Trent University has demolished the historically significant building known as The Commoner. Just three weeks ago, and in response to criticism from the local branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, Vice President Don O'Leary announced the demolition was "postponed indefinitely and the university will take its time to make a final decision." In light of today's events O'Leary's announcement, coming as it did as Alumni gathered for the Head of the Trent, appears to have been calculated solely to deflect the potential of Alumni complaints over the destruction of this historical building. Is it any coincidence demolition began this morning, the first Monday of reading break when students are unlikely to be on campus to cause a fuss? Did Trent have any intent at all to honour O'Leary's announcement of the indefinite postponement of the Commoner's demolition? Are someone's pants on fire?

The Commoner was built in 1887 and was one of two buildings left from the historic Nassau Mills community that was demolished when Trent University was built during the 1960s. From 1969 to 1999 it was used as a student pub.

On Thursday September 28, Edward Smith, the interim president of the local branch of the Architectural Conservancy, contacted the local press with his concerns to preserve the building, having been unable to convince Trent to hold off the demolition they were planning for October 2.

The following day an article appeared in the Peterborough Examiner alerting the public to the pending demolition. Later that same day, Friday September 29, my.Kawartha.com published a story entitled Commoner Demolition on Hold indicating Smith received the news from O'Leary early Friday afternoon that Trent had granted The Commoner a stay of execution. The Peterborough Examiner published a more detailed article on Saturday September 30 citing O'Leary that the demolition was "postponed indefinitely."

Although Trent University administrators announced on Friday that they were postponing the demolition indefinitely, they did not halt the process of applying to the City of Peterborough for a demolition permit. When Smith spoke to Trent they had not as yet submitted an application for a permit. Nor had they at the time O'Leary announced that the demolition was postponed indefinitely.

According to the demolition permit documents Trent did not submit its application to the City until Monday October 2 - several days after O'Leary's announcement! The permit was issued the same day.

Would you proceed with an application for a demolition permit after you told your community and neighbours that you were intending to postpone the demolition indefinitely?

It is circumstances like this that cause the public to remain skeptical and distrusting of the administrators of Trent and other publicly funded universities. Why make announcements that you have no intent to honour? One logical answer is those announcements are meant only to manipulate the public, assuage immediate concerns and deflect the potential for complaints from donors. Another might be to clear the decks so you can act unimpeded by the public until the deed is done and irreversible.

O'Leary phoned Smith just after 9am this morning to inform him that the demolition had begun. In effect the only purpose of O'Leary's call was to tell Smith that all the efforts of the Conservancy to preserve and prevent the destruction of this historical building were useless in the face of the power of Trent University - to rub his nose in it, as it were.

O'Leary may as well have said "Nya, nya, nya, nya, nya..."

In any event, Trent has had its way today. The Commoner is no more. The community and region have lost a valuable resource that can never be reclaimed.

Those interested in the details leading up to O'Leary's announcement are directed to the first article mentioned below.

References:

• Trent Poised to Demolish Historic Building
  October 3, 2006
• Demolition Permit and Application - October 2, 2006