Our building's proud history
Written from notes by @discoverynorthbay
Located in the heart of downtown North Bay, 'The Cochrane Block' houses Vested Interest Trading and Lefebvre's Sporting Goods.
The first building on the site now occupied by the Cochrane Block was a Catholic church named "St. Mary's of the Lake." The church was constructed circa 1889. It was a large wood frame structure set back from the street, facing Main Street. It was demolished around 1905 when it became obvious that the congregation would need a larger space to gather. Consequently, Father Scollard led the effort which resulted in the construction of the Pro Cathedral in 1905.
Saint Mary's of the Lake was built, like many other churches, on a rocky outcropping sloping to a low point at main street. The natural depression in the land was referred to as the Main Street pond. Local merchants mockingly used it as a fishing hole in hopes of alerting the council to the dire condition of the downtown streets.
Early promotional efforts by the North Bay Board of Trade served up a prospectus for merchants interest in setting up shop in our 'frontier town.' In 1911, the Cochrane Block was built, and Conchrane Dunlop Hardware made its mark by catering to the hearty individuals intent on building, setting up shop and ultimately shaping our downtown community.
As one of the earliest buildings on Main Street, the Cochrane Block has no doubt seen many changes over the years. At the time it was built, the young town was already facing major infrastructure challenges including an ungainly grade on Main Street. Main Street was built on top of a large outcropping of granite, making transportation and the construction of sidewalks challenging.
The paving of Main Street took place in 1920-1921, at which time the sidewalks were constructed as well. Up until that time, the sidewalks had been makeshift wooden planks. In fact, the paving of downtown resulted in so much civic pride that during a summer festival, motorized vehicles were prohibited from driving on the newly surfaced areas for fear of leaking oil and gasoline.
Cochrane Dunlop Hardware did not just stock hardware. Over the years, the merchandise ranged from china to washing machines to firearms. The are where Vested Interest is now located served as a large warehouse and storage area in the back. One of the original staircases to the upper level can still be found in the Vested Interest store. Also worth noting is the framed brickwork which once housed the warehouse elevator. This can be found directly across from the retail checkout desk at Vested Interest.
Perhaps the most widely recognized photograph of the Cochrane Block was taken during the Second World War, promoting one of the war time conferences between President Roosevelt, King George VI and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
On May 10th, 1983 many local residents will remember the main street reconstruction project, which local residents have named the "big dig." Wide paving stone sidewalks, new lighting, benches, kiosks and a variety of trees served to beautify the surroundings. The overhead wires were buried adding to the aesthetic appeal of Main Street.
Vested Interest Trading is proud to share in North Bay's rich cultural heritage.