St. Charles Church - Ottawa, Ontario - Ontario Heritage Properties on Waymarking.com

The cultural heritage value of St. Charles Church lies in it being a good example of the Quebec Neoclassical style, its important role in the Francophone Catholic community and in its contextual value as a landmark in Vanier.

Designed by Quebec architect Charles Brodeur, St. Charles Church is a good example of the Quebec Neoclassical style. Neoclassicism was popular in Canada from 1800 until
1860 but churches continued to be built in this style in Quebec and French-speaking Parishes outside of Quebec into the 20tn century.

Typical of the style, St. Charles Church has a smooth, symmetrical facade and a simple, cruciform plan. lt features a symmetrical fenestration pattern, and a projecting entrance tower topped by a wooden belfry and flanked by two tower-like corner pilasters topped with smaller belfries.

St. Charles Church has historical value for its association with the Francophone Catholic community in Ottawa. The congregation was formed in 1908 in response to demands by the local Catholic community who thought that other Francophone churches in Ottawa were too far away from Vanier. In 1912, Father Francois-Xavier Barrette was appointed Parish Priest and under his guidance, the church quickly became the centre of the Francophone Catholic community in Vanier. In 1926, Barrette and a small group of civil servants formed the Order of Jacques Cartier, an all male secret society intended to protect and promote Francophone Catholic values. lt grew rapidly in the first half of the 20th century and is credited with the development of many Francophone organizations, including Club Richelieu lnternational, a service club that is still active today. The Order of Jacques Cartier was dissolved in 1965, as a result of the societal changes prompted by the Quiet Revolution.

The location of St. Charles Church along the curve of Beechwood Avenue and its tower topped with a blue, neon cross, make it a prominent local landmark. lt has contextual value as it contributes to the distinctive French Canadian identity in the Vanier community.

Source: (visit link)

See Also: (visit link)

Link to Property in The Ontario Properties Database: [Web Link] Building or Property Type: Religious Building County or Regional Municipality: Ottawa-Carleton

Visit Instructions:
To log a waymark in this category please include a photo taken by you of the property and any comments you have on your visit: what you like about the site, its history and any changes that you noted from the database description.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.