Report to/Rapport au :

 

Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee

Comité consultatif sur la conservation de l'architecture locale

 

and / et

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

16 January 2007 / le 16 janvier 2007

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager/Directrice municipale adjointe

Planning, Transit and the Environment/ Urbanisme, Transport en commun et Environnement

 

Contact Person/Personne Ressource : Grant Lindsay, Manager / Gestionnaire, Development Approvals / Approbation des demandes d'aménagement

(613) 580-2424, 13242  Grant.Lindsay@ottawa.ca

 

Kitchissippi (15)

Ref N°: ACS2007-PTE-APR-0037

 

 

SUBJECT:

DESIGNATION OF LA MAISON JEANNE D'ARC, 360 KENWOOD AVENUE, UNDER PART IV OF THE ONTARIO HERITAGE ACT

 

 

OBJET :

DÉSIGNATION VISANT LA MAISON JEANNE D’ARC, SITUÉE AU 360, AVENUE KENWOOD, EN VERTU DE LA PARTIE IV DE LA LOI SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L’ONTARIO

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

1.         That the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee recommend that Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council not designate La Maison Jeanne D'Arc, 360 Kenwood Avenue, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

 

2.         That the following conditions form part of the Site Plan Control Agreement for this property:

 

a.                  The developer will provide "As Found" documentation of 360 Kenwood Avenue through photogrammetric recording or black and white digital recording which is corrected for distortion/parallax, or hand-drawn recording. This recording will be provided to the City Archives and the Institut Jeanne D'Arc as an archival record.

 

b.                  The stained glass windows will be retained and recycled on site in existing or future buildings by the Institut Jean D'arc or developer.

 

c.                   An interpretive sign will be incorporated on the perimeter stone fence with a picture of the existing building and commemorative text. All costs associated with research, design, production and maintenance will be paid for by the developer.

 

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

1.         Que le Comité consultatif local sur la conservation de l’architecture recommande au Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement de recommander au Conseil municipal de ne pas accorder la désignation visant la Maison Jeanne d'Arc, située au 360, avenue Kenwood, en vertu de la partie IV de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario.

2.         Que l’entente de réglementation de plan d’implantation ayant trait à cette propriété comporte les conditions suivantes :

a.                  Le promoteur fournira la documentation « telle quelle » à propos du 360, avenue Kenwood, au moyen d’enregistrements photogrammétriques, d’enregistrements numériques en noir et blanc après correction de la distortion ou de la parallaxe, ou de croquis. Le tout prendra la forme d’un dossier d’archives présenté à l’intention des Archives de la Ville d’Ottawa et de l’Institut Jeanne d'Arc.

b.                  Les vitraux seront conservés en vue d’une réutilisation sur place, aux bâtiments actuels ou ultérieurs, par l’Institut Jeanne d'Arc ou le promoteur.

c.                   Un panneau d’interprétation sera intégré à la clôture périmétrique de pierres, assorti d’une photo du bâtiment sous sa forme actuelle et d’un texte commémoratif. Le promoteur acquittera tous les frais liés à la recherche, à la conception, à la production et à l’entretien.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

La Maison Jeanne D'Arc, 360 Kenwood Avenue, was completed in 1934. Originally built as a home for handicapped children, it has served as a school, boarding house and convent since its construction. The Department received a written request on November 9, 2006 from Heritage Ottawa to consider the property for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. In addition to this letter there have been over 16 faxes, e-mails and phone calls and a petition signed by 160 area residents requesting the retention of this building. One letter has also been received supporting the demolition of the building.

 

Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act gives municipalities the authority to designate properties of cultural heritage value or interest. In order to be designated, the City's Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC) considers the designation and makes a recommendation to Planning and Environment Committee and City Council. The criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest are prescribed by Ontario Regulation 9/06 and are: design value or physical value; historical or associative value; and contextual value. The criteria are included as Document 2. Photographs of the property are included as Document 3. The Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest as Document 4 and a Heritage Survey Form is included as Document 5.

 

Official Plan policies related to the Ontario Heritage Act, state that "Individual buildings, structures and cultural heritage landscapes will be designated as properties of cultural heritage value under Part IV of the Act." (S. 2.5.5.2 p. 52)

 

It further states that "The City will give immediate consideration to the designation of any cultural heritage resources under the Heritage Act if that resource is threatened with demolition." (S. 2.5.5.5 p. 53)

 

Interest in the preservation of this building began following public notification of an application submitted in September of 2006 by Barry Hobin Architect and Uniform Urban Developments to rezone the large parcel of land bounded by Kenwood Avenue on the north, Edison Street on the east and Melbourne Avenue on the west from Institutional to a low density Residential use.

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

Recommendation 1.

 

Staff met on several occasions with the architect, Barry Hobin and developer, Uniform Urban Developments, to discuss the potential for retention of the main portion of 360 Kenwood Avenue as part of the proposed residential development. The development team does not support the retention and designation of the Maison Jeanne D’Arc as it does not believe that the building is architecturally distinguished. The team believes that the historic links between the area and the Institut Jeanne D’Arc will be maintained through the Institut's continued presence on the south end of the block. Analysis by the team revealed that the construction and layout of the building did not easily lend itself to adaptive re-use and that any project undertaken to convert the building to a new function could compromise its heritage character through the introduction of new windows, underground parking etc. The design team also believed that the scale of the proposed new development on the site would be much smaller than 360 Kenwood Avenue and thus be more compatible with the low house form buildings in the area.

 

The development team also noted that the cultural heritage value of the building had not been raised by the City or the community prior to the submission of their rezoning application in September and that retention of the building at this point could compromise the marketing and economics of the project.

 

The Department has considered the request for heritage designation and while the property does meet the requirements for heritage designation under the Ontario Heritage Act, the Department believes that the arguments presented by the design/development team against pursuing the designation outweigh the heritage considerations in this instance.

 

Furthermore, the proposed residential development will contribute to the residential character of this neighbourhood. Uniform Developments, in association with Barry Hobin Architect, recently constructed a new residential development on the block immediately to the north of 360 Kenwood Avenue on the site of the former Ogilvy Estate. That project has been awarded an Award of Excellence from the City in recognition of its sensitive residential design within the context of the Westboro neighbourhood and the 1920s Ogilvy home that was retained on site.

 

Recommendation 2.

 

Notwithstanding the Department’s recommendation not to proceed with heritage designation under the Ontario Heritage Act, La Maison Jeanne D’Arc does have sufficient heritage significance to warrant the addition of a number of conditions to the Site Plan Agreement. They are; archival documentation of the building, retention and recycling of architectural elements from the building (specifically the stained glass windows) and commemoration of the history of the property.

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

Heritage Ottawa requested this designation in correspondence attached to this report  (Document 6).

 

Over 16 faxes, e-mails and phone calls as well as a petition signed by 160 area residents were submitted requesting the retention of this building.  One letter has been received supporting the demolition of the building.

 

The Ward Councillor is aware of the proposed heritage designation .

 

All those who communicated directly with the Department through letter, fax or e-mail regarding the heritage designation of the property will be advised of the dates and times of the LACAC and Planning and Environment Committee meetings when the report will be considered.

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1      Location Map

Document 2      Photographs

Document 3      Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value

Document 4      Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Document 5      Heritage Survey Form

Document 6      Request for Heritage Designation

 

 

DISPOSITION

 

 

Planning, Transit and the Environment Department, Planning and Infrastructure Approvals Branch to incorporate the conditions included as Recommendation 2 as part of the Site Plan Agreement.

 


LOCATION MAP                                                                                                    DOCUMENT 1

 


PHOTOGRAPHS                                                                                                     DOCUMENT 2

 


CRITERIA FOR DETMINING CULTURAL HERITAGE VALUE                   DOCUMENT 3

 

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Regs/English/060009_e.htm

 

Ontario Heritage Act

ONTARIO REGULATION 9/06

No Amendments

criteria for determining cultural heritage value or interest

Notice of Currency:* This document is up to date.

*This notice is usually current to within two business days of accessing this document. For more current amendment information, see the Table of Regulations – Legislative History Overview.

This is the English version of a bilingual regulation.

Criteria

1.     (1) The criteria set out in subsection (2) are prescribed for the purposes of clause 29 (1) (a) of the Act.  O. Reg. 9/06, s. 1 (1).

(2)A property may be designated under section 29 of the Act if it meets one or more of the following criteria for determining whether it is of cultural heritage value or interest:

1.   The property has design value or physical value because it,

i.     is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material or construction method,

ii.   displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit, or

iii.  demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement.

2.   The property has historical value or associative value because it,

i.     has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community,

ii.   yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture, or

iii.  demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community.

3.   The property has contextual value because it,

i.     is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area,

ii.   is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings, or

iii.  is a landmark.  O. Reg. 9/06, s. 1 (2).

Transition

2.           This Regulation does not apply in respect of a property if notice of intention to designate it was given under subsection 29 (1.1) of the Act on or before January 24, 2006.  O. Reg. 9/06, s. 2.

 

Français

 

 

 


STATEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE VALUE OR INTEREST              DOCUMENT 4

 

Description of Property - La Maison Jeanne D’Arc, 360 Kenwood Avenue

 

Maison Jeanne D’Arc is a two and a half storey religious institution, located at the north west corner of Kenwood Avenue and Edison Avenue, in the Westboro neighbourhood of Ottawa.

 

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

 

Maison Jeanne D’Arc’s cultural heritage value lies in its association with the Institut Jeanne D’Arc and its mother superior for many years, Mere Marie Thomas D’Aquin. 

The Institut was founded in 1914 and Marie Thomas D’Aquin was the Mother Superior for most of the period from 1919-43. Its primary mission was to offer safe, inexpensive accommodation to young women moving to the city.  It also operated schools and offered courses to young women interested in passing the public service exam.  The Institut Jeanne D’Arc was also a leader in French language training and it taught French to English bureaucrats and community leaders long before the public service had formal French language training. 

 

Mère Marie Thomas D’Aquin, founder of the Institut Jeanne D’Arc was associated with the Institut from her arrival in Ottawa in 1914 until her death in 1963. For much of that time, she could be described as the leading Roman Catholic nun in the City.  She was decorated with the French “Croix de Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur” in 1956 for her service to the community. The work of the Institut Jeanne D’Arc took place in a number of buildings throughout Ottawa, with the block-long building at 489 Sussex Drive serving as the headquarters of the Insitut for many years.  The building on Kenwood became the Mother House in 1954. 

 

Maison Jeanne D’Arc’s cultural heritage value also lies in status as the only building designed by Mere Thomas D’Aquin.  An artist and a poet, Mere Thomas D’Aquin designed this building in 1933 in what she described as “le style Roman.”  Its proportions and design are similar to the houses in Brittany with which she would have been familiar during her childhood in France. 

 

Description of Heritage Attributes

 

Key attributes that embody the heritage value of La Maison Jeanne D’Arc as a religious building that served as a school and residence include:

 

· the low stone wall facing Kenwood and Edison;

· recessed semi-circular entrance;

· semi-circular, leaded and stained glass windows;

· rusticated stone and brick cladding;

· decorative stone quoins;

· decorative voussoirs over windows and doors;

 

Key attributes that link the building to the French-inspired work of Mere Marie Thomas D’Aquin are:

 

· gabled roof and dormer windows;

· form and massing

· half-timber wood details;

· clay tile details on roof and dormers;

 

 

The additions to the west and south of the original building and the interior are not included in this designation.

 

 


HERITAGE SURVEY FORM                                                                                DOCUMENT 5

 

HERITAGE SURVEY AND EVALUATION FORM

 

MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 360 Kenwood Avenue

BUILDING NAME:  La Maison Jeanne D’Arc

LEGAL DESCRIPTION:

LOT:

BLOCK:

PLAN:

DATE OF CONSTRUCTION:  1934

ADDITIONS:

ORIGINAL USE:  School / Boarding House

PRESENT USE:  Convent

ORIGINAL OWNER: Institut Jeanne D’Arc

PRESENT OWNER:

 

 

PHASE ONE EVALUATION

POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANCE

CONSIDERABLE

SOME

LIMITED

NONE

History

 

2

 

 

Architecture

 

2

 

 

Environment (landmark or design compatibility)

 

2

 

 

Phase One Score   6 /9

Potential Heritage Building           Yes

Potential Heritage District             Yes/No

 

 


HISTORY                                                                                         Prepared By: Sally Coutts               Date: Oct. 2006

 

 

DATE OF CONSTRUCTION (Factual) 1934

 

TRENDS

The Institut Jeanne D’Arc built the structure at 360 Kenwood Avenue in 1934 to serve as a home for handicapped children, although it soon became a boarding house and school.  The Institut was founded in 1914 and Marie Thomas D’Aquin was its Mother Superior from 1919-43. Its primary mission was to offer lodging to young women moving to the capital. 360 Kenwood Avenue was one of a number of buildings owned by the Insitut throughout Ottawa that served similar functions.  These structures reflect the changing role of women in the early 20th century when many young women moved to the City from rural communities to find employment.  These women needed safe, inexpensive accommodation and the Institut’s boarding facilities met this need.

 

The Institut Jeanne D’Arc was a leader in French language training and offered courses to English bureaucrats and community leaders long before the public service had formal French language training.  In addition, it offered basic secretarial courses designed for women interested in taking the civil service exam. These services show that the Institut was a forward-looking organization that was ahead of its time in acknowledging the importance of bilingualism and a professional public service.  

 

EVENTS

None known

 

PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS

Person

Mère Marie Thomas D’Aquin, founder of the Institut Jeanne D’Arc as associated with the Institut from her arrival in Ottawa in 1914 until her death in 1963.  As such, she directed an ever-increasing number of buildings where young women, newly arrived in Ottawa could board, have dinner, or attend a social event, organized schools for children and young adults, taught French to many of Ottawa’s political and social leaders and founded and contributed to the Revue Jeanne D’Arc.  

 

 In addition to the work that she did for the Church, she was also a painter and a poet.  She wrote under the name of Marie Sylvia and was a member of the Société des Poètes Canadiens-français, Canadian Author’s Association , the Canadian Women’s Press Club, among other authors’ groups.  A volume of her poetry in translation was published in 1929 and was well-reviewed in English Canadian newspapers. 

 

As a leader of the Roman Catholic community, Mère Thomas D’Aquin was well known throughout Ottawa.  In the last years of her life, her contributions were widely acknowledged and she received the French Croix de la Légion d’Honneur in 1956.  As a leader of the Roman Catholic community she met regularly with many of the political, religious and social leaders of the era.

 

Institution

La Maison Jeanne D’Arc, 360 Kenwood Avenue, is associated with the Institut Jeanne D’Arc, an important Roman Catholic organization if Ottawa. The Institut  offered room and board to young women arriving from the country to work in Ottawa and evolved into an organization that ran a number of boarding facilities, schools and facilities for the aged.

 

The Institut was initially located on Water Street and moved to 489 Sussex Drive in the 1920s, staying at that site until 1989.  360 Kenwood became the Maison-Mère for the Order in 1954. 

 

360 Kenwood is also one of at least four buildings that still exist throughout Ottawa associated with the Institut Jeanne D’Arc.  The others include its long time headquarters at 489 Sussex Drive that has been converted to condominiums, 119 Daly Avenue, 118 Empress Avenue and 293 Stewart Street.               .

 

SUMMARY/COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Mère Marie Thomas D’Aquin played an important role in the history of the Roman Catholic Francophone community in Ottawa for much of the 20th century. Her actual direct association with La Maison Jeanne D’Arc, 360 Kenwood Avenue may have been quite limited, as it appears that she lived most of her life on Sussex Drive.

 

The work of the Institut Jeanne D’Arc took place in a number of buildings throughout Ottawa, with the block-long building on Sussex Drive serving as the headquarters of the Insitut for many years.  Since this building was associated for the longest period with the Institut and the work of Mère Marie Thomas D’Aquin, and was her home and office for most of her career, it best represents her life and career in Ottawa.  It was sold in 1989 and converted to condominiums.  The building on Kenwood became the Mother House in 1954, and has thus played an important role in the life of Institut since then.

 

HISTORICAL SOURCES

Rita McMurtie, Marquée du Signe de l’Accueil

 

 

ARCHITECTURE                                                                      Prepared By: Sally Coutts             Date: October 2006

 

 

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN (Plan, Storeys, Roof, Windows, Material, Details, etc.)

The original portion of the building, as designed by Mère Marie Thomas D’Aquin is a two-storey structure with a gable roof.  The first floor is sheathed in stone and second floor in yellow brick.  There are three closely spaced gabled dormer windows on each roof slope. The front door is asymmetrically placed in a round arched entranceway with one multi-paned round arched window to the east and two to the west.  The upper floor is also asymmetrical with two very small round arched windows centered over the door and three rectangular windows locate directly above the round arched windows.  A handsome retaining wall surrounds the property.  Proportionally, the windows are small compared to the wall surface. There is a two-storey addition to the east of the building. 

 

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

Mère Marie Thomas D’Aquin, the mother superior of the building, designed the building.  In a newspaper article of the day, she stated that the windows and doors were in the “style roman,” however the building cannot really be described as an example of the Romanesque. 

 

DESIGNER/BUILDER/ARCHITECT

Mère Marie Thomas D’Aquin designed 360 Kenwood Avenue.   

 

ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY

The original building has changed little since its construction, although the later two-storey addition is awkwardly placed to its west. 

 

OTHER

 

 

SUMMARY/COMMENTS ON ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

360 Kenwood Avenue is a utilitarian structure of little architectural distinction.  Its primary significance is derived from its status as the only known building designed by Mère Marie Thomas D’Aquin,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENVIRONMENT                                                                        Prepared By: Sally Coutts             Date: October 2006

 

 

HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT NAME (if any)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMPATIBILITY WITH HERITAGE ENVIRONS

360 Kenwood Avenue is located on the block surrounded by Kenwood Avenue, Melbourne, Clare and Edison.  This entire block is occupied by buildings associated with the Institut Jeanne D’Arc, some of which are converted single-family dwellings and others that were built for institutional purposes.  The block is surrounded by housing on all four sides.

 

COMMUNITY CONTEXT/LANDMARK STATUS

360 Kenwood is a well-known building within the Westboro community.

 

SUMMARY/COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE

This block of institutional use buildings is a well-known local feature of Westboro.

 

 

 

 


REQUEST FOR HERITAGE DESIGNATION                                                DOCUMENT 6

 

 

 

November 9, 2006

 

Nancy Schepers

Deputy City Manager

Planning, Transit and the Environment

110 Laurier Avenue West

Ottawa, ON

K1P 1J1

 

Dear Ms Schepers:

 

On behalf of Heritage Ottawa, I am writing to request that the building located at 360 Kenwood Avenue, formerly known as La Maison Jeanne d’Arc, be considered for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

 

We feel that the architectural and historical significance of this building merits its consideration despite the fact that it does not appear on the City’s Heritage Reference List.  We suspect that when the List was created in the late 1970’s the building was overlooked because, at that time, it would have only been 40 years old. If the List were being established today, it would obviously be included.

 

We hope that development proposed for the site will include the retention of this building as part of an imaginative and exciting infill project for the neighbourhood.

 

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Original Signed By

 

David B. Flemming,

President