Coffman: Church of St-François-d’Assise is a heritage gem, Archdiocese objections aside

Paroisse St. Francois d’Assise church at 20 Fairmont Avenue in Hintonburg. Photo by JULIE OLIVER /POSTMEDIAArticle content

As a Hintonburger and an architectural historian, I was delighted when the Built Heritage Committee voted on May 13 to recommend heritage designation for the Church of St-François-d’Assise.

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It’s a beautiful building, but beautiful is not all it is. For many, it’s sacred space. For many more, it’s a landmark. It bears witness to the heritage of Hintonburg. It anchors us in history and bestows a sense of place.

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But not everyone was as happy as I was. Most notably, Richard Pommainville, CAO of the Ottawa-Cornwall Archdiocese, spoke out in opposition to designation. Jesus wouldn’t have supported designation, he argued, because it wouldn’t have assisted the church’s mission to bring the word of God.

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I probably shouldn’t get into a theological debate with the Archdiocese’s senior administrator. But I will say that Jesus never took a position on Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, and that 1,700 years of Roman Catholic history affirm the value of beautiful architecture in bringing people closer to God.

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On purely historical grounds, St-François-d’Assise easily merits designation. It’s an exceptional example of early 20th-century Roman Catholic architecture. It displays a high degree of artistry and craftsmanship. It embodies the faith of the francophone Catholic community, which is a core element of Hintonburg’s history. It’s connected to many prominent citizens of the community’s history. It has been the neighbourhood’s most distinctive landmark for over a century. This incomplete list of attributes already exceeds the requirements for designation.

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So why the resistance? Some property owners who oppose designation do so because they fear that restrictions will be placed on what they can do with their building. Moreover, they don’t see much in the way of support to help them meet the responsibilities that go with designation. In short, they see sticks, but not carrots.

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I get their point. Heritage legislation in Ontario could use a few more carrots. This would help us preserve our historic buildings, and persuade their owners of the value of designation.

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The heritage “sticks” that apply to a building like St-François — that is, the restrictions placed on owners — are not, in fact, very robust. You can do just about anything you want to a designated building — even demolish it — as long as you get permission from City Hall. Yes, that can take time, and money, and not all requests are granted. But that’s as it should be. It shouldn’t be easy to disfigure or destroy our built heritage.