Spencer R. Higgins, Architect Incorporated

Spencer R. Higgins, Architect Incorporated
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Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Monument Base Review Masonry Condition Assessment

The Ontario Legislative Building was erected in 1893 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style to the initial designs of Architect Richard A. Waite. The building sits in landscaped grounds that contain important commemorative statuary and plaques. The first permanent statue honoring a historic figure on the grounds at Queen's Park - that of Father of Confederation George Brown (1818-1880) - was unveiled in 1884. Since that time numerous bronze statues and plaques on masonry bases have been erected on the Legislative Assembly grounds. The statues are all part of the Archives of Ontario collection. ArconTEST Incorporated was retained in August 2019, by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to assess the masonry bases of the bronze monuments found on the grounds of Queens Park. ArconTEST conducted a general masonry review of the ten monuments, two war cannons and one plaque. Six of the monument bases have been identified as Stanstead granite. Three additional granite types supporting the following monuments are currently unidentified: John Sandfield MacDonald, William Lyon Mackenzie and the Ontario Post One plaque. The Sir James Pliny Whitney's base is built from Queenston limestone and the two war cannons sit atop carved Berea Sandstone. Each statue and plaque base was assessed and recommendations made for repairs and future conservation. Measured drawings of each base were prepared and annotated with deterioration issues.			Queen Victoria Statue south elevation with John Sandfield MacDonald in the background (ATI 2019) Queen Victoria statue base illustrating delaminating shards (ATI 2019)