St Brigid´s Center for the Arts - Integrated Project Dossier (2011)

St. Brigid’s Center for the Arts holds great cultural and architectural value for Ottawa. It is located in Lowertowne Ottawa, currently situated at 310 St. Patrick’s Street. This area was significant to the Irish population during the mid 1800’s when a great famine struck Ireland and many immigrated to Canada. The majority of the population settled in the Bytowne area and became labourers on the Rideau Canal. Presently, this area has become part of a heritage conservation district, with St. Brigid’s being a distinctive part of the urban landscape. The Church’s rich history began in 1988 when an English parish was created in Ottawa’s Lowertown by the English speaking parishioners of Notre Dame Cathedral. James R Jones was chosen to design St. Brigid’s Cathedral. He chose to take inspiration from Celtic Churches as well as the Romanesque Revival Style. The construction of the church was initiated in 1889 and was completed in 18 months under the under the direction of John Lyons. In the 1960’s, certain renovations were undertaken because of reforms initiated by the Catholic Church. The most extensive alteration was painted that covered all the original murals by T X Renaud in order to create a simpler atmosphere. In 1989 these murals were uncovered, bringing the altar back to its original grandeur. The church has been given two separate designations; the exterior was designated a heritage property in 1981 while the interior was provincially designated in 1989. The full church was designated a heritage site in 1992, therefore all character-defining elements will always be maintained. In 2006 the shrinking congregation did not justify the several hundred thousand dollars in needed repairs and the closure of the church was announced. In 2007 four investors purchased the deconsecrated building to transform it into a center for the arts. This is the Integrated Project Dossier compiled by a group of undergrad students of the Architectural Conservation and Sustainability Program (Engineers and architects) at Carleton University for the CIVE3207 (ARCN4100) Historic Site Recording and Assessment course in 2011.