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Ringwood resurrection underway in Whitby

Local doctor breathing new life into decaying heritage property

PARVANEH PESSIAN

WHITBY — It’s hard for anyone to imagine that the dilapidated, graffiti-ridden walls of Ringwood Mansion once stood proudly, greeting visitors of the town from the south side of Hwy. 401.

That’s why when Dr. Nihad Ali-Ridha stands inside the 135-year-old structure at 1601 Hopkins St. in Whitby, he’s looking past its exterior and gazing into its future.

“The design plan with the engineering group is to leave things open so we can decide how to do the partitions once we know what we want to use it for,” he says, from inside the property he purchased last June with his sights set on restoration.

“If it’s a classroom, we’ll divide it into six rooms or if they want this room as a lecture room, we can keep it open.”

A pathologist at Lakeridge Health Oshawa and resident of Whitby since 1999, Dr. Ali-Ridha was aware of Ringwood’s historical significance but admits he knew little of what he was getting himself into.

“It looked like Pandora’s box,” he says, describing the experience of walking through the severely neglected building for the first time.

Built in 1876 for railway contractor Barnabas Gibson, the 6,000-square-foot, two-storey property is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. While this prestigious status has protected it from demolition, it has teetered on the verge of destruction for years.

Passed around by various private owners, Ringwood has fallen into the hands of vandals, who have left their mark by defacing the yellow brick with graffiti. A fire in 2006 also led to further damage at the building, causing portions of the roof to collapse.

“The fire and water damage took a toll on the interior structure, including the beautiful sculptures and the plaster work on the ceilings,” says Dr. Ali-Ridha, adding he estimates the entire restoration project could cost up to $1 million, beginning with the removal of the graffiti.

Workers spent nearly a month just before winter cleaning graffiti off one side of the building’s walls and there’s a long way to go before the exterior looks presentable again.

“These bricks have been here for over 100 years so we’ll try our best … and hopefully once we remove everything, it looks as glamourous as before.”

Maria McDonnell, manager of downtown development for Whitby, says Dr. Ali-Ridha’s investment in Ringwood shows a strong commitment to preserving the town’s historical culture.

“That was one of the worst examples of deterioration of a designated building that Whitby has ever seen,” she says.

“So to have someone come in and see the potential in it and bring it back to life is something really special.”

The Town’s zoning bylaw for historic sites allows for only certain types of development, including a restaurant, learning institution or government office.

Mr. Ali-Ridha says he’s considering a medical clinic but is open to exploring all possible options once construction wraps up in late fall or by spring of 2012.

“It’s very important for us, for our kids and for Ontario,” says Dr. Ali-Ridha, on why he decided to take on the extensive restoration project.

“The history of what this establishment (was) and the person who owned it really needs a standing ovation.”