News Release Archive
TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS--RED ROOM CEILING RESTORATION ----------------------------------------------------------------- The historic Red Chamber at Province House will be closed to the public as of today to start planning the restoration of the room's 180-year-old plaster ceiling, announced Don Downe, minister of transportation and public works. "The historic plaster ceiling has been deteriorating over the last number of years, and it has reached a condition which warrants the closing of the room in the interest of safety and as a precaution from the possibility of falling plaster," said Mr. Downe. Built in the early 1800s and recognized as one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Canada, Province House has withstood a number of traumas over the years, including shock waves from the 1917 Halifax Explosion and the 1945 ammunitions depot explosion. Work on the ceiling of the Red Chamber, also known as the Red Room, will begin when the Legislature rises. The actual construction work is expected to take about eight weeks. Ceilings in the other parts of Province House have had repairs. Restoration costs will be determined once on-site work on the ceiling begins. Several methods will be used to repair the plaster. "We will take great care in preserving this building so people will be able to continue to enjoy its great historical significance in the future," said Mr. Downe. -30- Contact: Transportation and Public Works 902-424-8687 trp Apr. 16, 1997 - 2:05 p.m.