Heritage & Cultural Planning

ERA Architects was retained by the National Capital Commission (NCC) to lead the Rideau-to-Rideau Cultural Landscape Study, a foundational component of the NCC’s Master Concept Plan for the Rideau-to- Rideau Waterfront Promenade. The study area spans approximately two kilometres of the Ottawa River (Kichi Zibi) shoreline between Parliament Hill and Rideau Hall, adjacent to nearby...

Located in the historic centre of the Town of Aurora, the former Church Street School (built 1885-86) is a two-storey yellow brick school building designed by architect Thomas Kennedy. The schoolhouse, one of the finest remaining examples of a High Victorian-designed public school in Ontario, is a dominant landmark structure in the community that contributes to Aurora’s period streetscape and the neighbourhood character. As part...

At the heart of the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus, King’s College Circle has long been a defining open space, a ceremonial landscape and a daily crossroads for generations of students. Originally conceived in the mid-19th century as a picturesque foreground to University College, the Circle has evolved with the university and planning ideals...

Snider House, originally built in 1828, is the oldest surviving building in North Toronto and was designated a heritage property in 1979. Over nearly two centuries, the one-and-a-half-storey brick cottage has undergone numerous alterations, gradually evolving alongside its surroundings, from rural to urban. The most recent renovation was carefully designed by GPA, with ERA advising...

The Royal Hotel has been a landmark in Picton since 1881, a Victorian-era hub for travellers and community life in Prince Edward County. After decades of decline, the building faced significant degradation, threatening its historic presence on Main Street. The revitalization project aimed to rehabilitate the three-story heritage building while adapting it for contemporary use....

An iconic Montreal landmark, the convent of the “Religieuses Hospitalières de Saint-Joseph” (RHSJ) is a valuable testament to the city’s history. Associated with the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital, it highlights the significant contribution of the RHSJ to Montreal society, from its inception to the present day. In 2017, the City of Montreal acquired the “Cité-des-Hospitalières,” recognizing the...

In 2010, ERA’s heritage planning services were engaged for the redevelopment of 15–35 Mercer Street, a downtown site of three heritage buildings that housed the Pilkington Glass Company from 1895 to 1969. Following a lengthy approvals process, the final plan included the partial retention and adaptive reuse of all three heritage buildings, integrating them into...

Constructed between 1942 and 1946, the Drug Trading Company office building at 25 Ontario Street features a brick and stone façade designed by Margison and Babcock Engineers. Their façade design reflects both Art Deco and Streamline Moderne influences. In 2011, ERA was engaged to oversee the heritage planning and approvals process for the building’s adaptive...

The Deer Park Presbyterian Church building was designed by Sharp and Brown Architects and completed in 1912, with later additions in 1931 and 1961. The congregation vacated and deconsecrated the church in 2008, and a redevelopment process was initiated in 2010, with approval in 2015. Designated under part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act in...

Kìwekì Point is an urban park on a scenic promontory overlooking the Kichi Zibi/Ottawa River, adjacent to the National Gallery of Canada and connected to Major’s Hill Park via Pìdàban Bridge. Originally opened as Nepean Point in the late 19th century, this park has inspired countless visitors with its sweeping views of the national capital...

Canada Lands Company (CLC) is developing a new mixed-use urban community in Ottawa. The 18-acre (7.3-hectare) site located at 1495 Heron Road, also referred to as the Campanile Campus, is located on unceded Algonquin traditional territory within the Guildwood Estates neighbourhood in the Alta Vista community. ERA was engaged as a cultural heritage consultant to...

Waawaatesi, which means “firefly” in Anishinaabemowin, is a vibrant new public park coming to 229 Richmond Street West. The winning design was selected from a two-stage design competition and evaluated by a jury of experts in landscape architecture, architecture, urban design, art, curation, climate resilience, and Indigenous design. The Jury’s decision was also informed by...