An excavation company hired by the university demolished the building yesterday.

By mid-morning the claws of the back-hoe swiped at the walls of the building that some have called a relic of the 19th century community of Nassau Mills. The building was later reincarnated into the university’s first pub.

A single security guard, one community member, and two students stood watch as Andy Calder Excavating of Warsaw ripped down the abandoned structure, a job they were supposed to have done Oct. 2.

University officials postponed the demolition just prior to the Head of The Trent alumni gathering after interim president of the local branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, Edward Smith, asked for public consultation.

He said the building had cultural significance, if not historic value, and urged the university to reconsider.

At the time, administration vice-president Don O’Leary said the university would take its time making a final decision.

Yesterday, Smith said he was “shocked” when O’Leary called him shortly after 9 a.m. to say demolition had begun.

“He said ‘this is what we are doing,’” Smith said.

He said the building may have little historic significance, but its role in the cultural landscape of the area could not be understated.

“The actual historical value of the building — that is quibbling and splitting hairs,” Smith said.

“Trent has wiped out the possibility of creating a natural and cultural landscape here,” he added.

Smith said he wonders if he should have trusted the university when its administrator said he would reconsider demolition.

The Examiner learned that the university applied for the demolition permit from the city’s building department on Oct. 2, just two days after he said he wanted to “fully evaluate” the situation.

“We’re just going to take our time to do that,” he told The Examiner at the time.

Yesterday, he affirmed that.

“We decided to take another real hard look,” he said. He said “not a soul” came forward.

He said the university inquired about moving the building and was told the cost would be prohibitive.

Smith agrees with university administration that the building was in poor shape.

“What you’ve done is complete a demolition by decay,” he said. “All that’s happening today is a coup d’etat.”

As the sound of tumbling bricks and wood filled the wooded area, the moment was remarkable most for the lack of attention it drew.

Smith wondered aloud if it was a coincidence that the demolition occurred on the first day of the fall reading week, a week when students and staff are often away from the campus.

O’Leary said he had “forgotten” it was reading week.

“It had nothing to do with it. It was not part of the decision by any means. I can safely and honestly tell you I forgot it it was reading week,” he said.

The decision to take down the building came after more than a year of meetings, including at least one with the Trent Alumni Association which had the chance to celebrate the passing of the building during the Head of The Trent weekend, he said.

A third-year cultural studies student, Simon Ward, said he didn’t even know the Commoner existed until yesterday.

“Like anything, there’s at least two points of view,” he said.

But Trent Student Association acting president Scott Dempsey said the demolition leaves him wondering what could happen to other historical buildings.

“Not many of us have a personal connection to this building, but it leads me to wonder if Trent is committed to preserving its history at all,” Dempsey said, adding that he didn’t know the demolition would happen yesterday until he received a call from The Examiner. “We can wonder if a building we do have a personal attachment with will be torn down in 10 years.

“It can be a bit of an eye opener that sometimes decisions can be made without us knowing about them,” he said.

O’Leary said he knows the story will hit hard with people who remember the Commoner fondly.

But for those interested in the cultural landscape, he said “within a few kilometres there are several others (buildings) quite similar to this one.”

There are no plans to erect a new building on the property, O’Leary said.

He expects the land to be used for formal and informal recreation.

jpengelly@peterboroughexaminer.com

Trent University Commoner building timeline

• 1887: built
• 1969: opened as Trent University’s first pub
• 1971: pizzeria installed upstairs, as well as a two-bedroom apartment
• February 1999: building closed and used as storage
• July 2004: heavily damage by the flood
• February 2005: two business student propose to revive the Commoner as a student-run pub
• June 2005: facility audit report states building extensively damaged by the flood and projects repairs to total half-a-million dollars
• November 2005: Trent University board of governors meeting discussion
• Winter - spring 2005-06: meetings with Alumni Association
• Sept. 28: Confirmation of arrangements for disconnection of services to the Commoner building before Oct. 2.
• Sept. 29: plan to demolish the building revealed by The Examiner after member of local conservancy group raises concerns; shortly after, university administration vice president Don O’Leary says he’s decided to reconsider demolition
• Sept. 30: 300 attend Alumni Association celebration and farewell to the building during Head of the Trent
• Oct. 2: An official from the university's physical resources department applies for a demolition permit at the city building department. It is issued the same day. There is no requirement for public consultation for a demolition.
• Last week: Administration vice president Don O’Leary asks excavation company when it can slot it in the demolition, and is told Oct. 23.
• Yesterday: Commoner building at 3525 Nassau Mills Rd. is demolished by 3 p.m.

(An condensed version of this story appears in today's print edition of The Examiner)