Preserving history
Port-Royal Habitation getting $600,000 makeover
PORT-ROYAL
Canada’s first historic reconstruction is getting a $600,000 facelift, but for Parks Canada staff and work crews it’s not about looking new, it’s about looking old -- 413 years old to be exact.
Jonathan Nash, Port-Royal renewal project manager for Parks Canada can’t wait for the bright, white pine roof boards to weather to grey.
The original Habitation was built by Samuel de Champlain and his men in 1605. The reconstruction of that first permanent European settlement was opened on July 4, 1941 and, back then, carpenters and other tradesmen attempted to recreate it as precisely and accurately as possible, said Nash.
That’s Nash’s challenge as he pays attention to historic detail but also considers the need for longevity of workmanship and materials. He toured the site Aug. 15 after a significant amount of work was completed on the board and batten roof.
The new roof is pressure treated pine held on by stainless steel screws. The old tarpaper weather barrier has been updated to plastic, and newer flashing is being used around the chimneys.
From the ground it looks authentic, but it will last decades longer than the materials of 1605.
Funding
“This was part of the federal Infrastructure Investment Program,” said Nash. “It was announced in 2015, and Parks Canada as a whole was spending $3 billion on historic sites, national parks, and marine conservation areas across the whole country.”
He said the work at Port-Royal is important.
“This is the first reconstruction that the conservation movement ever did in Canada, so that’s why there’s a lot of historical significance with this one,” he said. “It was the first one the federal government wanted to undertake to honour our heritage. It is very important historically, an important part of Canadian history.”
The renewal project should see the first phase finished by November. A second phase will see the deconstruction of the palisades and the outforts over the winter, with construction of the new outforts and palisades in the spring.
There will also be work on the front of the Habitation that Parks Canada is trying to do outside the visitor season to minimize that impact on visitors. “The front gate will either be done this fall or the spring before the site opens up,” he said.
Test section
While the current work started in earnest this summer, Nash did some exploratory work in 2017 just to figure out how to proceed.
“Last fall we were working on finalizing the design for the roof but, obviously, this is a unique structure,” he said. “It’s kind of different than any other Parks Canada building, so instead of going to tender we wanted to try and do a little bit of a test section to feel out the design, to make sure everything was up to what we needed it to do and learn how to take the boards off.”
They had to see the condition of the sheathing boards and look for rot.
“So we did a little bit of a section last fall to just double-check our design,” he said. “It went really well and we learned a few things, did a few tweaks to the design, and went out to tender in the spring.”
While tenders were open to anyone in Canada, Roscoe Construction Limited in Cambridge, Kings County won the bid and has local subcontractors providing scaffolding and doing masonry.
Replacing roofs
“For the most part we’re replacing or repairing all of the roofs on the buildings,” said Nash. “So that involves removing all the old roof boards and shingles, removing the old membrane, putting a new, modern waterproofing membrane down and re-installing the (new) roof boards and shingles as well as flashing around the chimneys and repointing the chimneys.”
The Habitation has numerous chimneys, and flashing didn’t keep out water in a few places in recent years, with minor damage resulting inside.
Another component of the work is to replace the canon platform and the palisades.
“Any of the work we’re doing now, the primary thing is to make sure the structure’s waterproof so they can have a long life and last a long time, but we put a lot of effort into trying to maintain the historic look and trying to use historic techniques or mimic historic techniques where applicable and then use kind of modern things that might help improve the longevity of the structure without impacting the aesthetics.”
Oak shingles will be used on the main entrance, with cedar for the other various roofs that require them.
Pine timbers
One of the defining looks of the Habitation is the adzing marks on the heavy timbers that make up the canon platform.
“That kind of dates back to the original reconstruction where they were using those old techniques as much as they could, which is a way of shaping a round log into a square,” said Nash. “So you have to manually chip away at the wood itself to get the shape you want and that leaves a distinct look on the boards. We really felt it important to continue that look. It’s kind of a unique technique that’s not really used too much anymore.”
Parks Canada staff took on that task in-house to try to maintain that skillset.
“We used the general work staff. They were really excited to work on it so we got some heavy timbers and then the general staff used a hand adz and that way we could get the shape we needed and have that historic adz look to our timbers,” he said.
Parks Canada tried to minimize any impact the construction would have on visitors.
“However, we do need to maintain our sites and unfortunately the optimal construction season is also the best time for tourists to come,” he said. “We put a lot of emphasis in the construction package to make sure the work was phased so the site’s not overwhelmed with construction. It needs to be sequenced so we can keep all, or as much as possible, of the site open so visitors can come see all the exhibits, tour the grounds and they’re not encountering a lot of noise.”
Nash hasn’t heard and complaints but has received lots of positive feedback from people happy to see Parks Canada maintaining the structures.
Wigwam
Wood and stone weren’t the only things upgraded at the Habitation. The covering for the wigwam outside the fortified buildings received a new covering. While it may not be of authentic material, it will last longer.
“We wanted to have a place that offered a theatre and felt more indigenous and so this is for durability,” said interpreter Wayne Melanson of the vinyl material. “It’s a place for Robbie (McEwan) and his mother (Judy Pearson) to explain Mi’kmaq culture and share Mi’kmaq culture with our visitors and offer another experience outside of the Habitation to add to their visit when they’re coming here.”
Marty Daignault was visiting from Boston and took part in the drumming for the Gathering Song, which McEawn sang inside the wigwam. Daignault, coincidently, was born on Lake Champlain.
“It was really cool. We had fun,” said Daignault, of Melanson. “He’s a very interesting man. He’s got a lot of talent in his crafts and he’s willing to share. It’s a very special thing to see.”