The Canadian Heritage of Quebec’s 2017 summer launch took place on 21 June 2017 and about 40 guests attended this 5 à 7. The Executive Director gave a speech to welcome CHQ’s members and partners and to inaugurate two small exhibitions for the 150th anniversary of Confederation and 375th anniversary of Montreal and also the new library and patrimonial gardens.
The Canadian Heritage of Quebec’s 2017 summer launch took place on 21 June 2017 and about 40 guests attended this 5 à 7. The Executive Director gave a speech to welcome CHQ’s members and partners and to inaugurate two small exhibitions for the 150th anniversary of Confederation and 375th anniversary of Montreal and also the new library and patrimonial gardens.
Those attending were very interested by the exhibitions, particularly the archives collection of Collard, Collins and Dawson and the library with its books from the XVII to the XXI century. A list of these documents and archives is now available online on CHQ’s website on the “Library & Archives” page. Users will also find the guidelines for consultation.
Since August, CHQ is organizing open houses at the Hurtubise House and this event will continue this fall. For information: coord@hcq-chq.org
The inauguration of the commemorative vegetable and flower gardens of the Hurtubise House took place on May 17th, 2016. The purpose of this project is to mark the 60th anniversary of the acquisition and conservation of the Hurtubise House by The Canadian Heritage of Quebec. The idea of a commemorative garden comes from Mardjane Amin, heritage consultant, after she discovered the agricultural history of the site of the Hurtubise House. From there started the “agricultural” project in order to revitalize the landscape of the Hurtubise House. Heirloom and heritage seeds were sowed so that the vegetable and flower gardens reflect the agricultural past of the Hurtubise farm.
The realization of the “agricultural” project was made possible thanks to the generous collaboration of the Jardins de l’écoumène who donated heritage seeds, as well as the Cour à bois Villeneuve who offered rebates on wood and hardware. Not to mention the involvement of several students from McGill University and Université de Montréal and some of these students now form part of the young volunteers committee of The Canadian Heritage of Quebec.
Les Jardins de l’écoumène
Cour à bois Villeneuve
As you will note on the pictures, the landscaping of the gardens harmonizes with the incomparable heritage value of the Hurtubise House. Please come and visit the magnificent gardens of the Hurtubise House and see the remarkable transformation. For a visit of the house, please make an appointment by sending an email to coord@hcq-chq.org. If you want to become a volunteer for the maintenance of the gardens or for any comments, kindly use the same email address.
Here is an article from The Suburban, in the edition of may 25, 2016, on the Hurtubise House and its commemorative gardens. Read the article
During the summer of 2013 and 2014, two volunteers of the Corporation of Domaine Pointe-de-Saint-Vallier worked hard to restore these splendid gardens.
Terry and Terry Sulymko – a couple from Toronto – spent several weeks each summer to work on the gardens of Domaine Pointe-de-Saint-Vallier. Thanks to them, old stone arrangements have been unearthed. In the summer of 2015, they continue their great work and the small pond at the manor will soon be refreshed.
The transformation is stunning as demonstrated by the photos below. For more information and to view photo gallery, click here 2013 and here for the pictures 2014
It is amazing to see what these gardens have become. This is a very nice place to enjoy the flowers and their colours during summer time. It is really worth a visit! (http://www.pointedesaintvallier.com/)
Hurtubise House June 2011 – Before the restoration – click to enlarge Phase II of the restoration project began in August 2011 and was completed in late summer 2012. Planning work required preliminary comprehensive studies to effectively coordinate the entire project. Based on these studies conducted by CHQ in collaboration with the Centre de conservation du Québec and Mr. François Varin, architect, it was decided to preserve the finishes of the entire ground floor and to establish specific conservation guidelines which include respecting the physical integrity of the house and applying minimal and reversible intervention. This project, funded mostly by CHQ, received financial support from the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec (MCC) and the City of Montreal.
Hurtubise House June 2012 – After the restoration – click to enlarge CHQ and architects DMA coordinated the project which required hiring several professionals specializing in restoration: masons, curators and archaeologists. CHQ also benefited from the expertise of an architect of the MCC, as well as a structural engineer, a mechanical engineer and two conservation experts. Throughout the work, special attention was paid to the protection of interior finishes and building security.
Outside the house, the work consisted of repairing cracks in the west stone wall as well as restoring the front galleries, its support structures and stairs. Archaeological excavations were also necessary which led to the discovery of an old well.
The Kitchen – click to enlarge On the ground floor, interior finishes (plaster and woodwork) of the walls, floors and ceilings have been restored. The restoration work was done carefully to preserve the traces of time. The curator used only a dry sponge for cleaning. Cracks on the walls were also filled and remain visible. Previously, tapestry dating from around 1900 had been removed, revealing the location of an old armoire (cupboard) inserted in the wall.
In the kitchen, we proceeded to clean the different layers of flooring to revitalize the floor. We also cut much of the damaged parts which allowed us to discover a very old carpet, another remnant of the past. Plexiglas and a carpet now protect parts of these coatings for the benefit of visitors.
The basement
The attic
To preserve and capture the spirit of the house, modern elements were removed from the ground floor. The floor structure has been solidified through the basement and the former floor openings (registers) are now again used for the heating and ventilation system. In the basement, the humidity was reduced by covering the ground with plastic sheeting and stone dust. A new heating system (thermo pump) with ducts has also been installed.
On the second floor, the kitchen and bathroom have been upgraded. This work is reversible so as to preserve the integrity of the house. The electrical system has also been upgraded and a new lighting system, installed throughout the house, reveals the vestiges and treasures of this magnificent property built in 1739.
On Sunday October 14th, The Canadian Heritage of Quebec hosted at the Hurtubise House in Westmount a heritage activity organized by the Westmount Historical Society (WHA) in collaboration with the City of Westmount. This activity was part of Montreal Architectural Heritage Campaign 2012, called Les Belles Montréalaises and organized in collaboration with the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications (MCC), Ville de Montréal and Heritage Montreal. This campaign lasted for two weeks, from September 28th to October 14th (www.operationpatrimoime.com).
The purpose of this activity was to do a walking tour on the old Chemin de la Côte-Saint-Antoine to show to the participants, from the street, very interesting heritage houses located on this old road. The Hurtubise House has been used as a welcome place and CHQ’s General Manager, Jacques Archambault, welcomed each group of people and took this opportunity to present CHQ’s history, founders, missions and involvement in Quebec. CHQ also welcomed guides inside and offered them tea, sandwiches and cookies in collaboration with the Westmount Historical Society.
Approximately 65 people did the walking tours in spite of the rain. The volunteers of WHA have prepared all the documents for the walking tour and trained their volunteers to relay properly this information to visitors. All the participants were very happy with the newly restored Hurtubise House which now serves as a key place for the Westmount’s heritage sector. Since the end of the restoration project, the house looks better and CHQ has received a lot of congratulations from Westmounters.
The restoration of the Domaine Pointe-de-Saint-Vallier began in 2011 and in the fall of 2012. This project involved the restoration of the exterior of the building and the structure supporting the ground floor. The restoration concept, developed by architect François Varin, was based on historical research on the Manor and its site.
This project was completely funded by CHQ and was managed and carried out in collaboration with Mr. Varin and the support of volunteers of the Corporation du Domaine Pointe-de-Saint-Vallier (http://www.pointedesaintvallier.com/).
Outside, two major interventions were carried out:
1. The roof was restored with a combination composed mainly of “tôle à la canadienne” and ” tôle à baguettes” for flatter parts including the roof of the gallery. Thus, the house will be better protected against strong winds from the river and from water infiltration. The roofs of several other houses located in the area were also built in the past according to this mixed model.
2. The badly damaged front porch floor, made of cement, was completely rebuilt in wood and decorated according to its original state in 1950. Having gone through various changes over the decades, this model seemed the most appropriate. Finally, the exterior of the Manor has been repainted, and the plaster of the three chimneys redone.
The work done inside the Manor included consolidation of the ground floor structure from the basement. Many original columns supporting the floor were made of badly stacked concrete blocks that could have compromised its stability. Repairs included strengthening the floor structure beneath the entire Manor with cement bases and solid wood columns, requiring a tremendous amount of time and energy.
The ground floor kitchen and bathroom were improved and retrofitted for the benefit of visitors without affecting their integrity. The electrical system and plumbing have also been improved. Finally, this project has led to several interesting new discoveries. See our four pictures below.
During the summer of 2012, CHQ proceeded with the restoration of the front roof, dormers and wall of the Les Éboulements Mill. The two side walls were also restored and the chimney has been limed. In 2009, the rear (south) part of the roof was restored and in both cases, white cedar shingles were used.
Once again, we called upon the expertise of Mr. François Varin, architect, with whom we jointly planned and supervised the project. This restoration project was funded by CHQ and the MCC.
Once the project was completed, the mill looked more refreshed than changed. This is indeed the objective of all our restoration projects which aims to maintain the integrity of heritage buildings. The roof ladder was also restored.
The general contractor selected following a call for tenders, lives in Les Éboulements. He worked with a professional in carpentry and masonry in accordance with traditional techniques. Mr. Jean-Guy Tremblay, our miller, a descendant of the original family, was also closely involved in this project for his knowledge and expertise. Mr. Tremblay has ensured the maintenance and good operation of the mill for more than 25 years.
During all stages of the project, CHQ used the best available knowledge and restoration techniques.
For example, to maximize the life of the shingles, in accordance with best practices, a matrix of wooden battens was mounted under the shingle roof and dormers. In addition, a special “support” was placed on top of the roof and dormers. Along the eaves, an opening was protected against insects by a wire netting. This system allows natural ventilation from the bottom to the top under the shingles and will prevent their deterioration. A sealant was also applied on the shingles.
