Historic Layer Cake Hall to Reopen Following Rehabilitation Work

The historic Layer Cake Hall, located at 197 Davy Street in Bath, reopened on March 8, 2023, following a rehabilitation project that focused on renewing the historic building's exterior and correcting structural deficiencies.

Layer Cake Hall, which was originally built in 1859, has been owned by Loyalist Township since 2019. It serves as the current location of the Bath branch of the Lennox & Addington Public Library.

After assuming ownership of the building, the Township commissioned a detailed condition assessment of the building in 2021. As a result of the condition assessment, the scope of work to rehabilitate the building included restoration of the external cladding, soffits and cornices, roof system, eavestroughs, windows and doors, as well as removal and replacement of the timber sill and column reinforcement.

The budget for the rehabilitation project was $545,000 with $310,750 received through the following programs:

1. ($217,000) Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) – COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream. The Government of Canada provided $173,608 and the Government of Ontario’s contribution was $43,402.
2. ($93,750) The Government of Canada’s Canada Community Revitalization Fund through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

“Investing in community infrastructure helps create spaces for residents to connect and learn, and plays a critical role in community development and wellbeing,” said Mark Gerretsen, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Senate) and Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “The rehabilitation of Layer Cake Hall will ensure that residents in Bath have continued and improved access to this historic building for years to come.”

“Rehabilitating historic buildings, like Layer Cake Hall, offers new incentives for people to enjoy the space,” said the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario. “Investments in solid community projects like this help people experience the history of Loyalist Township, enhance the visitor experience, and lead to community growth.”

"Grant funding received from the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario have been critical to ensure this historic property could be rehabilitated. We are excited to reopen the Layer Cake Hall and welcome visitors to the newly renovated property," said Loyalist Township Mayor, Jim Hegadorn.

“We’re looking forward to reopening the Bath branch library and continuing to offer valuable library services, resources and programs to the community in this historic landmark building,” stated Amy Kay, Temporary Manager, Library Services for the County of Lennox and Addington.

“Building infrastructure such as libraries is vital to the well-being of the community and provides meaningful opportunities for people to come together,” said Kinga Surma, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure. “The reopening of the Layer Cake Hall will enhance the quality of life for residents, connect them to the services they need and rely on, and enable the community to grow and thrive. Our government will continue working collaboratively with our federal and municipal partners to build key infrastructure and a brighter future for Ontario.”

Following the reopening of the Layer Cake Hall, Loyalist Township plans to offer expanded programming opportunities including arts programming.