2012 Places of Worship Award

St. Mary's Glebe
1508 Barrington St., Halifax, NS
Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Halifax

St Mary’s Glebe post-restoration.

The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Halifax was the winner of the Places of Worship Award for the complete restoration of St. Mary's Glebe, a municipally designated Heritage Property. It sits on lands purchased for the Roman Catholic Church in 1784, replacing an earlier residence for clergy. The three-storey brick building was designed by prominent architect J.C. Dumaresq and erected in 1891 in a blend of Neoclassical and Craftsman Gothic styles. The single storey chapel, in the Romanesque style, forms a protrusion on the west elevation. Although a consultant's report recommended demolition of the literally crumbling edifice, the newly appointed Archbishop Anthony Mancini had the vision and determination to see it restored and returned to its original use as a home for clergy and an iconic landmark within the Barrington Street Heritage Conservation District.

The top-to-bottom restoration of the exterior of the building included repair or replacement of brick work, replication of slate roof tiles, rebuilding of dormers, window replacement, copper downspouts and a recreation of the original garage. The interior saw a total replacement of mechanicals, cleaning and repair of wooden mouldings and fireplaces and the refurbishing of the original, stunning, stained glass windows at the Barrington Street entrance. Changes to accommodate necessary amenities including kitchen, baths and an elevator were incorporated without intruding on the heritage integrity of the building. The contractor, Dora Construction, brought a high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail to this project, ensuring the ongoing role of St. Mary's Glebe both as a church-associated residence with chapel and as an enriching component of the downtown Halifax landscape.