Erected c. 1910 by the Port Hope Sanitary Manufacturing Company, extended c. 1930. Acquired in 1932 by Eldorado Gold Mines (Cameco after 1988).
“The Central Pier and Buildings 41 and 43 are as much a part of Port Hope’s built and cultural heritage, as any of the buildings that have been the subject of preservation efforts in the town. They are simply not yet recognized as such.”
– Christopher Andreae: Heritage Impact Assessment, the Central Pier, Port Hope, for The Pier Group, November 30, 2008
Building 41 is “an excellent example of late 19th century factory design. Its heavy timber framing combined with load bearing brick walls, a representative of a type know as slow-burning mill construction.”
Building 43 was originally a foundry; part of it may have been built before 1910 but relatively small sections of the original building remain and much of the structure consists of 1920s/1930s steel framing with brick infill.
The Pier Group (supported by ACO Port Hope) advocated for conservation of Building 41, at least, for adaptive re-use by the community, without success. Citing cost and the delay that conservation would cause the Port Hope Area Initiative cleanup, City Council determined, with regret, that the buildings cannot be saved.
Both buildings are now demolished; the pier’s land has been remediated.