Established in x967 HERITAGE L~J `Volume 21, No . x, Celebrating our 27th year OTTAWA Spring 1994 D 'Dedicated to Preserving Our Built Heritage Friends of Maplelawn Garden: Hands On by Jean Palmer Heritage designation has just been occupants of the house, selling it "in The Friends of Maplelawn are orga- given to Maplelawn, a house at 1952 to the NCC (National Capital nizing for summer and welcome new 529 Richmond Road, and to its walled Commission), by which time it had members. It's one of those reward- garden, perhaps the only remaining been renamed Maplelawn. ing "hands-on" contributions . While garden in Canada to retain its walls, its we can't actually reset a brick in The terms of the sale allowed the plan and, some of its original plantings. heritage house, we can personally Rochesters to stay on in the house ensure the survival of this historic Anyone looking over the wall last for as long as they wanted, and the walled garden by weeding and summer could have observed a zeal- - last Rochester, Frances, moved out cultivating. ous, but careful, battalion of grubby in 1989. Call Ann Falkner 722-3226 or Nancy gardeners clearing the paths, weeding The rectangular garden had been the flower beds and trimming the Smith 728-5451 to join the Friends of re-designed in 1940 by Warren Maplelawn. shrubbery. These were crews from Oliver, senior'horticulturalist at the the newly-formed Friends of Central Experimental Farm, and Maplelawn Garden, a volunteer though wartime restrictions prevent- group, led by Ann Falkner and Nancy ed his entire plan from being carried Smith, who are bringing back the glory out, the basic geometry of a cross days of this wonderful formal garden. with a central circular pond and HERITAGEFo" RI ME The stone house, Maplelawn ; was radiating paths was established. LK OTTAWA RN built around 1831 and the walled In 1989 the NCC commissioned an garden kept out the farm livestock : "as found" survey under noted cattle, `sheep and horses. The Canadian landscape architect John INSIDE Bytown Gazette of 1841 referred to Stewart, whom some of you will Friends of Maplelawn ..... ... ..... ..... ....1 the substantial stone fences dividing have heard in Heritage Ottawa's President's .Message . ... .......... ..... ...'2. Heritage Ottawa Essay Prize ..... .2 the fields and to "a handsome 1993 lecture series . The survey RogersVideo .'. .... .... .. ..... .... ..... .... .2 . garden surrounded by a stone and discovered that much of the 1940's .Garden of the Provinces' .. .3 lime The garden was probably Oliver plantings had survived more wall." Recent Heritage. .... .... .... ... ..... ........3, more practical than ornamental or less in the original place, and Heritage Updates .. ..... .... ... ...... .... ....4 at that period and would have pro- it was decided that the garden NCC properties .. .. .... ...... ..... .......... .5 duced mostly vegetables and fruit. should be restored to the 1940 plan. Heritage Day 94 .. .... .5 Bridges as Historic Monuments . ..... ....& In 1878 the property was sold by and neglect followed for'anoth- Delay Beaver Barracks . .. .... ..... ..... .... ..... .8 ' William Thomson, the original owner, er few years, but with the Friends on McCord Apartments .... .... ... ..... ........8' to Thomas Cole, who named the site last summer, the old perennials, Wallis House .... .... .... .. .. .... ... ..... ....9 property the Highland Park Dairy freed'of their choking weeds began Public Forum. ....... .. .... .... .... .... ..... ....9 Farm and lived there until his death to come into bloom . There were Oueal Terrace .. .. .... .... .... .. ..... .. 10 in 1904 . One of his nine children remarkable surprises as the summer Board Directors . ..... .. 11 of . .... .... .... ... married a Rochester, and their son wore on and yet another'gorgeous Algonquin College . .. ... I'll . 12 Lloyd and his wife were the last clump revealed its colour. President's Message Heritage Ottawa Essay Prize by Louise Coates by Jean Palmer This year has already held a num- Last year saw the destruction Coates presented the winning ber of challenges and rewards for of Connaught School, a solid build- awards at the end-of-the-yearschool members as we see our efforts at ing with a handsome sandstone assembly on June 10th. preservation find success . Our real have been, entrance that should Four judges read essay entries: success stories are the saving of renovated and preserved. Senior Heritage Wallis House and the Aberdeen Stuart Lazear, Planner with the City of Ottawa, and Pavilion! Thanks to our members for At the same time, Lisgar Collegiate Heritage Ottawa Board members their support. was celebrating its 150th birthday. That school too was threatened Louise Coates, Jean Palmer and AGM with demolition in 1973 when the Rhys Phillips. zealous heads of the Ottawa Board After two lengthy sessions they In January, we held our 1993 annual of Education found it too small, too came up with first prize winner, general meeting in the beautiful dark, and too old-fashioned . Michael Ang, who won $150 for his Banking Room on Parliament Hill. An articulate student body and an essay, Cartier Square Drill Hall. Citizen reporter Chris Cobb fielded aggressive parents' organization went to questions from our membership defended the tradition and historic Second prize, a book, on heritage reporting: Why do framework of the institution and Megan Reekie for her essay, Baynes reporters care so much more,about creative minds found ways to extend House. heritage what government versus space while preserving the heritage Jennifer Scrimger's essay called to say? Why are proponents have building. -195 Elgin - Not Your Normal School", with the value of stories dealing earned her third prize. heritage superficial at best? To celebrate Lisgar's preservation and birthday, Heritage Ottawa Congratulations to the winners and the Richard Cannings dubbed offered prize of $150 to the Lisgar thanks to Dr. Janet Morchain of article on 171 Bolton Street a Citizen's student who wrote the best Lisgar Collegiate who assigned the a -it said the house would cost 2000-word essay on an aspect of essay as an option in her Social and was sitting on fortune to restore Ottawa's built heritage . Louise History class. valuable land- a 'how-to' for demo- lition . Another article dealt with Heritage Ottawa's heritage buildings that are 'firetraps', but neglected to explain that the fire Film Wins Award marshall often condemns a building A Heritage Ottawa short film, that on the prompting of a frustrated aired on Rogers Cable in December heritage owner. of 1993, won second prize in the at the Ontario Cobb said the media was an excel- magazine category Television Producers' lent tool for Heritage Ottawa and Community that garnering exposure, from Awards, in March of this year. extreme public antics to informative The video, which depicts heritage meetings, was worth the effort. victories in the city, was chosen over more than 190 other entries. The Heritage Day video was co-written by Louise February 21St was Heritage Day in Coates, Mary Lou'Doyle and Jean the province and Heritage Ottawa Palmer, and creatively produced by set up a booth, complete with our Rogers' Allan Jones . The video publications and photos of old features Louise and Julian Smith, The Tin House Court, located between Murray former stable and Ottawa (the photo of pigs wandering the heritage consultant for the and Clarence Streets, is a Byward freely on Sparks Street in 1860 is project, discussing the history and service yard and a restful oasis in the It is graced with the fagade of always a favourite), at this year's actual restoration of the Aberdeen Market . which was covered ,. Heritage Day location, the Glebe Pavilion . The programme also Honoire Foisy's house, galvanized tin . Community Centre . are always features Heritage Ottawa's work with hand-shaped pieces of You house was demolished in 1962, . but its welcome to volunteer at our public preserving the historic Byward The hangs in the Court forall to enjoy. information booths. Market. fagade Heritage Ottawa 2 Garden of the Provinces: Hands Off! byJean Palmer While we celebrate the heritage considered as a possible building gance. At the opening ceremony in designation of Maplelawrr Garden, site. It is important to preserve what 1962, Prime Minister Diefenbaker there is disturbing news about an remains of the historic view of expressed his pleasure, "since gar- other historic garden. Preliminary Parliament Hill . Though much is dens are the essence of peace, plans have been drawn up for blocked by mega development, it is tranquillity and harmony" and a building on the site which is now still possible to see from the Western added, "This garden is a symbol of the Garden of the Provinces at Parkway the neo-Gothic spires of the Canada, marking the nation's unity Wellington and Bay Streets. Parliament Buildings and of Christ of purpose and ensuring the Church Cathedral . They complement provinces of their rightful place in current extension and reno- With,the each other architecturally and have the constitution." Thirty years on, the vation of the national Archives near- long historical associations . The unity shows signs of stress, but ing completion, still more space is Garden of the Provinces allows and removing the provincial and territori- growing needed to house Canada's enhances that association, while a al flags flying over the commemora- archival collection and this nearby new building would obstruct and tive garden, dismantling the floral site is being considered. destroy the view. emblems and destroying the sym- Heritage Ottawa has written to David bolic site are not the way for a gov- Dingwall, Minister of Public Works Cityscapes are important, but on its ernment to restore faith, nor to pre- and Government Services, to object own the Garden of the Provinces serve or enhance the historical view to the Garden of the Provinces being has historic and symbolic signifi- of Parliament Hill . Ottawa's Waller Street Police Station-Recent Heritage? byJean Palmer The threat to the Garden of the The Police Building at 60 Waller George Brown (Riverside), Provinces brings up a larger issue .