Village Squire, 1978-11, Page 17Because of the shape of the building, the rooms can be larger in
The River Mill than in The Woollen Mill.
But if the conversion of the woollen mill was quite a change
from the original. it was nothing compared to what was to take
place down the road at the old flour mill. It was an interesting, if
not particularly attractive building. it was historic, but hardly
looked it. it was covered with battered steel sheeting. Its major
attractiveness v. as its location directly overlooking the junction of
the Maitland and Sharpe's creek.
When it came to turning the old mill into a country inn the task
was a major undertaking. The mill. says present manager Chris
Gowers. was not in good shape and most of it had I? Ise
reconstructed. Likev. ise the entire outside was reclad in natural
v:ood siding. The result is a building that if someone didn't tell
you. you'd never guess was a flour mill. The shape is somewhat
the same but changes make it far harder to tell the original use of
the building than in the case of the woollen mill.
Still. v. hile the flour mill caused greater problems in
construction in the first place, the results are in many ways more
favourable from the stand point of operation, Mr. Gowers says.
For one thing the fact that the mill was completely recovered on
the outside as well as interior walls being built, meant that a
better and easier insulation job could be done.
In addition, many of the lessons learned in converting the
woollen mill were applied to the plans for the flour mill. The
large central staircase installed in the woollen mill was
substituted with smaller staircases at the ends of the building at
the flour mill. The shape of the building allowed larger rooms at
the flour mill. Because economics had to play a part in the design
of the woollen mill to make if feasible to get enough room for a
diningroom and for enough hotel rooms to make the inn feasible,
the space available for some of the ancilliary services was
limited. The lack of an elevator made the task of staff servic ng%
the rooms difficult. They had to carry all linen and cleaning
equipment all the way up to the third floor. This was eliminate*
in the flour mill with installation of a small elevator which mows
the staff to service all the rooms much more quickly and easily.
Another lesson learned that was put to use in what is now the
River Mill. was the need for a central vacuuming facility where
the vacuum hose can simply be plugged into an outlet in the wall.
That too saves a lot of time.
Mr. Gowers says that although the cost of the initial building is
somewhat less when converting an old building there are
economics on both sides of the argument. A new hotel facility
would never be built with 15 units (The Woollen Mill has 12 and
the River Mill 14) but would have about 50. On the other hand
there is a uniqueness to the buildings that the customers find
much more pleasant than a glass and concrete monstrosity, he
feels. The old buildings have limitations such as having to make
most imaginative use of space, thereby meaning at times
cramped service areas but they also lead to imaginitive ideas for
design. The buildings are almost physically impossible to
aircondition. but then being in the country with plenty of fresh
air few people seem to miss the airconditioning.
PRSHPLLS
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"WHERE THE UNUSUAL IS USUAL"
GIFT SHOP LADIES WEAR CARD SHOP
150 QUEEN ST.
The Grand Central Hotel built in
1843, was for decades a welcom-
ing place to spend the night.
Today it is a group of three
connecting shops. What was once
the lane for horses & buggies to
reach the stable at the back is now
a charming CARD & CANDLE
SHOP. The original bar is now the
LADIES WEAR with its handcraft
section. Browse on into the GIFT
SHOP, once the dining room,
where full use has been made of
the charm of this old building.
Many of the original antiques are
used to display imports from
around the world.
"DO COME VISIT US SOON"
284-3070
November 1978 The Village Squire 15