Mayor Robert Asselin. Photo : CAROLYNE WELDON.

by Carolyne Weldon, Local Journalism Initiative
The iconic green-and-white heritage building that once housed the Crawford General Store on Route 212 in Island Brook will likely be put up for sale soon. The municipality of Newport, which bought the property last fall, wishes to keep the land to expand its parking lot, located next door, and to establish a park, but believes that restoring the building to house its municipal office would be too costly.

This was the message given at a citizen meeting attended by around 40 Newport residents on Monday, April 21.

Back in the fall of 2025, council voted unanimously in favour of purchasing the property, which is adjacent to the municipal office and had long been sought after for various expansion projects. It was the estate of Keith Crawford, who died in August 2024, that approached the municipality with an offer to sell the former general store, its outbuildings, and 5-acre lot for $160,000.

No public consultation took place at the time, which sparked concerns and discontent among some residents.

At the recent town hall meeting, mayor Robert Asselin outlined the pros and cons of three different scenarios. He noted that these would affect the future of the Newport municipal office, which dates back to 1872 and no longer meets current standards. Office space is insufficient, he explained, and the building lacks both fireproof archival storage and reduced mobility accessibility.

The first scenario, “more expensive” according to Mr. Asselin, involves revitalizing the Crawford building to preserve it and to relocate the municipality’s administrative services there.
The second would be to sell the house and 3,000 square metres of land around it, while keeping the rest to expand the town hall parking lot and relocate the municipal park, currently across the street on Route 212. The proceeds from the sale would then be used to renovate the current municipal office building with an extension on the side or at the back.

The third scenario would be similar to the second but would also involve selling the plots across the street where the current park is located.

During the question period, the issue of soil contamination was raised, as the general store sold gas back in the day. Mayor Asselin said that contamination was unlikely (the site is not listed in the Contaminated Lands registry, managed by Quebec) and that, in any case, the area in question would be used solely as a parking lot.

Others raised the risk that the old general store might be disfigured or even demolished if sold to a third party. The mayor dismissed both possibilities, stating that the building’s heritage status precluded any demolition and required that its exterior be preserved.

He added that, thanks to its zoning, the site could accommodate a small business, which would benefit everyone. (Notice to interested parties.)

By meeting’s end, the second scenario—keeping most of the land and selling the house—seemed by far the most likely to be chosen by the mayor and council. A final decision will be rendered shortly.