A historian characterized the fire as a “catastrophe for Canadian architecture, Canadian art and Canadian heritage.”
When I visited the site of the fire on the day after the blaze, it was difficult to take in the sight of the fire-ravaged church. Bystanders were struggling to make meaning of the profound loss , and clergy displaced by the fire were on the streets to provide solace.
The study of protection of historic sites during disaster tells us that cultural heritage is a fixed and nonrenewable resource. In St. Anne’s Church, a collection of religious murals — including some by the Group of Seven — form part of Toronto’s cultural patrimony that has now been lost.
The art within St. Anne’s Church is now part of Toronto’s lost cultural legacy. (Shutterstock)
Preventive conservation
At the time of writing, fire investigators are still determining the cause of the St. Anne’s Church fire. Arson is not suspected .
Efforts could have been made anytime in the last 117 years to better safeguard the structure from fire. But actions were not taken.
It is not fair to suggest that St. Anne’s parishioners should have alone absorbed that burden to protect the structure and its contents valued by the wider community. In retrospect, an open question is how could have St. Anne’s have been better helped by heritage and government programs supporting historical preservation?
Fire crews inspecting the damage at St. Anne’s on June 10, 2024. (J. Rozdilsky) , CC BY
Inspiration for recovery
All that is now left at St. Anne’s is ruins which may be difficult, if not impossible, to rehabilitate. But inspiration for the recovery can be drawn from what happened after a cathedral fire in Winnipeg 56 years ago. St. Boniface Cathedral-Basilica was constructed out of the ruins of a 1908 structure that was consumed by fire .
On July 22, 1968, workers were doing some roofing maintenance and repair on the bell towers, when one reportedly carelessly disposed of a smouldering cigarette. The church’s wood chip insulation ignited, and fire quickly spread through the 60-year-old structure’s wooden frame .
For the recovery, decisions were made that the effort would not try to recreate the old cathedral. Rather, the fire was commemorated as the ruins were incorporated into the design of the new cathedral. Manitoba architect Étienne Gaboury created a new hybrid construction.
In 1971, a new chapel reopened within the ruins of the previous building. Today, the new smaller cathedral incorporates the ruins of the burned façade. The unique redesign of St. Boniface now serves as the space for a continuation of over 200 years of religious practice, along with being a unique architectural asset for Winnipeg .
A cautionary tale
Barriers to retrofitting the church with modern fire suppression systems include making modern alterations to the original historic building, managing a very challenging task and obtaining the money to get it done . In retrospect, it may be found that those barriers may seem small as compared to the tasks that may be faced with replacing the entire structure, notwithstanding the loss of irreplaceable cultural artifacts.
It will take a large effort to rebuild St. Anne’s Church. Inspiration, creativity, patience, grit, determination and support from the wider community are needed for St. Anne’s to rise again from the ashes.
The St. Anne’s fire is a cautionary tale about what happens when we know how to reduce risks to safeguard our cultural heritage, but then for a variety of reasons we do not.
Jack L. Rozdilsky receives support for research communication and public scholarship from York University. He also has received research support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
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