The Old Mill Tavern in Dartmouth is being demolished to make way for a new grocery store, and heritage advocates in HRM are defending themselves for a lack of outcry about it.

The building on Wyse Road was part of the old rope factory built in 1868 and was one of the oldest industrial buildings still standing in Dartmouth. It was turned into a tavern shortly after it was sold in the late 1950s, and closed on Saturday to make way for a new Sobeys store.

Some local bloggers lamented the pending destruction of a landmark and questioned why heritage activists – normally quite vocal about development activity in the downtown core – hadn’t raised any opposition.

The president of the Nova Scotia Heritage Trust says he did write to HRM to discuss protecting the building as part of the regional centre corridor plans, but says without an official heritage designation, there isn’t much anyone can do.

“In a number of cases, buildings are researched, they’re put forward for registration, but they don’t get registered for one reason or another,” said president Phil Pacey.

Plans of the demolition were a shock to him, and he’s holding out hope that the building can be saved.

“Both the exterior and the interior says a lot about the history of Dartmouth,” said Pacey. “It’s an important part of our industrial heritage.”

Harry Chapman with the Dartmouth Historical Association said he was also surprised to learn the building is slated for demolition, and said it means the eradication of yet another important piece of history.

“It’s been part of the landscape of north Dartmouth for many years,” Chapman told News 95.7. “We lost the old Starr Manufacturing building. That wasn’t saved. The old skate factory, we made skates there and exported them all around the world.”

Chapman said he doesn’t think anything can be done to save the 144-year-old former rope-and-wire factory.

Without heritage designation, all that’s needed to demolish the building is a permit.