After years of sitting abandoned, things are finally happening at one of northern Ontario's most infamous eyesores.
Texas entrepreneur has taken possession of Grant mansion, plans to begin renovations in the spring
Erik White · CBC News
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After years of sitting abandoned, things are finally happening at one of northern Ontario's most infamous eyesores.
The Grant mansion on Lake Temiskamingin Haileybury is said to be the largest house in Canada, but it was never finished.
Now it is set to star in a proposed new reality TV show called Mansion Impossible.
"It's spooky, scary, destroyed. It's a mess," producer Theresa Kowall-Shippsaidof the inside of the 65,000 square-foot house.
Forestry magnate Peter Grant envisioned a sprawling lakefront mansion when his company purchased the land for $110,000 in 2004.
Plans were made for a massive subterranean boathouse, a golf course and a moat on the outside, while the inside would feature waterfalls, an art gallery and only one bedroom.
It was listed for $25 million in 2010, was sold to a numbered Toronto-based company, that has done little on the property other than put up fencing and security cameras, although that has not kept keep vandals and curious visitors from trespassing.
"Folks come into town and they want to know where it is and can they go have a look," said Temiskaming Shores Mayor Jeff Laferriere.
Kowall-Shipp says a Texas entrepreneur named Chris Fischer, who she describes as an "audacious, irreverent, master of sarcasm," recentlytook possession of the housethrough a private vendor take-back mortgage agreement with the numbered company.
"He's looking a lot of different possibilities for what this property could turn into, what this house could turn into. That's a big part of the story we'll be following," she said.
Mansion Impossible, which is currently being shopped around to TV networks and streaming services, would also tell the "fish of out water" story of a Texas family that moves to northern Ontario to take on this major renovation project, expected to take several years to complete.
"The plan is that we will be following them into the house in the spring and we will watch and record what happens when they get in there," said Kowall-Shipp.
"I'm actually staring at the building right now from my office," said Mayor Laferriere.
"You know, just seeing it rot has been a challenge."
He says people in Temiskaming Shores are excited to see something finally happening with the house, and "it's going to be a challenge, but at the same time, what a great idea."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
journalist
Erik White is a CBC journalist based in Sudbury. He covers a wide range of stories about northern Ontario. Connect with him on Twitter @erikjwhite. Send story ideas to erik.white@cbc.ca
