Ham House

Perhaps the earliest surviving store in Ontario and collapsing in 2010, it is now restored to its original state inside and out and will soon become a pub/restaurant. https://www.gofundme.com/hamhouse

In 2010, Loyalist Township was moving to remove the Part IV designation of Ham House under the Ontario Heritage Act with the pretense it was in poor condition and heritage-designation was somehow o

bstructing the ability of the owner to make repairs. We bought the property to save it as de-designation would likely have lead to its swift demolition. With the help of extremely dedicated community volunteers, Bonnie and I did all the work ourselves. Most notable was the heavy foundation work and restoration of the east facade that had been stripped off in 1896. An added bonus was that the interior was largely intact from 1816, containing both a store and a residence. See the website for more details: www.hamhousebath.com. Bath is located on Lake Ontario half way between Kingston and picturesque Prince Edward County. Situated prominently at the main intersection, our objective was to demonstrate the cultural and economic value of early buildings by establishing Ham House as a regional destination and dynamic business. Previously a residential triplex, we have identified a pub/restaurant as an ideal re-purposing of the building, offering the public a unique opportunity to experience both the dramatic exterior and spectacular surviving store and residence within. This will catalyze commercial activity in the core of the old village and more importantly, could lead to the restoration of other War of 1812-era buildings still surviving in Bath. Change-of-use municipal fees are are almost prohibitive, especially when combined with the cost of the core restoration. This funding drive is to help pay the municipal fees so we can move forward on our business plan and complete restoration of the entire site. Even very small contributions are greatly appreciated. We have initiated a campaign to raise the municipal fees through crowd funding. If you believe in the importance of our built heritage and would like to see more vitality at the centre of Bath, please support our project at the following link. Even very small contributions are greatly appreciated:

https://www.gofundme.com/hamhouse