An excerpt from an excellent Owen Sound Jail Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report by Jill Taylor of Taylor Hazell Architects Ltd (appended to a staff report - scroll down).

A Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report (CHER) for the former Grey County Jail (the Jail) was requested by the City of Owen Sound in advance of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for the potential removal of the Jail, its walls and the former Governor’s Residence from the Jail property.

The Jail, operative up to 2011, consists of the Jail built in 1854, the Jail of 1869, various additions and outbuildings, as well as walls enclosing prisoner exercise yards. These buildings are connected to the former Governor’s Residence built in 1889; a frame garage was attached to the former Governor’s Residence at a later date.

The municipality considers the Governor’s Residence as part of the Jail, and it is within the boundary of the Jail property. Together with a Registry Office on 4th Avenue East, these buildings and properties formed the County Administrative Complex. The City of Owen Sound is the owner of the former Grey County Courthouse (the Courthouse) and Jail properties.

The historic North Grey County Land Registry Office on 4th Avenue East, was purchased and is in private ownership on a separate property."

The Courthouse has been vacant for some time, and has been abandoned. The Jail functioned as a separate entity until its closure in 2011. The Registry Office was sold by the County to a private landowner.

There will be community engagement opportunities before any decision is made about mathballing or demolition.