It looks like another heritage building in Delta will face the wrecking ball.

A temporary stop demolition order issued for the R.E Kittson farmhouse at 9230 Ladner Trunk Rd. has expired without anyone stepping forward to save it.

A member of Delta's community planning department said the new owners of the property would like to proceed with demolishing the house if someone doesn't buy it and move it elsewhere. A report notes restoring the home would cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Delta pioneer Robert Kittson built a barn on the property in 1895, but it was recently demolished. The house was built in 1907.

Meanwhile, another heritage structure in East Ladner faces a similar fate.

The Delta Heritage Advisory Commission recently discussed a demolition application for the Harris Barn at 5561 64th St. The barn dates backs to the early 1900s and was moved to its current location in 1940.

The commission was told the barn scored 98/100 in a heritage inventory evaluation over 20 years ago, but the owners claim the barn is now in a state of disrepair and they'd like to replace it with a new house and barn.

One of the commissioners who toured the structure said it didn't appear to be suffering from dry rot and has considerable material that could be salvaged and reused.

It was noted during the commission's discussion that Delta's heritage incentives apply mainly to urban heritage while Delta's rural heritage is fast disappearing.

The commission agreed to ask Delta council to request the owner advertise the barn for $1 "in whole" to the farming community.

If there's no interest, the barn would then be offered "in part" to others in the community for the repair and/or restoration of other heritage barns.

Mayor Lois Jackson recently said she'd like to see a Delta heritage society formed to focus on saving heritage structures.

sgyarmati@delta-optimist.com