Walkerville Collegiate Institute

Nominated for the Peter Stokes Restoration Award: Large-Scale/Team/Corporate

Built in 1922, Walkerville Collegiate Institute was designed by John Boyd and JP Thomson, and was constructed by Pennington and Boyd. The construction features large windows and a masonry and limestone facade. Beautiful architectural details, including a heavy archway and designed parapets enhance this historic structure. At the time of the school’s 100th anniversary, many of these features had either been altered or started to crumble. There were also structural issues that were beginning to become a concern and the board came to a crossroads. They chose to invest $10 million in the restoration of the facade and verified interior updates, and gave that challenge to a company with a familiar name, JP Thomson Architects. The investment and historical sensitivity of the renovations is evident. The goal for these architects was to restore the structure to the 1920s look and they succeeded in a grand style. Badly retrofitted windows in which much of the frame was blocked were replaced with beautiful historically sensitive models.

The facade restoration is a step back in time for anyone walking down the street and stands out as a feature diamond in an area where many of the homes are to period and maintained in that way. JP Thompson used the experience they’d gathered in the restoration of the nearby Kennedy Collegiate to ensure a lasting product in Walkerville Collegiate. The investment the Board made and the quality of the work, ensures that this building will be used for another century and serve as an inspiration to the area’s children. 

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