The old slate tiles that kept the elements at bay on the roof of the town hall in St. Marys have certainly done their job.
To the best of anyone's knowledge, the tiles have not been replaced since they were originally hammered in, back in the 1890's.
After a leak on a portion of the roof was detected in October 2021, later fixed, an assessment was completed that determined that roof nails were rusting and the tiles were cracked, damaged and split.
"Some of the original tiles were starting to get brittle and crack, with the odd piece landing in the garden below," said Ray Cousineau, facilities manager with the Town of St. Marys.
Rather than piece together what could be salvaged - akin to a homeowner trying to reuse shingles, Cousineau surmised - the Town pushed ahead with a plan to re-do the roof. The lowest of four bids, coming in at $412,450 (taxes in) was accepted.
"We had to go new," Cousineau told StratfordToday during a recent tour of the roof.
Robertson Restoration was hired for the contract and they started work in the spring. Work is expected to be completed this summer.
At the outset of the project, the crew inspected the underlay, which was in surprisingly good shape and had only a few sections that needed to be replaced.
Crews remove a section of slate and then put waterproof underlay in, section by section, careful not to remove any more than they can cover. Once underlay is down, they do a chalk line for slate, starting at the bottom and working their way up to the top.
Cousineau noticed different piles of the slate sitting on the scaffolding, some thicker than others and used at different spots in the project.
"There is more of a technique to it than you think. There is a science to it."
Workers pre-drill holes so nails don't crack the tile.
As a heritage building, some features that are now redundant are kept intact, including vintage repointed chimneys. Caps were put on them to keep moisture out.
During the tour, Cousineau pointed out copper eyebrows, which were in good shape and were at one point in time used for ventilation.
In the the old system in the auditorium, there were four spots in the ceiling that can open up. A piece of plywood covers a vent, which allows the hot air to come up and blow out.
"When they built this place the ventilation system was the windows. You could open the windows, hot air would go out and it would keep the building cool. It is obsolete now with the air conditioner."
Brass icebreakers were also installed to break up ice and big chunks of heavy snow that slide down the angled roof and hit the ground below.
The bell tower, which peaks out from the roof and adds the beauty of the historic building, was replaced several years ago. The bell still rings at 9 a.m., Noon and 5 p.m. each day, though now electronically. Before that it was a dial clock and prior to that someone manually pulled a rope, Cousineau said.
Cousineau marvelled at the attention to detail of the project. The property's history and importance to the town can't be diminished.
"It is one of our pride and joys," he said.
St. Marys Mayor Al Strathdee said town hall is a fixture, used for municipal operations, a landmark and has been visited by prime ministers and "famous Canadians like Terry Fox."
"Council is committed to maintaining our heritage buildings and the unique stone architecture of St. Marys. Our town hall is a magnificent structure that not only serves as the centre for local government, but also cultural and social events.
"We are proud of our town hall and have worked hard to keep it as a treasured part of our historic community."
