Committee recommends heritage protection for historic home

Halifax Regional Council is set to review a recommendation to add 8 Sullivan’s Hill in Bedford, known as Red Gables, to the municipality’s Registry of Heritage Properties

Red Gables, a Stick-style home built in 1894 by Joseph Heffler, is one of Bedford’s oldest surviving structures and a notable example of late 19^th-century architecture. Council’s heritage committee unanimously approved a recommendation for its designation during a meeting on Wednesday.

Historic significance

“Red Gables is one of the oldest buildings within the streetscape,” said Alex Kitson, a heritage planning researcher for HRM Planning & Development, in the staff report.

The home, built on the Heffler family’s original lot, holds historic ties to notable Bedford families, including the Hefflers, DeWolfs and Sullivans. It features high-pitched gables, decorative woodwork, and balloon-framed construction — a building method that has become rare.

The heritage advisory committee evaluated Red Gables using a scoring system that considered factors like age, historical importance, architectural merit, and relationship to the surrounding area. The property received 54 points, exceeding the 50-point threshold required for a positive recommendation.

No risks identified

Municipal staff reported no financial or environmental risks associated with the application. The cost of processing and advertising the request will be covered under the 2024-25 planning and development budget.

Looking ahead

Coun. David Hendsbee expressed hope for the property’s restoration. “Seeing it boarded up in the condition it’s in is certainly disheartening,” Hendsbee said, encouraging the property owner to apply to the municipality’s heritage program for renovation assistance.

“I really hope to see the restoration of this house back to the grandeur it used to have,” he said.

If approved, the designation will protect the property from major changes and preserve its place in Bedford’s history.