquired it in approximately 1792. The original Fanning House burnt down on May 9‘“, 1849, leaving nothing behind but a little lavender barn on the northwest corner. The block was owned by the family until 1855, when it was subdivided into five lots, all of which were sold to Henry Haszard.

In September of 1855, the Town of Charlottetown moved the flour and meat market to the northwest corner and used part of the building as an engine house for the fire department. Henry Haszard eventually sold his property. The Union Bank; the old YMCA building, which later became an office for the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Queen Square Presbyterian Church, which later became the Holy Name Hall; Dr MacGuigan’s home and office; Alyward’s furniture store; Duffy’s store; and the Duffy residence were all on Richmond Street.

The old Bible Church on Prince Street, which was later joined to the Alyward property and operated for some time as Turpin’s meat store, abutted the Duffy residence. Next was the Frank Storey residence, which is now the Voluntary Resource Center. The corner property was a small grocery store operated by Charles McKarris, maternal grandfather of former Premier Joe Ghiz. All of these buildings, with the exception of the Union Bank, the Storey residence and McKarris grocery, were demolished to make way for the Basilica Recreation

Centre.

In 1976, the Heartz O’Halloran Building, 76-88 Great George Street, was acquired by the Heritage Canada Foundation, and with the support of

a committee from the PEI Heritage Foundation and Charlottetown Area Development Corporation, a careful renovation took place. This early initiative acted as a catalyst for redevelopment in the downtown area. l was mayor at the time, and was able to play a small part in promoting the importance of heritage preservation by encouraging city council to adopt a heritage bylaw.