st. andrews architecture 1604-1966 ByJohnLerouxandThaddeusholownia.kentville, novaScotia:GaspereauPress,2010.
With the blessing of King Henry IV, a 79-man expedition from France sailed to Acadia in 1604 in search of fur, fish and other riches for export to Europe. This early expedition landed a few kilometres up the mouth of the St. Croix River to establish the first year-round settlement, but it wasn’t until 1783 when some of the 14,000 American refugees loyal to Great Britain foundede what eventually became present-day St. Andrews. The Loyalists immediately laid out a typical British grid pattern over the land to establish the streets of St. Andrews. (In 1998, the town grid was designated a National Historic District by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.) St. Andrews prospered as the secondary economic hub in the province up until the 1840s when global trading patterns changed. The advent of the steam ship along with a lack of sufficient rail lines to St. Andrews strangled the community economically. As Leroux notes, “had it not been for the peculiar activity of growing turnips...there would have been little or no optimism.” But along came tourism, an integral component to the economic prosperity of St. Andrews that continues to this day. Thousands of people vacation in the region every year, often staying at the Algonquin Hotel (1889), or living in one of the many Cape Cod cottages, Georgian manors
An enduring passion for wood.
and Shingle Style summer homes originally constructed for wealthy American families or captains of industry from Montreal. In 1905, the Canadian Pacific Railway acquired the Algonquin Hotel, thereby promoting St. Andrews as a healthy seaside community with a championship golf course and a host of outdoor activities. Along Water Street, there is Georgian architecture that dates back to the late 1700s and early 1800s, in addition to fine examples of mercantilist Loyalist and Victorian architecture. Queen and Edward Streets contain a host of Greek, Classical Revival, Neoclassical, Cape Cod and Georgian-styled single-family residences. One of the highlights of the architectural history of St. Andrews is the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement in addition to the Shingle Style on its many grand manors. This can be seen in the iconic Pansy Patch, an Arts and Crafts building designed by Montreal architect Charles Saxe. Many spectacular homes designed by Montreal-based architects Edward and William Maxwell are still standing, such as Rosemount (1908), Hillcrest (1909) and Cliffside (1912). On Minister’s Island, the Maxwells also designed one of the largest barns ever built in the province (1899). Even Modernism entered the realm of St. Andrews with the elegant W.C. O’Neill Arena (1962, 1965) by the Associated Designers and Inspectors of Fredericton, followed by John Disher of Saint John. Another favourite is the Sir James Dunn Academy (1966), also designed by Disher. The book is beautifully printed and contains over 150 richly hued black and white photographs taken by Thaddeus Holownia, who, along with John Leroux, has certainly succeeded in conveying the unique social history of St. Andrews through its architecture. ic stroll: Psychogeographic walking tours of toronto ByShawnMicallef.Toronto:CoachhouseBooks,2009.
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Tseshaht First Nations Tribal Multiplex, Port Alberni, BC
I love wood for its exceptional quality, beauty, universal application, and the value it has held throughout the evolution of mankind. But I use wood because it is here – it is the most abundant, readily available material throughout BC with the ability to meet almost all of our building needs. Lubor Trubka Lubor Trubka Associates Architects
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For more information please contact Wood WORKS! www.wood-works.ca GREEN • RENEWABLE • NATURAL • BEAUTIFUL • MEMORABLE • SUSTAINABLE circLe rePLY card 43
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More of a personal journal rather than a guidebook, Shawn Micallef’s latest publication entitled Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto, shares his memoirs as he explores the vastness of Toronto’s built form on foot. The book expands upon Micallef’s EYE WEEKLY column “Stroll”—now called “Psychogeography.” His walking tours provide a series of colourful narratives documenting the effects of geographical factors on a wide range of human emotions and behaviour in the city. Micallef’s stories provide intimate details of Toronto’s neighbourhoods, streets, buildings and their architects, along with the people affected by them. Commenting on the social, economic, political, and aesthetic forces involved in creating and maintaining these spaces, Micallef makes considerable effort in discussing the neglected, ignored, and often overlooked—all of which become more evident when walking. Walks are conveniently grouped according to area, allowing one to complete them in succession. Although the majority of walking tours are focused on the downtown, some of the itineraries stretch out to Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, and Mississauga to capture places such as Pearson International Airport. Each walk is introduced by a legend indicating appropriate attire, suitable age groups, trip duration, recommended equipment, and connecting strolls. The text is supplemented with maps, illustrations and historic photographs which add a scrapbook appeal to the overall project. Stroll is a recommended read for those who enjoy Micallef’s interpretations of the city, for urban enthusiasts who now call Toronto home, and for people who simply possess a modicum of curiosity and a good pair of comfortable walking shoes. BL