Stonework at Mackenzie Hall receives national heritage conservation award

Mackenzie Hall in Windsor, Ont. (Courtesy Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP))

Restoration efforts at Mackenzie Hall in Sandwich Town have been recognized as one of Canada’s top heritage conservation projects.

The project to restore the exterior of the former county courthouse was presented an Award of Merit in the Conservation: Materials, Craftsmanship and Construction category by the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP) this week.

“Historic places are community markers. They are spaces that may hold a variety of meanings to different individuals; but they help us understand where we have come from and who we are as a society,” said CAHP president Christienne Uchiyama.

Restoration efforts at Mackenzie Hall focused on masonry and mortar work on the building’s stone walls with Carlos Morell, Jason Grossi, and Christopher Borgal from Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects were awarded for their contributions.

“Heritage conservation is climate action,” Uchiyama said. “These awards celebrate heritage professionals’ efforts to rehabilitate, revitalize, and reuse existing buildings and spaces. The people who adapt and conserve existing buildings are playing a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change.”

CAHP is a non-profit organization representing heritage professionals across the county in both public and private sectors. The organization’s annual awards celebrate preservation, restoration and conservation work in areas including archaeology, architecture, engineering, craftsmanship, education and planning.

The Mackenzie Hall project is one of 11 honoured in the 2022 awards.