24 Sussex Drive is to the Canadians what the White House is to the Americans or No.10 Downing Street to the British. The residence of the head of government is located at this address in the New Edinburgh district of the capital Ottawa. The house, completed in 1868, was the residence of the prime ministers from 1951 to 2015, and even if official business was only carried out from there in exceptional cases, the building is quite impressive. At least from the outside – inside it is falling into disrepair.
According to documents obtained by The National Post newspaper, the agency responsible for maintaining government buildings sees a long list of shortcomings. These include asbestos, mold, rusty water pipes, outdated electrical systems – and even an infestation of rodents. Bats should now get the situation under control. It is said that dead rodents and excrement can be found between the walls and in the attic and basement.
In this state, one must fear a “catastrophic collapse” of the building, which is actually so representative in the style of Norman architecture, according to the assessment of the authorities. So it seems almost irrelevant that the residence can only be used very uncomfortable in terms of temperature: the windows are leaky and the insulation is bad, so that it gets very cold in winter and very warm in summer.
The building has not been inhabited for a long time, but garden parties and similar events still take place on the property. That too could soon come to an end. Experts warn that in the event of a storm, for example, guests could seek refuge in the house – “a risk we cannot accept”. Last November, 24 Sussex Drive was closed due to safety concerns, after the Prime Minister’s kitchen staff had worked there before.
The house, which in its best days was visited by guests such as Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy, is increasingly becoming a lost place. Stephen Harper, who left office in 2015, was the last prime minister to live there. His successor and incumbent Justin Trudeau declined to move in there – probably with good reason: His father Pierre Trudeau was also Prime Minister for 16 years, Justin Trudeau grew up in the house. When he took office himself, he chose Rideau Cottage nearby.
Many Canadians consider 24 Sussex Drive a “national disgrace” and advocate demolishing the building. However, this is unlikely due to monument protection regulations, and at the same time the costs for a renovation are estimated at the equivalent of well over 20 million euros. The current situation will probably continue for a while.
Sources: The National Post / BBC / Guardian
