Securing the Future of a Northern Ontario Landmark.
Challenges
Built in stages beginning in 1871, the Parry Sound District Courthouse was the first in a series of northern courthouses developed under Ontario’s Department of Public Works and its chief architect, Kivas Tully.
The original courthouse housed a courtroom, jail, and registry office, while substantial additions in 1889 and 1921–22 reflected the district’s growth and the increasing importance of Northern Ontario. More than 150 years later, the building remains Parry Sound’s judicial centre and an enduring civic landmark
Solution
Boldera provided heritage guidance for the introduction of a new secure single point of entry—a necessary intervention within a building
shaped by several distinct periods of construction.
Through site investigation, design collaboration, and focused heritage memoranda, we assessed the proposed work against recognized conservation standards and helped refine an approach that would remain
visually subordinate to the courthouse. The resulting design uses a transparent glazed enclosure to distinguish the new intervention from the historic building, while a carefully integrated stone base carries forward its material character.
This balance of continuity and contrast improves security and access while preserving the courthouse’s architectural integrity and the legibility of its evolution over time.
Project Facts
Project Year: 2025
Location: Parry Sound, Ontario
Budget: $5 Million (CAD)
Status: Ongoing
Client: Ministry of Attorney General
Project Facts
Heritage Impact Assessment
Heritage Permit Application
Heritage Design Assist
Project Team
Heritage Architect: Boldera Architects Inc.
Architect of Record: NGA Architects Inc.
It was about introducing what the courthouse needs today without allowing the new intervention to compete with more than 150 years of history.
The result is a secure, contemporary entrance that feels clearly of its time while respecting the character of the historic building.”
eRIC RODRIGUES
ARCHITECT
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