Forster, Julian Charles

FORSTER, Julian Charles (1860-1934), a prominent architect in Owen Sound, Ontario, active there from 1885 until 1919 in the following firms:

J.C. Forster, Owen Sound, Ont. 1885 to 1889
Forster & Ellis, Port Arthur, Ont. 1889 (with James A. Ellis, likely as a branch office of the Owen Sound headquarters of Forster)
J.C. Forster, Owen Sound, Ont. 1889 to 1902
Forster & Clark, Owen Sound, Ont. 1902 to 1919 (with John T. Clark)
J.C. Forster, Hamilton, Ont., 1919 onward
John T. Clark, successor to the firm, continues to operate office in Owen Sound (see list of works under Clark, John T.)

Forster lived and worked in Owen Sound, at first under his own name until 1901, and then in partnership with John T. Clark as Forster & Clark, Architects from 1902 to 1919. The name of Forster can be linked to over sixty works located in Grey County, Bruce County, Huron County, and as far south as the cities of Toronto and Hamilton, and as far north as Manitoulin Island. He specialized in preparing plans for educational buildings, but he was also a capable designer of institutional, ecclesiastical, commercial and residential works located in towns throughout central Ontario. He was responsible for nearly 100 projects which were built in Southern and Central Ontario between 1888 to 1923. One of his most striking designs was the Town Hall in Hanover, Ontario, a boldly expressive landmark inspired by the Prairie School designs of Purcell & Elmslie of Minneapolis. This work was completed in 1910 and still stands today in 2023, and has recently been restored.

Born in Dublin, Ireland on 4 October 1860, he was brought to Canada by his family in 1870 and was raised in Hamilton. By 1880 he was working as an architect's apprentice, and was employed as a “draughtsman” by an unnamed architect in that city (City of Hamilton Directory, 1881, p. 70). The following year, in 1882, he had moved to Barrie, Ontario, where it was reported that he had “....associated himself with the firm of Kennedy, McVittie & Holland, Architects, and will hereafter take charge of the Barrie office. Mr. Forster is a gentleman of known ability...” (Northern Advance [Barrie], 13 July 1882, 3). It may thus be assumed that much of the practical training which Forster obtained during this formative period was under the supervision of Thomas Kennedy in Barrie, one of the busiest (and most prolific) architects in central Ontario in the latter part of the 19th C.

By 1885 Forster had moved to Owen Sound and opened his own office there. In 1889, he associated himself with James A. Ellis, an architect from nearby Meaford, with Ellis working in Port Arthur, and Forster remaining in Owen Sound. His practice was a success, and in 1902 he invited John T. Clark to join him in a new partnership. Their major works included the lavish Romanesque Revival residence for Alfred J. Frost, Jackson Street, Owen Sound (1893-94; still standing in 2023), and the sprawling King's Royal Hotel at Balmy Beach, Sarawak Township (1902; demol. 1916), a large summer resort complex dominated by a 6 storey tower overlooking the Georgian Bay shoreline, and the design for the Owen Sound Y.M.C.A. (1905), executed in a restrained Beaux-Arts style, and the substantial Carnegie Library in Owen Sound (1912-14). The events surrounding WW1 had a negative impact on the local economy in Grey County, and their collaboration ended in 1918 when Forster closed the office and moved back to Hamilton (Owen Sound Sun, 27 Aug. 1918, 1). There, he became Superintendent of Buildings for the Frederick F. Dalley Co. Ltd., a large manufacturing complex located Sanford Avenue South and on Hughson Street North. Forster died at Port Sidney, Lake of Bays, Muskoka on 9 June 1934 (obituary Daily Sun Times [Owen Sound], 11 June 1934, 10; obit. Engineering & Contract Record [Toronto], xlviii, 20 June 1934, 532; inf. Anne de Fort-Menares, Toronto; inf. Stephen Otto, Toronto).

J.C. FORSTER (works in Owen Sound unless noted)

MARKDALE, ONT., public school, 1885, "...to replace the old school which burned in November 1884" (Markdale Standard, 31 Oct. 1935, 7, historical article reprinted from 1885)
HILL STREET, residence for W.S. Johnstone, 1886 (Owen Sound Advertiser, 29 April 1886, 2)
WATER STREET, commercial block for J.M. Kilbourn, 1886 (Owen Sound Advertiser, 29 April 1886, 2)
MURDOCK STREET, residence for Robert Christie, 1886 (Owen Sound Advertiser, 29 April 1886, 2)
BOYD STREET, residence for Samuel Lloyd, 1886 (Owen Sound Advertiser, 29 April 1886, 2)
EXHIBITION GROUNDS, buildings for the Great North Western Exhibition Co., 1886 (Owen Sound Advertiser, 3 June 1886, 2, t.c.)
HILL STREET, Public School, 1886 (Owen Sound Advertiser, 3 June 1886, 2, t.c.)
WATER STREET, at Division Street, hotel for William Nelson, 1887 (Owen Sound Advertiser, 12 May 1887, 2, t.c.)
AMERICAN HOTEL, addition for Jacob D. Speers, 1887 (Owen Sound Advertiser, 24 Nov. 1887, 2, t.c.)
BROCKHOLM SCHOOL, addition, 1888 (C.A.B., i, June 1888, 8)
unnamed street, residence for Mrs. J.W. Layton, 1888 (C.A.B., i, June 1888, 8)
WOODFORD, ONT., a large hotel for John Lemon, 1888-89 (Owen Sound Times, 8 Nov. 1888, 4, t.c.)

FORSTER & ELLIS (works in Port Arthur)

PORT ARTHUR, ONT., Clarke Block, Cumberland Street at Arthur Street, for W.J. Clarke, 1889 (Daily Sentinel [Port Arthur], 27 March 1889, 1, descrip.; 6 April 1889, 1, t.c.)
PORT ARTHUR, ONT., Mitchell Block, Cumberland Street, for R.E. Mitchell, 1889 (Daily Sentinel [Port Arthur], 6 April 1889, 1, t.c.)

J.C. FORSTER (Institutional & Ecclesiastical works in Owen Sound unless noted)

CHURCH OF CHRIST DISCIPLES, Tenth Street East at Third Avenue East, 1889 (C.A.B., i, May 1888, 8)
ST. GEORGE'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, Tenth Street East, a new Sunday School, 1889, but not built until 1897; additions and alterations to chancel & vestry, 1908 (C.A.B., ii, July 1889, 83; Owen Sound Times, 13 May 1897, 1; C.R., xxii, 5 Aug. 1908, 24, t.c.)
WEST WARD SCHOOL, Beech Street, 1889-90; large addition of 10 classrooms, 1900 (Owen Sound Times, 22 Aug. 1889, 1; descrip.; and 7 Jan. 1891, 2; and 13 March 1900, 4, t.c.; C.R., xi, 11 July 1900, 3, t.c.)
FIRE HALL, 1889 (Owen Sound Times, 14 Sept. 1889, 4, t.c.)
MARKDALE, ONT., Public School, Victoria Street, 1889-90; burned 1894; rebuilt (Markdale Standard, 1 May 1890, 1; and 19 June 1890, 5, descrip.)
CHATSWORTH, ONT., Public School, 1889-90 (Markdale Standard, 1 May 1890, 1)
WINGHAM, ONT., Town Hall, Josephine Street, near Patrick Street, 1890; still standing in 2023 (Canada, Town Halls of Canada, 1987, 303)
BOYD STREET SCHOOL, major addition of a new 3rd floor, and large addition of 4 classrooms, 1891 (Evening Times [Owen Sound], 10 Feb. 1891, 1, descrip.)
WIARTON, ONT., High School, 1891 (Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, 27 Nov. 1937, 10, illus. & descrip. in historical article on the school)
TOWN HALL, major addition, alterations and improvements, 1891-92 (Owen Sound Times, 17 Jan. 1895, 5, payment of fees to J.C. Forster; Daily Sun-Times [Owen Sound], 22 May 1926, 9, historical article)
EUPHRASIA TOWNSHIP, Methodist Church, 1892 (Christian Guardian (Toronto), 16 March 1892, 165)
LYONS, ONT., [near Markdale, Ont.], Methodist Church, William Street at Queen Street, 1892; still standing in 2023 (Evening Times [Owen Sound], 7 April 1892, 5; C.R., iii, 16 April 1892, 1)
GENERAL & MARINE HOSPITAL, Sixth Avenue West at Twelfth Street West, 1892-93; and major addition, with Nurse's Home, 1909-10; large addition to the hospital with W. Grayson Brown of Hamilton, 1927 (Evening Times [Owen Sound], 8 Oct. 1891, 4, t.c.; and 23 June 1892, 1; C.R., iii, 25 June 1892, 2; and xxiii, 29 Sept. 1909, 22; Owen Sound Sun, 7 June 1910, 9; Daily Sun-Times [Owen Sound], 21 May 1924, 10, historical article on the hospital; Daily Sun-Times, 10 May 1927, 1 & 3)
HEATHCOTE, ONT., School, 1892 (C.R., iii, 30 July 1892, 2)
OWEN SOUND COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE, major addition of a new gymnasium and a caretakers residence, 1895; with addition of two classrooms and extensive interior alterations, 1895 (Owen Sound Times, 4 April 1895, 8; and 25 April 1895, 1, detailed descrip.; and 3 Oct. 1895, 1, detailed architectural descrip.)
CHESLEY, ONT., public school, 1897, a commission won in a competition (C.R., viii, 15 April 1897, 2, t.c.; Owen Sound Times, 13 May 1897, 1, descrip.)
BROOKE VILLAGE SCHOOL, addition, 1898 (C.R., ix, 8 June 1898, 2, t.c.)
MEAFORD, ONT., Sunday School for the Presbyterian Church, 1898 (C.R., ix, 22 June 1898, 2)
unnamed street, residence for A.W. Ford, 1898 (C.R., ix, 30 Nov. 1898, 1, t.c.)
GREY COUNTY COURT HOUSE, major alterations to exterior and interior, 1899 (Owen Sound Sun, 26 May 1899, 4, descrip.)
CHATSWORTH, ONT., St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church, McNab Street at Albert Street, 1899; still standing in 2022 (Owen Sound Sun, 7 July 1899, 4)
DERBY TOWNSHIP, KILSYTH, ONT., alterations and improvements to the Town Hall, 1899 (Evening Times [Owen Sound], 14 July 1899, 2)
ALLANFORD, ONT., Methodist Church, Highway 21, near Elizabeth Drive, 1900; still standing in 2023 (C.R., xi, 11 July 1900, 3, t.c.)
HANOVER, ONT., Methodist Church, 12th Street at 9th Avenue, 1900; still standing in 2023, but front facade altered (C.R., xi, 11 July 1900, 3, t.c.)
BAPTIST CHURCH, Tenth Street East at Fourth Avenue East, 1902 (C.R., xii, 15 Jan. 1902, 2, t.c.)

J.C. FORSTER (Commercial & Industrial works in Owen Sound unless noted)

THE ADVERTISER BUILDING, at 235 9th Street East near 2nd Avenue East, for the Owen Sound Advertiser newspaper, 1889; converted to Loyal Orange Lodge, 1939; still standing in 2023 (Owen Sound Daily Sin-Times, 6 Nov. 1939, 5, descrip. in historical article)
McCALLUM BLOCK, Baker Street at Poulett Street, a 3 storey commercial block for J.F. McCallum, 1890 (Evening Times [Owen Sound], 24 Dec. 1890, 1, detailed architectural descrip.)
HAY FURNITURE CO., for John & Archibald Hay, 1st Avenue at 14th Street West, a large 4 storey factory, 1891, burned January 1899; rebuilt by J.C. Forster; all demol. in 1980 (Owen Sound Sun-Times, 5 Dec. 1931, 10, historical article on Hay Furniture Co.)
COULSON HOUSE HOTEL, Union Street, extensive interior alterations to existing hotel, 1895 (Evening Times [Owen Sound], 25 April 1895, 1, descrip.)
FRED LE PAN HARDWARE CO., new retail store, and alterations to existing block, 1895 (Evening Times [Owen Sound], 25 April 1895, 1, descrip.)
CHESLEY, ONT., extensive additions to factory for American Bent Chair Co., 1896 (C.R., vii, 8 Oct. 1896, 2; Owen Sound Times, 15 Oct. 1896, 6)
TEESWATER, ONT., a large 3 storey hotel for J.H. Brick, Clinton Street South, near Union Street East, 1897; still standing in 2023 (Owen Sound Times, 13 May 1897, 1)
HAY FURNITURE CO., for John & Archibald Hay, 1st Avenue at 14th Street West, two large 3 storey factory buildings, with office building, 1899; demol. 1980 (Evening Times [Owen Sound], 8 June 1899, 1, descrip.)
PARKHILL BASKET CO., factory, mill and boiler house, 1900 (C.R., xi, 5 Sept. 1900, 2, t.c.)

J.C. FORSTER (Residential works in Owen Sound unless noted)

unnamed street, residence for Mrs. J.W. Layton, 1888 (C.A.B., i, June 1888, 8)
JACKSON STREET, at Terrace Street, residence for an unnamed client, 1889 (Owen Sound Times, 14 Sept. 1889, 4, t.c.)
DUNDALK, ONT., residence for Thomas Hanbury, 1891 (Evening Times [Owen Sound], 10 Feb. 1891, 1, descrip.)
DIVISION STREET, residence for William Brown, 1892 (C.R., iii, 25 June 1892, 2)
JACKSON STREET (now 9th Street West), residence for Henry Stephens, 1892 (C.R., iii, 23 July 1892, 2, t.c.)
MASONVILLE, ONT., residence for R. Doyle Jr., 1892 (C.R., iii, 26 Nov. 1892, 1)
JACKSON STREET (now 9th Street West), near 2nd Avenue West, large residence for Alfred J. Frost, 1893-94; still standing in 2023 and now called The Breckenridge-Ashcroft Funeral Home (Owen Sound Times, 7 Dec. 1893, 8, detailed architectural descrip.)
KEPPEL TOWNSHIP, residence for Francis Mills, Lot 13, Concession B, 1894 (Owen Sound Times, 11 Jan. 1894, 4, t.c.; C.R., iv, 11 Jan. 1894, 1, t.c.)
unnamed street, residence for H.A. Harrison, 1896 (C.R., vii, 8 Oct. 1896, 2)
CHESLEY, ONT., residence for W.D. Bell, 1897 (Owen Sound Times, 13 May 1897, 1)
CHESLEY, ONT., large addition to residence for J.H. Elliott, 1897 (Owen Sound Times, 13 May 1897, 1)
PARRY SOUND, ONT., residence for John Clarke, 1897 (Owen Sound Times, 13 May 1897, 1)
TORONTO, ONT., residence for John Lowther, Howland Avenue, 1897 (Toronto b.p. 6, 27 April 1897)
CIVIC CEMETERY, a residence for the cemetery Supervisor and caretaker, 1897 (Owen Sound Sun, 24 Aug. 1897, 4)
unnamed street, residence for A.W. Ford, 1898 (C.R., ix, 30 Nov. 1898, 1, t.c.)
CHATSWORTH, ONT., residence for Warden McDonald, 1900 (Owen Sound Sun, 23 Nov. 1900, 4)
WINONA PARK, STONEY CREEK, ONT., a large residence for an unnamed client, c. 1900 (Owen Sound Sun, 28 Feb. 1902, 1; Ladies' Home Journal [Philadelphia], xix, March 1902, 11, illus.)
POULETT STREET, residence for Henry P. Lepan, 1901 (C.R., xii, 8 May 1901, 5)
WIARTON, ONT., residence for J. Cameron, 1901 (C.R., xii, 8 May 1901, 5)

FORSTER & CLARK (works in Owen Sound unless noted)

KING'S ROYAL HOTEL, Balmy Beach, Sarawak Township, 1901-02; demol. 1916 (Owen Sound Sun, 12 April 1901, 4; C.R., xii, 29 Jan. 1902, 4; A. Armitage, Owen Sound, 1979, 58-9, illus. & descrip.)
WIARTON, ONT., residence for D. Heuther, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 2 April 1902, 2)
WIARTON, ONT., Canadian Bank of Commerce, Berford Street, 1902 (Owen Sound Times, 31 July 1902, 4, t.c.)
MEAFORD, ONT., major addition to the factory for the Meaford Furniture Manufacturing Co., 1902 (Owen Sound Times, 27 March 1902, 6)
SHELBURNE, ONT., Knox Presbyterian Church, Main Street East at William Street, 1902-03; church closed in 2017 and converted to commercial use; still standing in 2023 (J. Rose, The History of Shelburne, 1974, 411)
DERBY, ONT., School House for Union S.S. 7, 1903 (C.R., xiv, 18 Feb. 1903, 2)
DUNDALK, ONT., Town Hall, 1903 (Owen Sound Times, 28 Aug. 1903, 6, descrip.; C.R., xiv, 2 Sept. 1903, 1)
KILSYTH, ONT., Presbyterian Church, Grey County Road 5 near Concession Road 7, 1903; still standing in 2023 (Presbyterian Review (Toronto), 23 Jan. 1904, 6, descrip.)
GORE BAY, MANITOULIN ISLAND, ONT., Presbyterian Church, Meredith Street near Main Street, 1903-04; still standing in 2023 (Owen Sound Times, 7 May 1903, 4, t.c.; Owen Sound Sun, 22 April 1904, 1)
GORE BAY, MANITOULIN ISLAND, ONT., a hotel for an unnamed owner, 1904 (Owen Sound Sun, 22 April 1904, 1)
BAKER STREET, residence for William Ewens, 1904 (Owen Sound Sun, 22 April 1904, 1)
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, Division Street at Scrope Street, 1904-05 (Owen Sound Sun, 22 July 1904, 1, detailed descrip.; and 24 Feb. 1905, 2, descrip.; C.R., xv, 1 March 1905, 5)
RYAN BROTHERS BLOCK, for J.C. Ryan, extensive alterations to existing commercial block formerly owned by David Melville, 1905 (Owen Sound Times, 13 Jan. 1905, 1, descrip.)
CAPE CROKER, ONT., St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Lighthouse Road at Sylvia's Road, 1905; still standing in 2023 (dwgs. at NAC, RG22, 77803/11)
MARKET BUILDING, Union Street, at Eighth Street East, 1905 (Owen Sound Times, 11 August 1905, 1, descrip.; C.R., xvi, 16 Aug. 1905, 2)
OWEN SOUND COLLEGIATE, Ninth Street East, addition, 1906 (C.R., xvi, 14 Feb. 1906, 2)
POPLAR, MANITOULIN ISLAND, ONT., School House, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 28 March 1906, 2, t.c.)
KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 9th Street East at 4th Avenue East, addition of a new Sunday School, 1907 (Owen Sound Sun, 22 Feb. 1907, 8, t.c.; C.R., xviii, 6 March 1907, 4, t.c.)
BOYD STREET SCHOOL, major addition of 8 classrooms, a commission won in a competition, 1908 (Owen Sound Times, 30 April 1908, 4; C.R., xix, 6 May 1908, 16)
HANOVER, ONT., Merchant's Bank, Tenth Street near 9th Avenue, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 5 May 1909, 18-19, t.c.)
PUBLIC THEATRE, Poulett Street, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 25 Aug. 1909, 21)
TORONTO, ONT., residence for Richard A. Jones, Spadina Road near Austin Terrace, 1909 (Toronto b.p. 17494, 2 Oct. 1909)
NINTH STREET, at Second Avenue West, residence at the corner, for an unnamed client, 1910 (Owen Sound Sun, 15 March 1910, 4, t.c.)
SECOND AVENUE WEST, residence for William McLaughlan, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 15 June 1910, 28)
HANOVER, ONT., Town Hall, 10th Avenue near Tenth Street, 1910; restored 2014; still standing in 2023 (C.R., xxiv, 15 June 1910, 27, t.c.; Canada, Town Halls of Canada, 1987, 296 ff., illus.)
KEPPEL TOWNSHIP, School for Section 1, 1910 (Owen Sound Sun, 21 June 1910, 4, t.c.; C.R., xxiv, 29 June 1910, 25, t.c.)
ARTEMESIA TOWNSHIP [near Flesherton, Ont.], Artemesia Continuation School, 1910 (Owen Sound Times, 14 April 1910, 4, t.c.; C.R., xxiv, 29 June 1910, 42-3, illus. & descrip.; Flesherton Advance, 16 July 1910, 1)
KING EDWARD SCHOOL, in Brooke Village, 4th Avenue West, 1911-12 (Owen Sound Times, 10 Aug. 1911, 1; and 3 May 1912, 1, descrip.)
EAST HILL SCHOOL, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 1 Nov. 1911, 57, t.c.)
SYDENHAM CLUB, First Avenue West, 1910-11 (Const., iv, March 1911, 84, illus.; Canadian Builder & Carpenter [Toronto], ii, Nov. 1912, 16, illus. & descrip.)
SHELBURNE, ONT., St. Paul's Anglican Church, Owen Sound Street near 3rd Avenue West, 1912; still standing in 2023 (C.R., xxvi, 13 March 1912, 67)
HANOVER, ONT., Continuation School, 1912-13 (C.R., xxvi, 17 April 1912, 65, t.c.; Owen Sound Sun, 18 April 1913, 2)
OWEN SOUND FRUIT CO., major 2 storey addition to fruit packing warehouse, 2nd Avenue East, "...adjacent to the CPR tracks", 1912 (Owen Sound Sun, 25 June 1912, 1, descrip.)
TORONTO, ONT., residence for J.S. Robertson, St. Andrew's Gardens, 1912 (Toronto b.p. 37476, 13 Sept. 1912)
CARNEGIE LIBRARY, First Avenue West at Eighth Street West, 1912-14; still standing in 2023 (Owen Sound Times, 27 April 1911, 1; and Owen Sound Sun, 14 June 1912, 4, t.c.; Daily Sun-Times [Owen Sound], 4 Feb. 1939, 10, descrip. in historical article)
unnamed street, residence for R. McDowall, 1913 (Canadian Builder & Carpenter [Toronto], iii, Dec. 1913, 30-32, illus.)
MARKDALE, ONT., Carnegie Library, Main Street East near Toronto Street South, designed 1913; built 1914-15; library closed in 2001 and converted to commercial use; still standing in 2023 (Owen Sound Sun, 3 June 1913, 4, t.c.; Markdale Standard, 1 July 1915, 1, illus.)
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, Second Avenue East at 9th Street East, within the Wolfe Block, new bank premises, with new facade, 1913 (Owen South Sun, 26 Aug. 1913, 1, detailed descrip.)
DURHAM, ONT., High School, 1915 (Owen Sound Sun, 23 March 1915, 5; and 13 Feb. 1932, 7, illus. & descrip. in historical article)
HARRISON PARK INN, on the grounds of Harrison Park, 1915 (Owen Sound Sun, 25 May 1915, 1 & 3, descrip.)
AMABEL TOWNSHIP, BRUCE COUNTY [near Wiarton], public school for S.S. No. 14, 1915 (Owen Sound Sun, 2 July 1915, 4, t.c.)
ARTESMIA TOWNSHIP, public school for Eugenia S.S. No. 13, 1917 (Owen Sound Sun, 27 March 1917, 6, t.c.)
KEENAN WOODENWARE MFG. CO., Third Avenue East at Eighteenth Street East, factory, 1917 (Const., x, Oct. 1917, 364)
FLESHERTON, ONT., residence for F.T. Bibby, 1918 (Owen Sound Sun, 24 May 1918, 8, t.c.)
BUFFALO, N.Y., USA, new factory for Frederick F. Dalley Co. Ltd., 1918 (Owen Sound Sun, 27 Aug. 1918, 1)
HAMILTON, ONT., residence for Mrs. Marie I. Dalley, sister of J.C. Forster, Queen Street South at Stanley Avenue, 1918 (Owen Sound Sun, 27 Aug. 1918, 1)
EXHIBITION BUILDING, for the Owen Sound Agricultural Society, 1923 (Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, 14 March 1923, 7, t.c.)
NORTH GREY REGISTRY OFFICE, 4th Avenue East near 12th Street East, major addition, 1923; still standing in 2023 (Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, 14 July 1923, 7, t.c.; and 22 Nov. 1923, 1, descrip.)

COMPETITIONS

OWEN SOUND, ONT., House of Refuge, 1902. Forster was one of four architects who submitted plans for this institutional commission (Owen Sound Times, 11 Sept. 1902 1). The winner was James B. Russell of Stratford.
MEAFORD, ONT., Town Hall, 1907. The office of Forster & Clark in Owen Sound was one of seven firms who submitted designs for the civic building in Meaford (inf. Fred Kennedy, Heritage Meaford). Their scheme was passed over in favour of the winning proposal sent in by Ellis & Connery of Toronto.
OWEN SOUND, ONT., major addition of 8 classrooms for Public School, 1908. Just one year, later after losing the competition for the Meaford Town Hall, the firm of Forster & Clark again competed against James Ellis of Toronto, who was formerly in partnership with J.C. Forster in Port Arthur, Ont. in 1889. The other competitor was J.S. Russell of Stratford (Owen Sound Times, 30 April 1908, 4). This time, the firm of Forster & Clark was the successful competitor.