John Bleasby
Sussex Drive renovations coming to prime time TV?
Canadian ContractorCelebrity carpenters and show producers are lining up for a chance to restore 24 Sussex Drive
Justin Trudeau and his family haven’t moved into Sussex Drive, because the Prime Minister’s official residence needs so much work.
Mainstream media have speculated that the renovations to the famous mansion might make a good reality TV show.
Tim Alp, owner of Mountain Road Productions, a TV reality show producer with such impressive HGTV credits as I Wrecked My House, has said that he feels there is tremendous benefit to making the renovations to the Prime Minister’s official residence a “must-watch event.” Will we possibly see Reno on the Rideau on prime time TV any time soon?
National Capital Commission: ‘Don’t call us; we’ll call you’
‘I Wrecked My House’ was hosted by comedian Steve Patterson
Reaction from National Capital Commission chief executive Mark Kristmanson was lukewarm at best to Alp’s suggestion, saying that his bureaucracy “would not encourage” this type of media coverage.
He was somewhat contradicted by NCC board chair Russell Mills, who was quoted as saying that such a show would be a fascinating and educational show for the Canadian public.
Leave it to Bryan? Or maybe Mike?
Alp is not the first to express interest in bringing the restoration of Justin Trudeau’s taxpayer-funded home to the small screen. After all, the project may take up to four years, the budget is virtually limitless, the house one of the most famous in the country, and the potential notoriety for a TV fixer upper unrivaled.
Returning to his childhood home may be a 4-year wait for PM Justin Trudeau (right)
Celebrity TV handyman Bryan Baeumler, host of several shows dealing with residential re-do’s, has indicated he would jump at the chance to host such a production. Baeumler does have concerns however, about the bureaucracy surrounding restoring a publicly owned historic site. He believes that the red tape might be a serious barrier to the renovation.
Opinions? What about the opinions of Bryan’s wife, decorating guru Sarah, occasionally seen sharing the screen with hubby as she delays construction with impulsive changes to colours and materials to yet another House of Bryan shrine to his over-compensation. Would Sarah Baeumler’s ideas clash with those of the nation’s first-lady, former TV-hostess Sophie Gregiore-Trudeau? We can only hope! This in turn could form the basis of another reality show, the scope of which only boggles the imagination. And you thought women wrestling in mud was fun!
Not to be left out of the reality show equation is Mike Holmes. The potential for verbally abusing the workmanship of long-deceased trades is ripe fruit ready for Mr. Holmes’ picking. “Say the word and we’ll grab our tools!” he remarked on his Facebook page.
Energy efficiency and self-sufficiency options
Others not as closely associated with such shameless self-promotion have their own visions for 24 Sussex Drive. Some feel the PM’s official residence is a unique opportunity to show the world what it means to be a Canadian, at least a Liberal Canadian. Not only would there be something for everyone in this project, but we could also show the world how committed to ‘green’ the country is, starting at the very top (and how much ‘green’ we are willing to spend proving it.)
Wind and solar polar have been discussed as possibilities. However, Greg Furlong, senior energy strategist for EnviroCentre in Ottawa points out the residence’s cliff side location might cause wind turbines to be just for visuals rather than function (‘just for visuals’ would never distract our new PM. After all, it’s the thought that counts), and that the roofs’ east-west orientation, while demonstrative of our country’s instinct for diversity, is far from ideal for solar power.
As Justin’s dad, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, once mused, “A chicken in every pot, and some pot in every chicken.”
Sustainable crops for personal consumption have been suggested by the Sierra Club
Air leakage containment and new, modern insulation from basement to rooftop seem more likely priorities. Geothermal heating combined with the buildings vintage boiler and hot water radiators would be an interesting blend of old and new, particularly when combined with thermostats on all floors. The Sierra Club has proposed that some of the outbuildings be converted to chicken coops and other areas of the property into gardens for self-sustaining food production. Although this might not be looked upon favourably by neighbors, the PM is said to be interested in some form of leafy, possibly smoke-able crop being cultivated for personal use.
With information from
The Ottawa Citizen
The Huffington Post
CBC News
Canada.com
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@john_bleasby
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I myself think that the prime ministers residence should be renovated by a reputable good sized construction company lead by an architect , and not by some clowns to make a show of it. Let’s face it, it is where our prime minister and his family will be living and therefore let’s get the renovation on the go, and not hum and ha who’s going to draw this in to a several episode TV series!
It’s about time that there’s this movement of coming into prime TV; I’ve been waiting for a long time. This is the start of something great, in my opinion.