Heritage Ottawa NEWSLETTER Dedicated to Preserving Our Built Heritage Summer 2003 Volume 30, No. 2 President’s Report J. Bowes & Son, Architects,Ottawa: Annual Report of David B. Flemming, A Forgotten Legacy President of Heritage Ottawa by Elizabeth Krug to the 2003 Annual General Meeting, held at the Rockcliffe hile working with the In 1866 both John Bowes and J.H. Park Recreation Centre on Restoration Committee of Pattison, Measurers of Public Buildings, W St. Brigid’s Roman Catholic Ottawa, received retroactive raises in Thursday, May 29, 2003 Church, Lowertown Ottawa, I have had salary6. In August 1868, John Bowes ood evening and welcome to the privilege of researching the work of and Will. Hutchison7 were working the Annual General Meeting of the architect of St. Brigid’s, James R. together on plans and measurements for G Heritage Ottawa - the 30th Bowes (1852-1892). In the process, the the Library of Parliament, dealing with since the establishment of the society in legacy of this Ottawa native, as well as contractor H. McGreevy8. (fig.1.) 1974. My name is David Flemming and that of his Irish-born architect father, I have been your President since last John Bowes (1820-1894), has emerged October 1 when I was selected by the from archival sources as a remarkable Board to complete Carolyn Quinn’s term story. Father and son contributed signifi- of office as President on the occasion of cantly to building the National Capital. her resignation from the position after starting with the Parliament buildings serving the society diligently for over and public institutions (the father) and five years. closing with civic structures (the son). The past year has been marked by These buildings were commercial and internal change within the society with religious emblems of the flourishing the tabling of a re-organisational plan; “Capital of the Dominion”. The Bowes, by significant changes at the municipal father and son, appear to have been part Fig. 1. Public Works staff, c.1866. Parliament level with the development of a new of a group of dedicated and selfless Buildings Construction site. L-R: J. Lebreton Official Plan and an Arts and Heritage architects and builders, serving a new (Lebrett?) Ross (?), Engineer; René Steckel; Chas. Plan; and by a number of important Canadian culture. Baillargé; William Hutchison; G.B. Pelham; advocacy cases. F.P. Rubidge, Assistant Chief Engineer; Bowes & Ottawa in the 1860s. John Bowes; J.H. Pattison (Patterson?); After assuming the position of Vice In 1859-1860, John Bowes, Architect, J. Larose; Arnoldi; T. Fuller; Kelly (?). National President at last year’s Annual General late Superintendent, Kingston Custom Archives of Canada copy neg.: PA-124244, Acc. 1965- Meeting, I drew up a re-organisation House, Canada West, was in correspon- 049. N.B. Also in City of Ottawa Archives, copy neg.: plan which sought to address the lack of dence with the Department of Works in CA-0161, Mrs. Montague Anderson Collection. participation by the general membership Names in caption are taken from both sources. Additional Quebec City regarding gas fixtures and / information from City Archives’ caption: Architects, in the society’s day to day activities or furnace repairs for the Kingston Superintendent, Draftsmen of 1st Parliament Bldgs. through the strengthening of our various Custom House1. In 1861 he was meet- Photo taken at Temporary Office in Old Barracks…. committees, many of which have been ing with F.P. Rubidge, A.E.P. W. and inactive for many years. In August, the Mr. Keefer, the Deputy Commissioner2. The Library of Parliament and the Board approved the implementation of In July 18613, and Sept 18664, John Centre Block had been designed by the plan however this was postponed in Bowes was employed as Measurer, Thomas Fuller and Chilion Jones in October when I accepted the duties of Parliament buildings, Ottawa, and dealing 1859. Although the Library and the with contractor Thomas. McGreevy5. Continued on page 2 Continued on pages 3-5 1 President Continued… suggested by Heritage Ottawa and that buildings on Gilmour and McLeod both documents provide a sound basis Streets. In these instances, the develop- President. The implementation of this for the preservation of our community’s er continues to submit proposals that are plan and the preparation of a Strategic heritage. completely out of scale for the existing Plan will be the main challenges of the One thing that is not contained in zoning. We are also closely monitoring new Board of Directors which you will the plans is the political will to act upon the situation with Grant House (Friday’s appoint this evening. them in the preservation of our built Roast Beef House) on Elgin Street and An important part of the Strategic heritage. The many advocacy issues the Old Registry Office on Nicholas Plan will be to substantially increase the which we have dealt with over the past Street. Both are designated heritage number of members in Heritage Ottawa. year reflect a City Council that is not buildings and are located on sites which Our current membership is about 150, a prepared to “stand up for heritage” are ripe for development. We continue far cry from the 450+ members of 25 despite what they may approve in to follow with great interest the years ago. It is not only important for us official documents. There are few National Capital Commissions on- to increase our membership but also to champions of heritage on the current again/off-again plans Sparks Street, the attract new members from the former proposal know as “Metcalfe Lite.” municipalities which now form part of Heritage Ottawa members are kept up to the amalgamated City of Ottawa. It is not only important date on these issues through articles in The creation of the new City of our Newsletter. Ottawa in 2001 led to the development for us to increase our As I noted previously, most of our municipal politicians seem to lack the of a number of new plans, two of which membership but also to - the Official Plan and the Arts and political will to make the necessary Heritage Plan - have particular relevance attract new members from decisions to protect our built heritage. to our City’s built heritage resources. With this year’s municipal election, we The response to the first draft of the former municipalities do have the opportunity to challenge the Official Plan was drawn up by candidates on their position on heritage Barbara McMullen, our current which now form part preservation. One of the first jobs of Secretary, and by Board member your new Board will be to devise Ron Stein. Ron unfortunately resigned of the amalgamated strategies to challenge candidates from the Board late last year and was for municipal office on their position unable to continue to work on the City of Ottawa. on heritage preservation. For this, Plan. Your Board spent many hours we will need the help of the general responding to the three subsequent membership. drafts of the Official Plan and the three Council. The loss of the two buildings Besides speaking at Planning and drafts of the Arts and Heritage Plan. I in the Nicholas-Waller-Laurier triangle Development Committee meetings and presented our comments in both written last November is a good example of this writing letters to the newspapers and to form and in-person before the Planning inaction. The City refused to take any the Mayor and Council, your President and Development Committee on four decisive action such as placing a stop and other members of the Board have occasions. I am pleased to inform you work order on the new building being spoken on radio and television on many that the final versions of both docu- erected by Groupe Lépine and six heritage issues. We have had informa- ments contain some recommendations months later we still do not know what tion booths at Heritage Day, Museum’s action the City are taking against the Day and Heritage Fair events and last developer. Likewise, the Caplan build- weekend we adopted the Old Registry ing, one of the last fine examples of Building on Nicholas Street as part of Heritage Ottawa Ottawa’s 19th century retail built heritage Doors Open Ottawa in an effort to was lost not because of the neglect of lobby for its retention. Your Past- NEWSLETTER the owner or even by the edict of the President and I also served on the Fire Marshall. It was lost because our Organising Committee of Doors Open Heritage Ottawa is a non-profit Councillors did not have the political Ottawa and other Board members organization dedicated to advocating will to save it. Heritage Ottawa spoke continue to serve on the City’s Heritage the preservation, restoration, and loudly on these two issues but the Advisory Committee and the Ottawa adaptive re-use of the National response of our elected representatives, LACAC. Heritage Ottawa had four Capital’s built and natural heritage. with a few exceptions, was non-existent. representatives in the various Editor: James D. Georgiles Besides these two issues, Heritage Downtown Urban Design Strategy Graphic Designer: Jan Soetermans Ottawa has been supporting the workshops and we again presented Printing: Tina & Company Centretown community in opposing the Ashcroft Homes proposals for large Continued on page 12 2 J. Bowes & Son, Architects,Ottawa: A Forgotten Legacy Continued... Ottawa’s Progress. On December 6, 1875, Canada, its dimensions are 122 x 52 feet the news story Ottawa’s Progress cites with a ceiling 13 feet high... next year... the Citizen’s annual custom of summa- an exhibition hall 100 by 40 feet, with Fig.