EWART, John Albert (1872-1964), a leading architect in Ottawa, Ont. who was active there for more than fifty years. Born there on 20 April 1872, he was the son of David Ewart, Chief Architect of the Dept. of Public Works, and it is likely that J. Albert was persuaded by his father to pursue a career in architecture. Rather than train under the supervision of his father, however, he was placed in the office of Arnoldi & Calderon as an apprentice in 1887, and spent four years of training there. In 1891 he moved to Toronto to enroll in the School of Practical Science at the University of Toronto, and later graduated from there in 1895. After returning to Ottawa, his former employer King M. Arnoldi invited the young Ewart to become a full partner of his firm (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 12 Sept. 1895, 8; see list of works under Arnoldi & Ewart). Their partnership was active until 1904, then Ewart worked as draftsman for Band, Burritt & Meredith for two years, and opened an office under his own name in 1906, and continued to practise for the next 45 years.
His best-known works there include an early Ottawa skyscraper called The Transportation Building, 1916-17, which he designed in an elaborate Beaux-Arts style that featured a façade clad entirely in exquisitely crafted terra cotta tile. Ewart also possessed a scholarly knowledge of ecclesiastical architecture which he used to great effect in his refined Gothic Revival design for Southminster United Church in 1931. Ewart was an adept and skilled delineator and draftsman, and effortlessly produced some of the finest architectural drawings to found in public collections in Canada. Most of these drawings have survived, and are now held at the National Archives of Canada in Ottawa (NAC, Acc. 752-875; Acc. 76703/13; Acc. 77803/14). This collection includes more than 2,000 drawings dating from 1895 to 1959. Ewart retired in 1958 and died in Ottawa at the age of 92 years on 21 April 1964 (obit. and port. Ottawa Journal, 22 April 1964, 9; obit. Ottawa Citizen, 22 April 1964, 3; biog. and port. Who’s Who & Why in Canada, 1915-16, 380; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects, Toronto)
J.A. EWART (Institutional & Ecclesiastical works in Ottawa unless noted)
PORTER'S ISLAND HOSPITAL, 1900, to replace the earlier hospital buildings designed by G.F. Stalker in 1894 (Ottawa Journal, 3 Aug. 1900, 7; C.R., xi, 8 Aug. 1900, 3)
(with Jackson & Rosencrans) YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, Metcalfe Street at Laurier Avenue, 1906-07; additions 1912 (C.R., xvii, 19 Dec. 1906, 4; and xxvi, 24 Jan. 1912, 64)
CARLETON COUNTY REGISTRY OFFICE, Daly Avenue at Nicholas Street, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 30 June 1909, 23, t.c.)
ST. PAUL'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Daly Avenue, new Manse, 1910 (H. Kalman, Exploring Ottawa, 1983, 66)
MISSION HALL FOR MEN, George Street, 1910-11 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 17 Nov. 1910, 2, descrip.)
MASONIC TEMPLE, Metcalfe Street, 1910-12 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 19 Dec. 1910, 3, illus. & descrip.; 6 July 1912, 1, illus.)
BETHANY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Parkdale Avenue at Bethany Road, 1911 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 21 Jan. 1911, 3, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xxv, 5 April 1911, 56)
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, Metcalfe Street at Laurier Avenue, major addition, 1912 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 13 Jan. 1912, 11, illus. & descrip.; and 2 March 1912, 12, illus. & descrip.)
OTTAWA MOTOR BOAT CLUB, east side of the Rideau Canal, between Bank Street Bridge and Pig Island, opposite Lansdowne Park, 1912; demol. 1931 (dwgs. NAC, RG43, Vol. 1427, File 9632; inf. Alan McCullough, Ottawa)
CALVIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Sunnyside Avenue at Fairbairn Avenue, 1914 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 21 Dec. 1914, 11, illus. & descrip.)
GLEBE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE, Percy Street at Carling Avenue, 1922-23; with new HIGH SCHOOL OF COMMERCE, 1929 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 12 Oct. 1921, 2, descrip.; and 26 July 1922, 15, descrip.; and 9 May 1923, 12, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xxxvi, 18 Jan. 1922, 55, t.c.; and xliii, 6 Feb. 1929, 51; Ottawa Citizen, 9 May 1923, 13; Andrew Waldron, Exploring the Capital: An Architectural Guide to the Ottawa-Gatineau Region, 2017, 98-9, illus. & descrip.)
ASHBURY COLLEGE, Mariposa Avenue, addition of the Memorial Wing, 1923-24 (Ottawa Journal, 19 April 1923, 17, t.c.; Martha Edmond, Rockcliffe Park - A History of the Village, 2005, 221-22)
CHILDREN'S SANATORIUM, situated beside Lady Grey Hospital, Carling Avenue, 1923 (Ottawa Journal, 20 April 1923, 7)
(with Stevens & Lee) OTTAWA CIVIC HOSPITAL, Carling Avenue at Melrose Avenue, 1922-23; addition to Nurse's Residence, 1941; Pathology Wing, 1948-49; East Lawn Pavilion, 1953 (Const., xv, April 1922, 108-9, illus. & descrip.; C.R., liv, 5 Feb. 1941, 33-4; and lxii, July 1949, 133; Ottawa Journal, 9 July 1947, 2, descrip.)
PROTESTANT HOME FOR THE AGED, Bank Street near Holmwood Avenue, 1928 (dwgs. at NAC, Ewart Coll.)
HIGH SCHOOL OF COMMERCE, Carling Avenue, 1929 (Ottawa Journal, 16 Jan. 1929, 1 and 16, descrip.; and 2 March 1929, 43, descrip.; and 19 March 1929, 4, descrip.; and 1 March 1930, 25, descrip.)
PROTESTANT CHILDREN'S VILLAGE & ORPHANAGE, Carling Avenue at Irving Avenue, 1930-31 (Ottawa Journal, 22 May 1930, 7, descrip.; and 9 Jan. 1931, 15, illus. & descrip.)
SOUTHMINSTER UNITED CHURCH, Bank Street at Alymer Avenue, 1931 (C.R., xlv, 21 Jan. 1931, 49; Ottawa Citizen, 11 Jan. 1932, 14-5, illus. & descrip.; Ottawa Journal, 9 Jan. 1932, 13, illus. & descrip.; and 11 Jan. 1932, 7, descrip.; Andrew Waldron, Exploring the Capital: An Architectural Guide to the Ottawa-Gatineau Region, 2017, 104-05, illus. & descrip.)
ANDREW W. FLECK CHILD CARE CENTRE, King Edward Avenue at George Street, 1932 (Ottawa Journal, 27 Oct. 1931, 3, descrip.; and 21 July 1932, 12, descrip.; dwgs. at NAC, Ewart Coll.)
ST. PAUL'S-EASTERN UNITED CHURCH, Cumberland Street at Daly Avenue, addition of a new Parish Hall, 1931 (Ottawa Journal, 30 Oct. 1931, 15)
(with Sproatt & Rolph) KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Lisgar Street at Elgin Street, 1932 (C.R., xlvi, 20 Jan. 1932, 44, t.c.)
ROYAL OTTAWA SANATORIUM, Carling Avenue at Harmer Avenue, major addition to the Whitney Memorial Building, 1932 (C.R., xlv, 2 Dec. 1931, 52; Ottawa Journal, 31 Dec. 1931, 8, t.c.)
CORONATION GATES, at the entrance to the grounds of the Royal Ottawa Sanatorium, 1937 (Ottawa Journal, 15 May 1937, 7, descrip.)
OTTAWA TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, Albert Street at Bay Street, major additions, 1938-39 (Ottawa Journal, 21 June 1938, 18; and 26 Jan. 1939, 22; and 19 Oct. 1939, 17, illus. & descrip.; C.R., li, 24 Aug. 1938, 33)
(with A.J. Hazelgrove) FISHER PARK SECONDARY SCHOOL, Holland Avenue, 1945-47 (Ottawa Journal, 16 Oct. 1945, 5; R.A.I.C. Journal, xxiv, Oct. 1947, 358-9, illus.)
(with A.J. Hazelgrove) ROYAL OTTAWA SANATORIUM, Carling Avenue at Harmer Avenue, 1949 (C.R., lxii, Jan. 1949, 186)
(with A.J. Hazelgrove) OTTAWA SOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY, Bank Street at Aylmer Avenue, 1949-50 (C.R., lxii, Nov. 1949, 124)
J.A. EWART (Commercial & Industrial works in Ottawa)
BRYSON & GRAHAM, Queen Street, warehouse, 1909-10 (C.R., xxiii, 22 Dec. 1909, 24)
RIDEAU STREET, stores and apartments for M. Drazin, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 26 April 1911, 54, t.c.)
McFARLANE & DOUGLAS LTD, Slater Street, factory, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 7 June 1911, 68, t.c.)
ROLLA L. CRAINE CO. LTD., Spruce Street, factory, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 28 June 1911, 59)
G.L. & M. ORME CO., Spruce Street, printing factory, 1911 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 17 Aug. 1911, 3)
RIDEAU STREET, near Cumberland Street, commercial block for F.C. Graves, C.A. Douglas & Ralph McMorran, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 23 Aug. 1911, 54)
SPARKS STREET, showroom for Russell Motor Car Co., 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 27 March 1912, 73)
RIDEAU STREET, warehouse for J. Roberts Allan, 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 6 March 1912, 73)
BOOTH BUILDING, Sparks Street, near Bank Street, a 5 storey commercial block for Charles Jackson Booth and J.A.D. Holbrook, 1912, with 3 floors added in 1913 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 8 July 1912, 1, illus., and Evening Journal [Ottawa], 18 Oct. 1913, 11, illus. & detailed architectural descrip.)
OTTAWA ELECTRIC RAILWAY CO., transmission power house, Nelson Street, 1913 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 28 June 1913, 22)
OTTAWA ELECTRIC RAILWAY CO., transmission power house, Centre Street, 1913 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 28 June 1913, 22)
CARLING TELEPHONE EXCHANGE BUILDING, First Avenue at Bank Street, for the Bell Telephone Company, 1913 (C.R., xxvii, 16 July 1913, 71)
AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY, Wellington Street, 1913 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 26 May 1913, 1, illus.; C.R., xxvii, 30 July 1913, 69)
TRANSPORTATION BUILDING, Rideau Street at Sussex Drive, 1916-17 (Const., x, Oct. 1917, 354-7, illus. & descrip.; Ottawa: A Guide to Heritage Structures, 2000, 97, illus.;Andrew Waldron, Exploring the Capital: An Architectural Guide to the Ottawa-Gatineau Region, 2017, 144-5, illus. & descrip.)
A.J. FREIMAN DEPARTMENT STORE, Rideau Street at Mosgrove Street, addition, 1917; with another addition, 1927-29 (Const., x, June 1917, 217; C.R., xli, 27 April 1927, 403, illus. & descrip.; and xliv, 23 April 1930, 470, illus. & descrip.; Ottawa Journal, 1 Jan. 1929, 5, descrip.; inf. Scott Edwards)
BEACH FOUNDRY CO., Hinton Avenue at Spencer Street, large factory, 1919 (C.R., xxxiii, 7 May 1919, 48; Montreal Daily Star, 3 June 1919, 19)
JACKSON BUILDING, Bank Street near Albert Street, for C. Jackson Booth, 1919-20 (C.R., xxxiii, 5 Nov. 1919, 48; and xxxvi, 20 Dec. 1922, illus. on cover; Ottawa Journal, 1 Oct. 1920, 12, illus. & descrip.)
OTTAWA DAIRY LTD., Somerset Street, running through to Cooper Street, major addition to milk and ice cream plant, 1921 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 6 Aug. 1921, 3, descrip.)
OTTAWA ELECTRIC RAILWAY CO., Champagne Avenue at Elm Street, car barns & repair shops, 1925 (Canadian Railway & Marine World, xxviii, June 1925, 299, illus. & descrip.)
(with D. Everett Waid) METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE CO., office building, Wellington Street at Bank Street, 1925 (C.R., xxxix, 20 May 1925, 499; Const., xx, April 1927, 106-16, illus. & descrip.)
R.J. DEVLIN CO. LTD., Bank Street near Rosebery Avenue, fur cold storage building, 1925-26; still standing 2017 (Ottawa Journal, 27 Feb. 1926, 13, illus. & descrip.)
OTTAWA ELECTRIC COMPANY BUILDING, Sparks Street near Queen Street, 1926-27 (C.R., xl, 15 Dec. 1926, 1183, illus. & descrip.; and xlii, 18 Jan. 1928, 48-9, illus. & descrip.; Evening Journal [Ottawa], 13 March 1928, Section Two - Ottawa Electric Building Supplement, 19-33, illus. & descrip.; J. Weir, Lost Craft of Ornamented Architecture, 1983, 78, illus.; Andrew Waldron, Exploring the Capital: An Architectural Guide to the Ottawa-Gatineau Region, 2017, 22-4, illus. & descrip.)
VICTORIA BUILDING, Wellington Street at O'Connor Street, 1928 (Ottawa Journal, 27 Nov. 1928, 14 to 17, illus. and descrip.; H. Kalman, Exploring Ottawa, 1983, 9)
RIDEAU STREET, between King Edward Avenue ant Cumberland Street, large auto garage for I. Sugarman, 1928 (Ottawa Journal, 21 April 1928, 16)
BRITISH AMERICAN BANK NOTE CO., Wellington Street, a large 4 storey addition, 1929 (Ottawa Journal, 13 April 1929, 6, descrip.)
EL RANCHO RESTAURANT, Bate Island, under the Champlain Bridge, 1940 (Ottawa Journal, 22 May 1940, 20, illus. & descrip.)
OTTAWA HYDRO ELECTRIC CO. SUBSTATION, Echo Drive at Mann Avenue, 1946 (C.R., lix, May 1946, 120)
J.A. EWART (Residential works in Ottawa)
ROCKCLIFFE PARK, 'Lornado', a residence for Warren Y. Soper, Lisgar Road, 1908 (Martha Edmond, Rockcliffe Park - A History of the Village, 2005, 199-202, illus.; inf. Parks Canada, Canadian Inventory of Historic Buildings files)
CLEMOW AVENUE, residence for Orville B. Shortly, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 31 May 1911, 66)
"EARNSCLIFFE", the residence of Sir William Clark, the British High Commissioner, a conversion of the existing coach house at the rear of the property, to create an office for the Commissioner, 1931 (Ottawa Journal, 21 Feb. 1931, 3)
ISLAND PARK DRIVE, residence for Clayton A. Fitzsimmons, 1935 (Ottawa Journal, 17 April 1935, 12)
LAKESIDE PARK, residence for A.H. Fitzsimmons, Madawaska Avenue, 1936 (Ottawa Journal, 15 July 1936, 13)
MARIPOSA AVENUE, Rockcliffe Park, residence for Dwight P. Cruikshank, 1937 (dwgs. at NAC, Ewart Coll.)
J.A. EWART (works elsewhere)
CARLETON PLACE, ONT., Zion Presbyterian Church, Franklin Street at Beckwith Street, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 15 March 1911, 53, t.c.; Lanark Era, 28 June 1911, 8, descrip.)
KARO, ONT., public school, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 28 June 1911, 57, t.c.)
TWIN ELM, ONT., public school, 1912 (Ottawa Journal, 28 Aug. 1912, 10, t.c.)
PEMBROKE, ONT., Steel Equipment Co., factory, 1913 (dwgs. at NAC, Ewart Coll.)
ARNPRIOR, ONT., major addition to the High School, 1923 (Ottawa Journal, 3 April 1923, 17, t.c.)
CHESTERVILLE, ONT., Community Hall, Mill Street at Victoria Street, 1935 (Ottawa Journal, 12 Aug. 1935, 16, t.c.)
COMPETITIONS
CANADIAN ARCHITECT & BUILDER, Drawing Competition, 1891. Using the pseudonym "Arm & Hammer", he is almost certainly the same "Albert Ewart" who, at the age of 19, submitted a Design for a Front Fence in a competition sponsored by The Canadian Architect & Builder magazine in Toronto. His drawings show variations on how the fence could be built in wood, in iron, and in stone (C.A.B., iv, Dec. 1891, 104ff, plate illus.)
OTTAWA, ONT., Government of Canada, Departmental & Justice Buildings, 1907. J.A. Ewart was one of 30 architects who submitted a design for this major complex on Parliament Hill. The chief juror Edmund Burke ranked his design in 14th Place, with a score of 55 out of 100, and was critical of the massing of Departmental buildings which overshadowed the Justice block (OA, Horwood Papers, Edmund Burke, Jury comments on 1907 competition in Ottawa). His proposal was awarded 7th Place overall (C.A.B., xx, Sept. 1907, 184). The First Prize was won by Edward & W.S. Maxwell, but their winning design was never built.
OTTAWA, ONT., Government of Canada, Departmental Buildings, 1914. In a reprise of the competition held 7 years earlier, Ewart was among 62 entrants from Commonwealth countries who submitted a design for this project on Wellington Street. WWI intervened, and the project was never built, but 6 finalists eventually received financial compensation for their work in 1923. Ewart was not among the finalists (NAC, RG11, Vol. 2952, File 5370, list of entrants)
RENFREW, ONT., Civic War Memorial, 1919. The office of J. Albert Ewart was one of four Ottawa architectural firms who submitted a design for this stone Cenotaph (Ottawa Journal, 31 May 1919, 9). The winner was Millson & Burgess, Architects