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Fall 2011

January 17, 2012 UPDATE: 

The Newfoundland Historical Society will be holding a free public lecture on Thursday, January 26^th 2012 at 8 pm at Hampton Hall Lecture Theatre, located at the Marine Institute on Ridge Road

This month’s lecturer will be Robert Mellin, and his talk is titled:

“Newfoundland Modern: Architecture in the Smallwood Years, 1949-1972

  Refreshments to follow  Parking is free and everyone is welcome 

 The architecture of Newfoundland typically evokes images of spare  but colourful houses and outbuildings by the sea. Newfoundland Modern reveals another dimension that challenges this impression.

In over 220 drawings and photographs, Robert Mellin presents the development of architecture in the decades immediately following Newfoundland's 1949 union with Canada. Newfoundland's wholehearted embrace of modern architecture in this era affected planning as well as the design of cultural facilities, commercial and public buildings, housing, recreation, educational facilities, and places of worship, and Premier Joseph Smallwood often relied on modern architecture to demonstrate the progress made by his administration. Mellin explores the links between Smallwood and modern architecture, revealing how Smallwood guided the development of numerous architectural projects. He also looks at the work of two innovative local architects, Frederick A. Colbourne and Angus J. Campbell, showing how their architecture was influenced by their life-long interest in art.

The first comprehensive work on an important period of architectural development in urban and rural Newfoundland, Newfoundland Modern complements Mellin's award-winning book on the outport of Tilting, Fogo Island. 

Review quotes

Robert Mellin is an associate professor in the School of Architecture, McGill University, and the author of Tilting: House Launching, Slide Hauling, Potato Trenching, and Other Tales from a Newfoundland Fishing Village. 

CBC radio On The Go interview with Ted Blades December 5, 2011

On August 31, 2011 the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, along with the Government of Canada and the City of St. John's announced three major capital projects. Among those is the restoration of historic Colonial Building. See here for the government press release, VOCM and the Telegram articles.

The Newfoundland Historic Trust acknowledges this support and looks forward to the restoration of one of this province's most significant heritage structures. The Trust applauds the announcement and looks forward to the restoration and future interpretation of what will be this province's newest Provincial Historic Site - a flagship site for the benefit of the whole province.

The Association of Heritage Industries issued the following press release:

Celebrating our History – The Restoration of the Colonial Building

The Association of Heritage Industries is pleased to support and applaud today’s joint funding announcement by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Canada of $22.3 million to complete the restoration of the Colonial Building.

Located in the heart of a nationally significant historic precinct, the Colonial Building is the finest example of neoclassical architecture in the province. As the seat of government for 90 years, the Colonial Building has played an important role in the province’s history and political culture. 

The heritage community, under the umbrella of the Association of Heritage Industries, collectively lobbied for the restoration of the Colonial Building when the Provincial Archives relocated to The Rooms in 2004.  The heritage community rallied to have the Colonial Building carefully restored, maintaining the historical and architectural integrity of both the exterior and interior.  We also recommended transforming the building into a public space to interpret and celebrate Newfoundland and Labrador’s political history.

The provincial government adopted AHI’s recommendations and, in the intervening years, completed a management plan, making an initial commitment of $3 million towards the restoration project, along with a $648,000 contribution through Canadian Heritage’s Building Canada fund.  

Today’s landmark announcement means there will be sufficient resources to complete the restoration work to a high standard - a fitting contribution to this significant building.  AHI Chair David Bradley notes that, “The Colonial Building may be the province’s most important, surviving historic structure, and we are pleased that both levels of government recognize its importance and are prepared to make the necessary investment in its preservation and redevelopment.  We will watch the progress with great interest.”

On July 20, 2011 Fortis tabled a land use assessment report regarding the proposed development on the west end of Water Street.  Read more about it here in the Independant's e-newsletter. This report signals a step towards development of the Old Horwood Lumber site, presently vacant and zoned for high rise development.

In 2009 Fortis attempted to submit a proposal to demolish their property located at the east end of Water Street, inlcuding a number of historic buildings dating from 1893. After a public outcry Fortis withdrew their proposal, going back to the city in 2011 with a new idea to develop the vacant land between Hamilton Avenue, New Gower Street, Springdale Street and Water Street.

The Newfoundland Historic Trust supports the new proposal, saying it is within the zoning regulations and appropriate for the area. Fortis has also committed to using sustainable construction methods, which the Trust also supports and endorses.

The Newfoundland Historic Trust encourages Fortis to continue thinking about sustainable development while it decides what to do with its heritage buildings on Water Street east. The Trust will continue watching the buildings, which appear on the Buildings at Risk list for two years. It is hoped that with some foresight and commitment Fortis will use creative solutions to develop a sustainable future for those buildings.