Heritage Montreal

Last updated
Héritage Montréal
Merged intoSave Montréal
FormationOctober 15, 1975;49 years ago (1975-10-15)
Founder Phyllis Lambert, Paul Leblanc, Peter Quinlan, Herschel Segal, Lilian Webb
Founded at Montreal, Canada
Type Nonprofit
Headquarters0500-100 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, QC, H2X 1C3
Location
Official language
French, English
Executive Director
Robert Turgeon
Policy Director
Dinu Bumbaru, C.M.
President
Carole Deniger
Website www.heritagemontreal.org

Heritage Montreal is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the architectural, historic, natural, and cultural heritage of Greater Montreal. [1] Architect Phyllis Lambert founded Heritage Montreal in 1975. [2] It was preceded by Save Montreal, a volunteer group co-founded by Michael Fish after the controversial demolition of the Van Horne Mansion by developer David Azrieli in 1973. [3] Heritage Montreal played a key role in efforts to halt demolition and redevelopment in the McGill Ghetto, also known as Milton Park. [4]

Contents

History

Save Montreal

Heritage Montreal's predecessor institution was Save Montreal (Sauvons Montréal), founded on September 28, 1973, after the demolition of the Van Horne Mansion on Rue Sherbrooke. Its mission was to save the city's heritage. Because of the efforts of the volunteers of Save Montreal, the Commission des Citoyens Pour l’Avenir de Montréal begins hearings on May 29, 1976, and adopted guidelines on July 6, 1978, that require "due consideration" to the architectural qualities of residential buildings before issuing demolition permits. Save Montreal also pushed for the creation of Heritage Montreal.

Heritage Montreal

Architectural activist and Canadian Centre for Architecture founder, Phyllis Lambert, established Heritage Montreal in 1975 and served as its first president. [2] It was incorporated on October 15, 1975. Its mission is to promote and protect the architectural, historic, natural, and cultural heritage of Greater Montreal. Heritage Montreal provides education and advocacy to preserve Montreal’s identity and uniqueness.

On October 6, 1981, the Heritage Montreal Foundation opened offices at the corner of Notre-Dame Street and Bonsecours Street. The Centre Urbain offers education and documentation services to anyone interested in preserving and enhancing urban heritage.

The City of Montreal and Heritage Montreal created Opération Patrimoine Architectural de Montréal (OPAM or the Montreal Architectural Heritage Campaign) in 1990. OPAM raises awareness of the importance of protecting built heritage by rewarding the work of heritage property owners. In 2001, the campaign expanded to cover the entire Island of Montreal. Heritage Montreal awards more than twenty OPAM prizes annually.

Marking its 20th anniversary in 1995, Heritage Montreal held public hearings at the Canadian Centre for Architecture, inviting organizations and the public to envision the future of Montreal's heritage. In 2001, Heritage Montreal suggested that Quebec's municipal reforms should include heritage-conservation and public-consultation bodies, Conseil du Patrimoine and Office de Consultation Publique, in the updated city charter. In 2005, Heritage Montreal’s Heritage and Development Committee (known by its French acronym CoPA) unveiled its first annual list of ten threatened emblematic sites in Montreal.

In October 2009, Heritage Montreal, Lambert, and others participated in a think tank called the Institut de Politiques Alternatives de Montréal, to advise the city on a range of matters, including urban planning, development, and heritage. [5] [6]

Preservation activities

Milton Park

With the support of Heritage Montreal and the financial assistance of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, residents of Milton Park created the largest co-operative housing project in North America, renovating entire rows of early 20th-century buildings between 1979 and 1982. [7]

Mount Royal

In 1985, SNC announced its plan to replace the CBC/Radio-Canada transmission mast on Mount Royal with a 300 metres (980 ft) tall tower topped by a restaurant. Les Amis de la Montagne (Friends of the Mountain) formed in 1986 to advocate for the preservation and enhancement of Mount Royal. [8] That same year, Heritage Montreal and Save Montreal asked the Government of Quebec to classify Mount Royal under the Cultural Property Act. However, Quebec forwarded its request to the City of Montreal.

Heritage Montreal, Les Amis de la Montagne, the Centre de la Montagne, and the City of Montreal organized the inaugural Mount Royal Summit run on March 14, 2002. On March 9, 2005, the Government of Quebec granted double heritage protection status for the first time, decreeing Mount Royal a historic and natural district.

Redpath Mansion

In 1986, Heritage Montreal and Save Montreal obtained an injunction to stop the demolition of the Redpath Mansion. In an out-of-court settlement, the owner committed to developing and enhancing the property but instead abandoned the mansion and surrounding land for more than 25 years. Heritage Montreal kept its vigilance, hoping to find a renovation project. However, the Redpath Mansion was demolished in 2014. [9] [10] [11]

Montreal Botanical Garden

In 1994, Heritage Montreal filed a request to have the Montreal Botanical Garden classified as a historic site, citing its national value as a complex dedicated to science and society.

Silo No. 5

On October 4, 1997, Heritage Montreal hosted a study day on the future of Silo No. 5, in collaboration with the Association Québécoise pour le Patrimoine Industriel (AQPI). [12]

Eaton’s restaurant

On February 16, 1999, Heritage Montreal asked the Ministry of Culture and Communications to assign historic monument classification for the Art Deco restaurant on the 9th floor of the former Eaton’s department store. On August 24, 2000, the Minister of Culture and Communications, Agnès Maltais, announced its classification as a historic monument. [13]

Habitat 67

Heritage Montreal filed requests in 2002 for Habitat 67 to become a historic monument and a heritage site. The City of Montreal approved its historic monument status in September 2007. The Ministry of Culture and Communications approved its status as a heritage site in 2009. [14]

Guaranteed Pure Milk bottle Guaranteed Pure Milk Bottle 02.jpg
Guaranteed Pure Milk bottle

Guaranteed Pure Milk bottle

In partnership with the provincial milk producers’ federation and private partners from the arts sector, Heritage Montreal launched Opération Sauvons la Pinte (Save the Milk Bottle) in 2009. The iconic milk-bottle-shaped Guaranteed Pure Milk water tower was restored with its original painted inscriptions. [15] [16] [17]

Fulford residence

In February 2022, Heritage Montreal asked Culture and Communications Minister Nathalie Roy to give the Major House, known as the Fulford Residence, protection by classifying it under the Cultural Heritage Act. Located on Guy Street in the heart of the Peter-McGill neighborhood, the 1885 Fulford Residence was home to James Edward Major until 1890 when it became a home for women.

The Fulford Residence was significant because of its intact 19th-century architecture. However, when the women's home was closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was uncertainty about the fate of this heritage property. Quebec’s Culture and Communications Ministry announced on August 26, 2022, that the residence will be classified as a heritage building. The designation will apply to the building, the site, and some of its interiors “which are of particular architectural integrity and interest.” [18]

Educational activities

Heritage Montreal's earliest programs were lectures on residential renovation, informing homeowners of best practices, and raising awareness about retaining heritage components. In 1985, more than sixty students from Quebec and elsewhere enrolled in a summer course about renovation and restoration, organized by Heritage Montreal and Université de Montréal. In 1985, Heritage Montreal and the Institut d’Urbanisme of Université de Montréal organized a heritage symposium for municipalities, teaching about new heritage protections in the Cultural Property Act.

In 1986, a school bus became Heritage Montreal's Archibus, taking classes on architectural and urban discovery tours. In addition, Heritage Montreal took over hosting guided tours of Montreal neighborhoods from Save Montreal in 1988. In 1989, Heritage Montreal and ICOMOS organized an integrated conservation symposium for representatives from several countries and UNESCO. Also in 1989, Heritage Montreal organized a symposium on preserving historic movie theaters at the Rialto Cinema, a Montreal historic monument. This meeting led to the publication of a brief on repurposing former movie theatres as arts and culture venues.

Heritage Montreal organized two major projects to celebrate Montreal’s 350th anniversary in 1992: the Patrimoine en Marche (Steps in Time Guides) and self-guided tours along Rue Sherbrooke. In collaboration with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Quebec Order of Architects, and donors, Heritage Montreal created a program to educate young people on heritage and urban issues. In 1995, Heritage Montreal’s urban tours were renamed the ArchitecTours: an annual series of guided walking tours to discover Montreal, its neighborhoods, and its heritage. [19] [20] [21]

In September 2014, Heritage Montreal organized a symposium on repurposing former hospital buildings as part of the Entretiens Jacques-Cartier.

Publications

Heritage Montreal, in collaboration with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, published four technical guides on renovating traditional masonry, windows, roof coverings, and facings. The guides were aimed at owners of heritage residences as well as construction and renovation contractors.

In 1997, Heritage Montreal published Plan Stratégique de Conservation des églises et des Chapelles au Centre-ville de Montréal, under the direction of Jean-Claude Marsan. This was a strategic plan for downtown Montreal's historic churches.

In 1998, Heritage Montreal published its first Grand Calendrier du Patrimoine (Great Heritage Calendar), a one-stop guide to public activities through Montreal heritage organizations.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Royal</span> Small mountain in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Mount Royal is a mountain in the city of Montreal, immediately west of Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The city's name is thought to be derived from the mountain's name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Drapeau</span> Quebec politician and mayor of Montreal (1916-1999)

Jean Drapeau was a Canadian politician who served as mayor of Montreal for 2 non-consecutive terms from 1954 to 1957 and from 1960 to 1986. Major accomplishments of the Drapeau Administration include the development of the Montreal Metro entirely underground mass transit subway system running on 'whisper quiet' rubber wheels, a successful international exposition Expo 67 as well as the construction of a major performing arts centre, the Place des Arts. Drapeau also secured the hosting of the 1976 Summer Olympics and was instrumental in building the Olympic Stadium and then world's tallest inclined tower. Drapeau was responsible for securing a Major League Baseball franchise, with the creation of the Montreal Expos in 1969. Drapeau's main legacy is Montreal's attainment of global status under his administration. He was the longest serving mayor of Montreal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Centre for Architecture</span> Architecture museum and research centre in Quebec, Canada

The Canadian Centre for Architecture is a museum of architecture and research centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 1920, rue Baile, between rue Fort and rue Saint-Marc in what was once part of the Golden Square Mile. Today, it is considered to be located in the Shaughnessy Village neighbourhood of the borough of Ville-Marie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Montreal</span>

The architecture of Montreal, Quebec, Canada is characterized by the juxtaposition of the old and the new and a wide variety of architectural styles, the legacy of two successive colonizations by the French, the British, and the close presence of modern architecture to the south. Much like Quebec City, the city of Montreal had fortifications, but they were destroyed between 1804 and 1817.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phyllis Lambert</span> Canadian philanthropist, member of the Bronfman family (born 1927)

Phyllis Barbara Lambert is a Canadian architect, philanthropist, and member of the Bronfman family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Square Mile</span> Neighbourhood in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

The Golden Square Mile, also known as the Square Mile, is the nostalgic name given to an urban neighbourhood developed principally between 1850 and 1930 at the foot of Mount Royal, in the west-central section of downtown Montreal in Quebec, Canada. The name 'Square Mile' has been used to refer to the area since the 1930s; prior to that, the neighbourhood was known as 'New Town' or 'Uptown'. The addition of 'Golden' was coined by Montreal journalist Charlie Lazarus, and the name has connections to contemporary real estate developments, as the historical delimitations of the Golden Square Mile overlap with Montreal's contemporary central business district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament Building (Quebec)</span> Seat of the Parliament of Quebec

The Parliament Building of Quebec is an eight-floor structure and is home to the National Assembly of Quebec, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Parliament Building was designed by architect Eugène-Étienne Taché in a Second Empire style and built between 1877 and 1886, in the heart of Quebec's Parliament Hill. The National Assembly first met there on March 27, 1884, even though the building was only fully completed two years later, on April 8, 1886. From the 1910s to the 1930s, the government built several adjacent buildings to expand its office spaces, creating a parliamentary complex, of which the Parliament Building is the main edifice. This structure is a successor of several earlier buildings, the earliest of which was built in 1620 and among which there were two other parliament houses that served as legislatures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bromont</span> City in Quebec, Canada

Bromont is a city in southern Quebec, Canada, at the base of Mont Brome; it is in the Brome-Missisquoi Regional County Municipality. The Bromont area and its resort, Ski Bromont, is well known as a tourist destination for its downhill skiing, mountain biking, BMX-riding and water slides. It also features golf and equestrian events in moderate weather. Bromont also boasts a high-tech industrial park, which includes IBM, General Electric, and Teledyne DALSA. Bromont Airport serves the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maison Saint-Gabriel</span> Farm museum in Quebec, Canada

The Maison Saint-Gabriel Museum is located in Montreal, Quebec and is dedicated to preserving the history, heritage and artifacts of the settlers of New France in the mid 17th century. The museum consists of a small farm, which has been administered for more than 300 years by the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal, founded by Marguerite Bourgeoys in Montreal in 1658.

In Canada, heritage conservation deals with actions or processes that are aimed at safeguarding the character-defining elements of a cultural resource so as to retain its heritage value and extend its physical life. Historic objects in Canada may be granted special designation by any of the three levels of government: the federal government, the provincial governments, or a municipal government. The Heritage Canada Foundation acts as Canada's lead advocacy organization for heritage buildings and landscapes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Îlot-Trafalgar-Gleneagles</span>

The Îlot-Trafalgar-Gleneagles is a historic block in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, located on Côte-des-Neiges Road, on the west slope of Mount Royal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maison Alcan</span> Building complex in Montreal, Canada

Maison Alcan is a building complex located on Sherbrooke Street in the Golden Square Mile district of Montreal, Canada. The complex was used to house the world headquarters for Alcan, now part of Rio Tinto Alcan, until 2015. Completed in 1983, the complex's integration of new construction with restored or renovated buildings marked a turning point in corporate Montreal's approach to development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurtubise House</span> Gable-roof farmhouse in Quebec, Canada

Hurtubise House was built in 1739 and is the oldest house in the city of Westmount, Quebec, Canada, a suburb of Montreal. It is located at 561 Côte-Saint-Antoine Road on the corner of Victoria Avenue.

Christina Cameron, is a Canadian scientific writer, a former public servant and, from 2005 to 2019, a professor of Heritage conservation and World Heritage. Cameron has been awarded the prestigious Public Service Outstanding Achievement Award, inducted as a Fellow into the Royal Society of Canada, was the 2014 recipient of the National Trust for Canada's Gabrielle Léger Medal for Lifetime Achievement, and was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2014. In 2018 she was awarded the Gérard-Morisset Prix du Québec. One of her former superiors, a chief executive officer of Parks Canada, said that she was "unquestionably the great lady of Canada's cultural heritage."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sillery Heritage Site</span> Heritage site in Quebec, Canada

The Sillery Heritage Site is an area containing historic residences and institutional properties located in the Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It was the first of 13 declared heritage sites of the Province of Quebec, and is among the four of which are located in Quebec City. Having been called the "cradle of the French Canadian nation," the heritage site includes approximately 350 buildings along 3.5 kilometres of the Saint Lawrence River shoreline. The Sillery Heritage Site includes buildings constructed during every major period of Quebec's history, dating back to the time of New France.

Susan M. Ross, OAQ, MRAIC, FAPT, is a Canadian architect, educator, and academic who has held positions in multiple Canadian universities and worked nationally and internationally. She is known for her publications and teachings in sustainable Heritage Conservation in Canada. Her research into sustainable heritage conservation is expansive and ranges from understanding historic urban infrastructure landscapes to discerning the intersection of heritage and waste through deconstruction and reuse. Ross was inducted into the College of Fellows of the Association for Preservation Technology in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Merrett</span> Canadian photographer (1945–2023)

Brian Jackson Merrett was a Canadian photographer and architectural activist known for his contributions to the preservation of Montreal's architectural heritage. Through his photographs and actions toward saving threatened buildings, he played an important role in the preservation of Montreal's historic structures, including the Shaughnessy House, which later became the Canadian Centre for Architecture, and the Windsor Station. He was one of the founding members of Heritage Montreal, a Canadian non-profit conservation organization.

References

  1. "Heritage Montreal website". Archived from the original on 2009-12-02. Retrieved 2009-11-21.
  2. 1 2 "Phyllis Lambert and the Canadian Centre for Architecture". Canadian Centre for Architecture. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  3. Germain, Annick; Damaris Rose (August 2000). "A Metropolis in Transition; Montreal's Built Form — French Heritage, Victorian Legacy and Modernist Ambitions" (PDF). Montreal, The Quest for a Metropolis. Wiley. p. 88. ISBN   978-0-471-94907-7.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. John Pierce, Ann Dale, ed. (May 2000). Communities, Development, and Sustainability Across Canada. UBC Press. p. 20. ISBN   0-7748-0722-9.
  5. "New think tank will act as conscience for mayor". Montreal Gazette . Canwest. October 15, 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2009.[ dead link ]
  6. "Launch of the Institut de politiques alternatives de Montréal – IPAM". Institute of Policy Alternatives of Montreal. October 14, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  7. "Combat pour Milton Parc : 1960-1970, le premier temps". Mémoires des Montréalais (in French). 2022-05-06. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  8. montagne, Les Amis de la. "Our mission and role". Les Amis de la Montagne. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  9. "Culture minister decides to tear down Redpath mansion". Montreal. 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  10. "Québec - Redpath Mansion". archive.nationaltrustcanada.ca. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  11. Admin (2014-02-25). "Demolition of historic Montreal mansion halted by QC culture minister". The McGill Tribune. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  12. APCI. "LE SILO À GRAIN NUMÉRO 5 À MONTRÉAL" (PDF).
  13. Communications, Ministère de la Culture et des (2012-12-06). "Communiqués détails". www.mcc.gouv.qc.ca (in French). Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  14. "Habitat '67 designated a heritage site". Montreal. 2009-03-27. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  15. "don't cry over guaranteed pure milk bottle - it's getting a makeover - Metropolitan News". 2009-09-22. Archived from the original on 2009-09-22. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  16. "Milk bottle restored". Montreal. 2009-10-26. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  17. "Montreal - Guaranteed Pure Milk". laiteriesduquebec.com. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  18. "Heritage protection in the works for former Fulford Residence". montrealgazette. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  19. Ouimet, Sophie (2022-08-11). "Le retour des ArchitecTours". La Presse (in French). Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  20. "ArchitecTours : trouver du beau dans l'architecture industrielle de Montréal". ici.radio-canada.ca (in French). Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  21. Marquis, Richard (August 2022). "Les visites guidées ArchitecTours à Montréal". 98.5 Montréal (in French). Retrieved 2022-09-08.