Dedicated to Preserving Our Built Heritage Spring 2012 Volume 39, No. 2

Missing heritage plaque returns home to the “Hollywood Parade” By William R. Price City of Heritage Planner, Lesley Collins, taking hanks to the sharp eyes of delivery from Heritage Ottawa of the missing heritage plaque. T Jean-Marc Moreau, an employee of the Montreal recycling firm Arté, a French plaque were mounted on designated City of Ottawa heritage plaque missing buildings). We expressed our gratitude from the heritage-designated for their remarkable efforts to return the “Hollywood Parade” row houses on plaque and we agreed to deliver it to James Street, has found its way back the City of Ottawa Heritage Planners to where it belongs. Jean-Marc recognized arrange for its re-installation alongside

the plaque as not being a normal piece of the English plaque still mounted to the illiam R. Price scrap bronze and retrieved it for further wall of the “Hollywood Parade”. examination. He phoned his friend and Later that day, we dropped off the plaque Photos: W Ottawa resident, Mario Larochelle, to help find to Lesley Collins, Heritage Planner, who gratefully where in Ottawa the plaque had come from and accepted it on behalf of the City and promised that how it could be returned to its proper location. it would be cleaned and re-installed as soon as Their quick search on the internet turned up possible. Later that day Lesley phoned Heritage Heritage Ottawa’s name in an article on the Ottawa to advise that both Jean-Marc Moreau in “Hollywood Parade” and they reasonably assumed Montreal and Mario Larochelle in Ottawa will be that the plaque may have been installed by receiving a personal letter from City of Ottawa Heritage Ottawa. Mario Mayor Jim Watson praising called Heritage Ottawa them for their high and left a message standard of citizenship. asking if we would Note to owners of take possession of the heritage-designated plaque. Needless to say, buildings – please inform we drove right over Heritage Services at the to meet with Mario City of Ottawa if your and hear the story of its plaque is missing so that discovery in Montreal and they can take appropriate return to Ottawa. It was action. in fact a City of Ottawa French heritage plaque William R. Price is a member and Secretary of the Board of (in earlier years, a “Hollywood Parade”, designed and built in 1892 on James Street Heritage Ottawa. separate English and by James Corry.

1 Gordon Cullingham Research and A New Heritage Ally – IODE Publication Grant Awarded to Andrew Elliott Laurentian Chapter By Janet Uren On Heritage Day, February 21 2012, assisted by members of Heritage Ottawa President Community Association n June 8 and 9, when an historic house tour walking tours in Leslie Maitland presented the Heritage Committee including of Sandy Hill opens doors to a fascinating old Ottawa – focusing Gordon Cullingham Research Lynn Armstrong, a specialist in O and Publication Grant to Glebe landscape architecture. Lynn neighbourhood, heritage in Ottawa will gain a new ally. on the exterior resident and heritage advocate Armstrong’s research will focus It’s a marriage made in heaven – heritage and of houses only – Andrew Elliott for his research on the creation of the landscaped one of Ottawa's oldest charitable organizations. The was a sign, proposal on built heritage in the boulevards of Clemow and Laurentian Chapter of the IODE, producer for over surely, that a Glebe. Andrew Elliott is an archivist Monkland Avenues, the design half a century of an annual House & Garden Tour, heritage-themed Photo: Bill Price and has just completed a secondment and building of the house tour would at the Canadian Register of Historic Driveway (now Queen Elizabeth Drive) is something of a heritage asset in itself.

find a ready Photos: Jan Soetermans Places at Parks Canada. He is a and the Patterson Creek Parks This branch of a national women’s service Janet Irwin, the widow of the late Gordon Cullingham, market in frequent contributor on heritage (including Central Park east group was created 106 years ago and has deep Leslie Maitland, President of Heritage Ottawa, Ottawa. Besserer House, the oldest house in Sandy issues for the Glebe Report and the Andrew Elliott, Lynn Armstrong. and west of ) by the roots in Old Ottawa. Even today, Laurentian’s Hill, built by Louis-Théodore Besserer in the Peterborough Examiner. Ottawa Improvement membership includes descendants of such Ottawa The introduction mid-19th century, seen here with historic Commission in the early 1900s. Heritage Ottawa is plaques in view. The Gordon Cullingham Research and Publication luminaries as lumber baron John Rudolphus Booth. of heritage as a Grant is named in honour of the late Gordon Cullingham, confident that the information gathered will be a major theme for the contribution to knowledge of the built heritage of this Laurentian is the oldest of five Ottawa chapters journalist, broadcaster, editor and heritage activist. The anniversary year in 2011 was accompanied by important and unique part of the City. of the IODE. In 1910, Laurentian donated $17,000 to grant program was created by Heritage Ottawa in 2008 another significant change – neighbourhood focus. build and furnish a tuberculosis sanatorium (later the and supports work on all aspects of the preservation of This research will contribute to a detailed under- For the 50th tour, Laurentian opted to join forces Ottawa’s built heritage, such as architectural history, standing of the homes, their owners and residents, Royal Ottawa Hospital). Recently, when the hospital with the New Edinburgh Community Alliance biography, material and technological history, heritage their architects and architectural styles and of the was rebuilt, the chapter contributed the same amount (NECA) and, instead of recruiting properties citywide, conservation, cultural landscape and heritage planning. history of property development in this important (this time, it was only enough to furnish a single to focus the tour on a single old village on the Grants can be awarded to assist research on an appropriate section of Ottawa. Mr. Elliott hopes to involve owners room). The group’s mandate is to raise funds that go topic or to contribute to the publication of a book in the research, and in doing so, will try to build a eastern banks of the . The chapter to education and community service. In 2012, funds or article. sense of pride and interest in protecting the Glebe’s presented the houses, as always, while the community from the House & Garden Tour will go mainly to Andrew Elliott’s proposal involves research and heritage streetscapes, parks and landscapes for future provided walking tours and lemonade stands. generations. Nelson House, a shelter for abused women. house histories for some of the 135 buildings along the The one-day tour was a success. Participation In 1961, Laurentian organized the city’s very former ceremonial route designed by the Ottawa An example of the results of Andrew Elliott’s grew by a modest 20 percent, but the response of Improvement Commission in the early 20th century research was recently published in the Glebe Report: first house tour. There are a number of such tours the ticket-holders to the new format was warmly which crossed the Glebe along Monkland and Clemow http://www.glebereport.ca/Issues/2012/APRIL_2012_ today, but Laurentian's is the oldest at 50 years Avenues between the Canal and Bronson Avenue. The GR_LOW_RES.pdf page 10 and counting. As the chapter's central fund-raising work will be undertaken by Andrew Elliott who will be event, the tour has allowed Laurentian to provide over half a million dollars in support to various Leslie Maitland Heather Perrault individuals and institutions in the past 30 years President Webmaster alone – everything from wheelchairs for the David B. Flemming Directors: disabled to books for Aboriginal school children. Past-President Jay Baltz, Richard Belliveau, In the lead-up to its 50th anniversary of the tour, David Jeanes Katherine Charbonneau, Heritage Ottawa is a non-profit organization dedicated to Vice-President Operations Laurentian took a long, hard look at its event and the preservation of Ottawa’s built heritage. Ken Elder, Ian Ferguson, Brigid Phillips Janssen sought a relevant theme and a new alliance to help Linda Hoad, Nancy Oakley, Linda Hoad Heritage Ottawa Vice-President Programs focus the celebratory tour and attract a new Katherine Spencer-Ross, Editor 2 Daly Avenue Willam R. Price audience. One of the members stood up and pointed Ottawa, K1N 6E2 Carolyn Quinn. Jan Soetermans Secretary to the long history of the chapter in Ottawa. Why Graphic Designer Tel: 613-230-8841 David Ivison Heritage Ottawa acknowledges the not build on that strength, she asked, by allying Fax: 613-564-4428 Tina & Company Treasurer financial support of the City of Email: [email protected] Laurentian with the heritage community in its Printing (vacant) Ottawa and the Ontario Ministry Web: www.heritageottawa.org Legal Consultant of Culture struggle to build awareness of precious heritage Besserer House, from the street front view. Notice the sloping stone assets in the city. The popularity of heritage-themed wall along King Edward Avenue.

2 3 approving. Cars – those useful but intrusive machines on the tour, including Besserer House (Sandy Hill’s David Jeanes, Vice-President of Heritage Ottawa, in years to come, Heritage Ottawa will find itself that have transformed the streets of Ottawa in the oldest surviving house), Wallis House (the 1873 will be presenting an illustrated talk on architect with a new ally in the struggle to preserve built past century – were parked early, and people took Protestant Hospital, now renovated as luxury James Mather at the newly restored St. Alban’s. heritage, and IODE Laurentian Chapter will gain to the streets on foot and in rickshaws. All through condos) and even an example of modern infill Judy Deegan, who lives in the venerable new supporters for the services it has delivered to that long and sunny June day, crowds of people south of Laurier. Strathcona Apartments, has conducted walking the Ottawa community for well over a century. strolled the streets, visibly relaxed and curious. When it comes to heritage, content matters. As tours of Sandy Hill for 25 years. She is bringing her Tickets for the House & Garden Tour ($30) are New Edinburgh contributed to the program, well as opening doors into old houses, Laurentian expertise to bear on the project as a volunteer in available now by calling 613-613-842-5304, or visit not only by helping Laurentian to secure houses has invited a number of expert interpreters to join many aspects, notably in preparing a self-guided the website for retail outlets: http://laurentian.iode.ca/ but also by organizing walking tours and setting chapter volunteers in providing information about walking tour to enrich the experience of ticket- house-garden-tour-2012 up old-fashioned lemonade stands. They also took the properties. The descendants of Louis-Théodore holders as they walk from featured house to part in a double cake-cutting ceremony where the Besserer will be on hand at the Besserer House with featured house. Far from viewing the IODE House knife was wielded by Her Excellency family mementos and photographs, along & Garden tour as competition, she is enthusiastic Janet Uren is a professional writer, often specializing in Sharon Johnston, wife of the Governor with historian Michel Prévost, about the interest it will generate in the history and historical projects, and she is the author of three books on General. archivist at the University of architecture of Sandy Hill – and in Heritage Ottawa’s local institutional history. She lives in a heritage house in New Edinburgh, is co-leader of the annual Heritage Ottawa Ottawa. Sandy Smallwood, own tour of the neighbourhood on October 21st. One of the cakes belonged walking tour and has recently joined the board of the to New Edinburgh, which heritage-minded renovator If all goes well in early June, the heritage tour New Edinburgh Community Alliance. She is also a member had a birthday of its own of Wallis House, will will be repeated in other Ottawa neighbourhoods of IODE Laurentian Chapter. to celebrate in 2011. Just as attend to chat with Laurentian marked the visitors. Senator Landon 50th year of its annual Pearson, daughter-in-law House & Garden Tour, the of Lester Pearson, will neighbourhood celebrated spend some time at the HCDs are in areas under great pressure for intensifi- the 10th anniversary of its former home of Cairine Volunteers Needed cation, demolition, and infill. Photo: Jan Soetermans designation as a Heritage Wilson – Canada’s first Heritage Ottawa will host a two-hour training ses- Doors Open June 2 – 3 Conservation District (HCD). female senator in the wake of sion on Monday, June 4, 6 to 10 pm in the Court Since 2001, approximately half of the famous “Persons Case.” Over 100 of the area’s most architecturally interesting Room at Arts Court. The survey itself takes a few the residential part of New Richard Gervais, former and historically significant buildings, many not hours for each team of two, and should be complet- Edinburgh has supposedly president of Action Sandy normally open to the public. ed by the end of June, since it is hard to find people Wallis House, the one-time Protestant Hospital (1873), Hill, who has led many to answer their doors after that. The final report is been protected as an HCD, with now renovated as luxury condos. Volunteers needed to guide visitors and provide guidelines in place to protect the successful heritage battles in information about buildings. due in August. essential character of this largely 19th-century village. the neighbourhood, will be at home to visitors in Orientation and sign-up sessions will be held May 15 or If you are available in June and interested in this vol- his Edwardian terrace home. unteer activity, please register for the training ses- One of the strategies of the community has been May 16 at City Hall, Honeywell Room, 6:30 pm. sion at [email protected]. to raise awareness of the history and heritage value Various local institutions have also weighed in Contact: [email protected] of this extraordinary survival of a 19th-century to provide extra value. The Ottawa Little Theatre is For further information: http://www.env.uwaterloo.ca/ village. The Laurentian Chapter tour fell right into poised to launch its hundredth season of community Heritage Conservation District Surveys – research/hrc/projects/documents/HCDStudy SUMMARYREPORT.pdf place among NECA’s educational programs. As a theatre, and its volunteers are standing by to June 2012 result of this alliance, some 500 people came into conduct backstage tours of Canada’s oldest existing amateur theatre. The audio-visual history of Sandy The Heritage Resources Centre (HRC) at the the community and spent the best part of a day University of Waterloo will partner with Heritage Heritage Ottawa Walking Tours June – there, visiting five houses and going home with Hill, prepared by Carleton University history students, will be screened in the lobby of the theatre. Ottawa and other local heritage organizations to October information and impressions that may well help to undertake a province-wide research program to is offering free tours to Laurentian Walk co-ordinators are needed to sell tour passes shift the political wind in support of heritage. answer these questions: ticket-holders. The Cordon Bleu, which occupies and memberships and to marshall the walkers. As for Laurentian, there were lessons learned the former home of railway promoter John Mather, Have Heritage Conservation Districts achieved the Volunteers do not pay for the walk. last year, but the shift in direction was clearly suc- goals set out when they were designated? has offered a special lunch deal on Saturday. Contact: [email protected]. cessful enough to encourage a second attempt at a Are residents/owners satisfied with the HCD process? district and heritage focus. In 2012, the chapter has Individuals are also making a contribution. Rideau Canal Festival August 3, 4, 5 chosen the wonderful old neighbourhood of Sandy Sandy Hill resident Julian Armour – cellist and Have property values been affected? Hill as the target community. The tour has expand- creator of the Music & Beyond Festival – will join Four Ottawa Heritage Conservation Districts will be Walking tour co-ordinators needed. ed to two days – Friday and Saturday, June 8 and 9 the Chamber Players to present free mini-concerts surveyed this spring: , New Contact: [email protected] – and there are 13 featured dwellings or institutions all day long on both days at All Saints Church. Edinburgh, Lowertown, and .These

4 5 The question of demolition by neglect has From the President…. arisen again, most egregiously by the demolition of The Flats Will Rise Again! the Groundwood Pulp Mill at the Chaudière Falls, Busy Times for a structure owned by Domtar but situated on federal Remembering LeBreton Flats lands. The Demolition by Neglect by-law got as far By Nancy Oakley Heritage Ottawa! as a draft during the previous Council's time, but it has not been revived by the current Council. o commemorate the The event is part of a larger As summer approaches, we can And what would a Heritage Ottawa Newsletter T fiftieth anniversary of series of initiatives look back on a busy and success- be without mention of ? The City the expropriation of designed to share the ful winter season for Heritage Ottawa. Our lecture is moving forward with the plans to relocate the LeBreton Flats, Heritage history and stories of series featured wonderful presentations by Horticulture Building. In its new location, it will be Ottawa hosted a public LeBreton Flats. A Anthony Leaning on the rehabilitation of the used for community programming, serve as the event on Thursday special tour of Firehall, and by Ian Johns and entrance to the site from the underground parking April 19th, at the LeBreton Flats has Sarah Jennings on the restoration of the Jeanne garage, and will provide interpretive space on the newly-opened Mill St. been added to this d’Arc Institute. We ended the season with two back history of Lansdowne Park. Brewery and Pub. Over year's line-up of to back events: Robbie Watts entertained us with Our publications program will be launching 200 members of the Heritage Ottawa his stories about life as a stonemason (as well as a John McLeod’s walking tour of the Glebe soon, and Ottawa community joined Walking Tours, and other Photo: MacKenzie Kimm former police diver and singer/songwriter); and what a great guide it will be! And hopefully in the together to remember and activities have been planned to cap off our season, the LeBreton Flats event, fall or over the winter we will be launching a celebrate the once-thriving including the creation of an 'The Flats will Rise Again! / Les Plaines LeBreton publication on Ottawa architect Werner Noffke, community. April 19th was chosen online exhibit, and displays of related Renaîtront'. This commemoration, organised by as the date for the event, as it was art and archaeological collections. written by Shannon Ricketts and illustrated by Phil Jenkins entertains the capacity audience. Nancy Oakley and her ready band of volunteers, photographer Brian Glenn. this day fifty years ago that was held at the Mill Street Brew Pub to a capacity residents received the Notice of Summer is going to be busy, too. Heritage Nancy Oakley is the Coordinator of the Heritage Keeper crowd. Phil Jenkins, Dr. Roger Picton of Trent Expropriation in their mail. Ottawa is going to participate at Colonel By Day, Program and a graduate student in Carleton University's University, and Lori Thornton of the National and in the Rideau Canal Festival. Also by the time On behalf of the Mayor, Diane Holmes, the Heritage Conservation Program. Capital Commission gave excellent presentations this goes to press, Heritage Ottawa members will Councillor for Somerset Ward, proclaimed the day on the past, present and future of LeBreton Flats: have received their walking tour brochures, and LeBreton Flats Day and presented the proclamation the place to watch in Ottawa for the years to come! another season of walks will soon be underway. to Heritage Ottawa. Our President, Leslie Maitland, There have been several developments on advocacy You will notice some well-established favourites, then gave some opening remarks and introduced Heritage Ottawa as well. Planning issues in the City need resolution: and some new tours as well. So come on out and our three speakers. the proposal to demolish 187 Lansdowne in the join us on Sunday afternoons, getting to know this Phil Jenkins, local Ottawa personality and Walking Tours Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District great city better! author of An Acre in Time regaled us with some highlights the need to update that conservation A full list of the summer and autumn 2012 Heritage Ottawa members will also have of the history and stories of the Flats. Dr. Roger district study, and the need to keep up with staffing program, including the names of guides and received their invitations to the Heritage Ottawa Picton, an urban geographer at Trent University, in the heritage section at the City. The City has a short description of each walk, is available Annual General Meeting, to be held at The Studio, discussed the history and imagining of the Flats pencilled in addressing resourcing for the heritage on the Heritage Ottawa website: Arts Court, Wednesday, May 23rd, at 7 pm. We are through National Film Board work and planning planning section in the 2013 budget, and we'll want http://heritageottawa.org/en/walking_tour_series delighted to have architect and Heritage Ottawa documents, while Lori Thornton, senior planner to make sure that the City follows through on that. Director Ken Elder give us a presentation on his with the National Capital Commission, closed To understand better how Heritage Conservation collection of historic post cards, an inventory of the first part of the evening's events with a Districts are functioning in the province, the images of Canada's built heritage for over the discussion of the planning past, present and Heritage Resources Centre of the University of past century. Ken's collection is a treasure, and future for the Flats. Waterloo is conducting surveys of four of Ottawa’s you will enjoy seeing a sample of this truly unique HCDs this spring: Rockcliffe Park, New Edinburgh, Attendees were then invited to mingle and collection. Centretown and Lowertown, all areas under pres- chat; a display of archaeological artefacts uncovered sure for intensification and infill. Heritage Ottawa Looking forward to seeing you over the summer! during recent excavations attracted lots of interest is helping with these surveys by finding volunteers as did the food and drink available. Volunteers encouraged people to share their memories of the and a venue for their orientation, and we will be Photo: Bruce Elliott Leslie Maitland Flats, which will be incorporated in an ongoing very interested in the results of these surveys. President, Heritage Ottawa 2011 walking tour of Lowertown East. Macdonald Gardens. research project.

6 7 Mark Your Calendars! Heritage Ottawa 2012 Annual General Meeting Wednesday May 23, 2012, Arts Court Studio, 2nd Floor, 2 Daly Avenue

y the time you see this issue of the Newsletter, significant heritage structures across Canada you should have received your personal including, notably, as project architect for the B invitation to attend the Heritage Ottawa reconstruction of the interior of the Rideau Street 2012 Annual General Meeting. The meeting will Convent within the new National Gallery of be held in the heritage-designated Arts Court Canada. He retired in 2002 and continues to work building at 2 Daly Avenue in the Studio on the as a consultant conservation architect. second floor. Utilizing more than 100 postcards from his Arts Court is the former Carleton County extensive collection, Ken will illustrate the range Courthouse designed by architect Robert Surtees of Ottawa subjects available in this format. Based in 1870 with later additions built in 1955 and 1964. on his private research in collaboration with The building has been important to Ottawa over Ron McGuire, former Head of Research with the the years, first as the centre of county government, National Postal Museum, to catalogue all historic and since 1985 as the centre of Ottawa’s artistic postcard images of Ottawa, he will demonstrate community. what historical information can be gleaned from The AGM will commence at 7:00 PM and a close study of the historical images and explain should conclude by 7:45 PM, to be followed by which City streets received coverage. Ken will our special AGM lecture : “Assembling an Ottawa conclude with information on where Ottawa Postcard Collection”. postcards can be acquired. Our special guest speaker for the evening will We hope that you will be able to join us for be Ken Elder, a respected conservation architect a memorable evening. Guests of members are and director and architecture advisor for welcome and light refreshments will be served Heritage Ottawa since 2003. Ken graduated from following the lecture. the University of Toronto’s School of Architecture Parking: Street parking where permitted and in 1968. After pay parking at four years with , architectural Congress Centre firms in Toronto, and at the parking he began his garage across the distinguished street from Arts career in Ottawa Court on Daly with the Avenue. Government of Information Canada in the and RSVP at Restoration 613-230-8841 Services Division, or info@heritage later the Heritage ottawa.org. Conservation Division. Ken

Postcard. Ken Elder collection worked on many Just one of the 100 postcards from Ken Elder’s extensive collection.

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