Creating new lives for orphaned landmarks

The handsome Georgian-style courthouse and governor’s residence and its adjacent jail have been a landmark in Owen Sound, Ont., since the 1850s. But for more than a decade, the heritage complex has been sitting vacant.

The former Grey County Courthouse is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act for its architectural and historical significance, which protected it from demolition. Over the years, proposed redevelopments proved impractical or too costly because of the need to preserve the sturdy former jail and its high courtyard walls, which are on the city’s heritage register.