Grand Bank Downtown and Waterfront

Grand Bank Downtown and Waterfront in Grand Bank, Newfoundland and Labrador is on the 2019 Top 10 Endangered Places List.

Published with permission from the National Trust for Canada

Posted June 18, 2019

Location

Grand Bank, Newfoundland & Labrador

Why it matters

The historic waterfront and downtown core of Grand Bank retain the commercial buildings, timber warehouses and stately homes that testify to the town’s history as the bustling centre of the Grand Bank cod fishery.

More than any other community in Newfoundland, Grand Bank’s collection of buildings calls to mind the character of New England and Maritime seaside towns.

Why it’s endangered

The character of the town’s historic core and waterfront is ebbing away through the incremental loss and lack of maintenance provided to the significant buildings that could be the foundations of a revitalized Grand Bank.

The community’s multiple property owners, business and government leaders, and the heritage community need to collectively implement strategies that stem this tide, and that tailor the lessons learned in similar towns across the province and country to build on Grand Bank’s great potential.

This article is also available in French.

Canada's Top 10 Endangered Places List 2019

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Every year, the National Trust publishes its Top 10 Endangered Places List as part of its mission to raise awareness of the value that historic places bring to quality of life, local identity and cultural vitality.

The Top 10 Endangered Places List is compiled from nominations received as well as from reports and news items the National Trust has been following throughout the year. First published in 2005, the Top 10 Endangered Places List has become a powerful tool in the fight to make landmarks, not landfill.

The National Trust believes that historic places are cornerstones of identity, community and sense of place, yet every year, more are lost due to neglect, lack of funding, inappropriate development and weak legislation. By shining a spotlight on places at risk, the Top 10 Endangered Places List raises awareness about their plight and bolsters the efforts of local advocates working to save them.

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