
This old house: Bathurst group finalist to win $50K for repairs to historical property
A New Brunswick organization is hoping to get a big helping hand to restore a heritage site.
Doucet Hennessy House in Bathurst is a finalist in the Next Great Save, a competition from the non-profit National Trust for Canada, where the winner gets $50,000 to go toward preserving or renewing a heritage place.
Melynda Jarratt, president of the Doucet Hennessy House Association, said there are a lot of deserving heritage sites in Canada, but she still thought it worth entering.
"I thought, oh well, it's a chance," she said. "If you don't apply, it's like winning the lotto, right? If you don't buy the ticket, you can't win."
Getting chosen felt like graduating from university, said Jarratt. "I threw my hat up in the air!"
Doucet Hennessy House is more than 200 years old. The homestead, which sits at the top of a hill on St. Peter Avenue and overlooks the Bay of Chaleur, was home to the Doucet family first and then the Hennessy family.
According to the group's submission to the competition, the house was built in 1812 by Charles Doucet, an Acadian. In the early 1900s, the 200 acres were passed on to the Irish-Scottish Hennessy family. Now, the house is used for cultural programming, such as theatre, artist residencies and exhibits.
The first phase of the house's restoration is already completed, said Jarratt, but Phase 2 will require some monetary support.
The main focus in the past was structural repairs and the exterior, she said, while the second phase is focused more on the inside.
Jarratt said winning the $50,000 prize money would allow the group to access different funding streams to help complete the project. She said for most heritage grants, groups need to be able to contribute a small portion of the money to get the money.
Even a 10 per cent contribution can add up, she said.
"When you've got a $500,000 project, what's 10 per cent? It's 50,000 bucks," said Jarratt.
"And it's hard to raise money in Bathurst, and it's hard to raise money in an economically challenged community that's facing many difficulties of its own."
Public voting started on Monday and goes until April 17 when the winners are chosen. Along with the grand prize, there are two runner-up prizes of $10,000 and $5,000.
The finalists include three in Newfoundland and Labrador, one in Alberta, two in British Columbia, one in Manitoba, one in Nova Scotia, two in Ontario and one in Saskatchewan. The Bathurst project is the only New Brunswick finalist.
Phase two of the Doucet Hennessy House project has involved gutting the first floor, which has revealed some 200-year-old ceiling beams, said Jarratt.
New wiring and plumbing, new entryways to the rooms, insulation and a wheelchair accessible bathroom still have to be completed. Part of this phase also includes making the house energy efficient, including adding solar energy.
"This will open up doors for us that we've been pushing and kicking … to try to get into those funding structures," said Jarratt.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Cision Canada
a day ago
- Cision Canada
Phoenix Aviation Capital and AIP Capital Announce Closing of $300m Senior Secured Credit Facility
Expands Lender Relationships to Further Support Platform's Growth DUBLIN and STAMFORD, Conn. and NEW YORK, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ -- Phoenix Aviation Capital ("Phoenix" or "the Company"), a full-service aircraft lessor managed by AIP Capital ("AIP") and a portfolio company of funds advised or controlled by affiliates of BC Partners Advisors L.P. announced the closing of a $300 million senior secured credit facility ("the facility"). Royal Bank of Canada ("RBC") acted as Structured Agent. RBC, Citibank and Morgan Stanley acted as Joint Lead Arrangers. The facility will be used to refinance seven assets currently owned by Phoenix and provide future funding for new asset acquisitions. "This facility represents another key milestone in Phoenix's expansion of its lender group and availability of debt capital," said Jared Ailstock, Managing Partner at AIP. "We are grateful for the support from the bank group as we continue to execute on Phoenix's growth strategy." "Closing this facility through a combination of new lenders and existing banks demonstrates the support Phoenix and AIP have in the aviation bank market," said Patrick Schafer, Managing Director at BC Partners and board member of Phoenix. "The facility will provide Phoenix with additional capacity and flexibility to support the Company's airline customers." Vedder Price served as transaction counsel and PwC acted as tax advisor to Phoenix and AIP. McCann Fitzgerald also acted in capacity as Irish counsel to Phoenix and AIP. Clifford Chance served as transaction counsel to the lenders. About AIP Capital AIP Capital (AIP) is a global alternative investment manager focused on opportunities in asset-based finance including aviation and equipment finance. AIP, together with its affiliates, manages approximately $4 billion of assets on behalf of a diversified global investor base. The AIP team is comprised of more than 30 experienced professionals across AIP's offices in Stamford, New York City, Dublin, and Singapore. For more information about AIP Capital or to speak with company executives, please contact [email protected]. BC Partners is a leading international investment firm in private equity, private debt, and real estate strategies. BC Partners Credit was launched in February 2017, with a focus on identifying attractive credit opportunities in any market environment, often in complex market segments. The platform leverages the broader firm's deep industry and operating resources to provide flexible financing solutions to middle-market companies across Business Services, Industrials, Healthcare and other select sectors. For further information, visit Media Contacts AIP Capital Geoffrey Bayers [email protected] BC Partners Luke Charalambous [email protected] +44 7775 180 721 SOURCE AIP Capital


Calgary Herald
6 days ago
- Calgary Herald
Chorney-Booth: Fantastically fine dining and glamour abound at the new Gatsby's
When it came time for the Vintage Group to tweak the lineup of its restaurants in the Oliver Building, it was faced with the choice to go high or go low. The restaurant group was already operating several brands within the building (collectively known as 'The Fleetwood Group'), including Luca, Fleetwood Lounge and Pazzi Pizza. The closure of the Treno coffee and prosecco bar left a gap within the building's culinary offerings and a prime space to fill. Article content Article content To fill that gap, management could have taken the easier route with a casual Italian eatery, but Calgary already has plenty of those. But to go higher-end than the already opulent Luca, they'd have to reach into an echelon of fussier food and service rarely seen in the relaxed dining rooms of Western Canada. Sensing a gap in that market, Vintage decided to take the gamble with Gatsby's, the newly opened, jazz-age style restaurant hidden behind a curtain next to Luca's hostess stand. Article content Article content Article content Article content Let's get this out of the way: Gatsby's is an incredibly fancy joint. While Calgary has its fair share of luxurious and expensive restaurants, most of us aren't used to a European-style degustation menu in these parts. Sure, you absolutely could happily drop hundreds of dollars per person on a lavish dinner with fine wines at a place like Teatro or Rouge (and, of course, we also have an excellent but more modern tasting menu-only restaurant with the impossible to get into Eight), but Gatsby's takes the concept of fine dining to a more formal level. And it's a level worth experiencing if you're up for the splurge. Article content Article content The restaurant is a two-level golden jewel box, with chef de cuisine Asher Wilson's kitchen gleaming from the back of the room. Even though there are only 36 seats, there are always multiple staff members buzzing around the room, meticulously attending to each guest's needs. Article content The rock star treatment is certainly a hallmark of this style of fine dining, but it's all wasted if the food isn't up to snuff. After more than a decade as an instructor at SAIT, last year, much-celebrated local chef Michael Dekker became the culinary director for the Fleetwood Group restaurants, and he and Wilson have intentionally set up Gatsby's as one of the city's premier culinary experiences. This is a set menu-only affair with both six-course (priced at $180 or $165 for the vegetarian version) and nine-course ($240) options, plus the opportunity to add items like Acadian emerald sturgeon caviar service ($240) or a selection of Canadian cheese (market price), as well as two different levels of wine pairings and exclusive Scotch flights from House of Hazelwood. It might all feel like a bit much, but ultimately, the price tag is comparable to coveted concert or hockey tickets.


Winnipeg Free Press
30-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
US group including 49ers Enterprises buys majority stake of Glasgow club Rangers
GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Scottish soccer club Rangers confirmed on Friday a U.S.-based consortium that includes an investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers has purchased a majority ownership stake. Rangers said health insurance entrepreneur Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises led the consortium of investors that was reported to have bought a 51% stake. The purchase price was not disclosed. The club said the group has committed to invest 20 million pounds ($27 million) right away, subject to shareholder approval in June. In July 2023, 49ers Enterprises completed the takeover of Leeds, which will play in the Premier League next season after winning the second-tier title. In Glasgow, takeover talks had been ongoing for months as Rangers finished a distant second to fierce rival Celtic in the Scottish Premiership this season. Celtic has won the league title for four straight years. Cavenagh, co-founder of Philadelphia-based Pareto Health, will serve as Rangers board chairman. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'This club's history and traditions speak for themselves, but history doesn't win matches,' he said in Friday's announcement. 'Our focus is simple: elevate performance, deliver results, and bring Rangers back to where it belongs — at the top.' Paraag Marathe, who will be the board's vice chairman, is the president of 49ers Enterprises — a sports investment entity also led by San Francisco 49ers chief executive Jed York. Marathe is also chairman of Leeds. ___ AP soccer: